I am beyond grateful in the ways God has moved me during this mission trip and even before that. For those of you that may not know me, I recently made a decision in my life to start following Jesus. Being a newer believer I was finally coming to understand how broken I truly am and how much I truly needed God in my life. But in the midst of all of this, I was having a hard time trying to comprehend what God’s grace and mercy looked like in my life. There were just so many sins in my life that weighed so heavy on my heart and I couldn't understand how God could ever forgive someone like me over and over again. But through his love and grace, his grace that I was so undeserving of, I was given the opportunity to go on a short term summer mission trip to north India. 

During my time in India, although I was able to receive so many blessings there were also a lot of struggles that took place. Especially during the times when I would see the brokenness of the country and how misguided they were by what the world had to offer. I would even sometimes go to a place of doubt in my heart because I couldn’t possibly understand how it was fair for these people to have never even heard of the gospel while my life is just surrounded by so much of it back at home. But through the sharing of my thoughts, doubts, and even conversations with the missionaries,  I was reminded of who our God is. I was reminded that God is not just my creator, but also the creator of every single soul on Earth. That he is a God that never gives up on his children and that he is a God that would leave the ninety nine to go save the one. That he is a God who just wants the best for us and how everything he does is meant for our good. Just as he had saved me and has been so faithful to me from even before I was born, I have to trust that he is doing the same for the people of India. Not to doubt or ask “why” to God, but to trust in his faithfulness and goodness. 

Being able to see true faith and true christians in a country where the population of christians is less than 3% was one of the many blessings I had received in India. Hearing such powerful testimonies and seeing what they had surrendered and sacrificed to follow Jesus was truly encouraging and so powerful. During my one month stay in India had me discouraged at times, but for that to be their lives and for them to still proclaim that Jesus is their Lord and savior is very admirable and it really shows how real their relationship with God is. That God isn’t just a God of the United States, but truly he is a God of all the Earth. It wasn’t some crazy miracle or some supernatural encounter I had with  God, but simply being able to hear and witness testimonies of how God had worked in their life was more than enough to fulfill me with more of his trust and love.

Through the grace that God had given me and even allowing me to go on STSM, had allowed me to learn so many lessons and receive so many blessings. Through all the ways I experienced God in India had given me a deeper trust in his ways for me. It gave me a completely different perspective on the ways I even view my own sins. That heaviness I felt in my heart had been lifted up knowing that God loves me so much and how he uses my brokenness for his good. That struggling with sin will only lead me to grow in his love and draw near to him.