Chronicles of India- Chapter 2

Once I was welcomed onto the team, we all had our first team meeting together. It was awesome to meet the other seven people that I would be spending the next few months working beside. And yet, there was something not quite so awesome about the meeting.



We found out that each of us needed to have $330 by that friday... meaning, two days later.



Why, you ask? We had to put down a downpayment for our flights and pay the Mission Union, all of this adding up to more than three hundred dollars.... In TWO days...



We all looked at our leaders wide-eyed when they gave the announcement, but leaving that room at 11'oclock that night, I had a courage and purpose in my heart to try my best to gather/make as much money as I could the next day, since Wednesday was the only time I had to do anything about it.



Wednesday morning I woke up, a little anxious and nervous about what the day would hold. As I was praying, I realized that $330 dollars was something I didn't have and could certainly not accumulate on my own, so I boldly prayed out of faith that God would completely take this day in His hands and bring me the $330, that I could not do it, and that I had faith that He certainly would.



So I woke up in the morning... and I didn't live my life like a newly popular hip hop song, but I did post signs all over my floor saying that I would be doing henna all day in my room, and that anyone could get a tattoo for $3.


Then I went to classes, having already made about 7 appointments with girls on my floor for henna, I felt amazed at how God was already working.



I had also shot out emails to a few different groups of people: I therefore had scattered meeting with friends and a meeting at 9 at my church with the choir I had just recently joined.

Long story short, I did TONS of henna, I was running across campus all day, and it was the most busy day of my life. BUT, by 6:00 I had somehow, by God's grace, accumulated $180! So crazy. And I knew that I had that meeting with my church in just a couple hours.


So, a bit before 9, I hopped in my car and jetted over to my church. Now, I felt so uncomfortable doing this, and almost turned back multiple times. I hardly even know this community yet, and I felt so weird asking anything of them, let alone large sums of money (obstacle 1).

I got to the church and obstacle 2 hit: the doors were locked. I could see the choir... so close, yet so far! So, I determined that I wouldn't let that phase me, and waited. Thank God, someone finally came out, saw me, and let me in.

Then, of course, obstacle 3 hit. The rehearsal was supposed to be over at 9, and I was supposed to go tell them about my trip (the choir director had invited me to when I sent him an email). Only problem was, by 9:15, they were still going strong, and I had a meeting I had to be at at 9:30.

I felt so torn and so uncomfortable, but despite the strong urge to just give up and leave, God cemented my heart in that pew and held me there until they finally concluded at 9:30.

So I took a deep breath and made my way up to the stage, to stand in front of 50+ almost complete strangers who were all much older than me. I took another deep breath, and began to tell them about my trip, my passion for what God was doing, and my need.

It was extremely uncomfortable, but I was completely transparent and helpless in front of these people, stepping out in the faith that God wasn't having me do this for no reason.

And you want to know what? I was NOT for no reason :) with God I honestly don't think anything ever is!

As I was walking off the stage, a man from the band said he wanted to cover the whole $330! And I was hardly able to step off the stage before I was bombarded with hugs, prayers, encouragements, wise words amongst other things like checks and large bills (not the bird kind mind you ;)).

One of the women said an amazingly true thing to me: "I know it's difficult and uncomfortable, but how is the Body of Christ supposed to meet a need if they don't know about it."

After saying many thanks I walked out of there in awe of God and the amazing community that I didn't even know existed before that moment! I was so encouraged and stunned that I didn't even care to look at the wad of money that I had stuffed in my backpack.

I took the money straight into my leaders and the missions office.

Later that night, I found out the sum of money... The church alone had given me just under $500.00!!! That plus around $200 that I had made earlier....

I can't even accurately describe the feeling of utter awe that I had in God for the rest of the night... for the rest of that week, for the rest of my life I'll carry that memory with me.

God is SO good! Or, as one of my professors said this week, "God is the goodest good, far gooder than what our word 'good' can describe". He never ceases to amaze me, and His provision just affirmed in me even more the knowledge that India is exactly where I am supposed to be this summer, no more doubts about it!!

You know, it is SO difficult to live day to day on complete, blind faith, and I figure not many of us actually ever experience the purity of that. That one day, perhaps the first day I had ever experienced it fully, was so legitimately amazing that I know for a fact I shall never forget it, nor the mightily capabe hand of God.

And, Praise God, two weeks later, my team on a whole has $10, 400.00 of the $28,000.00 that we need to have by around the end of May. PRAISE GOD! He is providing so much for us, and being so faithful in encouragement.

Continue to pray for us as we proceed on this crazy adventure God is leading us through!

Namaste,
~Kendall