Post India Thoughts

A full month has passed since I have come home….. And I still don't know where to start, how to convey with meager words all that has transpired in the last five months.  And I'm okay with it, I've got the rest of my life to unpack everything, to explore every nook and cranny of my India.

Now wherever I go, I take a piece of India with me, the stories and faces I've learned to love forever engraved onto my heart.

MCO

Waiting for my flight home, and my thoughts start drifting to all the many things that have happened in this airport.

So many moments are tied up in this place: 

• First time landing anxious for this thing called YWAM and looking for my ride to the base (little did I know the driver, Joshua, would later become my outreach leader).

• Waiting for my flight home for Christmas, excited to see everyone and eager for the simple things of home. 

• Arriving back ten days later, India a mere two days away! Excited to see again the people I had grown so close to during our past twelve weeks together.

• Then comes the exciting part, flying out for India, I remember barely holding it together as I made the last few calls to family and friends. I had no idea what the coming eight weeks in India would hold.

• Now, I sit on the flip side, with a one way ticket home, back to the place where this all started. 

These past five months have been beautiful, raw, challenging and refreshing.  God has redefined my heart, and has pulled me into a deeper relationship with Him. New steps have been taken in my walk with God and in my walk in life. I've learned and have seen things I never want to forget.

I want to continue taking new steps forward, I don't want to stumble backwards. Rather, I want to fall forward, falling even deeper into Jesus and His arms.

• Apart but together •

The moon, just a sliver of a little thing, peaking it's head out with a shy hello. 

Night has settled in, the sun has bid me goodbye for the day, the night noises are coming alive. The same light illuminating the moon I see is shining down on you, welcoming in a new day.

 

The closing of a one for me and the start of another for you, waking up to the sun that's kissing the moon I see goodnight.

Durgapur (written on January 19th)

This past week my team and I worked in Durgapur. What a refresh, I could see blue sky once again and breath clean(er) air! 

Yep, it was pretty.

We got to speak at local schools, speak at home churches, visit a feeding program and help lead a weekend retreat for the college youth.

 

My God box continues to explode, as I see more of India and how He is working in and through the people. Today during worship, we had eight different languages present each singing in their native tongue! Many differences but our biggest common denominator is all we need, Jesus.

Right now we are traveling the three hours back to Kolkata, (I'm writing this on my phone and will post it tomorrow once we have wifi.) 

We have only roughly ten days left in Kolkata before we head to Madurai. Please pray that we are able to accomplish what He has planned for the remainder of our time in Kolkata. 

India LIFE!!

Hello from India!! As you can see I am already in Indian clothing and I am loving it, think I shall have to carry some things over once I come back! 

While we were flying into India, I had a crazy déjà vue moment while landing. The smog the trees and everything else about the runway was exactly like a dream I had a few years back, which I hadn't remembered till that moment, I have had a dream about India and I didn't even know it! 

Little wink from Him showing me how India had been on my heart a lot longer than I thought! A little peice of my heart was already captivated and I didn't even know it at the time.

Looking forward with anticipation to see how my heart continues to grow for this beautiful place and it's people.

I blinked and now I'm here

Where to begin…

Lecture phase of my DTS is finished, and still haven't been able to fully process half of it.

On the 21st I came home for Christmas, we had many different kinks thrown our way but we made it through!  

Tomorrow morning I will be heading back to Orlando, reuniting with my team and going over last minutes details.

On January first I will be flying to INDIA!!  Oh my goodness am I excited to see what God has in store for our eight weeks

Welp, that's the short of it.  Hopefully (can't give any promises) I will be able to update ya'll from time to time.

MaryRose

For our last photography assignment, I had to choose a staff member for a photoshoot.  I couldn't think of anyone better than MaryRose, love this girl, her joy flows directly from Christ!  I can't wait to see how God continues to use her to further the Kingdom.    

The icing on the cake?  This lady is one of my outreach leaders to India, can't wait to grow in our friendship while sharing the Light in India!  Fourteen days!!