Stomach Bug + 16-hour Train Ride= Not Fun.

Last Saturday, I boarded a train heading 16 hours away to a city that we are taking a little R&R in this week. We got the cheapest seats ($10 round trip in a sleeper train). About an hour before boarding, my stomach started doing some really funny flips and I knew I was going to be sick soon. I don't get sick like that too often, and then remembered that morning I had accidentally drank some very spoiled milk (the power in the fridge wasn't working, and I was too tired to put 2&2 together as I poured the milk into my coffee). Needless to say, 30 mins after the train took off I rushed to the bathroom. My stomach felt like I had eaten knives for dinner. Luckily I made it to the bathroom (a metal squatty that is practically just a hole that empties out onto the tracks... in other words- never play on India's train tracks!).

I was sick. As I made it back to my seat, drenched in sweat from the heat, and insides still hurting, I sat back down next to Steph. I drank some water and just zoned out for a little while- watching the floor as 2 mice scampered by under seats. I pulled my legs up on the seat with me.

The surroundings were very cramped, kids screaming, very hot (thankfully there were fans above us), and the smell wasn't too bad- but it wasn't pleasant either. I prayed silently to God, "Why now, God? Why do I have to be sick now?! Of all the places this is the worse to be sick in." I was quickly reminded how blessed I was to even have a toilet and a place to rest my head.. things could have def been worse. As I looked around the train I felt trapped. It was so cramped. Then we got to another train station and even more people got on! More creepy men I have to sleep in front of- or next to... and more misbehaving, screaming kids that I wanted to spank. "I can't do this God." I thought, and was shocked that I was thinking that. I began to pray again for the pain to go away.

I started to reflect on the past 3 1/2 months I've been in India. Being here has revealed so much about myself to me- stuff I had never even seen before. God has been taking me down a long ladder of selfishness... and I was a lot higher on that ladder than I'd like to admit. It's good, but hard. And just when I think I've made some progress and I'm close to the bottom of the ladder- God does something to reveal that I'm still pretty far up there. (I'm not sure if this makes any sense, but it's how my mind works lol)

I am constantly being humbled... right when I am comfortable on that ladder, God puts me somewhere and tells me 'take a few more steps down'. And right when I panic and get scared, God reminds me that He put me here... and if God put me somewhere- why should I be scared?

This is what I went through on this train. That night, as I climbed to the top bed, where there wasn't enough space to even sit up- I put my Ipod in to block out the noise from the shouting men, screaming kids, and the loud screeches from the train grinding on the tracks. As the train swayed back and forth as I listened to Worship music, I found it very soothing. Within a few minutes I realized the pain in my stomach had gone away! I still felt queasy but at least the pain was gone. "Thank you Jesus" I whispered as I drifted to sleep.