I have finally had enough of a break in a demanding schedule to stop and relive my trip to India. Frankly, up to this point it has seemed like a vague memory since we got home and immediately began the grieving process with the loss of Craig's mom. Consequently, the strong memories of a place I have come to love, have flooded over me today and robbed me of sleep. It is 3 am and really I need to be in bed, but the weight of what I saw and experienced in India has stirred my heart and soul so I thought I would share with my bloggy mommys. The one good thing about the blog is that you can talk to someone no matter what time-day or night-it is. Tomorrow when I have to get up, I won't think I am so clever but right this moments the words and thoughts are flowing.
India is a country of over 1 BILLION people and it is 2/3 the land mass of the United States. It is a beautiful place filled with fascinating people. Sadly, many of them are locked in spiritual darkness. Stats tell us that less than 2% are evangelicals. The Christians told us that the percentage may be higher than recorded because of the ever-present threat of violence and death for the profession of Christ. The majority of the population are Hindu and they worship millions of gods. The sheer numbers of people make India a city in constant motion which never sleeps-except perhaps for a cat nap on a scooter in unbelievable traffic and unbearable heat. The roads have no lines, no speed limit and few traffic lights. The streets are clogged with 2-wheeled taxis, ox-carts, camels, scooters, bicycles, buses, water buffalo (they evidently have the right of way!) and any other contraption or manner of transpiration known to man, including foot traffic. Every morning we had a "Mr. Todd's Wild Ride" which generally laster 45 minutes, due to traffic to get to the compound.
Craig took this shot of this precious baby sleeping out the window. Notice how close he is to our cab. You could literally roll down the window and touch the driver (or herder) of the next carpooler. The car trips were one of my favorite things. I prayed for the masses of humanity as we drove through the crush of people everywhere. This is a land cloaked in darkness. The gospel is spreading dramatically in spite of such spiritual darkness and idolatry, but the danger of escalating persecution is growing as well. Professing Christ in India will result in unspeakable hardship,persecution and possibly death. To walk among such, humbled me and staggered me. The Indian team we ministered with have been beaten for their faith. Their response? They praised the Lord that He considered them glory to suffer on His behalf. The depth of devotion I witnessed in India defies what we know as Christianity in the United States. For the privilege of teaching and touching these who are so intimate with the knowledge of the One True God was a holy experience for Craig and I. We shall never be the same.
