Our time in India (and on the race) is coming to a close and I can’t help but reflect on what Jesus did in these last two months! When I found out we would be coming to India, I was in awe of God. India has been a country that has been on my heart and I was so excited to get to come and see why!
We got to India, headed straight into our last major debrief on the field and then headed straight into PVT. I was exhausted. And Satan took that and ran with it.
The Lord spoke that He wanted me to be where my feet are while in India. And let me tell you that was not an easy thing to do. Coming out of Nepal, we knew that the spiritual atmosphere of this country would be unlike anything we have experienced. It would be heavier and harder to battle.
Seemingly overnight, I felt myself go from walking in freedom to weighed down. Past struggles came back up in different ways. Temptations and feelings came back and the enemy was certainly trying to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). My health was attacked by past issues and I was discouraged to say the least. But slowly, as I surrendered daily my temptations and emotions to the Father, He took them from me because they are not my portion. They are His and He said I don’t have to carry them anymore.
Having my parents come and see me on the field was amazing. I realized how much I missed them and how much I couldn’t wait to spend time with them going home. We had so much fun together. Getting to see them worship and pray was so special. One night the races got to wash their parents feet and it was a holy moments for everyone.
Ministry in India looked like ATL. And a lot of it. It gave us time to be with God and with each other. We worshipped as a squad each morning and then, as teams, figured out what God wanted us to do for the day. In our first location, what we did changed daily. Sometimes that looked liked getting coffee as a team. Sometimes it looked like bible studies. Sometimes that looked like prayer walking through the mall and the local college we partnered with. Other times it looked like hanging out with our hosts and encouraging them.
Then we traveled to another part of the country and spent ten days there. We worked with a church, putting on VBS’s for the sweetest kiddos ever and fed them lunch. We got to go to a house church and pray for the local believer’s. It was a sweet 10 days and the area that we were in was amazing. It was 10 days filled with joy and fun and laughter and the sweetest, most energetic kids ever.
A week later we traveled north to the mountains for a week. We got to partner with a local school. We taught the kids and played with them. We spent time together as a squad doing some adventuring around the area. This week was super hard for me. I didn’t love being there even though, typically, I would have loved it. My emotions and Satan were getting the best of me. But on the last morning, I walked outside to find the mountains covered by fog. Fog covered mountains are probably my favorite thing in the world. I could stare at them all day. They had been this way the whole time we had been there, but this morning, something in my spirit shifted. I found such joy in being there. At the beauty of creation. And at the fact that the school is the only Christian school in that area. I marveled at how God had allowed the school to come into existence and was greatful to be a small part of its journey now.
Once we left our original ministry location, we were given three adventure days. A group of us headed to Agra and Jaipur. It was so fun to be able to rest and laugh and explore more parts of India.
Each day over the last two months I got to choose Jesus. I got to choose what He did for me on the cross. I got to be reminded by Him that He took my portion and has called me to live in the fullness of freedom!
As I surrendered daily, and though the battle was hard, it was Jesus who sustained me and who helped me through. And over time, my joy was filled once again and my health returned to normal.
These last two months in India have shaped me more than I thought they would. I was able to sit at His feet and be exactly where my feet were.
