To describe the odours, visuals, sounds and tastes of India would keep me busy for the rest of my life, however when I am faced with the question, what did I feel in India, there are no words to describe.
I was overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of the people, especially those who have little in our eyes. One family comes to mind, they tend to the water buffalo at the place we served and they invited our team for lunch twice during our stay there. Looking at their simple house, consisting of one room, one would perceive them to be poor, with little to give 14 spoilt westerners, but what they gave us meant more than any earthly gift. They did not give out of abundance as we so often do in our own lives, but they gave us the best they had, they prepared us the meal they usually have on special occasions. Everything in me wanted to object, but knowing that they would be offended even more by my refusal to accept their gift I had to get over the idea that we were the ones coming to give and serve and allow them to bless me. It reminded me of the story in the Bible of the widow who did not give in her abundance, but who gave her all, God does not look at the amount, to Him it is all about the heart behind the offering. My life has been touched by the generosity of this family and I pray that God would continue to bless them to be able to follow Him, even in difficult times.
I was overwhelmed by the devotion and zeal with which the children pray and serve the Lord. As we said goodbye (without actually speaking, because the tears did not allow me to speak) they brought a new perspective by proclaiming that we might not see each other again in this life, but we will definitely meet again in heaven and the bonus of meeting in heaven would be that we would finally speak the same language. I mean, who would not fall in love with that? On our final evening the children prepared a special program for us to say thank you for the work we did on their church as well as for what we meant to them during this time. During our evening programmes, we were not always sure whether the children understood the message and we sometimes felt a little bit lost in translation, but the Lord just proved again that He does not need words to communicate, He communicates through love and even though I think some of the theological statements we made went lost, the love behind the act was multiplied. The children did a special compilation of their favourite songs and games during our time there and seeing the joy with which they did it overwhelmed us completely. We left with mixed emotions, sad that our time with them has come to an end, but at peace with the fact that God’s hand has been working there many years before us and He will continue to be with them many more years after us, it was our privilege to be part of His story, not the other way around. He is the indescribable God.
nTo end off India we visited the majestic Taj Mahal, as beautiful as I pictured it. I found joy in the fact that amongst all the dirt and pollution of India this symbol of love triumphs over it to bring people from all over the world to come and appreciate it. It reminded me of the love of Christ, that amongst the world that lies in ruins, it overcomes all and people from all around do not always recognise Him for it, but they cannot deny that it does exist, it triumphs over all everything.
This is not nearly enough to describe how my life has been touched and changed in India, but it is a glimpse of how the most high God used India to speak into my life, to describe the rest I stand with the single word: Indescribable!