Missionary Update

It is very interesting traveling from place to place so quickly. I never realized that I was such a creature of habit. I thought I was quite “easy-going” and “chill” until I was alone, moving from country to country, with a foreign language as my only source of communication. I began realizing all the things I take for granted in life and desiring to go back and better appreciate the people and times that I sometimes overlooked – due to an obsession with what was to come in the future, or what happened in the past.

“The future to grasp, but you’re stuck in the past.” Lyrics I wrote helping people to recognize the moment they are in. Ha.

I’m getting used to the words I write squaring up to smack me around. Lessons of humility are the hardest to chew on, but when it comes down to it, we are all in this lifelong pursuit of learning. Learning to be content in the present and finding our peace in the breath that is within us. It is a lifelong journey of growing to see that every person and every thing in every little circumstance of every moment we are in is the greatest story you can ever read, the sweetest song you can ever hear, and yes, even the most beautiful Instagram photo you could ever see.

ETHIOPIA

First things first.
Ethiopia has THE GREATEST coffee known to the human race.
Having that in mind, it is made by some very good-looking people, with an amazing, long history that I was a very blessed to experience.

For a few short days I had the opportunity to visit multiple locations which Forever Found’s partners at Crisis Aid International are overseeing. I was beyond dumbfounded at the way these children’s/girl’s homes and vocational training centers were operating. There is such a degree of love and a key thing I realized is the years of intentional care put into these homes. I will continue to remind myself of this as I start my journey to India. Beauty Takes Time.

INDIA

I’ve been in India for a few weeks now and it has been quite an interesting experience. Settling in physically was only the beginning. It takes awhile to adapt to a culture that is literally 150% different to the one I grew up in. Everything from food to making a cup of coffee has brought obstacles that I’ve never thought about. The long stares and pictures taken of my white skin are understandable because I am literally the only white person in the entire city (other than one guy I saw with skin pigmentation.) After a while, your patience and character is tested while every sentence spoken is misunderstood and there is a lack of any full conversation. I don’t say all this to make you think I am miserable and that I am “bearing my cross” or anything. I say it because in a culture and life so distant from anything I have ever known, farts are still funny.

We have just begun a process of settling our partnership with a new children’s home. I live with an Indian couple who are the most servant-hearted people I have ever met (a little too much at times), but then again I can say that about almost every person I’ve met out here.

There are many complications within the processes of partnership building, but for now I am enjoying just getting to know the staff and children here and building what I hope is more than simply a financial exchange program. The children are the highlight to my day as I get to study Telegu (the native language) while they do their schoolwork or when I get to go into their rooms at night to pray for them before bed. Spending 50$ to buy sandals for a good majority of the children who had none, or trying to clear out a field of thorny trees so they can have a playground not covered in broken bottles is chump change compared to the feeling I get when I see them smile and all yell, “Good evenin’ Sir,” as I walk up to the gate. It’s an unfair trade on their end.

Plus, I can’t complain when I come home every night to a freshly cooked meal and clean laundry. So even though conversations are rough and the comfort level is sometimes stretched, I am learning to see that people are people and children are children and relationships are relationships…like I said. Even in India, farts are still funny.

Thank you so much for all your support and prayers.

-Kyle Gauthier