Southern India

For those who live on less than $2 a day, this is what a morning commute looks like.

The Indian education system produces millions of engineers, scientists, and mathematicians every year.

Her eyes are clouded, her tattoo faded, and her hair turned grey long ago. To the world, these signs of aging are to be feared; to this Believer in India, they make a crown of splendor.

She sweeps the floor of her family’s compound, a bottle of buffalo milk at her feet. The surroundings may look different, but the daily rhythms of life in Southeast India are not as unfamiliar as we might think.

This man’s biggest struggle is not finding a job or buying a house; it’s finding a wife. Due to historic female infanticide, eligible women his age are few.

In rural Indian villages, girls are expected to marry young and raise children. This gal may never step foot in a school.

Her face bears witness to a battering: not uncommon among Christian women in India whose husbands do not share their faith.

The third largest religion in India, Christianity, is under increasing attack. Believers know the tension is high, they live in it everyday.

In this Indian church, men and women gather in a shared space but stay segregated by sex.

She is revered in her family for her wisdom and experience.

Near the entrance of many public places, beggars wait in reliance on others for their needs.

In India, pierced ears and a bhindi on the forehead are signs of femininity; because of this norm, most girls get their ears pierced when they are still babies.

India's population exceeds 1.3 Billion people and remarkable diversity.

Each morning this woman prepares a large batch of rice to feed her family throughout the day. Rice is the staple for nearly every meal. Indians consume about 100 metric tons each year.

Colorful designs of rice flour are thought to bring prosperity to homes and ward off evil. They are created daily at millions of homes in Andhra Pradesh.

Some Indian men wear a tile, a red dot on their forehead, to show honor and respect to the seat of their intellect.

No electricity? No problem. This woman uses a coal powered clothes iron to press shirts.

7000 Indian believers gathered to worship Jesus; historically, gatherings like this would have been little cause for tension, but that is changing. Pray for the Church in India, that no matter the opposition, they would be a light that is not snuffed out.

Unprocessed rice is a welcome snack. Some hunt for rare 'white' grains which are believed to be more pure.

Painting your body with henna, or mendhi, used to be a practical way to cool your body down in the hotter climates of South Asia; now, it’s a fashion statement worn by soon-to-be brides, curious tourists, and even this child as she takes a break from playing to have her picture taken.

One of many pairs of mischievous eyes that Jesus loves – one of many children he died to save. Will he ever hear?