A Story: The Conflict

So sticking with Donald Miller's definition of a story from his book A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, "a story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it".  We introduced our characters a couple of days ago and Travis did a great job of outlining what these characters want a few days before that. So what do we need to overcome? What's our conflict, our obstacles?

The Obstacles

Geographical:


We're here.



They're there.

A 10.5 hr time difference.
A 17 hr direct flight from Chicago to Delhi. And it's brutal.
Money:
 

Let's be honest. A PhD student, a college counselor and a nurse don't make that much money. And it takes a good amount of money to start a rehab center. Here are a few figures to keep in mind:

-An acre of land in Delhi is roughly 2 million dollars.
-Air fare round trip to Delhi is ~$1,500
-Staff don't work for free. Even in ministry.
-Each child will cost ~$100/month to support.
-So once we add up rent, travel, food, electricity, health, education, staff, etc. we get a minimum sum of:

$180,000/year to run Ashraya Mission



Feeling discouraged?

(Another self indulgent childhood reference)

Our obstacles are many, no getting around it.

And it's going to be easy to get discouraged.

But we believe because of God's grace and sovereignty that we're called to a better story-a story where children stolen from their homes and have the titles of orphan and prostitute forced upon them can find refuge, can find redemption and not be defined by those titles any longer.

"Sing to God, sing praise to His name,

extol Him who rides on the clouds-

His name is the Lord-

and rejoice before Him.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing."

                                                                                      Psalm 68:4-6





Thanks for reading.

Blessings,

KB