After breakfast I had a one-on-one with Nelson. The team is in the process of completing our outreach debrief before traveling to Israel for the Around the World DTS school to be reunited and finish. During our one-on-ones I’m never entirely sure what will happen or be said with both Anna and Nelson—but they are so much fun. Nelson and I talked about a plethora of things: trekking, after travel, lost umbrellas, hope, spiritual climates, relationships, and the discomfort of growing. Nelson and I (and our entire team actually!) share a LOVE of coffee. So for our one-on-one we went to a local coffee shop. This place has a some western influence and I was excited to be in a coffee shop. I thoroughly enjoy coffee shops. I did spend some time reflecting today about what makes coffee shops so attractive to me: the atmosphere, the coffee, the conversation, the ability to step away from outside things, all of the above? During our time there I got up to use the bathroom. I closed the door after stepping into the unisex bathroom closet. I was thinking how AWESOME it was that there WAS a bathroom here for me to use, and then I looked at the toilet. Quickly realizing someone had vomited in the bathroom recently, I eyed the toilet AND the sink. My steps were tentative in this little closet space as I stretched my arm as far as it would go to get only close enough to flush the toilet. Alas. No movement or action. This toilet was not going to flush. I did the only thing a girl who had just finished drinking half a liter of water and a café late could do: perched and went anyway. Yep. I proceeded to use MUCH more hand sanitizer than I normally would. A short time later a white pony with an Indian rider galloped by. Nelson and I decided that yes, we wanted to take a ride. As part of our meeting.
tying a ribbon atop a beautiful gift
Hello there! I hope this update finds you and your family well–super well! Thank you for your continued prayers and support, for linking arms with me. I am typing this in the Kolkatta airport in India. Our flight has been delayed so I am taking advantage of downtime. Your prayers are powerful, and your prayers bring change. God hears them, and they have been such a blessing to me. Thank you! I am praying that God is revealing more of Himself to you each day and the love He has for you.
All the wonderful and good things God has for His children! This was a day was FULL of surprises, delights, and wonders. This morning I awoke to something falling beside my head. The first time I ignored the distraction because well, that is how I sleep. Sleeping in a way that overlooks offenses and noise is important when you live in a state of flux between three and five roommates. Well, the third time something fell on my bed beside my head I opened my sleepy eyes. When I looked up I found Rachel standing over me. She was smiling a tentative yet optimistic smile on her face and our team hot-water-maker with boiling water above my head. “Good morning!” She cooed. Rachel is a morning person and I could not help but LAUGH! She and Noelle had been trying to heat up water for instant coffee at 5:30 in the morning and the ONLY outlet that worked in our room and the common area? Was the one right beside my head! After I confirmed that I was awake they decided to set the coffee maker on a stool, beside my head. Then they began to…I’m not sure…smother (??) the coffee pot with a pillow.
“What are you guys doing?” I asked, confused. They said they were trying to make it more quiet. I assured them I was indeed awake and the silencing of the water as it began to boil was not a necessity. They were being so thoughtful and tentative—sensitive to trying to allow me to sleep. My laugh was hearty as they explained their predicament about not wanting to wake me up but absolutely wanting coffee. My morning time with God and coffee is a spectacular mix of focus and energy! After the coffee adventure I re-packed my clothes, again. My bag was both a little over full and heavy on this most recent portion of traveling from Kalimpong India to Darjeeling. Living out of a suitcase is revealing to me about what a necessity is and the things that are truly special to you.
Rachel and I were assigned to do breakfast together for India (and also for Cambodia) by assigned? I actually mean delighted volunteerism. We have SO much fun together matching requests, tastes, and attempting food intake balance for our precious team of six. Right now we are on the cusp of transition and I wonder what the next season will be like. Sometimes God’s not revealing too much information helps us continue running the good race and protects us from ourselves. Whereas I excel at psyching myself out of something when I have TOO much information. I don’t want to talk myself out of something before that something even has a chance to begin or reveal how good it could be.
Our horses names you ask? Snow White and White Beauty. Two small and rugged looking ponies that were more yellow in color than white. The guides walked along side us. And I laughed and chuckled and waved at people the whole time. When I wanted to go faster my guide started running beside the horse and we began trotting—which is jolting, jostling, almost violent sensation. I was also wearing my backpack on my back so every step was a struggle to stay on this little pony. A really motion filled event! I grew up with horses, yet no matter what sort of giddy-up prompting I did had any effect. Except my horse’s ears turning backwards and flattening on her head– which I recall meaning my horse is quite unhappy. White Beauty, my horse, was determined to stick beside her guide. After a short loop with almost no visibility to see the gorgeous mountain views around us, our ride eneded, and got off. That is when I realized how small the pony was and felt a little bad for asking it to go fast!
Our team decided to do a Christmas in July, and this was a precious time in a special season of ending debrief. We were each given 200 ruppees to spend with instructions to be sentimental in our gift giving and include words of affirmation. The night before we drew names so after the horse ride it was time for me to get my gift for Noelle. She has a passion for fair trade and the bag that I got her was painted on by a child of a sex trafficked victim. The bag was adorned with stars and a moon– all different colors, playful and full of hope. I am thrilled to be able to support this type of work and activity! That night we exchanged gifts. As each person received their gift we took turns speaking words of life, affirmations, encouragement, and love. There is a verse that I carry in my heart, it is John 13: 34,35 when Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” God has grown each of us in this area and we have all learned more about loving people with His love. I’ve learned more about what true intimacy looks like. The time of affirmation was a wonderful closing to this season. Like tying a ribbon on the gift that God had given us through outreach. I know all the people we met, the places we saw, the cultures we experienced, were all put together by God. I am so blessed to be seeing God’s kingdom with its differences and similarities around the world.
How can you pray?
Please pray for ease in times of transition for myself and the YWAM school (students and staff) as we come back together and graduate. For continued focus on Jesus, commitment to growth, and vision for the next season.
Traveling mercies.
Divine appointments: eyes to see, ears that hear, and hearts that are obedient to God.