India: Snake Village Visit

By Shayla

A few days after we arrived we walked to a nearby village which some here call Snake Village. Much to our surprise, we did run into a snake (about 5 feet long!) coiled up just a few feet from our path. Thankfully, after a heart-pounding moment, it darted into motion in the opposite direction.

On our first visit,10 of us walked, single file, down a small dirt path behind the Little Flock property. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was thrilled to go meet some new kids. I followed the group along a cinder block wall until we reached an opening. Immediately villagers came out from their homes to meet “the visitors,” and sometimes  whole families met us at their make-shift stick gate.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole scene was like a photo out of National Geographic, with little girls holding bare-bottomed baby brothers on their hips, barefoot little boys ran up and down the cement road pushing an old bike tire with a stick and women in colorful sari’s carried water jugs on their heads in the evening dusk.

Kids flooded the street, smiling and calling “Auntie! Auntie! Auntie photo!” The people  of India love being photographed, and I love capturing their beautiful faces.


We made our way all the way down the main road, passing thatch huts and green rice paddies. The village road came to a dead end, and at the last house several women with small children emerged. Twin baby girls with precious little faces were passed around among our group.

 
Dave, the pastor of the Twin Lakes Church group there with us told us that the few houses at the end of the road were all Christian families, which is uncommon in a majorly Hindu area. The father in the last house showed us a picture of Jesus, and pointed to his heart earnestly. Dave and several others joined with the family to pray together, which was truly powerful. It amazes me the way God brings together His people all over the world

I clicked away with my camera, showing the kids the images of their beaming smiles and immediately I was taken with them all. They were so full of joy, and absolutely willing to share it with us. One little boy told us he’d be right back and he came back holding a small bleating goat, and handed it to each of us in turn. It was utterly surreal. Look what our life has become, marked by the simplest interaction, yet filled with SUCH joy. I’m telling you my heart was radiating.
A hilarious boy named Mori with curly hair, about nine years old, was the “class clown” of the village. He had the biggest smile of them all, a rather mischievous one, and knew how to get the crowd’s attention. His signature move was the trick hand shake where he would pull his hand away at the last moment, and pretend to slick back his hair, which never failed to make us laugh. He and I would play hand clap games growing faster and faster until my hands stung. 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At one point Dad and some  others led the kids in a round of Hokey Pokey, singing loudly, with Mori in the center hamming it up. The older girls about my age practiced their broken English with me, but most of the kids knew only how to tell you their name or ask for a photo. But none of that mattered. 
  
The charm of smiles, warm energy, and silly games allowed us to communicate in a wonderfully joyful way. This  is humanity at it’s core, we are people who seek connection and laughter in one another…even in complete strangers when all stigma is stripped down to the bare bones.
We were also able to give away our first friendship bracelets made at the Guinness Record event. The kids were delighted to receive the colorful gifts. I hope they felt loved somehow by our community who hand made each and every bracelet. We want you all to know that a piece of your creativity and care has gone across the world to these loving kids in Snake Village, India.

The whole visit was over in a blur. Looking back on it I just remember how magical it was. As we rounded the bend, we gave final hugs and waved goodbye, promising to be back soon. Still holding my little shadow, a little girl who had latched on to me upon arriving and never let go after I swung her around and unlocked a fountain of giggles. I was one of the last of our group to leave. She was so sweet and we were enthralled with each other. I eventually had to peel my precious little friend from my arms. Never have I felt so overjoyed and FULL. That is the best word I can use to express it all. As I wandered back down the trail back home to Little Flock in the cooling air, I felt so full of life and of love, and I knew I would be back to Snake Village. God is doing great things in this place, and in all of our hearts. It will be amazing to see how the rest of our time unfolds.