India definitely has the ability to grow on you...figuratively, and thinking about it probably literally as well – but then I will advise you to consult your doctor as soon as possible.
I.N.D.I.A...a land overflowing with street vendors and the famous, but very unpopular squeaky horn. The streets are full of random street cows, the smell of masala, buzzing crowds, thousands of stray dogs, crazy trains, Hindu gods, snake charmers, sari wearing ladies and strings of orange flowers - all wrapped up in a culture so thick you can taste it. During my previous visit to India I experienced it in very much the same way...
BUT, this time around there was something different – there was a darkness lurking beneath the colourful exterior. There was an overwhelming hopelessness that I saw hiding behind people’s hard faces and fake smiles. I had the same feeling you get when someone is trying to persuade you that they are “fine” and that they are doing “well”. While all the while it is blatantly obvious that they are lying.
One of my teammates described this as a lack of authenticity... fake smiles, fake happiness and fake hope.
I was confronted with extreme social injustices:
# a cast system: ‘designed’ to keeps the poor very poor with little or no real opportunities
# dowry victims: wife’s that are burned or hurt and then left for dead because their families are unable to meet the high dowry cost
# orphaned street children and organized begging
# corruption and injustice on a large scale
So why am I telling you all of this? My intentions are definitely not to depress you...
The reason is: There is HOPE! His name is JESUS and He has the ability to heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and break open the prison bars! (Isaiah 61)
Jesus is the REAL thing – He is 100% pure HOPE!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... 1 Peter 1:3
We as a team had a taste of this HOPE in the time we spent at the children’s home. For 16 days we served, painted, ministered and just loved about 450 children.
Spending time with Indian Christians gives me hope. Spending time with orphan children praising God gave me hope. Seeing their faces and the pure joy they experienced when they heard that God provided the money for our projects...restored my hope for this nation.
The battle for India is not lost – so let us pray for the Lord of the harvest to send more workers to the Indian fields! It might stay the same India, with the same problems and challenges, but Jesus can bring HOPE to every heart that accepts Him.