our brothers in India

A few weeks ago, I said goodbye to my mentor and older brother Nitro as he left his position as Director of Creative Arts Ministry at my church: Newsong LA. On stage, I stumbled on my words as I struggled to find the right things to say thank you for all that he's done for me. My gratitude for all the love that God has poured through this man. Then the miracle of it all hit me.

Who would look at this skinny four-eyed Asian kid and this tough stocky black man and guess that we were brothers? And I mean REAL brothers. Who would guess that this former engineer from South Korea and this former music producer from South Bronx would be thick as thieves?

That is the blessing of my church. No... that is the blessing of THE church. That every week I worship with a little slice of what heaven will look like. Not just with people that look like me. And that I serve in the trenches with people I never imagined I would serve with.

And now that brings us to India. I am asked all the time, why we're going. Yes, we're going because of the 750 million Indians of lower castes who have been systemically oppressed for 3000 years. And yes, we will shoot a documentary that we believe will help the fight against that oppression. But above all, it is because our brothers in India are our REAL brothers in Christ. And we will worship with them. And we will serve in the trenches with them, as they fight and follow God's command:

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Psalms 82:3 (KJV)