The magic number is 17. 17 hours to fly from New York to Mumbai. 17 hours of a day lost in the air. 17 hours of what feels like eternally lost sleep. 17 hours to enter a different world, different culture, different tradition. 17 hours to be reminded that God is greater than any number of hours which separates one side of the world from the other.
I have only been in India for three full days, and I have gained so much. In case you had forgotten, God is really BIG. Although poverty rates are high, corruption is a norm, children are trafficked according to their value sexually, and many other issues that the "haves" so easily point out to the "have-nots," there are so many organizations and groups who are fighting such issues in the name of Jesus. From arranged marriages to organizations dealing with victims of child abuse, I have heard some powerful testimonies and had some thought-provoking conversations. One of my main prayers was that God would reveal and speak to my heart about spreading a gospel of love, freedom and justice within a social context (both on a personal and socio-political level) where none of these seem to exist. How do I, coming from a life of many blessings, speak to an audience where (in plain terms)life just sucks and may never change? How do you encourage? What do you say? This is my struggle. I believe that God can do the ultimately impossible, but when He doesn't... Be careful what you pray for, is all I can say. My first day at my internship site and the preached word spoke directly to this. Funny how God works. I guess 17 hours was worth something;). Anyway, I will end this thought for now, as I really need to get my body on India time. I sleep for a couple of hours and then I am up, writing a blog. Lord, help me, because I am going to feel it tomorrow morning...again!
*He is not through with me yet
I have only been in India for three full days, and I have gained so much. In case you had forgotten, God is really BIG. Although poverty rates are high, corruption is a norm, children are trafficked according to their value sexually, and many other issues that the "haves" so easily point out to the "have-nots," there are so many organizations and groups who are fighting such issues in the name of Jesus. From arranged marriages to organizations dealing with victims of child abuse, I have heard some powerful testimonies and had some thought-provoking conversations. One of my main prayers was that God would reveal and speak to my heart about spreading a gospel of love, freedom and justice within a social context (both on a personal and socio-political level) where none of these seem to exist. How do I, coming from a life of many blessings, speak to an audience where (in plain terms)life just sucks and may never change? How do you encourage? What do you say? This is my struggle. I believe that God can do the ultimately impossible, but when He doesn't... Be careful what you pray for, is all I can say. My first day at my internship site and the preached word spoke directly to this. Funny how God works. I guess 17 hours was worth something;). Anyway, I will end this thought for now, as I really need to get my body on India time. I sleep for a couple of hours and then I am up, writing a blog. Lord, help me, because I am going to feel it tomorrow morning...again!
*He is not through with me yet
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