So this blog is about a little story where I saw Jesus in the crowd.
It was our third day in India and our host mom, Mary, took all the girls into town to go shopping for Indian clothes. Once we were all done, she took us to Dunkin’ Donuts. Yes, you heard right. There is a Dunkin’ in the heart of Bangalore. Most of the girls were having coffee withdrawls but since I don’t religiously drink it, I just decided to sit outside with one of my teammates, Megan.
We were just talking about how we were super excited to plunge into ministry the next day. We have been so poured into the past week that we were overflowing with good news of the one called Jesus! We were just people watching.
For both of us, it is our first time traveling outside of the US of A. We were talking about how it can be very overwhelming, feeling like you have to reach every single soul. It’s a lot to feel if you are only one person living in a city with more than 1 million people.
Back home, I have a friend named Heather and she told me something one time that has stuck with me ever since. She told me that it’s not about touching each person, it’s about letting Jesus show you the one. You see, I believe that Papa has one person He wants to bless you with every day. Just one, and it can be something as simple as smiling at a stranger on the street or as major as bringing someone to Christ. For me, it was giving two little girls some donuts.
So after I had JUST finished telling Megan this, I looked up to see two pairs of deep brown eyes looking at me. Two girls, who I guessed must be sisters, had been begging in the street all day asking for food. They could not go into any markets or restaurants because they are considered “untouchable”, the lowest of the low.
The sisters, probably ages 8 and 5, had no father and didn’t want to tell us where their mother was, which made me think of a few places where she could be. They kept putting their little hands down to their bellies and up to their mouths. Megan and I took one look at each other and new instantly that they were “the one”, in this case two, that Jesus was showing us. Meg ran inside and got the girls some donuts.
Their faces lit up when she came back. I don’t think they realized that she had left to go get them something to eat. It was fun getting to see them be children. To be shy, to laugh, to jump with excitement, to be filled with joy only a child can carry.
Our team came out and said that we had to go. So we were walking to the car and the little ones just followed us as they licked the frosting off their donuts, while they whispered and giggled to one another. Megan and I turned around for one last good bye. The older girl looked at me and said in an Indian accent “thank you, love.” We got in the car and as we started to drive away, they were yelling their thanks over the noise of traffic. We could see them waving and jumping until we turned the corner.
Meg and I took at each other again, smiling and both thinking “Wow Jesus just showed up.” He can be anywhere, even outside of a Dunkin’ Donuts. You just have to believe that there are always blessings in disguise. All for the one.
– Until next blog, stay classy planet earth.
Brooke Regian
