Culture shock is a real thing. It can sneak up on you when you least expect it, leaving you feeling disoriented and overwhelmed. If you have ever spent enough time in a country far away from Western culture and comforts, then you might be able to relate to how I felt, standing outside a restroom, in the middle of the night, on a train hurtling through the middle of India.

As the only foreign woman in line for the water closet, I could not wait to use the
restroom and get back to my berth on the train.

Finally, it was my turn. I stepped inside the tiny restroom, only to be dismayed by its condition. The loo, in addition to the rest of the train, looked like it had not been cleaned since the 1950’s
when the British modernized the rail system in India.

Not only was I suddenly overcome by the unfamiliar sights, smells, and rattling of this train in this distant country, but I was staring at the toilet, which was little more than a seat with a hole opened to the tracks below. As I tried to keep my balance and restore my senses, I asked myself, “What am I doing here?” I told myself that this pampered girl from the other side of the world had no business being here. “What was I thinking when I decided to go?!”

Well, I was on a mission trip to set up a partnership with Central India Christian Mission. Their focus is to reach socially marginalized groups, criminals, and victims of human trafficking with the love and saving grace of Jesus. Playing a small role in fulfilling the Great Commission was why I went.

But I had become undone in that moment. I felt sick, fearful, and anxious. I was hot
and I was so tired. But in the very next moment, I heard one of the ladies in our group singing just outside the door and I came back from the grip of my circumstances to grasp the truth.
It was not just her presence or the sound of her voice that stopped my spiraling emotions,
but the words of the song she was softly singing outside the door.

“In times like these you need a savior.
In times like these you need an anchor.
Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid rock.”

Did my friend know I needed those words? I do not know. But the Holy Spirit did. In
that moment those words reminded me to get a grip on Jesus, who holds me and
has me here for His purpose. I lost sight of the mission because I lost focus on my anchor. I had my eyes on my circumstances, not Him. That was a turning point for me on that trip, and most certainly a faith lesson for my life.

Every day I need the Savior who holds me steady, or I lose myself to circumstances and am no longer effective or focused on THE MISSION He has for me.

Life is filthy. We feel alone, overcome, and surrounded by every discomfort. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, we sometimes find ourselves in places we just do not
want to be. But in times like these, we have a Savior. Don’t lose your grip on Him!