When I was a new believer I was worried about surrendering my life. I thought God would call me to a mud hut in Africa. I was so wrong. The mud hut is in India.
The lower class is rapidly moving to a larger middle class. That is good. The middle class is rapidly embracing the worst of western culture…materialism and sensuality. That is bad.
YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN INDIA WHEN (part 2):
You wake up at 3:30 every morning, a side effect of your malaria medicine
You have your Passport strapped to your leg all day, every day
Stop signs are just for decoration
A 5 person rickshaw normally carries 11 people
You see strikingly beautiful, manicured woman in a silk sari behind 2 oxen in the middle of a field
You see children holding hands with those of the same gender as they walk
Laundry drying on the roadside guard rail means it’s the shepherd’s wash day
Men’s shorts are a short piece of material wrapped around their waist…. Period.
The shoulder of the road is regularly used as a passing lane and often counts as a third lane
While driving in a car you wonder if you have enough life insurance.
Every curve in the road is a new opportunity to trust God
Food: Cold means room temperature and hot means you might need a trip to the Emergency Room
In a village you have to walk through someone’s kitchen to get to the next house
You see 4 story high scaffolding made from bamboo or sticks
People in flip flops wear ear muffs
“To-let” means “for rent”
“STD available” means public phone
401K retirement plans are called schemes … maybe they know something we don’t.
A man riding a bicycle precariously balances a propane tank
My new friends in India are mosquitoes.( they never seem to bite Jerry !!)
It is hard to know difference between a preconstruction site, a completed site in use or abandoned site.
A Ford dealership has 15 letters in its name (Vishakapatnam Ford)
CONTRASTS IN INDIA
Large electric substation alongside an oxcart carrying chickens
A herd of water buffalo crossing a 4 lane highway
Domino’s pizza being delivered on a rickshaw
Halal meats (kosher to Muslims) served in Subway
Vegetarian McDonalds
A cow lumbering across a speed bump
Cell phone store in the most remote village
There is a Lion’s Club in every town.. that is really strange !
A TV in a mud hut
1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Matthew 6:31-33 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
To what extent are you preoccupied with the ‘things’ of this life? Are your belongings serving you or are you serving them? No matter how much or how little we have, our possessions can easily possess us.