"In 2009, on my very first trip to India, the Lord ignited a spark inside of me. It continues to burn and grow bigger as my passion for India deepens. I know in my heart that I am not finished with India. I cannot tell you what that means or where it will take me. I simply know that God is calling me there."
These are the words that I finished my last blog post with 8 months ago. I was so unsure and uncertain, living day to day with my heart constantly aching to be back in India. It was a difficult time in my life. And now, I am living with a purpose, going forth with determination and excitement to live out the calling that God has placed on my heart. No, I am in no way finished with India, but now I can tell you with a smile on my face and joy in my heart what that means and where it will take me.
I came to realize that the heartache and sadness I had been feeling was no small thing. I was homesick for India. God helped me to realize through these feelings that Carmel was a new home He had specifically chosen for me. He made it clear to me that's where my future was; that is why I was feeling so homesick in my own home! DUH!
These past 8 months have been a bit of a whirlwind. It's been busy and hectic much of the time, but throughout it all, one thing has grown stronger...and that's my faith. My relationship with my loving Lord and Savior is so strong and I know He is following close behind me in all of my work and preparations. I am never alone and I take comfort in that daily. God has given me a lot of courage and I am blessed beyond belief to face my future without fear.
So, let me give you a few details of what "not being finished with India" means. In September (2014), I joined Literacy & Evangelism International as a long-term missionary. Literacy & Evangelism International is a non-profit organization that works to equip the church to share the message of Jesus Christ through the gift of reading. They do this by developing Bible-content materials to teach basic reading in local languages and conversational English, and by providing training to be able to use these materials for evangelism, discipleship and church planting. LEI will be my sending organization as I head off to India full-time.
I plan to move to India, where I will be living and working with Carmel Ministries in Tamil Nadu, outside of Dharmapuri. This is the same organization (hostel and school) that I have worked with and supported over the past 6 years. My 3 goals as I look ahead to India are:
1. To teach English as a Second Language daily for students in grades 4-10 at Carmel Matriculation School
2. To lead Bible studies for the children at the hostel as well as the teachers of Carmel Matriculation School
3. To provide various types of English as a Second Language trainings for the teachers of Carmel Matriculation School
My plan is to leave for India by January of 2016. As I intend to devote the rest of my life to this mission work, I am currently working on raising my full support that will help to keep me in India.
As you may know if you know me personally, are friends with me on Facebook, or if you follow this blog, I have such a huge heart for the people of southern India. It is a country that I have fallen in love with. When I am at Carmel School and hostel, the children there bring out the best in me. Through this calling, I feel as though God is using me to share His light to the dark places in the world. I am excited to share hope with people who have none.
I look to 2016 with such anticipation and excitement for the work God is going to do through me. I am not afraid. I have never felt more passionate about anything else I've pursued in my life. God created me to go and love the people of India. He calls everyone to do different things in different places: some to their own neighborhoods, some to Philadelphia, the USA, South America, Africa, China...but He is calling me to southern India. And not a single part of me wants to turn that down.
I wrote something else in another one of my blog posts: "When it all comes down to it, I feel like that is our dream as Christians. To allow Jesus to live in our hearts and to shine in all that we do. To spread His love far and wide so that we can further God's kingdom and help those who are in need." That is exactly what God is calling me to do in India. He is providing me with the courage to do it. I feel so enormously blessed to be able to live out the life God intended for me.
If you are interested in supporting my mission work or have any questions, please feel free to email me.
indiafan1188@gmail.com
Thanks for all of your love and support!! I am so excited to continue to share my journey with you on this blog.
