To India and Beyond...

As I promised, I am posting solely about Team India. The past few days with the team have been incredible. We had the opportunity to engage in “ropes training” with Global Infusion to help prepare us for our journey. This training put us through challenges that helped grow team unity and prepare us for situations on the mission field. The experience really helped us grow together as a team and it is so evident that God is going to do amazing things through each of these people.

Personally, I learned a great deal through ropes. Our biggest lesson learned yesterday was prayer. We have been encouraged to pray for India the past few months. It is so hard to pray for a country and a people that you have not yet experienced. But, yesterday India became real to me. The people became real. The poverty became real. And the injustice became real. God lit my heart on fire for the country of India and He broke it for the things that break His heart. My prayer has been that God would break my heart…and He broke it. Yesterday I wept for India. I didn’t just cry…I wept. My heart has been broken for each and every person in India and I cannot wait to see how God will continue to break my heart over the next 2 weeks leading up to my departure.

One thing that was said that really resonated with me actually came in the form of a prayer from one of the Global Infusion facilitators. He reminded us in this prayer that we should not be going to India if our hearts do not ache for India the way that God’s heart does. We have to be in love with the people of India…or else we should not be going. I am falling in love. My hearts aches for these people.

Also, to conclude our ropes training we underwent a "commissioning ceremony" last night. In this ceremony, a crown was placed on the head of each team member reminding us that we are royalty - children of our Lord and King. While this happened, the Global Infusion facilitators gathered around us and showered us with prayers all at the same time. It was an incredible experience to hear so many different prayers uttered over us all at once. What a moving experience and a testimony of the great power of prayer!

My teammates are incredible and they have blessed my life tremendously already. I can’t wait to see how we grow in relationship with one another as we become vulnerable with each other and spread love to India.

Team 1 headed out today…not without difficulties though! Read about it on our blog: toindiaandbeyond.wordpress.com. Pray for Team 1 as they continue to travel to their final destination in Ongole, India. Pray that God would make India real to them prior to them arriving. They are going to do great things there and lay a foundation for Team 2 to love on India too.

Here’s the faces of our team members! Please keep each of us in prayer. Team members include:
Melissa, Annette, Grant, Kendall, Adrianna, Rachel, Amber, Kelsey, Emily, Justine, Katy, Brittany, Greta, Adam, Ryan, Josh, Nathan, Daniel, and myself. Our fearless leaders are Josh and Melissa who will be staying in India for the duration of both trips (a.k.a. one month) as will Rachel, Grant, and Annette.

Specific prayer requests from the team:
- Boldness
- Renewal of spirits
- Strength in fighting spiritual warfare
- Health/rest
- To be conscious/aware of God
- Safety in travels
- That our hearts might be broken for India

Thanks for your love, support, and prayers. I will try to keep you updated over the next few weeks.

Peace!