Memoirs from India: Day 3

Tuesday, September 2nd

Ahh! Finally, I got the sleep I've needed for a couple days. This morning we had to get moving right away as we were to visit two Good Shepherd schools today. O.M. has established grade schools all over India - 80 and counting! They are Christian schools that welcome all students from various backgrounds, like Hindu, Muslim, and of course, Christian. It costs the families about $1.00 per day to send their child to the school where they are taught English, Hindi, mathematics, science, grammar, reading skills, Bible memorization, Christian songs, and other subjects based on grade level.

The first school we visited was about 35km from O.M. headquarters - appx. 1hr. away... well, depending on the "adventurous" traffic in town! Along the beautiful country-side, rolling hills, winding roads, lush, wide-open spaces, and farmland, was the scenic picture painted before us as we hung our heads and cameras out of the windows of the jeep. When we arrived at the school, the children (400+) were lined up in their uniforms, separated by age and grade. The teachers and admin. brought us up on a stage in front of all the children and staff to welcome us. The kids began their daily calisthenics of reciting Bible verses they had memorized, songs they learned, and the pledge of allegiance to their country. [Each one on] our team was then given a traditional flower garland, which look like Hawaiian lays, as a welcome gift. Then each of us had the chance to share a few words of gratitude for letting us come and visit. After the opening session, our team visited each classroom - K5 through 6th grade - where we were greeted with "Good morning, Sir", "Good morning, ma'am", a song the kids had learned, a recited passage and/or chapter from a book of the Bible, and a few questions for our team - like where we were from, or what we did for work, etc.

We took pictures with them, which they LOVE... but they love even more seeing the captured picture in the viewfinder after it is taken! The children are precious. Just being able to have the opportunity to look into their eyes and see their zest for life and curiosity about everything, was a gift in and of itself. Once we had visited the classrooms, Raland (Rey-land), the school's manager and our guide for the morning, sat us in his office and further shared with us the vision O.M. has for these schools, and shared the moving, and personal story of how he got involved with the G.S. schools. Raland grew up a Dalit - an outcast of the caste system - and found himself attending a G.S. school in India. His life was changed through the teaching and was brought out of poverty because of the education he had received through O.M. - and THIS is O.M.'s hope.

It is their heartbeat to free the Dalits (and others) from physical and spiritual poverty. It's empowerment for those who would not otherwise find any. The social, political, economic, and educational infrastructures already are, and will change because of O.M.'s vision and passion.

The second school we visited was in the slums of Hyderabad. I've seen slums and extreme poverty before, and there are similar characteristics in any case - fecal matter in the open air, burning garbage, garbage heaps scattered about, and the stench of rotting trash (and often some people rummaging through it for goods and sustenance), makeshift homes of wood, concrete, metal scraps, tattered draperies - anything to provide shelter. Some homes have concrete floors, others dirt. Some are adorned with culturally-specific ornaments, and others with none at all. There are people everywhere!

The children love to have their picture taken. They will come up to you and look into your eyes with their puppy-dog eyes, and say "One photo?", while holding their little finger in the air. It's adorable, and interesting that they make such a fuss over it. The kids swarm to get in on a pic, practically tackling each other - fights almost broke out at times! Then of course, they want to see the photo after it has been taken.

It's apparent that they want to be noticed and remembered!

The school in the slums had 200 students, all of which were squeezed into a room no larger than most of our living rooms at home. They sang some songs (with the motions!) for us, and we each told them about our occupations and encouraged them to continue working hard so they could one day become the professionals many of them desire to be - doctors, engineers, policemen, teachers, business people, and so on. (Notice how they don't care much about fame, or becoming rock stars/movie stars, or even rich...) These people understand reality much differently than Americans do - we have far too many options and distractions.

The children followed us through the slums as we stopped and prayed with people, talked with them to hear their stories, and to snap a few pictures with them. I met some teenagers there, and talked with them a bit. The look in their eyes stunned me! I was taken back for two reasons:
1) They reminded me of young people back home - trying to fit-in with their friends, trying to find their place/meaning and purpose, dealing with pressures from friends and their culture - clearly, a similarity.
2) There was a hunger in their eyes. A hunger to know something, or someone, greater than themselves. I told them I was from America and all of a sudden, I was elevated to Bono-status - larger than life. They wanted pictures and to touch me just to get my attention. As I shook their hands and laughed with them - whether or not we actually understood each other - I would call them "friend". When this happened their eyes lit up and huge smiles stretched across their faces. There was an almost instant bond created between us. To them, being called friend with an American was extra-ordinary.

These young people are craving friendship, love, and attention. They are curious about Jesus. Sadly, we didn't have enough time to explain more. Hopefully, someone will meet them again who can nourish the planted seeds - maybe that's you... or me! Their situation makes them desperate enough, but there is more - something deeper. That something is to be found by God's spirit, and to grow an intimate, personal relationship with him as he offers it freely.

...but how do people find this if they are not told about it?

Yes, physical needs have to be met, but spiritual needs that are met will change and transform the hearts of those who will then go and change the world with God's power - power he promises is with those who trust in him!

Memoirs from India: Day 2

September 1st

"Be still and know that I am God." (Ps. 46:10)

Have you ever felt like you were someplace, but weren't exactly sure why? There are obvious reasons of course; like the choice to make the journey, the time put into preparation, and so on, but once you're there you get this sinking feeling that maybe you're not experiencing or seeing what you thought you would. It's almost like you're missing something, but you're not sure what that "something" is supposed to be. That's how I've felt today.

Upon more reflection, I did take into consideration the exhaustion and jet-lag factors (we are 10.5 hrs. ahead), the heat, and adjusting to a new and foreign environment. But it [my sense about this] was deeper than that...

Our team sat in on the pastor's conference today where Stuart, Dick, and Jill each gave presentations - sermons really - to encourage, teach, and challenge the pastors (and lay leaders). It was great to sit in and hear their messages. They made it look easy! Everyone speaks english so there isn't really a language barrier, except for the deep Indian accents. What was really amazing is that neither of them [Stuart, Dick, and Jill] knew until today, what they'd be speaking on... and each of them banged it out in 1.5 hr. sermons - 1 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon (all together).

Stuart preached out of Ephesians 1, and discussed the notion of being "in Christ". He challenged that we became what we are because of Christ. In other words, we who are Christ followers are given all spiritual blessings as we are saved through faith in Jesus, which are nurtured as that relationship grows. He taught about calling and that this is two-fold:
1) We are called to relationship with Christ
2) We are to carry out the work that God has set aside for me/us to do so His story may be completed.
He reminded us that we are Christ's inheritance that he loves unconditionally. Stuart said that God's people sometimes have a lack of confidence, or hope, because they forget who they've become in Jesus' eyes. He said the way to combat that is to remember that God gives us the strength we need to follow through with God's plan for our lives.

Dick spoke on leadership, based on Psalm 78. He touched on a critical issue for pastors and leaders - the issue of integrity. He taught that we need integrity in 5 key areas:
- Speech
- Have an attitude of integrity
- Have an attitude of gratitude
- Relationships
- Motives
- Actions
He reminded us to do the right things for the right reasons.

Jill spoke from Isaiah 26 and 2 Chronicles 26:5, and focused on encouragement. She challenged us to go to God first before we go to others, or busy ourselves with work when troubles come our way. She challenged us to teach others to fear the Lord. She said that stretching ourselves to things that seem too big gives God the opportunity to work in powerful ways, humbling us before His might and providence. An emphasis was put on honest, real, and transparent communication with God, and learning to repent. She encouraged us to remember that God doesn't call people to things they're not equipped for. In the end, she challenged us to surrender to the call of God without condition.

After meeting some of the pastors, playing with some of the kids from the grade school, and a debrief with our team, I came to the conclusion that coming on this endeavor to India falls in line with what God has been speaking to me for much of this year: It's not all that important to God what I'm doing for him, but that he's more concerned with who I'm becoming in my relationship with him. That this trip is part of a molding, shaping, and transforming process he's already been working on - to change me more and more, little by little, into his likeness. I am here in India to observe, learn, listen, and serve where needed with [our team] and O.M. (Jill taught me about the ministry of "presence" - I think this is one thing I'm learning here.)