Or just invading our hearts...
Its difficult to describe everything you see and experience when everything you experience is new to you!
Coming into India you are bombarded by a serious sensory overload! I’m still trying to figure out what some of the smells were. I was pleasantly surprised that being so far away from home didn’t feel as alien as I thought it would. Gravity was still pulling, the wind was still blowing and people were still living living their lives all around you.
As we started at the orphanage, we were given two tasks that seemed to be utterly impossible: paint the inside of a two story church building with a stage in three weeks with a bunch of non-professional painters (not to mention an incomplete team for the first week and a half) and do a two hour kids program every day except Sundays. It was sink or swim, but God loves it when we step out in faith, especially when you have bitten off a bit more than you can chew!
We had a slow start because we spent two days painting some dorm rooms while waiting for the paint for the church to arrive. The kids program also had it’s challenges considering most of our team members were not experienced preachers and some people had to bring up to three messages. Constant power cuts during the program was not an uncommon phenomenon.
The amazing thing is that we managed to pull off a full two hour program every night and we actually finish the church in time! It reminds me of 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. The team cannot take credit for the success of our project, because God had to come through for us every time! It’s times like these that makes me glad that we serve the Creator of the universe!
Apart from all the hard work and preparation we also had the opportunity of building into the lives of a bunch of little Indian lives, and what a blessing it was. The kids were amazing! The welcomed us from the moment we set foot at the orphanage and it made us feel at home straight away! We went to their rooms every night (playing games and talking about random things) and even slept over a few times. Most of them slept on the floor but some of the older kids had beds. They insisted that I sleep on one of their beds. Sleeping over didn’t involve a lot of sleep! Every time a little Indian boy asks: “Uncle, you sleep over tonight?”, it’s all over!
I was so humbled by their generosity. The little that they have they want to share with you. On the last day at the orphanage we were flooded with letters, bracelets and small gifts. Even though they had nothing, they gave it. It broke my heart when I read the letters and in every one I found these words: “I have nothing to give you, but I will pray for you, you family and your journey”. I was so challenged by the realization that we are so hesitant to give out of out abundance and these kids would give all they have to someone the only knew for a few weeks.
We also spent some time with a family staying on the premises that look after the Water Buffalo. We called them the Water Buffalo people and they had us for a meal on more than one occasion. I was again blown away by the fact that the four of them stayed in a single room and didn’t have much, but they prepared us (about 10 people) a meal that they only make on special occasions. The dad was so awesome, he would call a Buffalo by name and it would respond to it!
I also had the opportunity to help out at the hospital and nearby orphanages with their Physio-related needs. What a blessing to be able to serve the locals in that way too!
Personally India was a ‘first time’ experience in many ways! I lead worship, starred in dramas almost every night, preached in a church service, gave a half an hour long Sunday school lesson with five minutes notice. All that for the first time! Strange time to discover those hidden talents, haha!
Other interesting activities include washing about 50 kids in about an hour, Northbound losing really badly to the kids in a cricket match, Northbound beating them in Ultimate Frisbee, having kids scratch the paint off your hands when they should be listening to the person preaching, playing Ninja with kids who really move like ninja’s and receiving the biggest group hug ever ( it must have been 20 kids, I almost fell over)!!
It’s amazing how quickly you start to love the people there. I never though that it would be so hard to say good bye after only knowing them for a few weeks!
The kids only get to eat chicken once a year a.k.a “The Chicken meal”. With the help of our supporters we could give the kids their Chicken meal and give the kids new undergarments. Thank you to those people, you made an incredible difference to those kids!
After finishing a our ministry point at he orphanage we took a overnight train to Agra where we had a Challenge waiting for us! We saw the Taj Mahaal and net a strange Nepalese/Rasta/Indian shop owner. We ended up spending about two hours at his shop. We then took a two day train to Chennai after playing Ninja at the train station with a bunch of random Indian guys! In Chennai we almost covered the whole town with a Rs.8 train ticket (that’s R1.20). We asked the ticket salesman where the beach was and he gave us a train ticket with names of connecting trains on. Next thing we know we were on a train on our way somewhere and we didn’t have a clue where, much fun! Also got the chance to drive a Tuk-Tuk.
God is the same God, no matter where we are or in what situation!