#rhindia2013

[lalalovinyou]

I treasure the time I got to spend with my little buddy from the leprosy camp, who held my hand while I gave out food and clothes. I love that even though he didn't speak a word to me, we had so much fun together! A bit of my heart will always be in India 💜 #RHindia2013 #missionlookslike #lovewithoutwords

[lalalovinyou]

Woke up this morning with VBS worship songs in my head 🎶🙌 Thankful for wonderful friendships, worship in work, and beautiful memories of India that are a part of every day. And Shayna, you may be far away but you're close to my heart! #RHindia2013 #Jesusismyfriend #LOLchriswheresyourfriend

[lalalovinyou]

My post-India update letter.

[lalalovinyou]

In India, we learned what it looks like to pray without ceasing, for everything. Prayer is so powerful not because of anything we do, but because of the God we serve who's Spirit is at work within us. It aligns our hearts with His so that we can confidently say not our will, but Yours be done. "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. #RHindia2013 #powerofprayer #missionlookslike

[lalalovinyou]

Just the thought of this little guy and his mom chokes me up. Meet Danny, a 7-year-old from the HIV/AIDS hospice run by Harvest India. I wish this photo fully captured his brilliant smile, which radiated his love for Jesus. Danny's English was quite good, so I had the chance to talk to him and his momma for a while. In the midst of such heavy circumstances, God is so present in this place and each patient is well taken care of by nurses and doctors who love the Lord. Looking forward to the day that I get to be reunited with this precious brother and his mother! #RHindia2013 #missionlookslike

[lalalovinyou]

The rooftop was a place of mealtime, laughter, worship, and awe of God's glory in India. Mornings spent with Him here were beyond beautiful and so peaceful. Crazy how quickly strangers can become family and a town 8542 miles away can feel like home. 🌇 #RHindia2013 #missionlookslike #ourhomesneedrooftops

[lalalovinyou]

Generosity.

It's crazy that December is already here and my India trip is around the corner! Only 22 days to go! Man, God has shown up in big ways for me and my team. I am 88% supported, (YAYY!), and SO excited for India. This past weekend, my teammate Amanda and I (cue the Amanda-squared jokes) hosted a garage sale on Saturday morning. Luckily I have a massive driveway (cue the used-car-lot jokes), so it was perfect for laying out heaps of clothes, shoes, and other random things to sell. We collected lots of donations Afterwards, my wonderful parents helped me haul the unsold items over to Goodwill, and since the donations are tax-deductible, my dad wrote me a check for that amount. So basically he doubled our profits from the sale! That chunk of money definitely helped, and though the garage sale was a lot of work (making and putting up 25 signs alone was a task, let alone sorting, pricing, advertising...you get the idea), it was a blessing to receive donations from friends and family while also working for a portion of the trip finances. In general, raising support is different than what I expected. It's been tough at times trusting that God will come through, and believing that others want to partner with me in this ministry, but more than anything it has taught me about generosity. I am so moved by the generosity of my family in Christ, from close family friends to fellow students. Of course, as a student myself, I make negative dollars a year (ha!) and didn't expect any financial support from other college students. But every single donation truly makes a difference, and I've learned that even the small amounts are a huge blessing. In the past I've felt that if I can only give a few dollars, it won't make a dent in their fundraising. But honestly, support is more than a number with a dollar sign in front of it. That gift of prayer and money is the sacrifice and love of someone who wants to invest in what God is doing in India. Or for some, it is tithing to a missionary because they themselves cannot go and bring the Word to the world. The thought behind every gift of support is so meaningful, and I am so thankful for such an incredible family in Christ. I'm so humbled by those who have given freely, and encouraged that their generosity makes me want to give more away for the sake of others. I truly mean it when I say that I am so filled with gratitude, and in awe of the Lord's provision for His children. I have full faith that He will provide that last amount in one way or another, and that He has such good plans for my future and your future too. There is nothing sweeter than the love of the Father. Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 100:4, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." Philippians 1:3-6, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ."

[lalalovinyou]

Worship Team Meetings

Within our India team, we each are a part of worship, VBS, drama, or teaching teams. My primary team is worship, and I am SO excited to be able to help lead times of praise in India. I have a feeling it is going to be unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and so sweet to hear familiar songs in another country. I'm confident that God is preparing a way for His gospel to be spread right now, even halfway across the world. We've had a few worship team meetings already, which consist of AMAZING home-cooked food (we're so spoiled by the leaders! :D), lots of laughter, acoustic jam sessions, and pure, genuine worship. These Friday meetings are awesome. We are going to be singing classic kids songs with hand-motions, as well as simple songs with lyrics of hope, joy, and the goodness of the Lord. It's so cool to see (or rather hear) the musical gifts my teammates have, and that we can come together to serve God and His beloved people as a team. Yesterday, our actual rehearsal time was probably a total of 20-30 min tops, but the rest of the time was spent bonding and hearing stories about past India trips. These are some of my favorite India team prep times - building community and family before we embark on this crazy awesome adventure together. I'm so thankful for the people I get to share in this with. Psalm 96:1-2, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim his salvation day after day." Psalm 115:1, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness."