So the World Race does this amazing thing called PVT (sorry for al the World Race jargon) aka Parent Vision Trip where the racers have the opportunity to invite our parents onto the mission field with us for a week, and our PVT is happening in INDIA!! While I would love for both of my parents to be able to come out and join me, were not sure if my dad will be able to join us just yet, but Mama Kath is coming to INDIA! Can’t you just see her now with henna from her fingers to her elbows and a bright colored sari on telling the people of India about Jesus and how much He loves them? I get chills jut thinking about it! She LOVES color and India is known for their color! She also works with at-risk moms who are pregnant and I bet she will have some opportunity to work with women who are brought out of human trafficking situations in India! Gosh I am already so excited. Also, they picked the perfect time, it will be 2 weeks after my birthday and 2 weeks before Christmas which I bet is when the home-sickness will be kicking in, so if you would like her to bring a letter of encouragement or something with her to give to me, I already know I will be sending you the biggest thank you hug back with her! On another note, if you would like to send a letter to me to open thoughout the year, words are my love language and often are like a hug in an envelope for me, if you’d like to write me a letter for my time on the field feel free to comment down below and I will get you info on how you can do that!
India
Map:
Flag:
Language: India has no national language. Hindi, with the largest number of speakers, is the official language of the government. English is used extensively in business and administration and has the status of a “subsidiary official language”; it is important in education, especially as a medium of higher education. There are 21 other local languages!
Religion: The 2011 census reported that the religion in India with the largest number of followers was Hinduism (79.80% of the population), followed by Islam (14.23%); the remaining were Christianity (2.30%), Sikhism (1.72%), Buddhism (0.70%), Jainism (0.36%) and others (0.9%). India has the world’s largest Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Zoroastrian, and Bahá’í populations, and has the third-largest Muslim population—the largest for a non-Muslim majority country.
Population: 1,236,344,631
Unique Animals:
Indian Rhinoceros
Asiatic Lion
Bet you didn’t know there were lions in Asia! That’s because they only exist in India. It’s estimated that there are fewer than 200 left in the world.
Lion-Tailed Macaque
This lil’ monkey runs around the west coast of India. There are 16 species of macaque.
Nicobar Pigeon
Found on Nicobar Island. Who knew pigeons could be so beautiful?
Special Foods:
Puranpoli
A yummy, sweet treat, this dish is made of all purpose flour stuffed with a lentil and cane sugar paste. The preparation varies across regions – each family will have their own special way of preparing this staple dish.
Bisi bele bath
This sour and tangy South Indian dish is made from rice, lentils, vegetables and spices like nutmeg, curry leaves and tamarind pulp.
Mirchi Vada
Big green chili peppers are stuffed with potatoes that have been cooked in marsala. The whole thing gets deep fried!
Cool Geography: India is considered to have one of the world’s most diverse land layouts. The north is bookended by the Himalayan Mountain Range, which is home to Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak. Himalaya in Sanskrit means “abode of snow”, which is very fitting as it is the only mountain range in India with snow-capped peaks.
Many rivers spring out of the Himalayas, including the Indus and the Ganges, which are vital to India’s history. You may remember the Indus Valley Civilization from history class.
India also has a subtropical desert in the northwest. The Thar Desert, sometimes called the Great Indian Desert, covers 80,000 miles!
The Eastern Coastal Plain lies between the Eastern Ghats and Bay of Bengal. During to the frequency of monsoon rains, the average rainfall is between 40-120 inches per year!
Fun things to do: Of course you have to visit the Taj Mahal! But India, with its incredibly diverse blend of culture, has much more to offer.
Ride a rickshaw through Old Delhi
Cruise Kerala backwaters in a traditional barge.
Visit the Ruins of Hampi
Raft grade 3 and 4 Rapids on the Kundalika River after monsoon season
Prayer: Pray that the Spirit would show us how to reach the Hindu people and help them see that there is one God and that they are only given one life in which to see and follow Him. Pray that we would remain safe in the chaos of the larger cities and that we would adjust quickly to the new culture of Southeast Asia.
If you have anything to add about India please share in the comments, I know many of my friends went on their cross cultural there and had life changing experiences! I am hoping for the same as I get to meet and share the love of Christ with the people of India! <3 KJ
Way ahead of ya chick!! Your sister Amy has been on that for awhile now and will have some mail for you to carry along!! So leave some space in the bag!!
Revisiting some of your blogs today since there has been nothing for awhile from you. This one on India is of interest for obvious reasons. Getting pretty excited to experience a bit of your world in a few short weeks. This year is passing by so fast. Knew it would. Praying that you are experiencing all that God has intended for you. That you are hearing his voice in your quiet moments. That you are experiencing the intimacy He offers. That you are learning to live in the immediate moment. That is such a gift. These are my prayers for you. Besides the obvious safety and health prayers present on every mothers lips. Know that I am preparing for India as well. Not just financially and physically but emotionally and spiritually. If you have any advise on strategies to do this please don’t hesitate to share them. All for now sweet girl. Mom loves you beyond measure. XOXOXOX