Over 2,000 to go

Today marks our second full day in India! It has been a wild ride so far. This is my second trip to India and it has been crazy to see just how different the two experiences have been. We spent yesterday at Saint Thomas Mount. The beginning of the day was filled with shopping and crazy Indian driving and then we got to the Mount and it was as if the whole world went into slow motion. I'm not sure if it was sleep deprivation coupled with extreme heat and the onset of the Indian culture or if it was God showing up in yet another amazing fashion in India. As you may or may not know Thomas, known affectionately to most Christians as "doubting Thomas", traveled to India to spread the gospel. Raj and Anand, two of the most amazing followers of Christ I've had the opportunity to meet, explained to us yesterday that although India is affiliated today with the Hindu religion, Christianity was actually present in India first. Over time Hinduism has slowly taken over and become a thriving part of the culture. However, there was a time when Christianity was thriving as Hinduism is today. We were told yesterday that around 2000 castes in India today have NEVER heard of the good news of Jesus Christ. NEVER! 2,000 people groups struggle and worship these gods who are about as powerful as a limp noodle. They don't know the amazing power that is in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
I was nervous at the beginning of this trip because we didn't have a set "thing" we were intending to DO. In the past we have spent our time building, teaching the children in the school, planting gardens of some other amazing service to the people of Kalavai. However, this trip wasn't as concrete. We had an idea of what we wanted to happen but the vehicle to get there was a little blurry. Yet again, God has shown up huge in India. In Jeremiah there is a verse that I am sure many of you know. "For I know the plans I have for you delares the Lord." Even though we had our own plans and expectations for this trip they pale in comparison to the plans of our Lord for the people of India. Learning about the hopeless 2000 castes that still do not know of my Lord and my God, I'm sure that we will never know the exact plans or the extent to which God plans to use our trip. I do know that every person on this team is open to the plans that our Lord has for us. We are ready to be the hands and feet of the God most high!
Keep up the prayers everyone! We head off to Kalavai today. I can't express to you exactly what that sentence means to me, but I know that some of you know exactly what I mean when I say, I'm going home.
Allison Z