MARY KIM

This summer was a profound spiritual landmark in my walk with God. For much of my life, I had heard stories of God’s faithfulness through the experiences of my family, but this summer, the Lord allowed me to experience His power and strength for myself. While I wish I could share everything I learned, here are a few of the most impactful moments.

During our first week in India, our team was immediately immersed in ministry—one of the first being serving and praying for those with leprosy. Many were elderly, bent with age, and missing fingers or toes. It was both heartbreaking and humbling. As the trip went on, we ministered to the blind, the poor, and children—exactly the kinds of people Jesus Himself cared for. Yet in the midst of these encounters, I found myself wrestling with questions: “God, how could You allow this? If You are love, how can there be so much pain and suffering?” For the first time, I couldn’t ignore these questions. I had nowhere else to go but to the Lord, and again and again, He brought me back to Isaiah 55:8–9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

God has been teaching me that my limited, human love will never compare to His. I can’t begin to comprehend the depth and breadth of His love for the people of India. While I often saw only their physical suffering, Jesus saw their souls and loved them far more than I ever could. My prayer throughout the trip became: “Lord, help me to see and love people for their souls, not just their outward condition.” I learned that my own human love, no matter how sincere, is inadequate compared to the all-encompassing love of the Father. Each day, the Lord humbled me and filled me with His love for the people we met.

Our days on the mission field were busy yet beautifully simple. We’d rise at 5:30 a.m. for morning stretches with St. Paul’s school staff and seminarians, followed by devotions, gospel presentations, VBS ministry, discipleship groups, teaching, and more. By night, we were physically and mentally exhausted—yet still full of joy. Many nights I’d fall asleep thinking, “Lord, I love serving You, how I’d love to do it all again tomorrow!”

One of the most poignant experiences came during our 10-day travel period, when we visited five different cities. In Varanasi, a city considered the “city of salvation” by Hindus, we attended a Hindu fire festival, watching as priests led rituals and offerings. Seeing such fervent worshippers both saddened and increased a building sense of helplessness in my heart. I struggled to find peace in God in a place that felt so void of His presence.  I found myself praying in frustration, “God, why aren’t You doing more here?”

He answered me clearly over the next few days: I didn’t need to ask Him to do “more” because He had already done the most—He gave His Son for our salvation. That gift was the ultimate expression of His love. He reminded me that true rest is found only at the feet of Jesus, at the cross where He died for us.

Throughout the trip, I saw how faithfully God is already working in India through missionaries, pastors, teachers, and seminarians. At St. Paul’s School in Bangalore, the staff’s hospitality and love deeply moved us. As we shared stories and testimonies, it was clear that every single person has an unwavering passion to make Christ known. Their example stirred in me a greater hunger for God’s presence and a deeper desire to draw near to Him.

I am humbled, grateful, and overjoyed to have been part of God’s kingdom work this summer. I thank Him for giving me the chance to seek Him like never before, and I know His power is not limited to the mission field. As I adjust back to life at home, I want to keep seeking Him with the same hunger. Truly, there is no one like the Lord our God!

Psalm 63:3–4 — “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.”