There will be a full recap of our trip to India this Sunday, March 4th, at all three Revolution Church services. The services are at 9 am, 11 am, and 6 pm. The entire service will be dedicated to stories, pictures, songs and video from our trip. I would love for you all to come and see a bit of what I've experienced.
Hope to see you,
Jenn
Monday, February 26, 2007
I Finally Stopped
I came to a realization this morning while in the shower.
You see, I just got home the night before from a trip to India, and today was to be my day of reflection. I awoke early, as my internal clock has been flopped by the time difference. I began the day by hopping online to check my emails. Two weeks apart from the inbox can really cause a pile-up! Then I needed to get the latest updates on my friends, so I searched through MySpace to see what was new and exciting with everyone. I needed a break from the computer and had no clue what was going on in America, since the only news I've seen in a while is "The Hindu Times," so I flipped on "Fox 11 Morning News." While watching that, I decided to start thumbing through the pile of catalogues and magazines the postmaster had dropped off. As you see, my day of reflection had already been littered with anything but thoughts of India.
Then I took a shower. It was one of those long, hot, fingers wrinkle to look like prunes type of showers. Why the need to tell you this? Because it's in those times when you are forced to stop and think. Having had many years experience shampooing and washing, it promised never to get in the way of allowing one's mind to wander, to dream, to think about life. I broke down.
India came to visit me.
I recalled each set of eyes I had looked into, each cheek I pressed to mine, each frail body I held tight. Many on my team went to India with objectives. Mine was simple, maybe too simple for the main objective of the trip, but something I felt strongly about from the second I signed up. I went to physically touch the people who were labeled "untouchables" by their country. Though I did not speak their language, I wanted to let them know I thought differently of them. It is quite rare for the untouchables to ever be visited, yet they are still trained as humans to extend a hand to shake, should someone approach them. I was not satisfied with a hand shake, and especially disturbed when their hand was extended, but their eyes were bowed to the ground. The shame they felt was what I wanted to lift. I rarely shook a hand, as I did not want to be yet another humanitarian visitor, coming through their village to see the extent of the poverty and yielding to germs or diseases by following up on handshakes with anti-bac solution. I had to look into their eyes. I had to hold on tight to them, whether it be gripping their shoulders, giving them a hug, pressing their face to mine while praying for them, or if an extended hand was the only option due to the crowds and time, I made sure to shake with both hands and extend my eyes as far into their souls as I could. I wanted them to feel loved. I needed them to know they were loved. Love was what I had to offer India.
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 cor 13:13
I am expecting many more visits from India in the days to follow and look forward to sharing them with you!
Love,
Jenn Glenn
You see, I just got home the night before from a trip to India, and today was to be my day of reflection. I awoke early, as my internal clock has been flopped by the time difference. I began the day by hopping online to check my emails. Two weeks apart from the inbox can really cause a pile-up! Then I needed to get the latest updates on my friends, so I searched through MySpace to see what was new and exciting with everyone. I needed a break from the computer and had no clue what was going on in America, since the only news I've seen in a while is "The Hindu Times," so I flipped on "Fox 11 Morning News." While watching that, I decided to start thumbing through the pile of catalogues and magazines the postmaster had dropped off. As you see, my day of reflection had already been littered with anything but thoughts of India.
Then I took a shower. It was one of those long, hot, fingers wrinkle to look like prunes type of showers. Why the need to tell you this? Because it's in those times when you are forced to stop and think. Having had many years experience shampooing and washing, it promised never to get in the way of allowing one's mind to wander, to dream, to think about life. I broke down.
India came to visit me.
I recalled each set of eyes I had looked into, each cheek I pressed to mine, each frail body I held tight. Many on my team went to India with objectives. Mine was simple, maybe too simple for the main objective of the trip, but something I felt strongly about from the second I signed up. I went to physically touch the people who were labeled "untouchables" by their country. Though I did not speak their language, I wanted to let them know I thought differently of them. It is quite rare for the untouchables to ever be visited, yet they are still trained as humans to extend a hand to shake, should someone approach them. I was not satisfied with a hand shake, and especially disturbed when their hand was extended, but their eyes were bowed to the ground. The shame they felt was what I wanted to lift. I rarely shook a hand, as I did not want to be yet another humanitarian visitor, coming through their village to see the extent of the poverty and yielding to germs or diseases by following up on handshakes with anti-bac solution. I had to look into their eyes. I had to hold on tight to them, whether it be gripping their shoulders, giving them a hug, pressing their face to mine while praying for them, or if an extended hand was the only option due to the crowds and time, I made sure to shake with both hands and extend my eyes as far into their souls as I could. I wanted them to feel loved. I needed them to know they were loved. Love was what I had to offer India.
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 cor 13:13
I am expecting many more visits from India in the days to follow and look forward to sharing them with you!
Love,
Jenn Glenn
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