Ties to Home...- Kati

These past few days Hillary and I have really been "soul searching." We are like Christopher Columbus discovering the new world, except we are discovering new parts to life that we had been missing some how.
A few days ago Hillary, Sue, Mel ( American Friends ) and our driver went to the Bangalore zoo/safari. As we walked through the park I noticed something...
Maybe because I am away from home or maybe India is showing me something that I took for granted.
As I walked around and rode around on the bus I saw many different kinds of animals.
All the way from birds, reptiles, lions, tigers and bears "O MY." (Sorry I could not resist) All of these animals were so amazing. Each had a specific structure, character, and ability.
The bears much smaller than you would expect, very furry.
The lions were so confident and strong.
The tigers were graceful and very playful like a bigger version of a house cat.

But what really stuck out to me was how all of these animals were in groups. They all were a family. They ate, drank, and played together. They had a support a system
...A FAMILY.We had a driver that was taking us everywhere around Bangalore. Each ride with Ahamad was interesting either because we were trying to communicate( because he cannot speak English very well) or we were asking him about his Muslim religion and family.
He is only 26 and is married to a 20 year old and has one daughter.
His whole life is centered around his family. Him and his 4 brothers all take care of their single mother.
People are often surprised to learn that HIllary and I left our families to go so far away.
In India your family is involved in every decision that has to do with your life; from where you go to school, to what you will become, to who will MARRY!
India is very family oriented you could say.

The love and respect they show for their families makes me realize how I take my family sometimes for granted.
In my leisure time I have been reading "SEX GOD" by Rob Bell. It is an amazing book.
In the last chapter I read it talks about LOVE.

To be specific Agape Love.

There is a part in this chapter that I love so much it reads:

 " Agape is a particular kind of love. Love often is seen as a need, something we get from others. Agape is the opposite. AGAPE GIVES."
This struck me very hard. In a family it is not about what you can get out of it. It is about how you contribute to your family...

How you can give.

I can give my mom more hugs that she loves, and tell her how much I love her food.
I can give my Dad less of a financial headache or mow the lawn for him.
I can give my sister my favorite dress or take her out to Tea.
Give my Grandparents and Nana more quality time.
The list could go on.
Family is what has made me who I am today. My family has given me so much. I feel so naive for just discovering and truly realizing what a family agape-love is really about...

GIVING.

...and now here I am in India hundreds of miles away.

Maybe it takes us being out of our element, away from the norm. to really realize what is important. 
But until I see my family again, my new family, my Indian family, will get to experience some agape love.
The kind of Love God has given me Daily.

Kati & Family - Ash :(

Hillary & Family