Everything in and about India is incredible. The splendour of the landscape, the majesty of historic and modern buildings, the culture, the buzz of tuc-tucs and rickshaws, and everything in between. Incredible are the people, the sights, the smells and tastes. But just as everything is incredibly good and magnificent, so are those same things and experiences incredibly bad. India is a mixing pot of every imaginable sense – sight, taste, smell, feeling - a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences!
Landing in India was somewhat of a surreal moment. In the protection of the airport in New Delhi, life and the surroundings seems as normal as the day we left South Africa. I had a different picture in my mind, probably from watching ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, and one or two too many Bollywood movies on our flight. Even outside the airport everything seemed different than I expected as we made our way to the high speed metro train that runs from the airport. Looking out the window as New Delhi passes in a flash, I barely notice that I’m in a completely different country. This mindset was, however, soon to be changed. We stepped out of our destination stop, and India hit me right between the eyes.
Delhi/New Delhi has a peculiar smell to it, the type that grabs on to your skin and latches itself to your throat. As we walked the kilometer or so from the metro train station to our hotel, the sources of all the smells and tastes soon became apparent. Spicy food from street vendors, religious flower arrangements, air pollution, spices, animals – from stray dogs to cattle and elephants – the pungent smell of public bathrooms (or lack there off), and so many more unidentifiable smells. There are so many rich colours and sights too see around every corner, but taking it all in is somewhat complicated as I had to concentrate on where to walk without disturbing whatever is scattered across the road. The traffic is crazy, with tuc-tucs, rickshaws, and motorbikes zigzagging between people and other more normal traffic, stopping and going as they please. Reaching the hotel, it took me some time to figure out what to do with everything that I had just experienced in the short time off just an hour. Just one word came to mind – Incredible! In every sense, usage, and meaning of the word.
From New Delhi we made our way to the region of Rajasthan, our actual and final destination in India. After a rather uneventful six hour train journey through India, we arrived to the best sight ever – amazing food, and a good night’s rest! Our first morning we woke, again to the smell of amazing food. I might say a few times over and over, but we are truly being spoiled by the food we receive – Indian cuisine with a touch of the West (and for almost all team members, a touch to much spice)! Due to protocols set into place by Global Challenge Expeditions, I cannot disclose our location or what we are doing. What I can tell is that we are busy from well before sunrise until well after sunset, blessing kids at of all ages and providing in their needs at an amazing orphanage. Looking back after almost a month of being in India, I can say with all humility that we aren’t making nearly as big a difference in the lives of the kids that surround us as they are making in our lives.
A normal day would start out with praying with kids at 05:30 in the morning, followed by some quiet time and the breakfast (have said how amazing the food is??). Whilst the kids are in school, we renovate rooms and buildings, bringing some new colour to buildings and facilities they use every day. In the afternoon we would plan evening programs consisting of teachings, fun and games, playing with the kids, and much much more. After dinner it’s some form of team time, ending of with visits to the kids in their rooms, and even sleeping over. Sharing a room with about 15 kids is truly an amazing experience! Ten o’ clock is lights out, ending of a busy but fun filled day.
These kids have so little, but what they have they share without giving it a second thought. They do their chores, go to school and do homework, and live life as simple as can be. They don’t have flashy clothes or expensive toys – they have food and a roof over their heads, and people who cares for them love just as they are. In the beginning it was a bit of struggle to see and share live as they do, sleeping and eating with them, and not being able to ‘do more for them’. They soon taught, without them even knowing it, that I didn’t have to do much, except for loving them. Love truly is the greatest and most important, and best part is that it’s for free! Free to give, and free to receive. As we now enter our last week with the kids at the orphanage, I know that saying goodbye is going to be painstakingly difficult, but I’m prepared to do it, knowing that I touched a few hearts, that they have touched mine – digging deep into it, changing my heart – and that by loving the kids I gave them all they need in this upside down world that we live in.
India is in a weird sense not as bad as I had expected it to be, and yet it is worst. Leaving will be the greatest challenge of all!
I will leave here with a broken heart and many tears, but with an even greater sense of God’s love and blessing, in my life and that of hundreds of kids here in India. In Genesis we read that God blessed Abraham so as to be blessing unto others. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I’m starting to realize what it means to not only bless, but to also be blessed by others. It is with this realization that I ask whoever is reading this blog, that they seek their hearts and the will of God, and if possible, to please bless me financially and in prayer so that I may continue this year. By doing this your blessing would continue through me and unto the nations we are to visit during this year.
God bless India!