Falling…Well jumping? I jumped. Off a super high cliff in Rio de Janeiro…Brazil that it is. I didn’t have a hang glider, but I still jumped, because I knew it would be ok. I could see the Jesus statue. I had jumped way above it. On my descent down to earth I was trying to figure out how I could survive, what I could grab onto. I knew I would though, because when there is a will there is a way…Then outside of this dream I heard a baby cry, and I didn’t know where I was. Then I woke up, and found myself napping on the floor of a pre-school in India. Sometimes in life we do not know what is at the bottom, or the end of a journey. But we put our trust in Christ, and we jump.
The black sky met the black water, and the colored lights danced on wet sand. In this massive blackness ahead of you, the white waves are crashing, and the stars peek down from heaven…This is the Arabian Sea. And this is a night in India. You run in darkness, along the shore. The beach is empty of prying eyes, and the world is at your feet. And you are free.
India. India…There is so much to say about you. I can still see him in my mind…One of our boys from Tuition. He’s 12 years old, and SUCH a bright young man! Smart, smart kid. And when he grows up he wants to be a doctor, and he would make an incredible doctor. Anytime I bandage or clean a kid’s wound he’s always there watching and being the great little assistant. He has such potential. And he lives in the slum. His parents have been dead for quite some years, his father died from alcohol, and he doesn’t remember what happened to his mother. He lives with his 3 sisters, brother-in-law, 2 nephews, and 1 niece. And their whole house is probably smaller than an average American kitchen. His family is strong Hindu, yet he comes to Tuition with a Children’s Hindi Bible. He is such a light. And his laughter could lighten any mood. We gave him the American nickname, George. So this week we had a nurse, Tiff, come in for medical clinic, 2 days in one slum and 2 days in the other, and since George’s nephew had an infected finger, along with a lot of them having some kind of hand fungus, Tiff and I went there to bring medical supplies and what not on our day off. And George was SO excited to talk to her and I told him when he becomes a doctor he’ll have nurses like her working for him. We talked about medical schools in the states with him (since he would like to study in America), and the plane flight to the US, and all kinds of stuff. And you could tell he was really soaking it in. He did have to ask however, to MAKE sure, that there was chicken to eat in America. It was wonderful to see him so excited.
India. You’re such a hard place. Your caste systems, your poverty. It breaks my heart knowing that there is SO many children like him, with such great potential, who may never know there’s more out there than their slums. And the incredibly hard work it takes to work your way up and out of the cast system. But I WANT that for them, I want that for George. And I believe in him with all my heart and you really have to pray. Please pray everyone.
This week has been so full…Some parts great, some parts hard. But full. And so full of God! We had a day of fasting and silence one day, which was amazing! It was just so great using that whole day to just be in communication with God. Medical clinic was also this week and that went really well, God has perfect timing too because there was some people who really needed that attention. And then on other days it involved making our team leader do really random weird stuff for her Birthday party. And Diwali has also started this week…Which means a 3 week break from school for the kids, 3 weeks of heavy drinking and partying for the adults, and 3 weeks of intense dark spiritual battles for our unseen realm. But…”Our God is greater, awesome and powerful, our God…Our God.” Thank you Jesus.
“Crash. Crash against the shore.
These waves they roll like weightless bodies.
Our bodies.
They roar when words have left our mouth.
In silence we sit. We are one with you brothers and sisters.
And we do hear your silent cries of the night.
We are One.
As Christ has won!
Our hunger makes our stomachs pain.
To live is Christ to die is gain.
Our prayers fall not on lifeless ears.
Our God He roars a Mighty Wind.
And His grace is sufficient for me.”
-MLK 10/16/11
“I’m overjoyed in our afflictions.” — 2 Corinthians 7
Love, Meghan
