So we are here! After what seemed like a week of traveling we are finally here in Kolkata! Well we actually arrived at around 12am and got to the hotel at 230am where we slept till about 730.
We got ready to go to church and had some breakfast. We met an intern with IJM, Miriam, at our hotel and rode with her to the church. Church was really great, it was a lot of worshipping in English and then a message that was said first in English and then translated to Bangla. It was an interesting experience for sure! The sermon was on how to really be a witness about Christ and how if our walk and our work are not giving glory to God then neither will our witness. It was just a good thing to hear at the beginning of our time here and realizing that while we are not doing overt witnessing, we are always a witness for who Christ is and showing his love to everyone. Having said that, I realize how often I fall short of that calling to show Christ's love and be a 'good' witness to others.
This morning we started the day with a devotion on Psalm 10 and one thing that I kept coming back to in my mind is just thinking of God's call for justice and defending the weak. We are getting a small glimpse into that by being here and working with IJM. That is what drew me to their organization in the first place was understanding how much God loves justice and when his children fight for it out of their love for him. Such a beautiful thing.
After church we went to lunch and came back to the hotel to rest for a little bit, however, Julia and I had an impromptu meeting with Kushboo and met with her whole family as well. It was really so great to see her again and she is such a sweet and sassy (just like me) 15 year old. We decided that she would act as our tour guide and take us to the market so that we could look around and get some things. I think everyone really like walking around and getting to see people actually living. When we discussed it later at dinner, that was what most people said was a favorite part. Walking around and interacting in that type of way with people is such an experience and especially here because there is just so much to take in and process. We ended up walking to this park as well that was actually really pretty and kind of peaceful in the midst of this city. After all that walking we were totally worn out so we headed back to the hotel and said bye to Kushboo (only until tomorrow though because she insists on seeing us everyday before we leave). We decided to walk some more to a nearby restaurant that has traditional southern Indian food, and they have the best dosa's ever, I had a onion masala dosa and it was amazing! Post dinner we came straight back to the hotel and debriefed a little from our day and decided to just call it a night because we were all so exhausted! It's just a little after 9pm and I think I am about done for the day!
We are going to Sari Bari tomorrow and I can't wait to go back there and visit. It was my best day of the trip last year, being able to do that so I do have some high hopes. Until then...I am done! I will leave some pics of the trip thus far!
We got ready to go to church and had some breakfast. We met an intern with IJM, Miriam, at our hotel and rode with her to the church. Church was really great, it was a lot of worshipping in English and then a message that was said first in English and then translated to Bangla. It was an interesting experience for sure! The sermon was on how to really be a witness about Christ and how if our walk and our work are not giving glory to God then neither will our witness. It was just a good thing to hear at the beginning of our time here and realizing that while we are not doing overt witnessing, we are always a witness for who Christ is and showing his love to everyone. Having said that, I realize how often I fall short of that calling to show Christ's love and be a 'good' witness to others.
This morning we started the day with a devotion on Psalm 10 and one thing that I kept coming back to in my mind is just thinking of God's call for justice and defending the weak. We are getting a small glimpse into that by being here and working with IJM. That is what drew me to their organization in the first place was understanding how much God loves justice and when his children fight for it out of their love for him. Such a beautiful thing.
After church we went to lunch and came back to the hotel to rest for a little bit, however, Julia and I had an impromptu meeting with Kushboo and met with her whole family as well. It was really so great to see her again and she is such a sweet and sassy (just like me) 15 year old. We decided that she would act as our tour guide and take us to the market so that we could look around and get some things. I think everyone really like walking around and getting to see people actually living. When we discussed it later at dinner, that was what most people said was a favorite part. Walking around and interacting in that type of way with people is such an experience and especially here because there is just so much to take in and process. We ended up walking to this park as well that was actually really pretty and kind of peaceful in the midst of this city. After all that walking we were totally worn out so we headed back to the hotel and said bye to Kushboo (only until tomorrow though because she insists on seeing us everyday before we leave). We decided to walk some more to a nearby restaurant that has traditional southern Indian food, and they have the best dosa's ever, I had a onion masala dosa and it was amazing! Post dinner we came straight back to the hotel and debriefed a little from our day and decided to just call it a night because we were all so exhausted! It's just a little after 9pm and I think I am about done for the day!
We are going to Sari Bari tomorrow and I can't wait to go back there and visit. It was my best day of the trip last year, being able to do that so I do have some high hopes. Until then...I am done! I will leave some pics of the trip thus far!
The group of us
Kushboo and I
Julia and Kushboo and her brother
Delicious dosa's
It IS such a beautiful thing when we begin fighting for the things of God's heart... and a fight is a fight, whether it is big or small in man's eyes!
ReplyDeleteand what a great challenge you got at church! I sure do miss worshipping in other cultures!