Chaos

I've decided that is the one word that sums up India. Well, from Hampi we headed to Kolkata and volunteered at the Mother Teresa house. Me and ML were stretched working at the orphanage with the handicapped kids, and the guys worked at a home for men. It was exhausting but good-for-us work. Kudos to all mothers out there-you guys are amazing for all you do. 4 days of it is enough for me! We also met a brother from Toronto working in Kolkata for a year, and hung out with him and friends. We also got to go to their church which was cool. With a bunch more quotes (mainly Mother Teresa) added to my stash we caught the train (a means of traveling which I've thoroughly enjoyed) to Varanasi, where we enjoyed some peanut brittle and got to touch base with friends from Arambol. We also got to meet Kent's friend from last year and enjoy a nice team dinner together looking out at the ghats. From here we trained to Agra, where we packed in a day of the Taj, Agra Fort, and enjoyed a hotel involving luggage boys, a door man, and a hot shower. After a few hrs of sleep we-you guessed it-trained to Mumbai which is where I write this from. The last day. It is bittersweet, I'm excited to see everyone again but sad to leave India and the good times we've had. It's not over though, this is a lifestyle that I hope we all carry out wherever we go. I am very thankful for India/backpacking and the appreciation it gives me for seemingly ordinary pleasures which are known as luxuries-a hot shower, a washing machine (I haven't washed my jeans in 2 months-my mother would be proud! Jk!), a comfortable bed, silence, toilet paper, clean washrooms,...the list could go on and on. But, I am out of time so I will say adios, next update coming at you probably from NZ. Hey, have an amazing day!

An Overdue Update

Well, I am still alive and well in India. To be honest I don't even know where to begin. I often find myself thinking of how I could possibly describe India to those who haven't been, and still find myself at a loss for words. I think it's somewhere you just have to see yourself to really know. In brief...  my team spent the first 3 weeks down south in Arambol which is a huge tourist spot. From there we overnite bused it to Hampi where we've been a week. After a few nites here Kent actually ended up meeting a pastor who runs a cafe (though it's currently closed) and he is blessing us with accommodation. Crazy how God works eh? This wknd we got to experience the local train and headed to his hometown to attend church. It was a day and a half affair and his family warmly welcomed us into their home, feeding us an abundance of good food, borrowing and giving us clothing, and even doing our laundry for us! We attended 4 church services and are slowly but surely getting our singing act up to par. We also got to pray for a bunch of people, including praying for a few healings which was really cool. I'm really touched by how hospitable the people here are. Ok, this update does not do these last few weeks justice but it will have to do for now, I'm outta time and I have more of India awaits! I'll leave you with a quote I stumbled upon:


"Success is failure turned inside out."

India

Ive made it to India where speed limits and signals mean nothing and horns mean everything. FYI a 10 hr taxi ride is not smart for weak stomachs. Slowly adjusting to heat. Loving the pol here, locals and travelers alike. God definitely went ahead and prepared the way as we face open doors and meet pol really easily. A highlite for me wad blessing 2 indien children with Hacky sacs and planning with them. Merry Christmas all!

which hand?

So. In 5.5 hrs my team and I leave for India. Our first bit consists of a van ride, 3 flights, a long layover, most likely crashing in an airport, a 5ish hr train ride, and then who knows. I'm so so so excited to go bring the light that is Christ to these people and just pour out His love on them. I've been eating with my hand nearly all week in preparation, and just cuz it's so fun, and contemplating whether or not it's possible to go 8 weeks without toilet paper (some of you may be shocked to find out the left hand is quite useful for wiping in India. And even more shocked to know I'm so going to try it!) and cutlery. I shall find out shortly.. .more seriously though, my team has been having some sweet prayer times together. Some things we've been praying is that we're really spirit-led and that God gives us enormous hearts for India. I'm stoked to see what God has in store for these next 2 months and can't wait to hear everyone's stories when we get back to base in February. Next update coming at an unknown future time from another country!

But first, another bone: "I finally understood what true love meant…love meant that you care for another person’s happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."

Content and Contemplative

PRAISE REPORT : Dave's knee still isn't really bothering him, and he's really beginning to think there might be something to this prayer stuff. Please keep him in your prayers and really pray for friends and family to surround him and bless him this holiday season-he's definitely a lonely guy.

So I still fail at regularly updating my blog. Whatevs...MAJOR PRAISE REPORT: so 2 weeks ago there was still heaps (at least to the human mind-to God it's pennies) of moolah needed totally over $21,000 NZD ($15,900 CAD). With God as the Almighty Provider, as of today the needed money is in and everyone is able to go on outreach!

Alot of prayer went into this as well as some fasting. I was really stretched during my fast and am figuring out how to go about a lifestyle of fasting. I learnt that God meets you even if you decide to fast without His leading. I learnt that my body is stronger than I thought. Sleep is always important, but I really realized how important it is while fasting. I learnt getting a good friend whom you respect alot to keep tabs on you is key. I experienced God's grace and love alot. It was cool to just be real with God and just go to Him unsure and taking my weak faith and holding onto it with my everything, and saying, "Lord, help me."

I'm leaving for India in 6 days to spend 8 weeks there travelling and living life for God, reaching out to anyone and everyone we meet. My team's vision? "To submit ourselves fully to God with reckless abandonment, and to show His love in everything we do." I'm excited to really push myself as a leader and have a blast with my team. I'm also really excited as this week God confirmed that I will be making a second trip to India sometime in my life. I'm not sure when or how, but I'm so excited! I'm sure I'll love India. I hope and pray that I head-on embrace everything this experience entails. I have been practicing eating with my hand and after 2 days of it I'm ready to throw out my fork forever! I'm so excited for my first train ride, authentic Indian food, among other things. And how could I forget squattie potties! Yup, this trip is going to be an experience to say the least...

Last but not least a meaty bone to chew on..."The way to be hypocritical is to only do what you feel like doing! The believer does things because they’re right. In the world you do things because you feel like it. In the kingdom you do things because they’re right and then the feeling follows.” - Bill Johnston

by all means paint

"if you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." -Vincent Van Gogh
Wow, what an amazing quote. So glad I stumbled across it. I've been learning this week that as you "painting" gets easier and easier each time you do it.

Anyway...

PRAISE REPORT...remember Dave (the fish and chips dude whose knee I got to ask God to heal?). God is in process of healing it! I couldn't go in to the city yesteray so I asked my friend to check up on him on my behalf, and Dave said his knee wasn't bothering him too much, just a couple times that week. And he was beginning to think that maybe this prayer thing is working. God's totally got a hand on him, so keep praying! I'm so excited for the day his 5 years of arthritis is completely healed.

Learning, learning, learning...that's pretty much my life and I love it. I feel like I've learnt so much and there's still so much to learn! These last few weeks we've studied the father heart of God, spiritual warfare, and other things. One question our speaker asked this week was, "What things are you doing that aren't drawing you any closer to God?" What a question that totally needs to be asked on a regular basis, eh?

This weekend has been really relaxing and awesome. I've been a weekend warrior with 4 students which meant we got to clean, cook, and look after the base. It's been sweet to hang with these students and learn our way around the kitchen together. Yesterday we learnt that grilling tortillas directly on the elements here does not work. There may or may not have been a bit of smoke involved. I'm off to go prep lunch-wonder what I'll learn today...

outreach!!!!!

Alas the news is out! Come mid-December I will be heading to INDIA for 2 months along with my co-leader Kent and 4 students (Mary Lloyd, Wyatt, Phil, and Erik). I'm so excited and God's really given me a heart for this country. Don't you just love when what you want happens to be in tune with what God wants?!! I can hardly wait and will let you know more as I know more. In the meantime, prayer point for all you prayer warriors out there (you guys are wonderful, by the way!):

-please pray for unity and bonding among the the team as a whole
-pray that we are open to hearing where God wants us to go in India
-pray for good co-leadership between Kent and I

God Bless You!