numbers.

Today we had our first meeting as a group, and let me tell you.... I'm stoked.  We're going to India. For reals.  When I walked into the computer lab (where we were meeting), I saw Michelle Busscher there - a fellow senior nursing student.  My first response was to exclaim, "Are you going on this?" And she said, "Yeah! Are you?!" To which I replied, "Yeah!" So we're pretty excited. And a bit surprised that we didn't know about this before today. I'm also pumped about the other students going on the trip - I know a few of them from classes or other random times (Jordan was at my apartment one night with his friend Jeremiah visiting Abbie, and Dana is a nursing student that I've never really known until now...), and there are new faces as well.  Seems like a really great group, and I can't wait to see all the friendships that God forms on this trip.

The rest of our discussion revolved primarily around numbers. Here's the breakdown:  Newark to Mumbai is a 15 hour plane ride (yikes)....India is roughly an 11 hour time difference from Michigan...we will likely not be able to communicate with people back in the U.S. until about 3 days into the trip (sorry Mom!)...the bus ride from Mumbai to Jamkhed is 8 hours. Numbers. Lots of numbers. Speaking of numbers...68 days till departure.

explaining the title.

Throughout the Bible, there are many times when people are confronted with the magnitude of God's sovereignty and wisdom, and it causes them to be speechless. Job, when he sees all the ways that God is Lord over creation and he realizes how foolish he was to challenge God, says, "I spoke once, but I have no answer - twice, but I will say no more.” Ecclesiastes 5 says, "God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few."  These passages are reminders to us that we are too often self-centered and myopic in the way we view the world.  We too easily forget how limited our lives are in comparison to the great and intricate plan that Christ is constantly working out in the universe.  Through this Interim experience, I hope to be able to gain a broader perspective on this world through my interactions with people so unlike me culturally, but at the same time so alike me because we are loved by the Father.  My prayer for this trip is that I will be confronted and amazed at God’s sovereignty and faithfulness, even in the far places of India.  I hope to be so confronted and challenged, in fact, that the only appropriate response is to be speechless and in awe of a completely almighty Lord.  May my words be few.

(76 days until departure)