Orange Sunset Over Pakistan

Dunes speckled with low desert shrubs and stunted trees stretched into the hazy reddening horizon far to the west of us. The sun setting over Pakistan was a giant deep orange orb that slowly descended to its night's rest. The mood of the group had turned serious.

We were a jovial bunch and the day had been especially joyous. Constant banter and continuous laughter and chatter rolled across the sand as our gang rode our herd of camels to enjoy a home cooked meal in a village deep in the Thar desert. Sure, it was touristy but it was a blast and we were all enjoying each other's company and building a lifelong memory.

We had taken a bus from Jodhpur, Rajasthan out to a smaller town for a famed “camel safari.” The majority of our party had never been to India and had never ridden a camel so the excitement was high. Much to my consternation, my college buddies donned their new Kurta Pajama (a style of men’s clothing, and in this case, formal wear) they purchased in New Delhi and called the event “Arabian Nights Day.” But…it was my fault for bringing them to India with me, so I had to face the consequences of my actions.

All that to say, we were having a splendid time. The sky was clear, the air was fresh when you weren’t smelling camel, and our spirits were high. The camels lurched to their feet and we held on for dear life. Our ride to the village was underway. Pictures were taken, jokes were made, and my new fiancee and I stared into each other's eyes and thought of the marital bliss that awaited us when we returned home to the U.S. Two of my friends decided to have a private conversation using their rusty high school Spanish. One brokenly told the other of my brother’s plan to propose to his girlfriend. The other, to his utter dismay, interpreted him to say my mom wanted him to help break the two of them up. The Hindi language barrier we experienced was apparently not enough so they created their own [As an aside, my friend did not break the two of them up, they did get engaged that night under the desert stars, and they are happily married today]. At the hamlet, we dismounted precariously from the camels, some more gracefully than others. We took seats on charpais (woven beds) and were treated to some hot, fresh chai. A couple peacocks freely roamed between the buildings and the puja (Hindu worship ceremony) at the local shrine could be heard in the background.

The sun was beginning to set on our fabulous “Arabian Nights Day” so we rode our camels a distance from the hamlet to a large dune. We hopped down, and then someone suggested we race to the top. Breathless from our pointless sprint to summit we watched the sun begin its descent over Pakistan.

And that is when the mood turned serious.

Have you ever had a moment that felt transcendent? Everything faded to the background. Caught up in the beauty of the moment we were all hushed. I can’t remember if it was planned or spontaneous but someone began to sing You’re Beautiful by Phil Wickham. Worship felt like the only adequate response to the experience. The beauty of the desert, the beauty of the camel, the setting sun, the love of family, the beauty of the love between friends, and the beauty of how God had brought us all to this moment together through our different life stories. Jesus is beautiful, the desert was His and we were in awe.

That sun setting over Pakistan serves as a milestone in my life. My time in South Asia had come to an end and I was marrying into a new family in Pennsylvania. The sun was setting on my life in Pakistan and India and it was precious and painful, but beautiful and exciting and unforgettable. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). He had decided my time in India was over but He had gifted me my new bride, another family and a group of friends that love me and that I never deserved. I’m glad we sang those songs in the desert. I’m glad we marked that holy moment with worship to the creator of all good things.

If you are losing something precious in your life I know the pain can be immense and it can be confusing. But shall not the judge of all the earth do right? (Gen 18:25) If there is anyone to trust in the pain or anyone to trust with the unknown it is Him. That is what I have learned. The sun may be setting, and weeping may last for the night but remember, joy comes in the morning! (Psalm 30:5).

Peace. And until next time, happy travels!

Seth

P.S. If you appreciate or enjoy the work I am doing at Marvelous India, feel free to say thank you by buying me a cup of chai!

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