This past week in India has been great. Honestly, there wasn’t a super profound Jesus experience that rocked my world and changed my life forever. But my heart is SO full. Joy and peace abound in my soul in such a unique way when I am in this country. I love it. So rather than giving you thoughts or stories from the past several days, I want to let you in on a few of the many little things that Jesus allows to repeatedly make my heart smile in this beautiful country.
Cows on the streets
Decorated cows on the streets
Such vibrant clothing
Electricity randomly going out multiple times a day
The Indian head bob. I’m slowly learning what it means.
Buying mystery food and hoping it tastes good
Unexpected overcast, breezy cool days
Sharing testimonies with my team members
Playing games we haven’t played since middle school
The smells. So many smells.
The stares. So many stares.
Eating ice cream in the front seat of a rickshaw/tuk-tuk/auto with the breeze blowing across my face
“HI!!!” enthusiastically coming from the lips of every Indian child we see
Taking off shoes before entering a house. Or a store at the market.
The passion of people
Burning hot chai in little cups
Chameleons that live in our front yard
Bartering – the smile goes away and intense bargain hunting ensues
Spinning and dancing in the rain
Finding peanut butter in India. Thank you Lord!
The signs. Like “STOP OKAY PLEASE” on the back of trucks. What does that even mean?
Frequenting a “French” bakery started by an Indian who lived in Texas for four years and who thus plays country music in his shop
Cramming seven girls to live in one small bedroom
Worshipping our Maker on the roof
My team leader offering me packets of her instant coffee. Oh, so exciting!
Skirts and bandanas all day e’ry day
Little Indian minty seeds that some restaurants give at the end of a meal
Honking. All the time.
Crossing the street being like a game of Frogger
Cords of jasmine flowers in long braided hair
India time. Or lack, thereof.
India lines. Or lack, thereof.
The desperate need for Jesus and the ability to find Him here each day
Riding in rickshaws and thus regularly having near-incidences with large busses,
trucks, and other strange massive vehicles. Organized chaos at its finest.
Eating with hands
Rice, curry, rice, curry, and more rice and more curry
The knowledge that God is moving here and I get to take a part in it
Indian children. They’re just beautiful.
Indian accents
Waking up and going to sit around the kitchen table to read my Bible and talk about
Jesus with my lovely team members
Love that crosses cultural barriers
Becoming friends with the owners of restaurants we frequent
Herds of mules casually walking down the middle of the road
Women so impressively carrying immensely large/heavy objects on their heads
Henna tattoos
The “how many people can fit in one vehicle?” game that seems to be played by everyone in India
The overwhelming excitement and instant friendship in finding another white person in this small city
The fact that Jesus. Is. Here.
