India changed my life! At first I wasn’t even going to go on the trip and just said that if God wanted me to go then He would make a way. It turns out that God did want me to go, and even though I was a late application I got onto the team.

God provided for my trip financially, even getting Bob and the showgram from G105.1 to donate 550 dollars to my trip after he had just met me. It was really jaw dropping and a really cool God moment that still makes me smile.

I just felt a calling to go there; can’t really explain it. Part of it was for silly human reasons but I know that I went there for a reason and that God definitely had His hand on the entire thing, as He does everything that we do.

India is a life changer. It cannot be said enough. If you want to be spiritually challenged, heartbroken, uplifted, and praying a whole lot, then India is for you. If you want the chance to hug small orphans, to see the happiness in their eyes, to wish that you could take one home (maybe you will one day), then India is for you. If you want to see things that you never have before, to do things you never have done before, go to India.

While I can never put what I saw, what I did, and mostly what I saw God do into words, I will do what I can at the moment. I saw hundreds of people screaming for Christ at one of the two concerts that we held at the church in the area, I got to pray with more people than I can count, for more people than I can remember. I was involved in spiritual warfare in a way that is different than in the States, I got to witness the healing hand of God work on my teammates and get them trough the day to do what needed to be done, I saw new believers put their love for Christ out in front of hundreds of strangers during praise and worship, I saw and did preach to a multitude of people.

I was a part of and got to witness God work wonders in our team to keep us together, and to make a group that didn’t know each other get along. I’m going to stop describing all of my experiences for right now because my heart is longing to be there again. It is hard to put into words everything that India is and isn’t, but I guarantee that you will not be the same after you go.

God willing I will be able to go back there again. It was one of those things that majorly defines your life. If you have doubts on whether or not you should go, bring them before God. If He wants you to go then He will make a way for you to get there no matter what.

Prayer is one thing that stood out to me about the trip. We prayed constantly; for safety, strength, guidance when we had no clue what to do, in thanks and reverence. God is absolutely amazing and its just plain joy to see Him work. Now I really want to go back.

To the things that I have never seen or done before, to the things that I need to do and see again, to the things that the Lord is doing over in that nation, to the things that He is doing in me and in all of us, I feel called to go back.

To whoever reads this, your experience has or will be different in India, but I can guarantee this. You will not regret going. After the trip you will get home and realize that you are different, and that God changed you over there if you let Him. And it is a realization that makes up a part of who I am.

www.globalhopeindia.org/go it is that simple. Just do it.

More photos from Dylan’s June 2011 Trip: