Flowers, Gifts and Smiles in India

Dostana India Trip October 2024

By David John

A nod of his neatly turbaned head and a big smile with gleaming white teeth said it all: Welcome to India!

Mohinder, our Church of North India (CNI) chaperone and guardian angel, greeted us at Delhi Airport. Our group had just experienced some difficulty at the airport, which had ended in our two leaders being turned away by immigration – reasons unknown (see the December article on this debacle). It was slowly dawning on us that we were potentially rudderless in a strange and distant land.

But Mohinder gracefully guided us to the bus and settled us into accommodation at CNI headquarters for our first, albeit nervous, night in India. The next morning, he arranged breakfast, guided us to the train station, navigated us through the sleeping throng of humanity on the dusty station floor, seated us with himself on the train, and organised snacks for the trip.

Not once did he seem rushed. Not once a grumpy look or shrug. Just grace, hospitality, a nod, and a smile.

It happened again when we got off the train two-thirds of the way to Amritsar, due to farmers blocking the track, when Bishop ‘Bunu’ Samantaroy of Amritsar, greeted us with even bigger smiles, more hugs – and garlands of flowers!

I was witnessing the embodiment of Christian hospitality. I was expecting friendship, but this was something a whole lot more.

Matthew 25-35 says this: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in.

We were here as part of a three-week Dostana and Uniting World friendship tour. CNI would show us Dalit health and education projects in and around Amritsar, Punjab; the inspirational education of Tyndale-Biscoe and Mallinson School in Srinagar, Kashmir; and the representation of old and new India around Agra and Delhi.

Every single person we met shone with God’s love. They were not all Christian either – Mohinder was a Sikh, most of our project hosts around Amritsar were Hindu, and our teachers in Kashmir were Muslim. But together with our Christian brothers and sisters, each showed us true Godly hospitality.

Whilst trying to understand this more I came across a popular Indian saying: ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. It means the guest is God’s own reflection. Now if that doesn’t make you feel special then I do not know what will.

One of my most memorable experiences of Indian hospitality was in a little village called Dogar outside Amritsar. We were there with Bishop Bunu to open a village health centre for Dalits – the lowest caste in India. When we arrived a line of locals, mostly Dalits, greeted us on either side, showered us with marigolds, and gave us numerous gifts. It was like being part of an event for the Royal Family.

Then there were speeches and school children performing the local Giddha and Bhangra dances, in which we were encouraged to participate. Those children sure know how to move.

We even got to plant bushes and trees in the new herbal garden. The plants I placed into their pre-dug holes were the Insulin plant and Bay leaf – both have various health benefits.

To be welcomed so warmly, by people with so little, but with such big hearts, made me realise what God wants of us: to be present for all, to give to all, and share God’s Love with all.

There is a greeting in India where you hold your hands together and say Namaste. It means ‘I bow to you’.

Namaste CNI for all the work you do in India, and the lives that are saved.

Namaste to Uniting World and Dostana for supporting CNI in its mission.

Namaste to those who worked so hard and assisted us through many trials – the group started with ten travellers but finished with only four (relax… everyone is alive and well, just a few had to return home earlier).

Thank you for the best gift of all - your friendship, and may it be only a short time before we return.