One Year Ago Today...

...I stepped foot onto Indian soil.

After a very long and exhausting flight, we arrived in Delhi. It was about midnight in country and about noon on Sunday here in Texas. We had been traveling for a full 24 hours.

Many people had described the sights with which we would be met, but it still wasn't what I expected. To be perfectly honest, it reminded me a lot of Mexico. I traveled 10 hours on a train to Hermosillo, Mexico when I was in high school and many similar images greeted me upon my arrival halfway around the world.
Joel and I took a group of six students for their tour as part of their year of discipleship with GFA. We couldn't have taken a more amazing group of young adults. They made our trip wonderful! Their excitement and enthusiasm, openness and humility--it was great to take it all in by their sides.I remember having a hard time staying away on Monday afternoon. With a 12 hour time difference, the morning weren't that hard. It would be like staying awake really late. But, once 2pm hit, it was like trying to stay awake at 2am. Thankfully our hosts understood jetlag well and pushed us through. We adjusted within just a few days.
The food was amazing. I had never really eaten much Indian food prior to the trip and the one time I went to a buffet I wasn't thrilled with anything. There were hardly any foods set before us that weren't delicious to me. In fact, I miss the cauliflower in south India the most.
We got to meet many brothers and sisters who work in Delhi. Many of them do jobs that have a direct counterpart here in our U.S. office. It was fun to meet someone and say "Oh, you do John's job or Bill's job here in country."
We also went to visit a Bridge of Hope center and met some young boys who are being loved as part of our ministry.
I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed that I was actually in India. Overwhelmed by the massive need. Overwhelmed by the love of God pouring out from the lives of those serving these children.

One year later, as I sit in my comfortable home and have not need for much of anything that I couldn't just go and get, I'm once again overwhelmed. Why me? Why was I born in America? to a family that could afford to provide for my needs (and many of my wants)?

May I continually give my life so that those who have yet to hear of hope, who have yet to experience true peace, who have yet to know Love may hear!