India Day 20 - 21
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Day 20
Today we visited the Basilica that is built upon the tomb of St. Thomas and the mountain in which he was killed on. Each place was filled with monuments, statues, and relics of St. Thomas or Mary (They were each built by the Roman Catholic Church.) They even had the spear head in which is believed to have killed St. Thomas.
How did they know that was the exact spearhead that killed him. Or when they claimed to have the dirt in which his blood was shed, how do they know it was his blood? I became the doubting Thomas.
I realized this and came to the conclusion the the relics left on earth do not matter in the scheme of life. We should learn from Thomas and the life he led, not stand in amazement of the items left behind from his lifetime. So I p'd for each place, asking my father to make himself known to each person.
I also became the doubting Thomas again in the day. I got called out for doing some socially "unacceptable" things here - using my left hand to accept something, moving around when giving a lesson, making a "I messed up" face when I was stuck on trying to come up with the most simplistic way of saying something to a congregation of 300 people. I let it get to me and next thing you know I was hating India and wanting to go home. I couldn't see why I was here in this uncomfortable situation. I let my mind focus on the earth and stray away from one of my favorite verses: [Col 3:2].
There are often moments when I am still wishing I was home. I am just too Americanized for this place. But I know I am here to grow. To die daily so I can be filled daily with my father's goodness. So that's my focus. [Thank you Mike for the reminder.] I am learning so much....and I am sure I still have so much more to learn in the next 13 days.
Just like in the months leading up to this trip, I am floating between pure excitement and fear.
Dad gave me a great reminder of love here that evening: dinner with a family (4 grown brothers and each of their families, all living in the same building). I was honored, loved, and blessed to be there guest for dinner. I was blessed to have a Father who knows exactly when a reminder of His love is needed.
[India fun fact: The city of Chennai has a few hundred bus routes throughout the city.
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Day 21
Rested until 1pm. [Being in humidity and heat 24/7 is not the easiest of elements on the body...or mind, for that matter]
Robert recently started an NGO called Immaculate Children's Trust, which strives to serve the disable children - below the poverty line- physical therapy (and other therapies soon) for free. The program is only 6 months old so the ground work is still in the early stages of development. I am loving be a part of something that I believe will grow to serve so many children here.
We took the day to visit 3 of the sponsored children. 2 of the children lived in the legit slums of India. India is really poor. In the mind of Americans, everyone one you see, you might consider poor. But I am not exaggerating when I say that this slum was just like what you saw in Slumdog Millionaire. The postal address is literally "Garbage." Hard to believe, yes. But this is also the place that Robert grew up in his early childhood. This man's testimony is one to be shared because our father has done so much in his life and has used him to receive an abundant amount of glory.
Photos soon to come.
[India fun fact: The tiny black ants here are crazy fast. Ninja fast.]
