I (Ryan) set my alarm to go off early every morning in India.  I didn’t want to miss a sunrise.  Each morning, after a cold bucket shower, I made myself a cup of instant coffee and while everyone else on our team was sleeping I tiptoed out the front door and into another day in the amazing country of India. The living area that our mission team stayed in exited out onto the roof of the main orphanage building.  From the rooftop I could see the surrounding countryside and as the sun made its appearance on the horizon I watched the children of the Beulah Home and the people and the animals living on the farms outside the walls of the orphanage wake up and begin their day.

During my week in India I had no access to the Internet, the television or a cell phone—it was wonderful.  All I had was my journal, my Bible and a book that I was reading.   My early mornings in India were delightful—the cool morning air, the calling of birds, the sights, the sounds and…the boys.

On my second morning in India, I was sitting in a plastic chair on the roof watching the sunrise and thanking God for a new day when much to my surprise I saw two sets of hands come up over the edge of the wall.  The sets of hands were followed by the heads, the bodies and the smiles of two of the boys from the orphanage.  Yung Mat and Talu quickly became my motivation to rise early on my remaining mornings in India.

Yung Mat (age 15) and Talu (age 14) are two of the finest young guys I have ever met.  They are the “men” of the orphanage and do a wonderful job serving as leaders at the facility.  They are so kind and caring towards all of the younger children at the orphanage and they are very responsible when it comes to helping the lady that is in charge of the Beulah Home.

My early mornings in India were graced with the presence of Talu and Yung Mat.  As the sun inched its way into the sky, the boys and I spent the mornings becoming friends—sharing our stories, talking of God and considering scripture together.  On one of the mornings we read Psalm 15:1-2 together:

 “Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? 
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
Speaking the truth from sincere hearts.”

As I waited in the predawn stillness of Southern India and watched the sun rise each morning, I stood in the midst of “blameless lives” and “sincere hearts” and…I worshipped.  It was a blessed time.