Humbled and Inspired

Our first Sabbath in India....and it is an experience I will not soon forget.

We set off in our our 7 jeeps to join a congregation at the Chandapur Seventh Day Adventist Church for their service and what an experience awaited us.

A few minutes after we turned off the main highway we came to a large gathering of people and very old looking "ox carts". I say that because it is the only description that comes to mind. They may very well have been Water Buffaloes but for the sake of description we'll call them ox carts.

These were the church members here to welcome us about a mile from the actual village. We hopped out of our jeeps and joined the church members at what is the site of their camp meetings and had prayer with them. The adventure was about to begin.

Following the prayer we were told we would board the ox carts for the ride to the village led by a small band of drummers and one trumpeter......along with lots of firecrackers and other fireworks.....no kidding.

I chose a cart with what appeared to be a rather spirited team of Oxen...or is it Ox's....and, hoping I hadn't made a huge mistake sat back and off we went.

I don't know how often a group of North Americans come to this village but I can only imagine what the folks there must have thought as we paraded through the village taking pictures of just about everything and everyone.
We finally arrived and the group dismounted and into the church we went.
We were ushered to chairs along the sides of the church while the church members sat on the floor....separated with the males on the left and the females on the right. Don't see that in North America.
Shortly after being seated the church members began to present each of us with a beautiful flower lei....men presented the lei's to men and women to the women.
What surprised me most about the church service was the music. I guess I expected a
very traditional service with hymns....but the music was very Indian and was accompanied by drums and small cymbals. Not a drum set we are accustomed to seeing in the west but one played with the hands. It was a delightful taste of Indian culture!

As I reflect on this day I am humbled and inspired. I find myself asking would a church in North America be this excited about a visit from a group from India? Would we greet them like honored guests and celebrate their visit? I have my doubts...and that troubles me. We have so very much to learn from other cultures.....