Week 12: World Missions

This week's class was very interesting, but not super applicable to my life, because most of the information was given in the context of Indian culture. It was also our last week here before Ryan left for home, and the rest of the group leaves for their outreach in India.

Monday

Our teacher this week was born in India and currently lives in Minnesota, but goes to India for ministry every six weeks. His story is amazing, but I’m not sure if I should share it publicly here, so if you’d like more information you can send me an email or a Facebook message. On Monday, he talked a lot about Indian culture and also how a missionary’s own life should be so that they can effectively share the gospel.

Tuesday

Tuesdays are always kind of boring, it seems. After class I hung out around the base and played cards in the evening.

Wednesday

Wednesday was very productive. I went with Mirjam to Antigua and got my visa updated and ran some other errands. 

Thursday

What a day. God spoke to me a lot about complacency and how to live a life that shows that I follow Him. We had a really great and productive time of intercession, our last as a full group of students. After that, I took Maya out to a café in town, and we got tea and pita bread with hummus. It was a really wonderful time talking with her! But she wasn’t aware that in fact I had a secret agenda: her boyfriend Robert asked me to take her out to get her out of the base so he could prepare something really special for her. When we got back, she got dressed up and did her hair and make-up, and then she and Robert went out on a date. As soon as they left, the rest of us scrambled to get dressed up as well, and drove to the restaurant they were at. The restaurant is beautiful; it’s centered around ruins and has a gorgeous fountain. We lined up on the bridge leading to the fountain, each of us holding a sunflower. Then, Robert and Maya came out, and as they walked over the bridge, we gave Maya the flowers. We all went over and stood in front of the fountain, as Robert took Maya to stand up next to it, and after they talked for a few moments, we each held up a poster with a letter on it, spelling out: will you marry me? and Robert proposed! Of course, Maya said yes, and then we all hugged and congratulated them, and sang Wonderwall, our group love song, together one last time. It was truly a magical night!

Friday

Friday was wonderful as well. It started out quite rocky; I didn’t sleep well and burned my hand while cooking breakfast, and then Ryan left so we were all crying saying goodbye to him. But then, we had intercession with the staff and we got to pray with each staff member, and then we had worship one last time. Also, God healed my hand! Probably because He knew I had a lot to do that day and would need it. Then I went with Christoph the Swiss Man to get ice cream, and we had a really great conversation. When we got back, the real fun started. I got really dressed up and did my hair and make-up, and then some of us went to a really nice restaurant up on the volcano. After dinner, we walked around and enjoyed the view and the art. It was absolutely wonderful, and a great last memory of this chapter of my life. 

Saturday

Today—yes, today, because FINALLY I AM CAUGHT UP ON THIS BLOG—so far has been busy, but good. We’ve packed and cleaned everything, because everyone takes off for India at 7:00 tomorrow morning. It’s very bittersweet for all of us I think. We’re excited to move on to the next thing, but life here, even with its ups and downs, has been wonderful. None of us have expectations for what the next chapter will bring, and it is a nervous excitement. We feel the adventure coming, but we do not know what we can except. We can depend and rely on nothing but God now.