A Big Neighborhood
As we get ready to depart this morning, even though I am ready for some American food and my own bed, I am not ready to leave. God has knit together the hearts of American and Indian people this week, and leaving feels like tearing.
So many great things happened this week. I didn't blog as much as I thought, partly because of power outages, but mostly because we were constantly engaged- everything from teaching to extended water balloon fights with the children (actually, most of the time we lobbed the balloons from the safety of the roof!).
I love watching first timers to India experience new things. This past year I have seen my friend Mike grow and change as he follows Jesus. I bet he never dreamed that he would be in India in 2010, pulling a tooth under the watchful eye and instructions of my friends, Dr. Sal and Dr. Tom.
We leave with so many experiences which have stretched us and taught us. Most of all, we understand a bit more that true state of the world and the need for the church to be the church- to grow the Kingdom of Jesus by getting off our butts and loving God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. The world is a big neighborhood- but as each of our team members return to our own places- Texas, Michigan, New York, I am reminded that you do not have to go to India to get off our butts and change the world one life at a time.