Stepping out of the comfort zone: My story of missions in India

Written by: Devin Burrow, managing editor

Break For Change India group.

Sweat was beading down my face. Both of my legs were crammed together between the legs of two other guys. My buttocks was framed in the indentation of the seat, stiffened from the constant bumping of the car. 

My stomach was queasy, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of the belligerent swaying of the vehicle or the smell of burning trash we passed every 5 minutes. 

Unfortunately, this was not the first time I was uncomfortable in India and it wouldn’t be the last. 

This trip was filled with a lot of firsts for me. I had never been on a commercial plane. I had never been to another country. I had never been on a missions trip. I had never felt so hot and I had never seen such a massive scale of poverty.The state of Chennai is in southeast India, an area filled with needy people.

When exiting Chennai International Airport in India, saying I had culture shock is an understatement. Beggars and drunks lined streets filled with off-brand vehicles that were stuffed with way too many people. People yelled at me in a language I did not understand. It was pure chaos. 

From the crowd of rushed and loud people, two friendly faces emerged. Sharon Asir, who we called Aka (which means sister) and Augustine Asir (uncle). Drivers guided us into the back of beaten-up, small-sized SUVs and drove us through Chennai. 

We finally reached our compound after riding for two hours through the city. We were greeted by Augustine’s wife, whom we called “Auntie”. She led us inside and showed us a small water vase with a spicket. 

“Finally!” I thought. I grabbed a glass and filled it up to the top with the liquid. But then I realized something that would plague me the entire trip and become the first of many discomforts: there is no cold water in India. This was the only water we could drink safely.

In the village of Nellikuppam.

Our main mission in India was to speak to missionaries and encourage them to keep “fighting the good fight of faith.” But, the moments that we really encountered God were in the villages of orphans, widows and lepers. 

Nellikuppam was the first village we encountered. This village is known for the large amounts of widows and disabled persons. 

Word for the World, our host mission group, was building a new church with wheelchair accessibility on the outskirts of town. Standing in front of the church was a man mixing cement by hand and then carrying it in a basket on his head to the ramp for wheelchairs. I was mesmerized for about 30 minutes watching the monotonous task this man was undertaking. 

At this location, one of our other missionaries from Bryan College, Ethan Jones, was set to speak. Along with him, Luke Langley was set to give his testimony. 

Church service in India is very different from church in America. Firstly, it is officiated in Tamil, the official language of southern India. Usually, church starts with prayer followed by a dance performance and then the pastor (or speaker) has the floor. There were several Scripture readings in Tamil, which were translated to English for us. 

After our service, we played games and talked to the children of the village who spoke very little English. This was arguably the best part of the entire India experience. 

A young boy named Joshua (pronounced Yosh-you-ah) approached me. His English was better than the others and his personality seemed more outgoing.  All of the children, young and old, gathered around him to hear his jokes and comments. He loved being the center of attention. He reminded me of myself.

Our missions group with the residents of Nellikuppam

All of the kids that I met made me realize something. Every kid in the entire world just wants to have fun. I was cut off from this idea. I had never thought that kids from other countries could be just like kids from America. 

It also inspired me. How can kids who are poverty-stricken and have lost major members of their families still want to live and have fun and, most of all, want to worship Christ?

Talking to the leaders of the church we were visiting opened my eyes to the 

realization that these kids have one vital ingredient that keeps them going: hope. 

“These kids have to have hope in something,” the leaders said. “We give them the knowledge of the only hope they should have: Jesus Christ.” 

Later on the trip, we had several encounters with missionaries who worked with Word for the World. We would travel miles (or kilometers in this case) to sit in the homes and churches of missionaries and encourage them to keep up their work by sharing our stories and engaging in challenging conversations. 

One day, we visited a church located inside of an old warehouse in Chengalpet. This church was another heartbreaking place as it was appropriated for lepers. 

Men and women, whom were missing several appendages, flocked to the building and sat on the floor. 

We were given chairs. 

I had such a discontentment with the idea of sitting in chairs, while the ones we were speaking to sat on the floor. It didn’t seem right. And in hindsight, I wish I had said something. 

Me (left) with Augustine Asir (right) as I spoke at a church in Chengalpet.

I gave my testimony and Ethan Jones gave a message. A man returned from the congregation to meet with Ethan. The man had two palms, but no fingers. 

He placed Ethan’s hands into his own and placed both pairs of hands on his heart. Augustine revealed to us that this meant that the words spoke touched his heart. This was definitely a sobering moment of the trip. 

Gage Goddard, Kim Jones and I riding in the back of a SUV in India.

The last ride that I took in the very back of the dilapidated SUV still sticks out to me. We bought pillows to anchor our bottoms on during the rowdy trips on the rough roads.  We exited and hugged our hosts for the last time before entering into the airport. 

The flights back were spent one of two ways. I either slept. Or I would ponder about the different things I encountered in India. I thought a lot about the man with no fingers and how he reminded me of the humanity in other countries and the people within them. 

He really helped me understand the idea of the entire world being God’s kingdom and how, while we have different backgrounds and ethnicities, we are all children of the same God. 

I also thought of the amazing hosts and the missionaries and especially the young boy Joshua. I remember him asking me, “Will we see you again?” “Yes,” I responded. I didn’t have the heart to tell him no. 

Devin Burrow is the managing editor for BryanTriangle.com. He is a senior communication major with a digital media option. Devin serves as a resident assistant and senior class male senator at Bryan College.