A Different Kind of Church

My first Sunday here exceeded all my expectations. It was worth the long rickshaw ride to reach this small group of believers. It is incredibly encouraging to know that this will not only be an avenue for communally worshiping God in spite of my surroundings but also will be an opportunity to fellowship with Christians who face faith obstacles largely unimaginable in Tennessee. Here, rather than being relics of the old testament, Hindu idols are physically visible on the street and Muslim prayers are chanted/sang at high volume out the loud speakers of all the surrounding mosques every couple hours. It is under this backdrop that the members of the church I attended this morning definitively live-out Paul's phrase “mutual edification.” There is something incredibly humbling about being in the midst of men and women smiling and shouting out praises to God... watching those from a Muslim family who have changed direction and followed Christ, or seeing a formerly Hindu man exchange a hierarchy of order under millions of Hindu gods for the freedom flowing from a personal relationship with the only Savior King. I couldn't help but be humbled, encouraged, and awestruck at the persistent faith of the minority. God truly works everywhere. Finally, I am excited about the opportunity to meet with a “cell group” of Indian young adults. Surely, I have a great deal to learn from them.

I'm Here!!!

I am finally here!!! Many thanks to those who covered my travel with prayers! Other than desperation to extend my legs and frustration at arriving three hours late, my journey was successful. Additionally, I should note that the snow that covered Knoxville, Chicago, and Frankfurt sharply contrasted with the 88 degree heat smothering the night of my first arrival.

Today is Saturday, January 24, and I just finished moving in to my new apartment. Naturally, it is very different than housing in the USA, but it is as close to western-style housing that could be found. I find the all-in-one bathrooms pleasantly efficient, the cook-tops sufficiently rugged, the fans utterly essential, and the assortment of locks on the door aesthetically comforting. Two things are not present: hot water and air conditioning. While I never expect to miss hot showers, air conditioning is already frequently on my mind.

The city itself is enormous. Grasping its scope is difficult, because you can travel for hours and still be in a heavily populated district of the city. The best form of travel I have found thus far is a rickshaw, which is something like a mini-bike three wheeler with a canvas top (a little smaller but much faster than a golf cart). These cost about 25 cents for a short ride and are never out of sight. Nevertheless, no ride is without excitement. Traffic is intense and because no one respects them anyways, there are no lines for lanes... in other words, traffic free-for-all. A majority of the side streets are too narrow for an automobile to navigate, thus, the rickshaws are perfect for quick deliveries and short-cuts. Crossing a major street on foot is a feat for even the most skilled frogger players, especially because traffic flows on the left side of the road here (my tendency is to look right). I am nervous about the trains as I have frequently been told by others who chuckled as they described how crowded they were- "No doors, so you hang out the sides" and "Pretty much everyone's faces are pressed together... sounds appetizing."

The religious practices are also very different here. At frequent intervals during the day, I here Muslim singing/chanting/prayer time blasting out of the sound amplifiers on the various mosques in the area. As unfamiliar as much of this is to me, none of it compares with the oddities of Hindu religion. The idols in plain sight are curious, but not as strange as the customs. For example, one common Hindu ritual is that marriages will be blessed if they occur on a specific date at a specific time. All Hindus are aware of these times, one of which was during the middle of last night. I discovered this when, prepared to go to sleep at the friend's house at which I was staying, we heard what sounded like a Latin-American marching band. We raced to the roof terrace of his apartment and looked down to see that an entire street was blocked off and set up with chairs and stages and food (too bad for traffic- there were no government officials controlling the roadblock in sight). Simultaneously, much of the crowd was funneling in behind the band forming a procession that marched zig-zag patterns throughout the surrounding blocks for hours. It was a noisy affair that apparently occurred throughout the city last night.

The people are just as unfamiliar as the religions. I expected nodding the head up and down to be a universal "Yes." However, here a yes is signaled by a rapid side-to-side motion that looks very much like the gyrating motion of a bobble-head doll. I have also decided that it would be prudent to stop introducing myself as Rich and return to Richard. Here, when I say, "I am Rich," the usually response is a confused look, sometimes followed by a "I am poor"- which is never good for relations when meeting new people. I guess emphasizing my NAME is Rich or just using Richard will solve the problem. Additionally, both bargaining and begging are concerns of mine. When you are unfamiliar with the currency and value of particular goods, it is difficult to know if you are getting swindled. Also, wherever I roam, there are frequently herds of children following and begging for money- I really haven't discovered how to handle this yet.

I am excited to begin working. Although I do not officially start until next week, I have already spent significant time in the office getting to know both the national staff and the expatriate staff. The office is crowded, but conducted in an organized professional manner. I have been welcomed with courtesy, tips, favor and laughter. Everyone appears excited to have me there, and this has greatly eased my level of stress. It is clear to me that this office is a place bursting with Christians who choose to act on their faith. I am sure there is much for me to learn.

Well, this is all I can convey for now as the jet-lag is taking great toll on my ability to focus. I am excited to complete the time adjustment in the coming week, as the afternoon time is difficult. I send my love and thanks to all of you for your support and prayers.

Waves of Generosity

If I am honest, I must admit that one of the greatest challenges for me in making the decision to go to South Asia was fundraising. Even though I strongly believe in the purpose and value of IJM's work, asking others to support me made me feel a little bit like a parasite. Yet, not only do I feel the calling is well worth the discomfort of fundraising but also the knowledge that I am only able to do this because others gave is a heavy conviction. In fact, it fills me with a drive to work later and harder than I might otherwise have worked. It also lets me see God's oversight in the process.

Again, seeking honesty, I admit that I had certain expectations of certain donors for my work. In a practical sense, I used these estimates to calculate how much support I thought I would be able to raise. Since then, I have been overwhelmed by the response. Those from whom I anticipated large gifts gave tremendous gifts, those whom I thought might give gave generous gifts, and those I did not even send materials to contacted me and found a way to give without my solicitation. Churches, family, friends, and sometimes mere acquaintances gave and continue to give. In short, this fundraising campaign has so far exceeded my expectations that my only available responses are humility, sincere gratitude, work ethic, and faith in God.

I guess I try to take control with each part of this work with IJM. And, I guess, God continues to send messages that He will handle it, if I will only trust Him. I've found that it is much easier to learn these lessons when God uses His people to intervene my life because His presence and His actions are undeniably proclaimed by their actions.

So, thank you for giving, and rest assured that no gift went unappreciated and that each gift made me want to work that much harder and brought that much more peace to me about my work in South Asia. What a way to start the new year!