India :: The Other Side of the Story

     I'm doing a program called CollegePlus. They are a company who works with you to complete college, online, in under 2 years (or however fast you want to go.) One of their features is called "Navigate". It's a 10 part program that helps you find your purpose for doing college. (Kind of like a college adviser.) Anyhow, just recently I completed a section titled "Who Owns Your Purpose?". I was asked to write about an experience when I had "conflict over control" of my life. I decided to write about before I left for India.

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     In April 2012, I was talking with a friend of mine about mission trip opportunities and she told me about a trip to India led by our church's conference youth director. When she told me that she was thinking and praying about going on it, I instantly decided that I wanted to go with her. The mission trip wasn't until January 2013, so I figured I had plenty of time to convince my parents. Not so easy. September arrived without a decision having been made. So I continued to remind my parents about it. October came and went. But it seemed like the odds were in my favor. Then one day at family worship, November 7th, Daddy said he had an announcement to make. I was going to India. Praise the Lord! I was wicked excited.

     I applied for a passport, while at the same time I (and Mom) wrote a fundraising letter. As soon as my passport arrived, I filled out the form for my Indian visa and sent the packet in. There had been worry about one of my parents needing a passport, as well, for me to get my visa, but this company assured us that wasn't necessary. December was half gone when I realized I still didn't have my visa. I called the company. "Oh no, everything is going fine... We're just busy with the Christmas rush..." Later that week I got a call from the trip leader. The company needed one of my parents to have a passport. What?! Mom quickly filled out a form and sent in it - rush order. Oh God, please! Once it arrived, a few days after Christmas, we called the company to see if they would work with us now that Mom had her passport. (Very long story short) NOPE. So we paid them to ship the packet (containing my passport, birth certificate...) back to us. I found another company online and decided to go through them. It was only two weeks before I was supposed to leave.

     I was mad at God. I thought He wanted me to go to India. I thought He had this all planned out. Why?! Was I to get this close and not be allowed to go? But slowly, I began to be at peace with the situation. I read the Psalms. I could relate (somewhat) to David's frustration. But I found comfort in the fact that God was still there, even if I couldn't always see the path I was to go down. So, I knew that if I couldn't go to India I would be sorely disappointed, but I knew God had a plan for my life... India or not. 

     Happy ending. My visa came 2 days before I was to leave. Thank You, Lord! When people ask me what I learned from my mission trip I usually say something about being content and happy with what we have, or that there is always a hunger and need for Jesus, but now I realize that one of the biggest lessons I learned was to always trust God. No matter what.

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-Autumn Story Mott