Skywalks, Spices & Surprises: My India Story
Hyderabad, India with Teammates Kristin, Camera, Estevan, Jacapo, & Claudiu
When this newsletter finds you, I should be about to fly towards Europe, bringing an end to a truly eventful and powerful seven weeks spent in Hyderabad, India.
Hyderabad is a high-tech city, yet it is still a very different experience from the Western world. We spent the first few weeks working with an international church and therefore many people in the congregation spoke English. Like Hyderabad, which has huge overhead skywalks that take you where you need to go without all the hassle of trash, crumbling sidewalks, randomly parked motorcycles and cows on the road, this international church was a great way to wade into the culture and environment of India.
Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole trip was when one of my best friends, Kristin, “randomly” showed up. Kristin was part of the Jesus Revolution Belgium team last year, and she decided to take her spring break this year to join us in India. Everyone conspired to keep it a secret from me until the last minute! I was overjoyed.
The ministry we partnered with for the last four week is in Warangal, near Hyderabad. All of these church services were in Telugu, which 82% of Warangal’s population speaks. Almost every evening for a month, their pastor provided us with a translator and a church or a small group or a crusade (with over 3,000 people!) to share our testimonies, our teachings, our prayers, and lo and behold –our dancing and singing! :O Fortunately, with Kristin and another phenomenal Jesus Revolution leader, Paola, we made a musical, singing, dancing machine! The pastor even arranged to have us record in a music studio singing in Telugu. So, I am now part of the Christian music scene of India. ;-)
This culture is truly foreign to me. For example, most people (even Christians) are in arranged marriages. The sunset is almost always beautiful because there is so much dust in the air to catch the light. Women and men sit in separate areas in churches. I have often been taken by surprise at the flavor (and spiciness) of food that looks familiar to something from home. And because they want to honor me for ministering to them, they keep overwhelming me with gifts of dresses, earrings, bracelets, and hair clips…And 60% of the world lives in Asia, which means my culture is actually the minority!
Christians in India are currently experiencing an increase in persecution. Orphanages, schools, and even hospitals run by missionaries are being shut down by the government. We, as Christian foreigners, were asked to “hide” during the daytime and only appear for services. So even as I look forward to being back in Europe, I am praying for boldness over the Christians who make up 2% of India’s population. Even if they are entering a time cut off from outside Christian support, the government is too late to stop God from moving powerfully in India!
Three more months to go on this exciting adventure.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
