Update #7 - Highlights and Lowlights
This might be the last post about the trip to India and Ethiopia, for now. If you would like to know more just ask me and I would be glad to share. Our last night in India we shared our highlights and lowlights of the week, so I'm going to share mine for each week right now.
India Highlight: My favorite moment from this week from our first day of serving, when we went to visit the home of girls rescued out of the red light district. It was a little awkward at first and for a while I was just off to the side while they were all making their bracelets. But I felt a pull on my heart, God telling me to stop thinking about myself, most of these girls have probably seen so much of males treating women as nothing other than sexual objects, and go love on them because He does. So I jumped into it and it was great. I enjoyed hanging out with a good amount of them, making bracelets, talking with them, learning a bunch of names, and learning some Hindi. What happened next is something I'll always remember. After making bracelets they pulled out a keyboard, some drums, and sang a few songs. "Our God," "Speak to Me," and a song in Hindi about how God is freedom. These girls have seen so much darkness, but God gave them victory over all of that through His amazing love and I was able to see His glory though His transforming work in their lives, as they sang with an incredible passion. I could tell they are in love with God. The whole time there they were so joyful and if I had not been told they were rescued from the red light district or met them in a different setting, I would have never known. It was incredible. The memory is still so clear and it still hits me every time. I can still picture those girls and hear them so clearly, and it's something I never want to forget, not one bit. This was one of, if not, the most beautiful and powerful moments I have ever witnessed.
India Lowlight: When we shared this, I said my lowlight was hearing about and seeing all the destruction and darkness throughout the week. I heard about it but witnessing it firsthand was something else. It was tough to take it all in. But after thinking about I actually didn't think this was my lowlight. Yes, I didn't like seeing all of that but at the same time God also allowed me to see Him and His glory through all of it. His presence and the work He is doing over there is amazing. My lowlight was not having enough time there. The week seemed to go by so fast. We covered so much ground, going from place to place, but it would have been great to spend more time at each place, hanging out, getting to know people more, and serving more. Although we had a great experience, I wanted to do so much and a week was not enough for me.
Ethiopia Highlight: My hightlight for this week was probably during the church service we went to where everyone was singing and dancing. The whole service was in Amharic so we were only able to know bits and pieces of what they were saying through our translator but that didn't matter much. We could feel the energy in that building and it was fun joining them as they rejoiced in the Lord. They talked about being joyful because of God and there's no time for sorrow. It was great. I enjoyed being in that atmosphere and seeing them sing and dance, not caring about anything but worshiping God. They know what we have in God and expressed that my worshiping from the heart.
Ethiopia Lowlight: I guess my lowlight this week was witnessing the destruction and darkness. As it is one of the poorest countries in the world, poverty was very evident. Seeing the living conditions of these people in the orphanages, homes, and as we drove around and reading the stories of the orphans reminded me of how broken this world is. There were a couple moments where I just had to step back and gather myself. God is definitely working there as well and it was cool to see what He is doing to address those problems.
Of course, the whole experience was amazing. Going there I thought we were going to serve them, but they blessed us so much more. Those were two of the best weeks of my life. I enjoyed all of it from the places we went to just hanging out with the team. God worked in me in many ways and revealed so much to me. He continues to show me how great and powerful He really is. I was able to see how He is using the Church over there and gained a better understanding of the unity of the entire Church as I will continue to remember them in my prayers. I got to see people with tremendous faith and were filled with joy and peace despite their circumstances. Most of them have very little in this world, but in reality they have so much. God opened my eyes, changed my perspective, and grew me in many ways through this. I'm so thankful He allowed me to have this experience and I will cherish it forever.
"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing..." - Colossians 1:6
India Highlight: My favorite moment from this week from our first day of serving, when we went to visit the home of girls rescued out of the red light district. It was a little awkward at first and for a while I was just off to the side while they were all making their bracelets. But I felt a pull on my heart, God telling me to stop thinking about myself, most of these girls have probably seen so much of males treating women as nothing other than sexual objects, and go love on them because He does. So I jumped into it and it was great. I enjoyed hanging out with a good amount of them, making bracelets, talking with them, learning a bunch of names, and learning some Hindi. What happened next is something I'll always remember. After making bracelets they pulled out a keyboard, some drums, and sang a few songs. "Our God," "Speak to Me," and a song in Hindi about how God is freedom. These girls have seen so much darkness, but God gave them victory over all of that through His amazing love and I was able to see His glory though His transforming work in their lives, as they sang with an incredible passion. I could tell they are in love with God. The whole time there they were so joyful and if I had not been told they were rescued from the red light district or met them in a different setting, I would have never known. It was incredible. The memory is still so clear and it still hits me every time. I can still picture those girls and hear them so clearly, and it's something I never want to forget, not one bit. This was one of, if not, the most beautiful and powerful moments I have ever witnessed.
India Lowlight: When we shared this, I said my lowlight was hearing about and seeing all the destruction and darkness throughout the week. I heard about it but witnessing it firsthand was something else. It was tough to take it all in. But after thinking about I actually didn't think this was my lowlight. Yes, I didn't like seeing all of that but at the same time God also allowed me to see Him and His glory through all of it. His presence and the work He is doing over there is amazing. My lowlight was not having enough time there. The week seemed to go by so fast. We covered so much ground, going from place to place, but it would have been great to spend more time at each place, hanging out, getting to know people more, and serving more. Although we had a great experience, I wanted to do so much and a week was not enough for me.
Ethiopia Highlight: My hightlight for this week was probably during the church service we went to where everyone was singing and dancing. The whole service was in Amharic so we were only able to know bits and pieces of what they were saying through our translator but that didn't matter much. We could feel the energy in that building and it was fun joining them as they rejoiced in the Lord. They talked about being joyful because of God and there's no time for sorrow. It was great. I enjoyed being in that atmosphere and seeing them sing and dance, not caring about anything but worshiping God. They know what we have in God and expressed that my worshiping from the heart.
Ethiopia Lowlight: I guess my lowlight this week was witnessing the destruction and darkness. As it is one of the poorest countries in the world, poverty was very evident. Seeing the living conditions of these people in the orphanages, homes, and as we drove around and reading the stories of the orphans reminded me of how broken this world is. There were a couple moments where I just had to step back and gather myself. God is definitely working there as well and it was cool to see what He is doing to address those problems.
Of course, the whole experience was amazing. Going there I thought we were going to serve them, but they blessed us so much more. Those were two of the best weeks of my life. I enjoyed all of it from the places we went to just hanging out with the team. God worked in me in many ways and revealed so much to me. He continues to show me how great and powerful He really is. I was able to see how He is using the Church over there and gained a better understanding of the unity of the entire Church as I will continue to remember them in my prayers. I got to see people with tremendous faith and were filled with joy and peace despite their circumstances. Most of them have very little in this world, but in reality they have so much. God opened my eyes, changed my perspective, and grew me in many ways through this. I'm so thankful He allowed me to have this experience and I will cherish it forever.
"We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
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