India proved to be a life-changing experience and as my first time outside of the US it was definitely an eye-opener.

To witness the extreme poverty in the urban areas and the chaos of government was humbling mixed with awe over the beauty of the people and the countryside.

India has so much going for it in terms of resources, hard-working people, and determination to have a free democratic nation. I left the US for India hoping to bring the love of Christ to people in India and break some strongholds.

I left India knowing that my work had just chipped a bit of it away but there was an immeasurable amount of work left.

We had the privilege of travelling to a village in northern India where no white people had ever been before. Speaking about my relationship with Christ to a group of Muslims was humbling as I realized my inability to effectively communicate the vastness of what Christ has done for me to a culture so different than my own.

When we arrived at the village one of our team members said, “Pastor you wanted to go to the ends of the earth – well we’ve arrived!” The village was about 2 hours from any sort of civilization, which is a term used loosely in India.

As we spoke with the people through our translator we learned that we were the first white people and first Americans to ever set foot in the village. My message was garbled at best I’m sure because of my ineffectiveness as a cross-cultural communicator.

But I realized that my message didn’t need to be perfect. The hope that I brought was not hope from the US, or hope from me personally, I brought the hope of Christ.

The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15 NIV)

My hope is that through my simple message about the love Christ has shown me, others will be able to call on the name of the Lord.

Would you join me in praying for India?