Kevin Scott Banks

Heading into my India trip, I knew that I knew nothing about India. It’s fair to say that most people probably spend a good amount of time researching a third world country before they attempt to travel there. Well, not me. I didn’t buy any books about India. I didn’t google it or wikipedia it. I didn’t even look at a map of the country. I just went.

Not surprisingly, I was surprised by much of what I saw and experienced. Having no frame of reference for most of those experiences has forced me to spend some time seriously reflecting on how they have affected me. One major motif that really stands out from my trip was the recognition of and interaction with the distinctly different Indian culture. Different, of course, from my own “American” culture.

Wikipedia offers this definition of the word culture:

“The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization, or group.” (Don’t you love that I used Wikipedia to find a word definition but not to learn about India?)

My understanding from my very brief time in India is that the religion of Hinduism shapes much of the Indian culture. Many, if not most of the “shared attitudes, values, goals, etc…” in India stem from the learned principles and practices of the Hindu religion. The intriguing thing to me is that the core of Hinduism is self-progression. Basically, Hindus believe that what they DO in this life will determine what the next life is like. The result: a country full (and with 1.2 billion people I do literally mean brimming full) of people looking out for number one. I should have been more prepared for this effect when I witnessed an India woman cut in front of four white people to steal the airplane lavatory on the ride over. It left me wondering, “How could she possibly do that? I don’t care what culture you’re from, that’s just not cool!” But apparently in India, that sort of self-pleasing, others-provoking action is totally acceptable. In Hinduism, you’re not worried about anyone else, especially strangers (and I would add, white people). You’re mainly concerned about yourself.

Chew on this for a while: that kind of thinking utterly destroys my “American” concept of “common courtesy.”

Since the day I was born, I’ve been taught to hold the door open for strangers, say “thank you” when the bagger bags my groceries, and let other cars pass in front of me while on the road. I’ve also been taught to smile and say “hello” when I pass by other people on the street. Up until this point, I would have argued until I was blue in the face that this is how people all over the world ought to conduct themselves. But after immersing myself for three weeks in a culture that is very near the opposite of my own, I’ve taken a giant step back. I’m still struggling to understand how a culture can be so self-absorbed. It’s still not making much sense in my American brain. But as crazy as it seems, and as different as it is, I now have a much deeper respect for India culture, and every other culture for that matter. One of the many things I learned in India is that my way of living life isn’t the only acceptable way. There’s a whole lotta people out there living life a lot differently than me, and that’s OK. I’m learning to really appreciate the differences between us that make us such a diverse race.

I will say, though, that when I went back to work the day after I returned from India, it sure was nice when someone actually stopped to let me pull out of my neighborhood in front of them

I took 5,000 photos in 3 weeks time in India. How could I possibly choose which one to post first?

I’m going with Shrinivas at the Taj Mahal. Why? Because Shrinivas is awesome, that’s why. (And so was the Taj Mahal for that matter, but that’s for a later blog post.)

Shrinivas lives at Asha Mission in New Delhi, India(not to be confused with Ashraya Mission, also for a later blog.) Asha Mission is a home for kids who either don’t have parents, or whose parents can’t take care of them. I got to spend a few very memorable days with Shrinivas and 34 other amazing little Indian kiddos. Somehow, all 35 of these children cram into one tiny little house. They have electricity…most of the time. They sleep on the ground. They eat together, learn together, play together, pray together. There’s nothing in our country to compare life at Asha Mission to. We live with luxuries they’ll never know.

And yet they live with joy that I’ve scarcely seen before.

From the moment our team arrived, the kids greeted us with a giant “Welcome” banner and a room full of smiles. Speaking of smiles, that ‘s what Shrinivas does best. He was chosen as part of a small group of the best-behaved children who got to accompany us to the Taj Mahal. Poor little guy puked the whole way there while he sat on my lap. But after 6 hours of pain, he still had a huge smile on his face when he saw the Taj.

Shrinivas affectionately referred to me as “Bhayah.” It means “big brother” in Hindi. No doubt he stole a piece of my heart during the brief time we spent together. There’s a lot to learn from a grateful young man like him. When it was time for me to leave and go back home, he drew a picture for me. It reads:

“I love you Baya. I miss you Baya. I pray for you Baya. I pray for your parents. Please come back soon.”

Next time you’re at my place I’ll let you look at it. It’s one of my most precious reminders of those special children at Asha Mission.

What a trip it’s been so far.

If I had to describe my experience in India up to this point in two words, it would be “Mutual Fascination.” I have been absolutely fascinated with the people, the culture and the polar opposite nature of India. And the Indian people, especially the children, have been equally fascinated by me as an American. In fact, I’ve felt more or less like a celebrity everywhere I’ve gone.

I’m absolutely floored by the photos I’ve taken. There’s no doubt about it, my happy place is behind my camera. The color of this country is absolutely amazing. Everywhere I turn, dozens of distinct colors jump out at me screaming “take my picture!” As a photographer I’ve always shyed away from having human subjects in my photos. As such, Ive been pleasently surprised at how immensly enjoyable it’s been to photograph the Indian people. Perhaps it’s because they look completely different than me, or because the activities they engage in seem foreign to me. Whatever the reason, my camera has been drawn to them like a magnet.

It blows me away to travel to the other side of the world and interact with people where our only commonality is that we’re both human beings. I’ve struggled greatly at times to communicate with the Indians. Many of them do speak some English, but many of them don’t speak any at all. I confess that the only time I studied Hindi, the local language, was for about 3 minutes on the plane ride over. Now I find myself wishing I’d put in the hard work of learning the language. Nonetheless, my interactions thus far have been intriguing. Most of the people I’ve met have had a genuine interest in learning more about me, which of course I’ve reciprocated. They ask questions like, “From what country are you?” and “Do you have a Facebook account?” Not surprisngly, I’ve taken a special liking to a few of the children I’ve met. Little Vinita has been my favorite so far!

The Ashraya Mission team has had quite the adventure since arriving here. From a travel standpoint, we’ve been all over the place, literally. In 5 days, we’ve been on 3 flights, 3 road trips, and visited 5 different cities already. Speaking of travel, driving in India feels every bit like playing that Crazy Taxi videogame. It’s utter insanity. I love it!

From a spiritual standpoint, our team has definitely felt the presence of the spiritual warfare that’s to be expected on a trip like this. We’ve come with a specific mission and purpose as a team, but it feels as though there are forces beyond our control trying to sabotage that mission. Personally, it’s forced me to be vulnerable and to spend some time seriously examining my own heart and my motivations for coming on this trip. That’s been difficult, yet very good. Sometimes the hardest parts of the trip are the sweetest moments in disguise.

For all of my life, I will never forget the first moment our team spent on the roof of Ashraya Mission. Founder Katie Beth Gill has been in India for nearly two months of her five month stay. However, unforseen circumstances have kept her from seeing the first Ashraya refuge home until our team arrived this week. After a quick tour of the home, we ascended to the rooftop where the girls immediately fell before the Lord in prayer. I witnessed tears of joy and cries of thanksgiving. I saw the start of a new chapter in the story of the redemption that runs deep in the heart of Ashraya Mission. Almost as if on cue, the sun pierced through the clouds for the first time on this glorious day. Amidst the chaos and the darkness of this place, God chose to shine down his light on the inception of Ashraya Mission. What a special, special moment.

I am looking forward with eager anticipation to the remainder of our time here. I can feel the Lord enlarging my heart as I witness his hand at work and build relationships with fellow believers here. I can’t wait to share the rest of this experience with all of you. May God continue to be glorified by the work of our hands.

In Acts chapter 10, Cornelius receives a strong compliment to his character. He is described first and foremost as a “devout man who feared God with all his household.”

That’s important.

It’s important because he was a good man who did good things, like giving generously and praying continually. But before he was a good man, he was a God-fearing man. Without a total heart committment to love, serve and fear God, all the well-intentioned good works don’t mean anything. So many Christians, myself included, run around trying to please God with what we say and do, but in our hearts we don’t really fear God.

I believe God wants a fully committed heart on the inside before he wants a “good person” on the outside.

Meet Ascend the Hill.

They’re an incredible group of “musicianaries” whose music I stumbled onto while traveling in New Zealand. What’s a “musicianary”, you might ask?

According to their website:

“We choose to share music and profit as a humble example of radical generosity. We live simply to give generously, encouraging others to do the same.”

They give away their music for free because they want you to hear it. Click here to visit their website and download their albums for free.

I hope it changes your life the way it’s changed mine.

“Music City” is highly regarded as the place where music legends are made. Dozens of live music venues populate the city, and live music performances are in full supply every night of the week. Downtown carries an electric atmosphere, with sounds blaring from every direction and energetic visitors lining the streets.

But Nashville has a different side, a quieter side. Even on a busy Saturday night, the riverfront along 1st Street shows no signs of human activity. The “Batman Building” stands tall and proud, keeping watch over the city. The river moves ever so slowly, painting a perfect reflection of the softly lit skyline.

Yes, all is peaceful indeed along the Nashville Riverfront.

This week I head back to Nashville to reunite with friends and family and to start a new job. It’s going to be an exciting new chapter in my life! But before I start looking too far ahead, I can’t forget about the incredible Spring I’ve spent in Sacramento. Here are the highlights:

1. Yosemite Camping Adventure

I posted about this awesome trip already, but it’s worth mentioning again. My buddies and I pitched our tent in the massive Yosemite Valley and spent a few days exploring the grandeur of the park. I came away with some awesome photos. What an amazing place.

2. Hidden Falls Hike

There was no sense in sitting around the house, just because most of my friends were busy. I joined the hiking group from a local church for a hike in the beautiful hills of Auburn. Later-than-usual rain in the previous weeks sent the trees and flowers into full bloom. I love getting away from the city and enjoying nature!

3. American River Expeditions

The American River runs from the famous Folsom Dam all the way to Sacramento and beyond. The American River Parkway follows along the river for miles and miles. I made a few trips along the Parkway, riding my bike and photographing the fabulous bridges that cross the river.

4. Kids Camp

Have I ever told you how much I love camps? I mean, I really love camps. Last week, I volunteered as a coach at a kids sports camp. I had more fun than the kids, no contest. And that’s saying something, since they were begging me to come back next year! Those little rascals kept me running around all week, but I had a total blast.