And Just Like That...

Little did we know when we went to sleep on Tuesday night, our final day of ministry on Wednesday would not be what we had planned. The explosions that shook our accommodations at about 1:00 am were the first clue that things would be different…

We awoke to the news that India had retaliated against Pakistan for its recent terror attack (hence the overnight explosions), and that our local airport along with several others in the states bordering Kashmir were closed for all flight operations.

We anticipated air service to be suspended for several days. (The airport wes closed for eight.) I immediately contacted some Kashmiri friends to help me arrange a vehicle and driver to take Elaine and me out of Kashmir and to the Delhi airport (where our international flight would depart from). Nineteen hours (that's right: 19), and two vehicle changes later, we pulled up to the Delhi International Airport. We also found out that vehicles were scarce in Srinagar (where we departed from) but the Lord again showed His goodness in helping us secure one!

When we were in the middle of the India-Pakistan conflict in Kashmir, with the rockets flying and the bombs dropping, our main focus was, "How are we going to get out of here?" Now that we are back home, our focus is, "What about the people who are still there, dealing with these issues every day?"

Although we are grateful to be home and away from the very area that was on the brink of war just a few short days ago, we must remember why we go to Kashmir. Our mission when we went there wasn't to get home safely. 2wells' mission was and has always been this: To bring the Gospel to the unreached Muslim people in Kashmir.