THE INDIA POST (9)

Random notes on a scratch page:

Day 4, morning - village with the worst bathroom - we were in the church building.  Cut short because we had lunch in that building, rather than in Kalubavi.  Bonding time and culture chat with our helpers.  Kumba Lanoor village.

Our interpreters were Solomon and David.  They're young dads and best friends.  The helpers were Sudhakar and Shalem, who were young 20's and also best friends (it took me so long to remember their names that I wrote "Sudhakar- no mustache.  Shalem- mustache" in my journal to help me out).

Vumahla- little girl in green.  She stayed behind to blow us a kiss goodbye.  Beautiful little girl.
Rikatesh- Edgar's nephew?  13-year-old at Native.  Gold eyes.  Felt too old to play with the kids, but played anyway.  Sweet sweet kid.
Krishana, Mario, and Musheni - Precious group of boys in Kumba Lanoor.  They were so much fun!
Srikant- Solomon's nephew.  Suman- Solomon's younger brother.  They helped us and hung out with us during the Native camp day.  Between the 5 helper men and the 3 of us, we totally emptied a big container of cashews.  That was such a good purchase.  Who knew :)

Books to check out on Amazon:  Let the Nations Be Glad- Piper, Rich Christians in the World of Hunger, Don't Waste Your Life- Piper, Telugu Bible (for language learning purposes)

Chala-bah-goondi - How beautiful!
Bah-ghoo-na-dha - How are you?
Neh-nu bahga-oonahnu - I am fine.
Ahrundi! - Come!

9:20am Jan 21, 2011

We're on the bus heading to Hyderabad.  The boys are outside the bus, fascinated by us.  So funny!  What a mind-blowing few days... Last night and this morning especially.  After changing into punjabis at the hotel, we boarded the bus (the van on the previous day was NOT gonna work.  It was making me feel ill, and I never get motion-sick) and headed to the prayer hut dedication.  On the way there we encountered a mass of people so big that the bus couldn't go through.  Everyone was dressed in the most beautiful clothes outside, there was drumming, and we heard fireworks. Someone on the bus murmured, "a wedding?..."  The bus was going so slowly that we all hopped off to get ahead and see the drums.  I was so entranced by the drums that I didn't notice that the volunteers we'd been working with were there beside us.  They were facing us, holding hands.  Amanda asked Sudhakar what he was doing, and he said, "For your protection."  We were there--at the town where they were dedicating the prayer hut.  The celebration was for the prayer hut dedication, and all the people were there to see us.  It was an intoxicating experience.  My heart was pounding with the drums, and we were all traveling slowly toward the prayer hut.  It felt like I was being ushered into heaven itself.  The only thing missing was dancing, which apparently would have been wildly inappropriate.  The men and boys kept taking my picture with their camera phones.  It made me SO UNCOMFORTABLE.  It's made me uncomfy all week, but last night especially.  It felt SO inappropriate.  Edgar and his brother Mohan spoke to the crowd before we went in, and it moved my heart so much.  When we went in, we CRAMMED in.  "Fire code" clearly does not translate.  The children sang, we prayed, we read Scripture, and they told us how that particular prayer hut came to be.  Then, oh then, they gave beautiful gifts of shawls and flower necklaces to our doctors.  A group of women from the church also gave the rest of us flower necklaces!  Oh they were gorgeous...  And they smelled so sweet!  I was so
(I have to pee SO BAD) [we were on the 5 hour bus ride back to Hyderbad. The one potty stop was about 30 minutes away]
wiped on the way back.  Totally spent.  I'd been overstimulated and overheated, and if I saw another camera phone I think I'd have thrown it.  I'm ashamed to say that even after that incredible spiritual experience, I was unhappy and grouchy.  It was 11pm and I wanted sleep.  So God did that funny thing that He does... My phone died in the middle of the night and we overslept a little the next morning.  "You want sleep?  Then sleep!"  Thank you, God, for breaking us.  This morning we gave gifts to the Colonel (?) District pastors and their wives.  One of the pastors in return gave us a mighty gift.  He asked Gina to name his tiny baby girl.  Cue tears.  Gina said, "The only two names I'd choose are those I've already chosen for my daughters, so I choose Sarah Elizabeth."  How stinkin precious.  But then the baby's dad and granddad stood up and said, "Wait!  The baby's mom's name is Sarah!"  They chose instead to name the baby Gina Elizabeth.  OH such waterworks in that room.  That prayer time was awesome, and the idea of not working with this group of Christ-centered people made the tears even greater.  We said goodbye to Sudhakar and John--so hard.  They made all us children's ministry folks promise to come back.  Promise made.  I will be back.  No doubt.  I feel like I need to talk to a particular friend or two about going with us next year.  They would be excellent additions.

Aaaaaaanyway.  I've learned a lot on this trip.  Namely I've been convicted in my daily walking practices.  I need more Word.  I need more prayer.  Both in very deliberate, disciplined ways.  I need to be familiar with the Book that rules my life.  I need to be sharing the gospel for Christ, discipling new Christians, and putting firewood under the asses of lukewarm Christians so Christ can light that fire.  What all that looks like in action, I'm not totally sure.  But if I keep Christ, Edgar, Mrs. Stansel, and Aunt Pamela in mind, I bet my heart will be led to a place that will make it beat faster for the Lord.

Edgar reminds me of Aslan (nerd alert!).  I want to care for him, help him, and look to him because of the pure light that emanates from him.  He's so Christ-centered that he really seems to shine!  His eyes always have a light in them, and he always seems so full of joy.  When I briefly talk to him, I kinda feel like Lucy feels in Narnia!  He's truly an inspiration.  And despite his disability, he works harder than all of us.  He's the Paul of NATIVE Ministry.