The below write-up is from the blog of our team and first appeared at bvcfmissions.net.

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August 12, 2011

I’m still unsure as to how two weeks have already gone by. At moments I thought it would never end, and now sitting here in Delhi I can’t believe it’s over. Well not quite. We still have eight to ten hours before our flight departs. There is talk of roaming around Delhi until then, playing tourist and suffering through a few more hot dishes of rice and curry.

I love Indian food…but after this trip, I might fast from rice for years to come.

Anyhow, Mike says that I get to blog about every experience of this trip. That would take a small book. So let me be quick in the recap.

It has been amazing. There, done.

When I was preparing for this trip, I was slightly discouraged as I heard more stories of the terrors and strains of India than the beauty and excitement. I prepared and then over prepared. (Not that it’s a bad idea to do so…especially for India.) This trip has been far different than previous trips sent out from Beaches Vineyard. The pace was slower and the goal different. The teams that have gone before us laid ground work for this trip, so thank you. We love and appreciate that you all stepped out.

But when I review this trip in my head, I am primarily thankful for the people with whom I traveled. The first week in Faridabad was somewhat hard with the threat of heat stroke and travel strains wearing on us all. Jenna McAvoy was a wonderful trooper, bearing the oppressive temperatures with all the grace of a Maharani. Mat was brave, preaching a gospel message to a Hindu village at an evening service. Cliff was the voice of encouragement and wisdom, building up our team and counseling the young people we encountered.

In the second week, when our team was reconnected, Ricky proved to be the comic, bringing laughter to every meal, each taxi ride, and even the more serious prayerful moments of the conference in Shillong. Mike was, well, Mike. Seriously though, he threw himself into the conference, making himself available to the young leaders there and to anyone who wanted to learn.

We made good friends in Shillong and I hope that return trips there are already in the works. They are a church with a lot of promise. Keep them in your prayers because they are very young, passionate, and growing.

Actually, keep India in your prayers. And America…and the world.

So pray. There is so much to do in India and also stateside. Both countries feature ridiculous and widening gaps between the classes. Each has histories of brutality and hope. India and America are striving to improve their societies, increase their wealth, and find spiritual fulfillment…the similarities appear different in language and culture, but their end goals are the same.

I’m not sure where you are called…or even yet where I am called. But prayer is the shared language of believers and these two countries are hungry for it. So we can at least do that.

And be forewarned…we are not coming back on some mission trip high. I’m proud to say that this team has been very mature and wise in their steps. But we are now more aware of how much work there is to do. Grace and peace guys…we have appreciated your prayers for this trip and we will be home shortly.

Love,

brit