Namaste

Namaste. 

Namaste is the traditional South Asian hello and goodbye, it literally means my soul honers your soul. I'm happy to report that I made it to South Asia with no problems. I arrived for training last Wednesday, and yesterday I arrived in the city where I'll be working all summer. I am going to be honest, I'm going through quite a bit of culture shock. This is a place where men do not talk to women unless they're flirting with them, and women do not make eye contact with men. There are street children and beggars everywhere, and you can't give them anything because if you do then all of them come to you. You can't walk down the sidewalk without seeing dieing dogs everywhere. People honk their horns all the time, and I do mean ALL the time. Crosswalks do not exist, and people drive on both sides of the street at the same time. So needless to say, it's very different from America.

During training I was able to visit two different places of worship. The first one was a Mosque. We arrived and I forgot they told us that if we had cameras we'd have to pay 300 rupees per camera and I had two so I ended up paying 600 rupees, and was only there for maybe 20 min. because they kicked us out because they were about to pray. The second day we visited a Hindu temple. When I walked in I felt this heaviness on my chest and it was really hard for me to breath. Our supervisors told us to be aware that this could happen since many people who follow JC do experience spiritual attacks when in Hindu temples. My partner and I were only in there maybe 5 or 10 mins. and then we had to leave because the spiritual attack was getting worse. Once we got outside the temple we were approached by at least 20 street children who wanted money, many of which was younger than 5 years old. Handling that was very hard because I have a nephew who is 3 and seeing these children living on the streets with no mother or father breaks my heart. I knew going into this that I was going to see all these things, but it's different when it's in your face.

One passage that I read over these past few days is Psalm 115: 2-8:

“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.

This is the exact epiphany of the people here in South Asia. They walk around with no human emotion. Darkness is everywhere here. One of the field personal said, "Satan does not just have his toenail here, he has he's whole body here, and has had for thousands of years." Although this is very, very sad, JC is at work here. I was able to hear stories during training of how God is calling people to himself, which is such an encouragement. 

On our last day of training I was able to share my story and His story with a 16 year old Muslim girl. We talked for several mins. and she even allowed for me to pr@y for her in the name of JC. Let me just say it was awesome!!!! There's a quote from John Piper which says that,"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." I can not begin to tell you what an awesome feeling it is when you are able to share the "good news" to someone!

It is currently 9:30 am here, and I'm about to get ready to go to a big group meeting which is across the city. I'm excited to see what today, this week, and these two months will hold. Please continue to lift me up in pr@yer. Pr@y that I will have boldness, and confidence to share with people. Pr@y that God will help me adjust to the culture, and pr@y that I will have discernment and know when God is giving me an opportunity to share. Love and lots of hugs from South Asia!!!  

Namaste,

Heather