After a 14 hour flight from Newark to Delhi, then another 4 hour flight from there to north India, we met our friend Avia and hopped into his jeep for a 6 hour trek to the middle of nowhere at the base of the Himalayas.
The first thing I noticed were the Hindu idols and Buddhist shrines EVERYWHERE.
On the sides of the roads…
Under trees…
They even placed idols on their dashboards…
Because Banyan trees are considered sacred (and even inhabited by spirits by animists) just about every large Banyan tree we saw had a shrine placed under it…
I know this is a common sight throughout Asia, but I had never see this before. But rather than getting creeped out by it all, I was struck by two things.
First, I live in a highly Catholicized region of Philadelphia. Catholics place shrines and statues everywhere, just like Hindus, Buddhists and Animists – Angels on the sides of roads – Mary shrines in their yards – Saints on their dashboards. Same practice, just different objects. Seeing these idols underscored how similar we are, not how different.
Second, I was reminded how deep inside all of us is an insatiable craving for worship, regardless of our culture and geographical location. We yearn for it. We all share, regardless of skin color, what C.S. Lewis called “The secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want.”
One of the highlights of our trip was visiting a village to see a newly planted two-year old church with 80+ newly baptized believers.
All came from Animism or a syncretistic form of Buddhism. As we sang with them in the dark (no electricity for miles) their excitement and passion for their new-found God was uncontrollable.
The experience reminded me of the new believers converted under Paul’s preaching: “…You welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering…and turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess 1:9).
The smiles.
The testimonies of how God was changing their lives and their village.
The powerful sense of community.
I simply could not hold back the tears.
Two years ago these people were worshipping rocks, cobras, and trees. Now because of the tireless work of Avia, they worship the creator of the rocks, cobras and trees they used to worship.
And they’re happy. Truly happy.
Driving away in his jeep that night our friend Avia said out loud to no-one in particular, “Those who labor in the Lord do not labor in vain.”
