Varanasi, Agra, Mumbai

I've had a busy last two weeks since my last entry, but as promised, here is a small taste of what my team and I did in the last weeks of our time in India:

VARANASI

The burning of a body

As stated in my last entry, my team and I left the mountain town of Nainital and headed towards Varanasi. Varanasi is an extremely holy city to Hindus, located right on the shore of the Ganges River. To the Hindus, this holy river is worshiped as the goddess called Ganga, and is thus believed to contain the cleanest and holiest water in the world. Hindus go to Varanasi to die, allowing them to come out of the cycle of reincarnation. The dead are washed in the Ganges River, burned, and then thrown back into it as ashes. However, if the body is "holy" (there are seven kinds of holy bodies), the bodies are just tied to a rock and thrown into the water to decay at the bottom (which sometimes get loose and float back up). Hindus also go to the Ganges to do laundry, to bathe in it, and to drink it.

Boat tours on the Ganges River

The ministry opportunities my team and I had were worship in various places, intercession in temples, and outreach to backpackers at places such as a Jesus meditation temple, or even at our hostel. Unfortunately, I became sick on the day we left Nainital for Varanasi and spent most of my time there in bed. It was frustrating not being able to go out and be active, but my time in bed allowed me to intercede for my team members who were out in the city, as well as for others at home or on outreach in Iceland or Fiji.

On my last day in Varanasi I was well enough to go on a boat tour of the Ganges River and see the fullness of Hinduism in action. I also had the opportunity to go sing worship in a Mother Teresa Center that cares for the sick, crippled, and dying. There, we were able to go in and bring some light and love to this place of sadness and loneliness. After a rough start in Varanasi, it was a good way to end our time there, and a good time to end outreach all together.

Burning Ghat

AGRA

The twelve of us arrived in Agra officially finished with outreach. We were no longer in ministry mode, but in debrief mode. We had five days to debrief our time in India. We talked about the good and the bad times, what God did during this time, what we needed to take with us and what we needed to let go, and so much more. It was a good time of closure and celebration. While in Agra, we were also able to check out a little building called the Taj Mahal. :)

My first view of the Taj Mahal

MUMBAI

The team left Agra in high spirits, feeling good about our time in India and what we were able to do in Christ's name. We came to Mumbai with that same spirit, along with sadness of leaving this beautiful nation and excitement to go back to familiarity and amazing friends at the Manor. We spent a fun last day and night in Mumbai and then flew off to England, so excited to watch as many movies on the plane as possible (I personally watched four films and watched the first half of two others)!

My time in India was life changing, difficult, beautiful, rewarding, fun, heartbreaking, and completely worth it. I cherish the time that I had there and I'm so thankful for all that God did with my time there and all that He allowed me to experience. Please remember to pray for India.