Hospital Sports

    So thanksgiving was definitely different this year around. I spent the day hauling dirt from one place to another. It was a very different feeling, I expected there to at least be some acknowledgement of thanksgiving. But what I'd failed to take into account was that thanksgiving is wholly American. It has nothing to do with with any other country besides America. This I realize is an important thing to learn about mission work. In order to do mission work you have to forget about what country you're from and immerses yourself in the culture, weather it's a few day or a few months, immersing yourself in the culture allows you to understand people better, and lets you see why they believe what they believe.

    People are saying that monsoon season has finally set in, and after today I just might believe them. We had maybe 4 hrs total that it wasn't raining, and to be honest I really enjoyed it. I've always loved rainy days. Something about them sets me completely at ease, and relaxes almost every part of my being.

Today was the monthly staff meeting at the hospital, they had people who work for them coming from 3 hrs away. They do in home treatment for HIV positive cases all over the stat of Andhra Pradesh, but once a month everyone comes to the hospital for a big meal, meetings and seminars and that type of stuff, they also had sports day. It consisted of many different events for the men and women. I participated in a few of them until I cut my toes. I actually won the shot put which was surprising considering I've never done it until today, my farthest one ended up going about 20 yards, after the shot put they had the race which was roughly about 500 meters or so, I came in third but cut my toes open because I decided to run it barefoot like all the other contestants (Joe Wisley be quiet!!!) Afterwords I decided to forgo the rest of the events considering I had some very nice cuts on both feet and was about to fall over, probably because it's been well over 2 years since I did any running of any type.

Happy Birthday Alexandria Joyce Derr

So in case those of you who read this aren't aware today is one of the most important dates of my life. It is the day that I went from being an only child to being a big brother. Today 18 years ago God blessed me with the opportunity to be the brother of a wonderful woman named Alexandria Joyce Derr. 

I can still clearly remember the moment I found out. I was outside with my grandma Dee she was pitching me a wiffle ball and the she heard the phone ring, she went answered it came back and told me I had a brand new baby sister. I'll admit that at first I was disappointed, I was pulling for a brother, but looking back I would never give her up for a brother. I had no idea the amount  joy that she would bring to my life

While we have not always gotten along and have had more than our share of disagreements and arguments, I would never trade it for anything. She has been a constant joy in my life. Despite the fact that this is the 4th birthday of hers that I haven't been around for she continues to grow into a beautiful young lady. It has been an amazing opportunity to watch her grow, both physically and emotionally. But the biggest area I have seen her grow is spiritually, She has gone form a innocent little girl who didn't quite understand the bible, to a young woman with a faith that I'm sure would move mountains. She has developed a heart for those around her. A deep burning passion for the hurting people of this world. She takes the the time to look at the people that I've been guilty of ignoring. She 's always looking for even the slightest hint of goodness in the people that the world says are evil and there's no hope for.

She has also become one of my closest friends, one that I can go to no matter what, who will accept me no matter what I've done, who is always willing to listen to me when I'm having a bad day, who has gained some amazing spiritual insights and is always excited to share them if you're willing to sit down, shut up and listen. 

She's taught me patience, actually no so much as taught as forced me to learn it. she'd brought a joy to my life that few things can surpass. She's taught me what t really means to be a brother, and to see the real value in everybody.

It has been a great joy and privilege to watch you grow Alexandria, I know that no matter where God leads you, you'll excel at what ever you put your mind to. I love you Allie bird. 

Since the last time I've posted on here things have been pretty interesting. I've had the opportunity to see some of the country from the back of a motorcycle. I took a ride into a town about and hr away, I've been there numerous times. but somehow it was like a brand new trip that I'd never been on before. It was a totally different way of seeing things, I felt more in the culture, there was no barrier of the car around me to, in a sense, hinder me from seeing everything. We passed close enough to vehicles that I could reach out and touch them, I did a few times to make sure that I wouldn't be exaggerating. I experienced the smells that went along with the sights, sometimes not the best but, nevertheless were part of the culture. 

The next day I got to  go to the capitol of the district, Chittoor, which was about 2 1/2 hr away. I spent about 5-6 hrs walking around the city with a few of the hospital employees. It was amazing!! We went to some of the shops, saw the market and just enjoyed the city. 

Sunday we had a youth meeting, that I got to lead. It was the first time they've ever had something like that, and it was a huge blessing to get to be apart of it. I ask for your prayers in the coming weeks that God would continue to mold and shape the direction that the group is taking and that all the talks we have will be led by God.

PS I love you too Jenna! You've also brought an amazing amount of joy to my life. I know we've fought more but I wouldn't trade a moment of it!

So monsoon season's not what I thought it would be

I've been charged with the task of creating some brochures for Usha and Emrys to use the next time they're on furlough to the US, and I'm at a point on this project where I'm wondering what I should put in it to make it an effective tool for them. So I need your help, what's something that you find really jumps out and grabs hold of your attention?

Recently I finished a book by a man called Craig Groeshcel called "The Christian Atheist." The whole premise of the books is those that call our self christians, yet we live as if we believe that God doesn't exist. As I read this book, I was amazed at even though I'm half way around the world trying to follow God, I still fall  into the trap of believing in myself more than I do in God, where I try and make things happen more on my own power instead of being still and waiting on God to show Himself in a beautiful way.

Monsoon season has started here, and to be honest it's not all that it's built up to be. I expected it to be nonstop rain 24/7 but instead it'll rain a few hrs at a time then stop, then start up again. It will rain almost everyday, but never for the whole day. It's become easy to tell when rains are coming thanks to something Usha and Emrys shared with me. They have a mountain behind they're grounds, and if the mountains so covered by clouds that you can't see it(it's actually a really cool thing to see because at times you can watch the mountain disappear as the clouds come down. But this is only the beginning of monsoon season so it actually could get worse, we'll see.

This is far from easy

So I have no idea where I ever got the idea that this would be simple, it is far from easy. I freely admit that I miss being home, I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss being comfortable and not having to be drawn out of my comfort zone, I miss meat, I miss people speaking in a language that I understand.

With all this said I wouldn't trade these longings that I have now for the experiences that I've had in the month and a half that I've been here.

The pain on the faces of the people who are stuck on the streets will be forever etched into my brain, yet there will also be the laughter, smiles and the  hope of the children who despite being born HIV positive, manage to lift my spirits when I think the only place I want to be is on the opposite side of the world, asleep in my own comfortable bed.

I've seen a temples that were carved out of one solid piece of rock, temples that have stood the test of time, that despite tsunamis, monsoons and who knows what else have stood since 730 AD. Magnificent buildings, amazing craftsmanship, all in vain for a piece of stone that has never, nor will ever hear their pleas and cries.

I've seen them take the same idols and take them for a ride though the streets. They will get basically a wagon that in the US would be used for haulin' hay, take all the sides off, build a mini temple on it and carry their gods out so that they can have a ride around the street. They will stand there and fan them, they have oxen pulling the cart, they even have a guy, who got the short end of the stick by having to take a long stick and go lift of the electric lines so that the gods can get through. Maybe I'm being insensitive, but where's the joy in serving a god that you have to take care of? Wouldn't you rather serve a god that isn't confined to a temple, that's everywhere you are, that isn't dependent on humans for anything, yet because He was a being of pure love and wanting to share it with something, made us?

Just that thought is amazing to me, that God specifically created us for the sole purpose of love, whether it be receiving it, or passing it on we are made to love. When we try and hold up whatever else we have to do and try and compare it to love, we watch what we thought to be important wane, diminish and disappear right before our eyes. What Jesus deemed as the 2 most important commandments are centered around love.

It's that thought that when I find myself reminiscing, and then letting that reminiscing turn into a longing for home, that brings me back to why I am here. I'm not here to fulfill a requirement for an internship, I'm not here to have some cool stories to share, I'm not here to be able to say "look what I did!" I'm not here to build things. I. AM. HERE. TO. LOVE. Nothing more than that, nothing less, and that's what you're here for also. Being here to love isn't just something that you do when you go overseas. It should be a lifestyle, because when it becomes that it doesn't matter where you are. You don't have to go halfway around the world to be a missionary, you can be a missionary wherever you are. Granted being halfway around the world helps you see it in a different light, but what good is it to aspire to go halfway around the world to love people if you can't do it where you are?