Well India is definitely not like America, which I’m sure
you all know that, but here is a lessons I am still trying to learn/adjust to:
So last Sunday was Teresa’s birthday and we went to the
Victory House to celebrate. There was a cake, we sang Happy Birthday, she
opened presents. It was like a birthday back home except with 50 very hyper
kids there. She wore a tiara and her fancy Punjabi, the whole ordeal J
haha. It was cute.
This is me feeding cake to Teresa. J
That’s how they eat the birthday cake here. They cut it into small cubes and
the birthday girl (or boy) feeds a piece to someone, then they feed her a piece
and you go around the group. She fed everyone, but none of the kids fed her,
just the adults, so it still took a while. But it was to watch all the kids’
faces.
But anyways, before I knew we were going to the Victory
House, I thought we were just going to Teresa’s house to celebrate. I got kind
of dressed up too, dressed up as in wearing my favorite pair of jeans, (which
we never get to do here) and a new Punjabi top that I got at the expo that we
went to on our night off the Friday before. I was just assuming we were going
to talk and have some cake you know, that kind of thing. But then when we got
downstairs to the van, they told us, “We go to V colony”, which is the Victory
house. I was like oh great, good idea wearing your nice outfit, which would
have to include white! Lol. I didn’t have enough energy, time, or motivation to
run back upstairs and change. It really wasn’t that big of a deal, but it was
something that I thought about. We get there, the kids scream and attack us..like
usual. As everyone sits in the chairs they always get for us, I stay standing
up, trying to avoid kids sitting on my lap or reaching up and pulling my shirt.
I get to the last half hour of the evening, sitting there with one of my
favorite girls on my lap, watching Teresa open some of her presents, and I
sense this wet, hot feeling on my leg. I thought to myself, “I did not just get
peed on.” Oh, but..I did. I didn’t make a big scene about it, I just set the
little girl down and whispered to Kody next to me, “I just got peed on.” I
don’t remember his response, but it was probably somewhere along the lines of,
“Niice.” I looked down at the little girl and noticed she was crying. I knew
she just wanted to be held, but me and my stuck up self wouldn’t pick her up to
comfort her (even though I was already wet!). I feel bad about it now, but at
the time I was just a little upset and more worried about keeping my pants from
getting anymore dirty.
I don’t look very happy here, but I really was at the
time..until she peed on me. Haha. I have a necklace on everyday, that’s what she
was playing with. That’s how she knows it’s me, she’s blind, sorry I think I
forgot to tell you that.
As I went to bed that night, I was thinking of how stupid I
was for having that kind of reaction. God was obviously trying to teach me
something, I was just to absorbed in my own comfort to see it at the moment. I
feel like He was trying to quietly yell this in my ear, “These kids want so
much love, just give it to them! Even if they do have food crusted on their
face, or dandruff, or dirty clothes, or pee on them. Who cares about your
flippin clothes!” I got home soaked them in soapy water and their like new, and
even if they weren’t okay, my life would not end because of it. It’s
material!!!! I have to keep reminding myself that it’s not about me, it’s about
loving these people and doing what Jesus would do..no matter what comfort I
have to give up. (WWJD, I need one of those bracelets to remind me to act as He
would) No matter what it is I have with me right now, it can all be replaced.
The moment I have to share with these children and people can never be replaced
or brought back and I need to have that thought in my head at all times so I
don’t miss an opportunity God is giving me. I’m not saying I would’ve change
this little girls life to pick her up, but it’s just the fact that I wasn’t
willing to help her because I didn’t want to get more dirty then I already was.
And NOT getting dirty is impossible here! So I just need to get used to it, be
okay with it, and be willing to do anything to follow what God is calling me to
do here. Anyways, that’s just something I’ve been trying to remind myself this
past week.
Prayers: One main thing you can pray for right now is healing.
All my bug bites, cuts, hang nails, anything open is getting infected because
of all the dirt. It seemed to hit me all this week and it just seems like they
are in the worst spots because it makes it sore to move and bend. Prayers for a
cleansing of my body, that I could come back to good health so I can feel
effective in our ministries and just be able to continue without worrying about
the pain. Then continued prayers for comfort and just being able to relax at
night. Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep. I know God is always with
me and I always pray when I feel this way, but I freak myself out knowing all
the spiritual stuff that’s out there. And also when I head to bed, I think of
home a lot, then I start missing everyone and home, so prayer for a sense of
peace about that too.
I really can’t thank you enough for all your prayers. And
your comments are so encouraging, I love seeing who got to read my blog and
what you thought. Write lots!
Love and blessings to all,
Saralyn
Ps. Don’t forget to smile, never know who is watching! J
Lol. I always used to say that and I just thought of it, so I shared it with
you.
