Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Child's play...
Was my last day on the beach today...back to Delhi tomorrow...
Had a really lovely experience earlier...
Untold beggars came and approach you whilst you're on the beach and obviously you feel compelled to bless almost everyone in some way or another...so anyways I had no funds left to give to them or to buy them food...so when these four little boys came to plead for some dough I had nada to offer. But I asked one of them his name and then asked him if he wanted to go for a swim with me on my floaty ring thing (are they called lilo's?). Anyhoo so he's so taken back because basically he's working and his whole family (and extended family by the looks of it) are all at the beach working it to get some funds. The thought of going in the sea or on a lilo is totally alien to him. He's so shy - he doesn't even really talk to me. So I convince him to go ask his mama if he's allowed to go in the water. He comes back and by this time is joined by the other three other boys that are also begging with him.
Still he doesn't seem confident enough to take me up on my offer so I tell him that if he changes his mind I’ll be in the water. I go into the sea and suddenly hear a whole pile of splashing and laughing behind me - all four of the boys have thrown off all their clothes (they're butt naked! Lol!)and jumped into the sea. Yaaaay!! They took me up on my offer! I give them my lilo and they totally have a field day!! All four of them were on the lilo screaming with joy!! It was sooooo amazing to watch four young kids that only know a life of extreme poverty living on the streets - just allowed to be kids for a while...carefree and totally happy splashing about in the sea...soooo beautiful. I don't know how much that moment meant to them but it spoke to me untold. I love that I could somehow give them something that I believe is worth far more than silver or gold...or even coca cola!! Lol!
Better go and pack I guess...although I know I won't do it til a few hours before I leave...lol...Goa has been the best!! Have had such an amazing rest. Have met some fab people...have been given loads of amazing opportunities to share the love of God to untold beautiful people and I’ve seen Him answers prayers for so many people out here.
He's so Supercool, is our God! xx
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Going out with a bang...
Left Goa yesterday – it really has been 10 days of bliss…after 3 weeks of total joy and adventure in the village to find myself soaking in the sun and swimming in the gentle clear blue sea was almost like having throne room kisses blown at me! Smiles.
Yet even in Goa the adventure was far from over…He continued to breath on every part of this incredibly divine trip…I remember when we first arrived in Goa – our hotel had given our booking away so even as we were driving in from the airport we had nowhere to stay and it was the middle of the night. In all honesty it was my fault that the booking was gone…lol…I was meant to confirm with the owner of this place (which was where we stayed last time) but every time I thought of him I felt yucky because he has an unhealthy liking to western women if you know what I mean…so deep down I didn’t wanna really speak to the dude so he gave our booking away because I didn’t confirm. Lol.
Anyways even as we were arriving in Goa with nowhere to stay it was a case of believing by faith that we would get a place as soon as we arrived for cheaper than Mr Pervy Pervertson was offering but with better amenities and much closer to the sea. Because it was so late it was definitely gonna be tricky sorting accommodation and deciding exactly which part of Palolem to stay in at this time of night.
So in the cab we asked God to lead us to the exact location where He would have us stay and to have the perfect person prepared for us and then we chilled, and we trusted. Soon as I got out of the cab I was immediately approached by a young man who showed me a room less than a minute away from the beach (you could hear the sea from your room). It was cheaper and a much much better than the old place - with its own restaurant and get this - it was owned by a Christian!! Hehehehe! Classic!
We had such an awesome time with all the staff there – it was such a blessing being in that hotel…thank you God!! The staff – most of them Hindu’s - let us pray with them on the regs – even as we were leaving yesterday our goodbyes included prayer, loads of hugging and of course exchanging of numbers!! One of the girls there is desperate for a child and after four years of marriage is losing hope so we’ve been praying together - I told her she better call her kid Bobbi when it’s born!!
On the beach there is a couple who believe in Islam – they are masseurs and massage all the tourists – lovely lovely people – they see my mama as their aunty and me as their sis…the wife was days away from giving birth and would waddle around the beach in the blazing hot sun and just chill with us. Whenever she would get rashes and itchiness all over her body we would pray and Jesus always healed her!! As I had my last swim in the sea yesterday it was beautiful to see her waiting for me by my sun bed so she could get some prayer before we left. They have seen that Jesus is the Real McKoy – He heals!! LOVE IT!
Saying goodbye to all the beautiful people in Palolem that God has somehow touched in the last 10 days moved me. I know this can just seem like emotional mush…but it was supernatural. It was deeper than just words or sentiment – it was God. On this trip I have seen on a daily basis what it means to be a carrier of His presence. As you encounter people and then leave a place behind but you realise that you have left a little bit of God there. As children of God we all do this on a daily basis in our work places, school, families but it harder to discern in the busyness of life but out here its easier to literally see His presence leeking. It touches you. You’re changed forever. Places you visit are changed forever.
And then get this…He totally dropped a suddenly when we were on our flight back to Delhi…oh my gosh it was DELICIOUS!!! Hahahahaha! I’m getting tingles thinking about it! So I’m there on the plane resting sitting next to the window. My mama wasn’t feeling very well and had popped to the loo. As I’m sitting there I’m thinking that I feel so comfortable sitting here! Lol! I’d found a position where I had my feet up, the chair back and every part of me was feeling good – no discomfort – totally relaxed. I remember thinking that this is the most comfortable I have ever been on a plane…(seriously this is no word of lie…this was exactly what I’m thinking…hahahaha)!! And then I thought of my mama…and I thought she would be better in this seat and that its better if I let her have it…but then I was faced with a dilemma…lol…my flesh was telling me to chill and that my mama would be fine in the middle seat but the Holy Spirit was telling me to put my mum first…hehehe… honestly I was actually facing this little internal battle as my mama was in the loo. But as soon as she came back I did what I needed to do…I gave my mum my seat and moved into hers. It was so flipping uncomfortable – I remember reminiscing about the comfort I had just left behind. Hahaha. Then I kinda found a comfortable position, stretched my legs and put my seat back. I then remember thinking…this is cool…I can do this.
As I lay there I noticed that the women next to me didn’t have her chair back – it was still in the upright position. The next thing I know, I have tapped her on her arm and asked her whether she knew she could put her chair back further and get more comfortable. She was a very elegant, well educated and clearly a rather wealthy lady who obviously was accustomed to travelling on planes. So why wouldn’t she know that the chair goes further back but I asked her this question before I could even think about any of that. Lol. Anyway her response was music to my ears…she said she was suffering from severe back pain and that she had no choice but to keep it upright.
I asked her if I could pray for her back and she yes – yippee!! She asked me what type of healing I was going to apply…Reiki or something…and I said I was going to pray to Jesus and lay hands on her and so she said cool. Imagine as soon as we prayed she felt lighter so I said we’d keep going until she even better. She then told me she had a hip injury that she’s had for years which caused excruciating pain all the way down her legs and put the strain on her back. So we prayed for all of those things. We prayed again and again over the next hour until she said she felt 70% better!! Woohoo – can you believe it?? We even prayed for her swollen ankles which also became less painful. Then I said I’m gonna pray for you once more but I’m gonna pray for everything. Get this - she then said – please do because I have so much wrong with me…she then confided in me about a whole array of painful experiences she battled with, fear, anxieties, insecurities…disappointments. Man, she really had so much emotional brokenness. And then we prayed about all of those things. It was beautiful. She held my hands again and again in joy, even cupping my face with delight. She was overwhelmed. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. I was able to share the gospel with her and when she said that as a Sikh she believed all roads lead to one God I had to tell her that sorry but they don’t…only Jesus frees, only Jesus delivers…only Jesus saves…only Jesus heals and only Jesus loves!! She was blown away when I told her that He would choose to arrange this divine encounter so that she could be healed not just on the outside but on the inside, simply because HE IS LOVE!!
She wanted to come and visit the orphanage as she is very wealthy and wanted to give her support but I don’t believe God placed her there for that (as beautiful as the gesture was)…I felt that Jesus wanted to restore her, give her His love, nurturing and strength. I told her that yes she must come to the orphanage without a doubt…but not to give, but to receive. I saw her coming again and again to encounter Gods healing, God’s wisdom, His strength and Love as she spent time there. I am excited about what God is going to do in her life. She was so blown away by the fact that God wanted to give her a hope and a future.
It was a beautiful beautiful experience. She really was taken with me because she obviously associated the healing with me…but I explained to her that you are putting your faith in me because you are being healed as I lay hands on you, but I know who lives in me and you have to believe that today you have encountered God right here on this plane…He has arranged this divine appointment so that you could meet Him…trust me you will never be the same again.
By the time we landed she was my aunty!! I am sooooo delighted with the healing she experienced – both physical and emotional. I am excited about seeing her in heaven, because I believe with all my heart that He who has began a work in her will most certainly complete it!!
I'm leaving for London tonight...I’m so sad to be leaving this amazing nation behind...but I know its not going to be for long...I can't wait to return!! However I am equally as excited about coming back home as a new season unfolds before me...full of possibilities...miracles and newness.
Words cannot articulate what the last month has done to me. I am in awe. Smiles.