To Bangalore and Beyond: From Bangalore to beyond

Well, my time in India has come to an end. what started as tasting bittersweet, has actually kinda just been bitter now for the fact that im leaving this place. This last week, i had the chance to actually explore and meet different people and see their ministries. I had the chance of meeting Abraham, a pastor of a church and a colleague of my bible college lecturer. I also had the opportunity to meet Sharola, her husband Andrew and the Crossroads team. Although we are so far a part distance wise, we shared so many similarities in regards with YoungLife back at home. It was sad to go because i had the opportunity to meet some young boys and play soccer with them. What was sad was i found out they were living in the slums. Twice i've walked to their club house/centre from my place, i would have to walk the streets to under the overpass. The streets were lined with waste, exhaust and smog fumes, and then people selling produce. From there i would cross the railway tracks (filled with even more rubbish and debris, and guys urinating from the tracks) to get to the other side of the underpass, and from there i would reach the club house.....I was told these boys lived in the slums just alongside that railway track that i would cross. I spoke to their mentor, a 21 yo guy, who felt sympathy for them when he told me they live in the slums. Crossroads also work in 3 special schools, as well as other colleges. Man, it was good to hang out with these awesome guys. I could see the tiredness on people's faces though. That it must be exhausting doing this ministry, not having church support or people's support for that matter. And how great the need is out there, to reach so many youth, so many that people have forgotten or ignored. And i can empathise with them, i know the feeling. So it continues to niggle and gnaw at my brain...where am i meant to be? For i know that i have been given so many privileges back at home, i know i have skills and knowledge, as well as abilities that i can use here, that i can use to support people.

As i continue to reflect i continue to see the the bible come alive; parables and characteristics come alive. it happened only yesterday. As i walked to locate Crossroads and as i walked under the overpass, i saw a man cross-legged, asking for money, with his crutches to his side. He was unclean, unshaven, just dirty looking. The sad thing is, that once you see a person like this, it starts to be come uncomfortably normal. normal to the point where you just walk past them and ignore them. And thoughts go through your head as you reason with yourself as to why not to stop, why not to give them money, or buy them food, or just treat them like a human being. Yet, thats exactly who he is....he's a human being, someone who due to unfortunate life circumstances has ended up like this. Imagine if we swapped places, would he have stopped for me? So this is where the bible comes to life. This is where hope comes. That God himself would come to meet and to know people on the fringes, those who are marginalised like this man. Jesus would go to the lepers, the blind, the mute, the sinners - all of those who were ignored in society, like i ignore that man. And he would give them something that no one would have expected - life, hope, joy, purpose, a reason, God. I have so much to be thankful for, and the necessity to share that is so dire.

So as India wraps up, i now head to nepal. What will it bring, i have no idea. but its where im going, and so i continue to learn and grow. So till next time India, i'll see u again definitely, as i've only begun to get to know you, your beautiful people, your amazing opportunities, your awesome cultures and clothing, your ridiculous traffic rules, your picturesque sceneries and your tremendous memories. Thank you.