Be Prepared In Season and Out of Season

This Scriptural command has really rung true with us this past week. It being our fourth week here small irritations have not felt so small. It has been difficult to adjust to being completely dependent on others. We are fairly limited in where we can go without a translator or chaperone. Even within the walls of our own home, we often feel as if we are in a fishbowl. The kids in our neighborhood will gather in front of our gate yelling "Chris! Chris! Chris! Cory! Taylor! Taylor! Crystal! John!" It is pretty relentless and only gets more raucous when we poke our heads out to say hello. Walking down the street we are stared at, approached, and pointed at. Today during breakfast "Mama" (the grandmotherly lady who lives in our living room and helps take care of our house) came in with two relatives to introduce us. They wanted to meet us because they have never met a white person before. While this should be no more than a little annoyance, it is frustrating when it is all the time, even when you are still in your pajamas and have yet to shower.


However, we are slowly learning what true flexibility looks like. We are slowly learning to be patient, to have grace, and to be prepared at all times. We are learning to live outside of our agenda or itinerary and invite the Holy Spirit into every moment (for without Him, we would truly be able to do nothing.) It is in the down times that we find patience and grace more challenging to come by. While we want to shut down, we find ourselves surrounded by a culture that doesn't really ever shut down. A culture where children are in school 6 days a week. Where many laborers work 29 days and have 1 day off (2 if you include the holidays that fall every other week or so.) God has been stripping away the layers and showing us who He is when we are at the end of ourselves.


Yesterday we had the honor of celebrating with our new friend and personal chef Sunni and his wife Sunnita. Sunni had a great job working for a phone company. Previously he worked for a continental hotel - where he learned to make french fries, chicken burgers and steamed vegetables (thank you JESUS!) Sunni agreed to leave his stable job at the phone company and come to work for Harvest India as our cook. It was a leap of faith as his wife is pregnant and Harvest India cannot promise a steady salary. Since making the decision, Sunni claims that God has blessed him in many ways. His marriage was full of conflict and is now full of peace and joy. Sunnita's high risk pregnancy stabilized and the doctors are declaring that the baby now has a healthy heart. Sunni has seen God work in miraculous ways and is so thankful. Last night he threw a celebration dinner in which all of their family came from out of town to join in on. To celebrate the coming of their first child as well as all that God has granted them these past few weeks. Sunni asked us to attend. We knew he was excited about it, and although we were not thrilled about a late night or interrupting our already laid out plans we decided to go. We thought we would be simply attending, but alas we were treated as honorable guests. We were asked to each give a word of encouragement to Sunnita. Thankfully Christina and Suresh were there and they took the stage to preach the Word.


This has not been the first time that we have found ourselves spontaneously asked to preach, to pray for healing, or to give encouragement. Tenali, India feels so near to the descriptions in the new testament. The people are so eager for the Holy Spirit. They believe in the power of prayer and will fight their way through crowds to be prayed for. And there seem to be crowds just about everywhere. We are viewed as disciples and are challenged to begin living as such. To be prepared. To be in communion with the Holy Spirit. To lay down our own lives and be prepared to advance the Kingdom in every moment.