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January 29, 2006

Mother India

"Mother India" - Caedmon's Call, Share the Well
Father God, You have shed Your tears for Mother India
They have fallen to water ancient seeds
That will grow into hands to touch the untouchable
How blessed are the poor, the sick, the weak

Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captures me in Your embrace

The serpent spoke and the world believed its venom
Now we're ten to a room or compared with magazines

There's a land where our shackles turn to diamonds
Where we trade in our rags for a royal crown
In that place, our oppressors hold no power
And the doors of the King are thrown wide

Longtime readers may remember that my first cousin Matt and his wife Lynn adopted two children from India in 2000. Sam and Sophia came into our lives and turned them upside down. They are six now, and they are bright, loving, creative children. Sophia loves kitties and art and Sam is both fascinated by and scared to death of sharks. Like most six year olds, they ask a lot of "why" questions and they want to sit on your lap and tell you stories and whisper secrets in your ear.

That day that their parents were winging across the world to get them, I wrote:
I don't like being the Thomas of my family. The one who just can't let herself believe. Especially when the others let go so easily. They don't think about it. It's plain.

And their faith is being manifested today. Today when Matt and Lynn walk into that poor New Dehli orphanage, crowded with baby girls and sick little boys, and lift two of India's own out of her despair.

Sam and Sophia are now so utterly American. It's hard to imagine they were born in poverty, abandoned in a crowded, city hospital before they were even hours old. Do they feel a soul connection to their Mother India? Do they ever wake with the smell of New Dehli seeping over from their dreams?

They now have a younger brother, Abo, whom Matt and Lynn adopted in 2003, and their family is about to get even bigger as they are currently undergoing adoption procedures for a fourth Indian child.

Today's message at church was about the short-term mission trips that North Point Ministries has planned for 2006. There are more than 30 of them, to places as far off as Southeast Asia and as close as Mississippi. It's been five years since I first let the thought of going on a mission creep in.

In January 2001 I wrote:
A family friend is going on a mission trip to Romania in June. He'll be leading a group of Baptist College students as they volunteer in an orphanage. My god, this is what I want to do. But then all the doubts swim into my head: money, my career, rent, bills, everything waiting for me in Ohio. All the adult responsibilities I have now. I can't just cast it all aside and go move to a depressed nation.

But India calls.

And everyday her voice rings louder in my ear.

And I'm at a loss as to where to look.

So I wait for a door to open. A window to crack.

And all I ask is that when He closes it behind me, He slams it shut.

My life in 2006 is so different from the one that 2001 girl led. I have more reponsibilities, more connections, yet even more bills. But still, India calls. When I look into Sophia's eyes I wonder at the mysterious life that may have been hers to lead, had it not been for Providence and I know that there are 1,000s of Sophias still cradled by their motherland. Do they know that God loves them? Do they know they have a Savior? Do they know how special they are?

On Sunday mornings I volunteer in the "daycare" portion of church, in the Ones room. So the kids in there are all post-toddling but pre-two years old. They can mostly talk and they are starting to remember me from week to week. The only real lesson plan for the babies to four-year-old environment is to teach them that God loves them and that Jesus wants to be their friend forever. So for an hour every Sunday I play with a bunch of one year olds and their laughter and cuddles make the rest of my week tolerable. These children have every creature comfort they could ever want, but beyond that they have parents who love them enough to teach them that they are loved by God, just because of who they are. But what of those Indian orphans? Who is there to rock them? To save them?

I don't know when and I don't know how or why or where, but I know that Mother India waits for me. I just have to be ready when finally her call becomes a command.

Posted by hannah at 05:16 PM