On Sunday, Team 3 got some rest in the morning as we caught up on sleep and laundry. Matt and Vanessa served us a fabulous homemade meal of barbeque chicken and garlic veggies. It was so good and I smiled as I told them it tasted "American." :) We also got Pizza Hut for supper that night so Andrew and I were a little spoiled that day! But I think my stomach was happy to have some "familiar" food as I felt really good after that. Thankfully I have not been terribly sick at all during the trip...just minor stomach issues once in awhile. Though we've been eating mostly chicken fried rice and buttered naan everywhere we go, so maybe being less adventurous with our food is helping. Regardless, I am thanking God for good health and thanking you all for your prayers!
That evening we taught outdoors along a road. We drew some attraction as people paused on their motorcycles to stop and stare. This church had a speaker set up and was playing loud music that also probably added to the curiosity of passersby. Some young children were dancing and playing chasing games while waiting, and Matt joined in to race them back and forth. Vanessa and I got up to walk around and look at the outside of the church. Some of the kids followed us and decided to unlock the church and go inside. They then came out with handfuls of colorful decorations that they had torn from the church ceiling and placed excitedly into our hands as gifts. While we appreciated the thoughtful gifts, Vanessa and I had a feeling the children weren't supposed to be taking the church decorations so we thanked them and then placed the scraps on the altar.
Before our lessons, some young teen girls danced for us. Some of the girls were wearing jeans and t-shirts which we don't usually see in the villages. Most women and girls wear traditional sarees or Salwar Kameez (a long shirt, pants, and scarf/shawl), or skirts and dresses. The children sat very intently with their eyes wide as we taught. The people seemed to really be soaking in the messages we proclaimed to the children, with adults nodding their heads and the children studying the pictures we showed to illustrate our words. Matt held up the suitcase of toothbrushes and asked the kids to guess what was inside and one called out "the word of God!" That answer totally melted my heart. As Matt was teaching the message of Christ calling us and pastors and everyone to spread the good news and the kids were just soaking it all in, I found myself with tears in my eyes. Thankful for the calling God gave me to share His love with the beautiful people of India, and also overwhelmed by how much work is still needed to be done and how many people need to hear the message of salvation.
My feelings intensified even more when people came up to us after the lessons. Many people came to me asking me to hold their babies and take photos with them. The babies stared at me with wide eyes of wonder. They were fascinated by my light skin and gold hair and kept wanting to reach out and touch my hair instead of look at the camera and listen to their parents coaxing. People also asked me to reach out my hands and pray over their children. I am not someone who usually prays out loud and was not sure what to say. But I remembered the advice that some former mission helpers gave me...that it doesn't matter what you say because the people probably won't understand English words and also God can work through our prayers even if they aren't eloquently spoken. So I took a deep breath, said a prayer that the Holy Spirit would help me with the task, and prayed over the people. I am sure I stumbled through the words with shakey hands and wavering voice praying for blessings and health and education and for God to grow the faith in their hearts. But I held on to the promise from Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." With each "amen" I said, the people were so grateful for my prayers. Two little girls worked up the courage to ask me themselves for me to pray over them. With huge smiles and expectant eyes, they waited for me to reach out my hands. My eyes fill with tears as I think of all the eagerness and joy that sparkled in their eyes as they waited for me - just a humble and flawed servant of Christ - to say a simple prayer for them. It was an experience that was both humbling and honoring to have people so hungry for prayer and so eager to have you just hold their children and bless them. Wow.
Please keep these dear children and their families in your prayers. Their love for God and us is so great, I pray that they can feel that same love from their American brothers and sisters in Christ.
Becky McKenney
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