I recall being about ten hours on the road that day. It was hot and all a very unexpected sort of experience in India. It was near Surat, but inland. We traveled through what seemed completely desolate. There was nothing in sight for miles. We were told on the way there that breaking down on a road like this would put us in danger of both bandits and Tigers. We did break down once, and I took them seriously when a few men got out and pushed the bus before we could respond. We were up and going and no time. We waited hours for people to arrive, and it seemed hopeless — until there were countless people, men and women and children, all waiting to hear biblical teaching and preaching. I preached a sermon on defeating the demon of discouragement (several times on this trip). We were all sick, suffering from a sinus infection, doctor at our side to no avail. As we traveled back to our hotel, it was late and we were exhausted. And then, out of nowhere there was this little store in a desert per se. We got out, went in, and what we found was simply amazing. Cold drinks. In particular, in the middle of nowhere, ice cold Pepsi’s in bottles — the little bottles. But that drink, I can still taste it today, with the ice shaving that fell from the lip of the bottle. Refreshing. A gift in the wilderness.
woah. Tigers AND bandits.