Little Miss Sunshine Strikes Out

I wasn't afraid. Our team had watched videos, read books about culture shock and been briefed by missionaries. All travel is extreme adventure to me, and I was ready to hit Calcutta. One of my friends that was going along was struggling with fear of the unknown-- but not me!

I wasn't struggling with fear... until I was. After over 24 hours of travel, we landed in the Calcutta airport at 2:00 am. My friends watched my face turn white with strain as I alone was grilled by a customs officer. We weren't officially there as missionaries but as tourists, and we had been told over and over not to reveal our connections lest they be sent home from the field.

Finally, the interrogation was over, and I was allowed to begin my "vacation" in Calcutta. Our group walked out of the airport only to be surrounded by a pressing crowd of beggars and men pleading to carry our luggage. Desperate women with babies on their hips held out bony hands to us.

As we drove through the city, I watched machine-gun-armed policemen patrolling, feral dogs sniffing at mounds of garbage and cows wandering slowly along the streets. To my untrained eyes, the buildings looked like something in a war zone. They looked like bombed out shells. (I later learned that many of these had been under construction for years.)

Fear began to seep into my soul. About that time, I looked up to see a huge billboard that declared, "Calcutta: City of Joy". I hate to admit, but this was the first crazy thought that went through my head, "This is no job for Suzy Sunshine." You see, in all my preparations, I had harbored a hidden belief that my cheery personality would change Calcutta. I would blow in, smile at everyone I saw, tell all in sight about Jesus in the perkiest tone of voice you've ever heard, and all would be well.

I'm exaggerating a little of course. But my first thought at seeing a billboard that declared something that seemed so contradictory to my surroundings revealed my flawed belief about my role for a week in Calcutta.

Suzy Sunshine couldn't make a dent, but God... God can speak to hearts in bondage to poverty, fear and idolatry. God can heal the sick on the street. God can care for the orphans. God can turn Calcutta into the City of Joy. He is big enough.

Slowly as the week went on, my fear was replaced by faith, and I'll share a few more stories about that in upcoming posts.

In light of yesterday's post, though, this was a good story for me to retell. Suzy Sunshine (aka Amy Carroll) can't do a thing about the evil that surrounds me right here in America, but God...
Thank you, God!

Thank you also to several of you who gave me a picture of Shaniya being held in the arms of Jesus. This bloggy world is a wonderful place where I hope you receive the kind of encouragement from me that I receive from you. Love you all!