Spanish Tomato Tango and open fields...

So, lately I've been incredibly burdened on how to not let every person that walks open-handed up to me leave empty-handed. Back in the states the Lord always spurred my heart to serve those people, so just because I'm in this city that has forced me to harden my exterior layer, doesn't mean I should be hardened to those that beg in this part of the world. Even though they are every ten feet - it is actually all the more reason. I haven't known how to react, so I've stood idle. That's not what I'm called to do. Just like in the states, I won't choose to give money, but I've got to get to brainstorming on how to bless them.

Short story...this past weekend, I finally purchased a small bag of the 'Spanish Tomato Tango' Lays that are sold here in India. I was hesitant at the beginning, but I'm getting a bit tired of the 'American Style Cream Cheese & Onion'. I chose to take them to lunch on Monday and my bag was so full of other things, that I resorted to just carrying them in hand and packing the rest into my bag. As I stepped out of the metro exit, I passed a mom and her two children begging on the sidewalk. I smiled and just kept walking. With every step past that family that was begging, I despised my inaction more and more. My failure to act in that moment is just the same as walking past a hungry, homeless man in America and saying to him "I'll pray you get lunch somehow." All of a sudden, that much anticipated bag of 'Spanish Tomato Tango' felt really heavy. You know what that means...let go of it. I turned around and handed the mom the bag of chips and then started back on my journey. I doubt she cares for these chips, and I wish I could have had a year's supply of rice and dal to pass on to her, but I didn't and I won't ever. But the thing is that I acted. Not proud that I've failed to do so my first three weeks here, but in that moment I felt the Lord really burdening me to run from inaction.

I can't really carry a meal around...and it's not possible to stop every time I see someone begging and take them to lunch, butttt that doesn't give me an excuse to walk past them every single time with just a smile to pass on. The children that walk up to me and make the hand gesture of eating to tell me they are hungry is heartbreaking. I've got to start carrying something small in my bag to give them. I'm considering chocolate. Yes, that may be strange, but here is the thought:  I can't carry something to feed the five begging children I'm guaranteed to see in one walk, but I can carry five small bars of chocolate. No chocolate isn't necessary to life, but sometimes we need more than just survival. Chocolate is one of those things. It's a universally spoken love language. And I need to start loving through chocolate.

By the way, I did get another bag of 'Spanish Tomato Tango'. They should just label them 'Spicy Ketchup'. Yeah, not the best.

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Yesterday on the way home from out visit to Canning, the Lord spoke so much peace into my heart. He provided such amazing views of open fields and lovely skies. It was like a fresh breath...receiving this view was an absolute blessing. Then I just had so many verses race to my mind about how the Lord parallels openness and spacious places as a way to bless and rescue us.

Psalm 18:19
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalm 81:10
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

Both of these verses hit me differently than they had before. So many thoughts were racing, but they all centered around abundant blessings (such as peace) in an undeserved fashion. What is a field? It's an open space. As far as you can see, it is just that open space. No chaos, no ugly, no pain. Nothing but freedom. And it's beyond amazing that God chooses to bless us with such abundance. "Open wide your mouth"...that's not just "open up"; He commands we open WIDE with the expectation and assurance that He will fill it. The portrait behind "spacious place" also speaks so loudly. In that moment, on the train from Canning, I saw what the Lord speaks. I saw with my eyes what I've read in His word so many times before. It was such an overwhelming sense of peace, even in the circumstances of this city. I apologize if that isn't quite making sense, hard to put words to a "flood of peace moment". :)

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What to be praying for:

• Durga Puja is coming! So basically the "Christmas" of the Hindu religion is approaching. And it is very noticeable in the city. Construction of large stages are being built all over the city. Loud music is being played. And thousands of copies of the same idol is floating all around the city. People are gathering at the these locations and celebrating something...not sure what. But what I do know is every street feels a bit darker than it has. My heart feels a bit more burdened for all of the people worshiping at these locations. It is a hard time. Thankfully we will be retreating to Thailand when Puja actually starts, but they have already begun celebrations. Be praying for this city. Always.
• Language. My, my - Bangla is hard. Getting vocab down is a bit easier than I expected, and I'm definitely going to go ahead and give God the credit for that one. Forming sentences is a different story. Verbs, oh verbs. So difficult. Please be praying for that. Me and the team interact with the ladies on a weekly basis and it's no fun to just respond "ami jani na" (I don't know) to everything they say. 
• My health. Yep, three weeks in this city has caught up with me. I'm sick. Cold/allergies/sinus...just something not well. Please pray that the Lord provides me with a super human immune system. Didn't pack that with me, so y'all pray lots! Not easy to be sick in a city that steals the life from you every time you leave home. I need to be well. Our "mom" is taking very, very good care of me - giving my warm water with salt to gargle, steam + vick's breathing sessions + some kind of nasal drops She's amazing. Thankful for her.