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“There are two kinds of people in this world, those who have been to India, and those who have not,” (Mark Twain). Or something along those lines. What an exclusive quote. Wow, Mark Twain, way to make those who haven’t been to India feel like real losers. WELL, I have been to India, twice! And it really is a completely different world, or is it? OooOOoOoOhhHhh, nice “hook,” Olivia.

Processing this last trip in one blog post is legitimately impossible. I think I can definitely make a dent at it though. But this is going to be a LOOONG post, sorry.

It was initially way different than what we had expected because of some pretty hefty changes to our plans right off the bat, therefore we spent the rest of the trip coping with the changes. BUT WHATEVER. Our “plans” are really so humorous in comparison to the glory of God.

First off, it was great to see the kids, though our first interactions were a little awkward, that passed and spending time with the ones I’d built relationships with in the past, and developing new relationships with the ones who had recently made Little Flock their home was a blessing. The way that they interact with one another is truly touching. They all know eachothers names (a somewhat obvious fact, but still so cool to witness them all being with eachother) and they really truly act as if though they are a family. And really, they ARE a family. I’ve not once witnessed the mistreating of a younger child at the hands of an older child, aside from the typical, childish exclusion from inside jokes or conversations. The older boys are affectionate and loving to the younger ones, responding to their potential annoyance with simple, playful shoves or pokes and laughs and hugs. They’re patient and helpful, guiding and supportive. And the same goes for the girls, and the boys with girls and visa versa. It’s really a heartwarming thing to witness.

When we were sitting at dinner one night, Gilbert, the director of the campus, was explaining how the children are often barbaric when they first arrive. Some of them have extreme backgrounds of abuse, and rural village life, as well as pick-pocketing and begging in large, over crowded cities. Things like blinding children to make them look more pathetic like in Slumdog Millionaire is not an exageration. He says that he and the other children literally have to show them how to eat, dress and act properly around others, and being there seeing how they currently act is astounding. They are, like I said earlier, well behaved and delightful children. They have manners, not that those are absolutely vital to survival, but still. And they function exquisitely in a family setting, something that a lot of them have never had. Later that evening, we observed the parallel of children being acceepted into Little Flock to new believers being accepted into the family of Christ. It really is an adoptive atmosphere, isn’t it? We, as new believers are stupid; we don’t know how to be, we have to be shown. And Christ, through means of the church helps us achieve that. The church is a beautiful thing. A body of believers rallying together to welcome in a new member to their family is something so, SO beautiful. We are shown how to walk with God in community, just as the children are shown to walk with their new family in community, and ultimately God too. Once we know how to act, we help other new-comers into the family, and the process continues. AND IT IS AWESOME. The kingdom of God is something so remarkable. Wanting to help others suceed is human nature, at least I think it is. I really could go on for days and days about India in this messy, all over the place format, but I think I’ll just write what I journaled the last day to have a nice little close.

“I guess missions are about going forth in your will and your name. But we so often go forth with a VBS plan and cool craft instead. For the months of planning that a trip like that took, the goal was just to serve you, wasn’t it? It should’ve been. The trip was different. There’s no denying that. The team atmosphere, dynamic, all changed. And we struggle with change, don’t we? I don’t know God, I’m honestly feeling a little down trodden about the whole thing. I wish we could’ve done more, been more, served more. Why was it like that? Maybe the true purpose of the trip was to find rest in you, and rest in the quiet times. To feel hopeless in our lack of control but hopeful in our abundance of yours. I think our “lack of purpose” feeling was dirived from our lack of busy-ness. We’ve been taught that a lack of activity is a lack of purpose, and in some ways I think it is. But, what we actively do, or don’t have time or proper scheduling to do, shouldn’t be what we base our fulfillment on, our fulfillment should be based on you. We should find joy and purpose in living for you, in everything, whether that be sitting around playing phase ten, or playing ninja with little, crazy eleven-year-old Madhan. It doesn’t matter that our VBS plans were altered. It doesn’t matter that a lot of our team was more excited about going home than being there, and it doesn’t matter that we had trials and tribulations along the way. What matters is that you are faithful and that you love it when we’re faithful to you. Now, how to make this not sound trite? I don’t know. I think that this trip, and even this last semester, taught me that I am following you. I have chosen to love you because you have chosen to love me, and I find hope in the fact that even when we have frustrating or challenging India trips, your love remains. YOU remain. You’re the one thing constant, everything else is vapors in my life, in our team’s life, in those in India’s life. You’re the same everywhere, just like the stars.”

Just know this, my millions of fans and followers, the world is really not that big. Yes, there is a plethora of cultures and continents, but if you are a Christian, those things should seem small. Why? Because of what I’ve noticed I am always saying, God is bigger. He is bigger and he is everywhere. The coming of the kingdom of God in India is the same as it is in your dorm room, though one may involve spicy food and malaria pills, while the other… will not. “Take Heart, for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). God is so great that even when our motives are impure, he can still recieve glory. Even when “nothing goes our way,” he can still receive glory. He loves you and loves when you love him back, so may we find an immeasurable hope in that.

Love, Olive.

The only reason this is titled conclusion  is because the following paragraph is the conclusion to my paper I just wrote. But really this isn’t a conclusion at all, it’s an invocation. An invocation to a beginning of life. Or if you already live this way, it’s a reminder of why you do.

We are created by the creator. We are his and he is ours, but more emphasis on the former than the latter. God is holy and spotless and clean and we are unholy, extraordinarily spotted and filthy. We are filled up by his love so that we can go and love others. The purpose of our lives is to pursue God with all or our being and live a life devoted to Him. This is accomplished by doing what he asks of us: reaching out to his people. “For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

The fact that we are blessed enough to be in communion with the one and only, holy God is something that is taken way to lightly. Let us not take it lightly. Let us not dumb it down to church (or not waking up for church) sunday mornings, or a missions trip once a year, or chapel three times a week and the occasional “God talk”. Let us embrace it. Every day. Every Second. With. Every. Thing.