Playing Dress up

Gearing up for India is more intense than I thought it would be.

In reality, I didn't have too many expectations for it. I was trying to hold back from the expectations and be more patient and see where God was moving.

And He has been moving in a lot of ways. Small group leading this year has been incredible, and God has shown me his boundless joy through it. Fund-raising has been teaching me dependency on God, having to trust that He will move people's hearts to give. His faithfulness has shown in incredible ways through preparation in prayer (TANGENT! at STIM training, i.e. student training in missions, God was completely in a prayer with me and another student from Mills college. Her and I were praying for God's guidance as we dealt with our coping mechanisms. For me, I hide away, and for her, she jokes it off. We surrendered them to God and he was totally preparing us. ANYWAY!). And His love for me, and all His children, has shown up in his comfort that He is with me.

So. Playing dress up.

Shannon, one of the staff members for Pacific Christian Fellowship, had some Indian suits from her previous trips to the country (study abroad and GUT). She called me the other day to see if I wanted to borrow them.

DUDE! It was so fun wearing the colorful scarves and Indian dresses! The fact that I was leaving really started to set in for me as I tried the clothes on. For those who do not know, I am going on a Global Urban Trek (hence, GUT). I will be with about 20 other college students called by the Lord to serve the poor in urban slums around the world. We will be stripped of the extra baggage we bring with us and placed to work alongside the poor in organizations like Mother Teresa's Home for the Sick and Dying. We will work with them for four weeks, having a week of orientation and a week of debrief. Living with 20 other people in an apartment will be challenging, smelling the city of Kolkata will be stimulating, seeing the poverty will be overwhelming. It will take my heart seeking God's as He walks with me and my teammates through the city to see his kingdom amongst the injustice.

"Wow Jesus". These are the things I will be wearing for six weeks. I felt stunned, excited, and under-prepared. I asked Shannon how I should pray, and what I should pray for. For those out there who are praying for me in this, THANK YOU so much. Here is what Shannon told me:

• Pray for boldness in:
• Talking to the people of Kolkata. We will be looking to be incarnationally ministering to them, like reaching out, talking with them. This will take a lot of boldness considering the cultural differences, languages differences, status differences, etc. Pray that we can meet them where they are, and they us. That we could form deep and God-pleasing relationships with the people there. 

• Pray for discernment when we see the injustices there. That we would not become too overwhelmed, nor our hearts be closed when we see it, but that our reactions to them would be glorifying to God. 
• For protection in all ways, physical, spiritual, mentally, culturally, etc.
• Pray for the city of Kolkata. There is a lot of spiritual warfare in the city, with its goddess being Kali, the goddess of death and destruction, for whom the city is named after. Pray for the spiritual, as well as physical, poverty there.
• Pray for our team dynamics. It will be challenging living together, and I am sure conflicts will arise. Please pray against such things, for boldness and love when they come up, and for deep, meaningful relationships to form. 
• Pray for focus while we are there. That we could truly see the city through kingdom eyes.

That's what I have so far. Shannon gave me a lot more advice, which I am so thankful for. The suits she gave me were beautiful, and are only making it that much more real.

May we continue to press onward guys, with perseverance and assurance that the Lord is with us always.

Much love to all!

Mary