An Unexpected Holiday and an Elephant

Today we were supposed to visit a school. Instead we rode an elephant. India brings the concept of flexibility and adaptability to a new level. In the end, it was good for us. Our Indian friends really really wanted to show us their history - and we agreed. Mysore doesn’t look that far away from Bangalore on the map, but after more than six hours in the car I noticed the tiny print that read “Not to Scale.”

We walked through an austentacious castle and piled onto a really tired looking elephant. It was fun, but the real gem of our day was the incredible story we heard from a new Indian friend. I’m too tired do this incredible story proper justice, so I’m going to bullet point it for you. (His name either sounded like Submarine or Subaru so I’m going with Submaru for now. I’m really bad at names.)

• Submaru was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal brain cancer at age 15. He was given three months to live. He asked God to give him two years. Duing this storytelling, Submaru whipped out a pink hospital ID card from his briefcase that listed out his diagnosis. (Why do you need an ID card listing your terminal illness on it? That is India for you.)
  
• He went back to the hospital a week later and was cancer free. It was medically inexplainable.
• Mysore is another one of India's hubs for prostitution, and many unwed mothers have babies to use them as money-making beggars. Per Submaru, parents use their young children to beg for money as long as they are cute enough to produce. After the children get older, they are told they will no longer be supported by their parent(s). If the children refuse to leave the house, their eyes are cut out - so passersby will have pity and give them more money because they are blind. (I saw Slumdog Millionaire, and thought this was only shock-value screenwriting.)
• It is nine years later, and Submaru now pastors one of the only christian churches in Mysore. His congregants include over 150 children whose stories are like the one just described, and beyond belief. His prayer is to build a building for a church and for an orphanage, so that these children can be loved and fed. He is literally the only person in their lives who is telling them they have value in this world.
• Submaru is genuinely grateful for every day that he has. His eyes welled up with tears as he told us his story and said that he does not understand why these children have to suffer as they do. He prays that he could take their place - and that they would be set free.

We were blessed to be able to meet Submaru. I'm still processing yesterday, so tonight I'm just reporting the facts. More commentary later.

It wasn't such a bad elephant ride after all.