India
So I had this dream about a year ago
All I remember is a veiled woman with big brown eyes coming up to me and telling me- “don’t forget about India”
I woke up and told myself I would go to India the next summer
I forgot about that dream- and started planning a mission trip to Ireland- I was really excited- mainly to travel with my friends to a country I love.
Then the time came to buy the tickets and I felt this uneasiness inside me- then I remembered my dream.
5 minutes later I changed my trip and I was put on the India team.
Two days after graduating from college I got on at plane (well 3 actually 3 planes) to India.
The adventure really began at JFK- where we found out our fight to Paris was delayed by 7hr and that would cause us to miss our flight to India- awesome- well actually
Air France was amazing and they got us on British Airways to London- then on to India
We got up graded on the flight to London
And the Flight to India was empty- we all stretched out across 3 seats.
Proof that Jesus loves us =)
30hrs after leaving Orlando we arrived in India at 4:30am and the sun was rising on our first day.
I’m gonna do my best to make this concise- So much happened and there is so much to describe- let’s get coffee and talk more
Describing India
Sent-
- Urine
- Jasmine
- Incense
- India food (ended up being the hardest part of the trip)
- Farm animals (cows are holy and just roam the streets of the city)
Sights-
- Huts and building made of tin
- Huts made of trash
- Trash everywhere
- The craziest driving I think I will ever experience
- People who don’t look like me at all (I realize that I have never been in an environment where I stick out so much)
Sounds
- Car horns (constantly- when you are going to pass someone you honk)
- Muslim calls to prayer
Touch
- HOT
- Dust in my eyes
Taste
- So it’s really hard for me to find food that I don’t like- and I don’t want to sound ungrateful or like a princess but the food might have been the hardest part
- You eat everything with you hands- not as hard as I thought it would be
- BOY- can those kids put away some rice- they all get heaping plates full and HAVE to finish it. The 5 year olds we out-eating me- this has never happened before
- I usually love rice- but after a few meals the spice was too much and my love began to fade
- On the more positive note- MAZZA- so good- a drink made by coke in India- Mango juice- soooo good
Most important- the kids
The children’s home that we stayed at is home to 48 kids. One amazing woman answers to “Mom” for all these kids. They are some of the kindest, most joyful people I have ever been around. These kids LOVE life despite their past. Some of these kids watched their father kill their mother, were abused physically and sexually, lived in huts, ate garbage to survive, lost parents or siblings to HIV/AIDS- yet they have JOY. Real authentic joy. They don’t live in the past- they live in freedom. They have been chosen and saved. They have grateful hearts. They LOVE Jesus. They pray knowing that the Lord hears them and they listen for his voice- not just for themselves- but also for others. They truly care about people and they are changing India and the world.
And still they are kids- they whine, they bicker, they get their feelings hurt, they have struggles- but still they are very different.
These kids who were once orphans go and serve at another “children’s home”. I put it in quotes because after seeing the children’s home that the 48 kids live in- it is not comparable. The children are not well cared for. When we arrived kids had pee and poop on them because no one would change them. They did not have diapers on any of them. There were 4 handicap children that were left lying on the porch covered in flies. They dance, and play with these kids and share their hope and joys with them. I spent time sitting and scratching the backs of the handicap kids. One of the boys would laugh and giggle every time I rubbed his back. It was a blessing to be in his presence.
I became really close with the little girls. I loved their giggles and smiles. I loved hearing “akka akka akka come play with me” (akka is tamel for big sister). They are so funny. And amazing card players =) They are FULL of life and so sweet.
We threw them a princess party. They wore their most beautiful dresses we did their hair and makeup. We served them at a tea party and did a photo shoot. They LOVED it and were SO thankful.
They will forever have a place in my heart. I told them not to get too big before I can come back. I know I will be back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7VOKQ0xJY
