“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Recently, I had the privilege of visiting India, a place where there is never a dull moment; it's colourful, challenging, scary, exciting and inspiring in its own way.

After having spent 2 decades serving in the ministry there and almost a decade in the Western world, I can’t stop thinking about the amazing lessons my experiences have been teaching me.

Through the lives and hearts of the people there, I was reminded how much they deny themselves and focus on putting others first. This isn't the popular way of thinking these days!

I have a condition called Acromegaly, which ensures I have my daily dose of discomfort and pain. I could either sink beneath it or rise above it—sometimes it’s a matter of personal decision. When this opportunity of travel presented itself, I took it, albeit nervously.

We landed at almost 12 a.m. in New Delhi shortly after discovering our luggage was lost in transition! After finishing the required paperwork, we arrived home and went to bed by 3 a.m. Just a short couple of hours later, I found myself getting ready for a staff meeting. Their 20+ eager faces and hearts can refresh any tired mind and body, and heal any broken spirit.

From then on it felt like a whirlwind of meetings, visits, teaching, sharing, preaching, and loving up on our spiritual family. I was learning more than the people we taught!

Two things stand out from this incredible experience:

Love for the mission. Really, it’s a love for the community we live in. It’s so easy to draw close boundaries and shut ourselves off to the world around us. Life already seems stressful, so having to be around more people can seem daunting.

In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Sharing our love/faith with strangers challenges our very fabric of thinking. Even though we would rather leave it to the professionals, Jesus said that we would be recognized by our love for others.

Living in North America, it’s easy to focus so much on myself: internalizing messages of making something out of myself, having a career and being influential and having power and rights. But going back, I realized how much the people around me strive for humility and respect for others as their core values.

One of our highlights was the visit to the orphanage. Seeing the selfless work of so many men and women was powerful and convicting. Asharan has been a beacon of light to hundreds of children who have been through those walls. Each one tells a miracle story of hope against all odds!

I got to spend a little time with my 83-year-old mother, a faithful disciple who continues to love and serve despite her aging and ailments.

After feeling loved, encouraged and called higher by everyone around me, it was time to return home. The trip seemed too short. However, the experience will linger in my heart as I remember what I need to do every day: love the lost and serve others around me. It does not have to be an elaborate enterprise—even just a follow-up phone call, text, or email could be a good place to start!

Our region (west church) in the Toronto Church of Christ came up with a theme for the year: #Wayh (with all your heart) inspired by Colossians 3:23. It just feels like the beginning of whole duty of man!

Rita Laulman  was baptized as a campus student in Bangalore,India in 1988. She served as part of Indian mission work for over 20 yrs along with husband Albert Laulman and their 3 children. She is currently serving in the west region of the Toronto church of Christ. She loves teaching Gods word, mentoring & training women, and is constantly amazed at what God can do with willing hearts. Her dream is to be “ all things to all people ..to win as many as possible for Christ “ 1 Corinthians 9: 22-23.  She can be reached at ritalaulman@gmail.com