Do You Trust Me?

One of my favorite movies as I was growing up was Disney's Aladdin.  I loved the music, the story, and of course the nods to Indian culture were definitely a plus as I got older!  One of my favorite parts in the movie comes when the soldiers are showing up to arrest Aladdin, and he's ready to jump out of a train, and he turns dramatically to Jasmine, holds out his hand and says, "Do you trust me?"  With her unsure answer of yes, they fall from the window and the adventure begins.
Every time I travel outside of the US, there are times where I'm unsure of exactly where I'm going.  Maybe circumstances are getting a little crazy or I'm hearing the concerns of people back home for my safety, whatever the cause my heart feels confused as to my intended destination, particularly how I'm going to get there.  It's definitely not an enjoyable feeling.
But, it's in these moments that a still, small voice speaks to my uncertain heart and asks, "Do you trust me?"  I have to admit, my answer isn't always in the affirmative.  But, if there is anything that living in India thus far has taught me, it's that even when I don't feel like I can say yes, even an unsure, hesitant yes works for the time being.  Jasmine didn't know what awaited her after that fall from the window.  Sometimes I don't know what's waiting for me as I take a leap of faith to follow that still, small voice.  But the important thing is to take the leap.  And I know that when I fall, He will be there to catch me.  His faithfulness is not dependent on my trust; but it certainly makes life easier.

A Dream Come True

In October 2001, I first felt that someday I would live in India.  I've since traveled to India on three different occasions in 2009, 2012, & 2013.  Now, my dream is coming true!
I will be going to live in India for a year, studying the language, and learning about the culture.  Now, I won't be leaving right away as there are quite a few preparations that have to take place before I go.  I should be leaving within a year, which is super exciting for me!  For the last couple of weeks, I've been in Springfield, MO participating in some different trainings where I got to learn more about what I'll be doing and what has to be accomplished before I can leave.  I also had the opportunity to make some really great friends!!
It's a brand new chapter in my life, but I am so excited to watch it unfold.  India, here I come!

Garlands of Marigolds

Humility.  It’s something we talk a lot about; but very often have a hard time actually putting into action.  There’s a whole stigma of having too much pride or being arrogant in our society…but oftentimes those who claim to be humble are the very people who are most proud (of their humility).  True humility comes from being humbled by circumstances or being humbled by God himself.  These past few days I have been humbled by God himself.

On Sunday, we were able to attend a church and were allowed to minister by the pastor with songs, drama, and testimonies.  One of the staples of traditional Indian churches (at least several that I’ve been to) is the giving of garlands to guests of honor.  These garlands are made of bright orange marigolds that have been strung together.  They actually derive from Hindu culture, and can be bought on the street corners outside the temples.  Worshippers bring them as offerings to adorn the necks of the gods they pray to inside the temple.  Today, they were adorning our necks.  There have been very few other moments in my life when I have felt so humbled as the moment when a sweet young Indian woman (she couldn’t have been older than me…at least I don’t think so) from the congregation placed that garland on my neck.  I had come to serve them, to minister to them, and they were placing a garland around my neck?  I felt like I should have been placing one on hers for her faithfulness to her faith in spite of all the persecution that surrounds them.  What had I done to deserve this…except be born a white American?

That afternoon we went to the Taj Mahal, and something surprising happened: rain.  Up until about July, there is very little to no rain in India, particularly May and June.  But, during our visit to the mausoleum itself, we found ourselves entrenched in the sudden onset of both a dust storm that threatened to blow us right out of our flip flops and a rainstorm complete with lightning and thunder!  Nature itself always humbles me. Who am I to be blessed with rain on the day that should be the hottest of the trip? (The white marble causes the sun’s heat to intensify, so it is usually the one place in India that I burn.)

Then, yesterday, God humbled me by reminding me that my strength is not my own.  We were wondering through Agra Fort, one of my favorite places to see, taking pictures and having a good time.  It was then that I noticed my legs were shaking.  I sat down, took a brief rest, drank some water, and kept walking with the rest of the team.  It was a little later on that the shaking grew steadily worse, and the strength completely left my legs.  I couldn’t walk.   For the rest of the day, I had to rely on others to help me get around, hold me up, and get me wherever we were going.  As the day went on, the question kept ringing through my mind: Why is this happening to me God?

To be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to share about that experience in this particular forum.  However, I feel that God taught me something really important.  You see, He answered my question, all three of them in fact.

What had I done to deserve this?  Nothing, but you didn’t have to.  I love you anyway.

Who am I to be blessed with rain?  My child, whom I love, who rejoices for rain in summer.

Why is this happening to me God?  Because I love you.  Now let others show you my love.

Humility.  It’s letting others show God’s love when we are most broken and vulnerable.  It has nothing to do with us in fact, save for our willingness to accept what is being given to us.

Mosques, Monkeys, and Ministry

India is a country filled with a wide variety of religions ranging from Islam to Christianity to Hinduism to Buddhism and everything in between.  Yesterday we explored one of those extremes as we visited the largest mosque in Southern Asia (I think I got that right), right here in Dehli!  Much different than mosques I've visited before, this one was almost entirely outdoors, with a cleansing fountain featured in the middle of the courtyard made of scalding stone...reminiscent of my Lotus Temple experience last year.  We sat on the prayer rugs and talked about what it looks like to be an Indian Muslim.  We spent some time praying (it is a mosque after all), looking around, and soaking in the ambiance that is a mosque.  There was such a contrast between ourselves and other foreigners we saw, snapping pictures and talking loudly.  The women who had come "immodestly dressed" had to wear appropriate coverings for being in the mosque.  We were fortunate that we had all worn modest kurtas (shirts) and brought dupatas (scarves) to cover our heads, and thus were saved such inconvenience.  We then spent some time wondering in the nearby marketplace, praying and practicing our Urdu.  Salaam alaykoom!
Today, however, was a completely different experience.  We found ourselves in a village, or rather a group of villages, that is totally unreached.  Instead of being surrounded by beautiful architecture we were surrounded by dirt, cows, and a plethora of monkeys.  In answer to your question, yes, monkeys really do eat bananas, as well as oranges, granola bars, and anything else they can swipe from your hands or scare you into dropping.  While they start out apparently cute and non-threatening, we had more than one showing his or her teeth and hissing at us today in exchange for a banana peel or a piece of orange.
As we walked around these villages, once again praying for the people who live in them, my heart was touched for these sweet people.  The vast majority (if not the entirety) of the area is Hindu, very devout I might add.  We were walking on a road that is often used by Hindus to pray in a very unique way.  They place their idol a few feet away from their head, lay their prayer mat on the ground, and proceed to create a pile of rocks with each prayer they pray (someone said it's usually around 150 rocks!) which then moves with them as they travel the 21 kilometers...aka 13 miles.

This demonstration of their faith really challenged me to think about my definition of ministry.  What is ministry?  Is it just telling people what I believe and hoping they accept it?  Is it taking care of the poor and the needy?  Is it doing prayer walks like this one to prove how devout I am?  I don't think so.  What is different about God?  While theologians could argue any number of differences, I think one that stands out is his love for humanity.  And what is the best way for us to learn about this love?  Experience it.  What is the best way for others to learn about this love?  Experience it.  I think ministry is about sharing the love of God with those around us.  That's what real ministry should look like.  It's what makes the smiles, handshakes, salaam alaykoom's, and namaste's important.  Showing love is showing that you genuinely care about the people around you, and so does God.

Pratna means Prayer

Today was really my first experience in an Indian village.  Up until that point, I have only really ever been in the cities and suburbs of Dehli; which is quite different from the rural setting we saw today!  Let me try to capture it for you.
We drove about an hour to reach our destination (a village I could not pronounce the name of if I tried) along parts of a well-intentioned highway and a road so bumpy that I smacked my head on the window twice (much to the dismay and delight of my fellow team members).  We drove through other villages filled with a strange mix of straw huts and brick or stone buildings, including several temples.  As we finally arrived at our destination, I stepped into a crowd of "well-wishers" looking for a glimpse of the white Americans who were coming to see them.
Our visit consisted of visiting the family of one of our new friends and meeting the other people in the village.  Prayer is an important part of Indian culture, so as the guests we prayed for those who wanted God's touch in their lives.  A woman, man, or child might come up and motion to a part of their body, be it head, stomach, or back; and our job was to pray that God would bring healing to their body.  Many received that healing today!  It was very exciting to both watch the team bless these people and to be a part of it myself.
And I got to hold a baby goat.  Which was very cool and cute and cuddly.  Just saying!

Scavenger Hunt

Today we had one goal: defy that beast we call jet lag.  After arriving in India VERY late last night (or was it this morning?), we went immediately to bed and slept soundly through the night.  The best way to avoid jet lag, or at least alleviate it's detrimental effects, is to do that very thing.  Next step is to stay awake the next day.  Well folks, I am proud to say that it is almost 10 o'clock at night; and myself and the rest of the team are just now settling in for the night.
We've had a jam packed day filled with lots of information and cultural immersion.  We spent the morning learning about India, the do's and don't's, and gained some insight into some of the things we'll  see over the next couple of days.  Then we took our information to the field!  Our host had put together a scavenger hunt in a local marketplace for us searching for things like bicycle rickshaws, kulfi, and kobab rolls.  I also got henna done on my hand!  It was great for the team to find themselves suddenly face to face with everything India has to offer: the heat, the smells, the spicy food, the crowds of people, the crazy driving, and the beggar children grabbing at your hands, your clothes,or whatever else they can touch.  As always, that was my least favorite part...and the auto rickshaw ride was my absolute favorite!  I just can't get enough of the three-wheeled taxis that dare to face off with cars and cows alike.

After that, we ended our hunt in the mall, where we ate in the food court and shopped for some clothes.  This provided me the opportunity to add two more kurtas and one more pair of pants to my growing Indian clothing collection.  And after a long ride back to the flat where we're staying, I'm ready for some well-earned sleep in order to face another jet-lagged day tomorrow.

The Smell of Garam Masala

They say that smells more than any other sense can take you back to a moment in time.  Right now my apartment is filled with the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder, paprika, coriander, and the overpowering smell of garam masala.  Garam masala is an Indian spice blend with...well actually I have no idea what's in it.  Anyway, it's used in many Northern Indian curry recipes, including one of my personal favorites: Chicken Tikka Masala.
No, I'm not just craving Indian food today. (Although my stomach is angrily growling more and more as I write this post!)  I'm making this, my favorite recipe with my favorite spice blend, to share with 5 other students and 1 faculty member from VFCC (Valley Forge Christian College) tonight for dinner.  Why this group?  Well, that would be because we are heading to India ourselves in just a few short days!  On May 4th we will fly out, to learn and interact with the culture of India for approximately 12 days (returning on May 16th).  I'm going home. :)
If you'd like to check out our team blog for updates from the other members of my team, here's the link!
http://indiavfcctrip.blogspot.com