Smiles

Smiling….that is something I have always loved and known was important, but throughout my time in India, I've realized how important it really is. I've noticed that multiple times I've written in my journal, "I love smiling at them or I love seeing the smiles on their faces." There were a lot of instances like that over the past week. 

Friday, we got to go to the aftercare center for the 2nd time. We had a chill afternoon with them trying to continue to build relationships. We painted their nails and the smiles on their faces were beautiful. 

At the HIV hospital, smiles covered the patients' faces when we played games with them on Monday. Also, seeing their faces light up with smiles when we go around visiting their rooms is something that words don't describe well. 

At the stitching center, the ladies always greet us with big smiles. Relationships are forming! It made me smile this week when a couple of the ladies taught me what they were learning, and I got to practice. It made them happy to be able to teach someone what they had just learned. 

The smiles that appear on the children's faces when they see us at Tuitions is one of the most beautiful sights. One of my favorite parts of the week is seeing those kids on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

In India, most women and children keep very straight faces and are taught to not show their emotions. That is one reason smiling is so important and impactful. If you smile at them, most of the time, you'll get a smile back. I try and smile at all of the women and children I see because not only do they not see it very much, but they love it and they have some of the most beautiful smiles. It always brightens my day!! Smiling is a way of communication that doesn't require language. It doesn't matter what language you speak, a smile is universal. And the best part…Satan can't stop it! So despite the language barrier, we can always smile. It's things like seeing smiles on the women and children's faces, whether at the centers, in the slum, walking down the street, or in our neighborhood, that reminds me, God is working here in India. :)

This week was harder for me (some personal battles along with it being 1 year since my cousin Shaun passed away), but here are a few extra things that made me smile…

-I got to Skype with my family 

-Eating an All-American BEEF bacon cheeseburger 

-Seeing another rainbow

-Having one of our translators cook us amazing Indian meals

-Singing "10,000 Reasons" in church on Sunday (I honestly didn't know whether to cry or smile. It was difficult to sing especially being the day after June 29. Walking out of church, I decided to smile because it was totally a God thing. We don't normally sing new worship songs and hadn't sang that one before, so I knew God had us sing it for a reason.) 

It is crazy to think my time here is half over already. Time is flying by. 

Here are some prayer requests for this week…

-that the bondages that the women face will be broken

-keep me and our team from spiritual attacks

-for next week as we have a team of 6 coming to join us

-encouragement for my leaders as they continue to make decisions for the organization

-God would be the center of our relationships

-Praise the Lord for safety and health!

I hope things are going well for everyone. Thank you for all of your support! Sending smiles from India! :)

Galations 5:6b-"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

P.S. Smile at someone today, it really makes a huge difference in your day and theirs :)