a great first week

So, returning to India has been a whirlwind. I landed in Delhi at 10:30pm Sunday the 19th (the flight to India is about 14 hrs btw), only to wake up on Monday to catch a 9:00am flight to Pune. THEN a 4-6 hour cab ride down south to Ashraya Mission. At least the cab had air conditioning. Needless to say I've been a bit tired, but things are going well. Since being here at Ashraya Mission (it's only been 4 days?!) we have managed to cram what seems like endless activities into our daily schedules.  I wake up at about 5:30am to shower then Katie Beth and I do yoga on the roof to get energized for our day. Next we have team devo, breakfast, then Hindi lessons.

From 11:00-1:00 KB and I have been tutoring our friend Gita. We teach her basic English and Math skills. SHe's never had any formal education, but she is so smart and eager to learn, and she learns.. FAST. This could very well be my favorite part of the day.

After Gita leaves it's time for lunch. We use the afternoons for study hall, free time and ministry. The boys have been great- they go out and hang out with new friends in the neighborhood.

The team has been asked to teach at the school for a month. We call our class, "A Century Through Song". Today KB taught the kids about modern-day slavery and how it affects the world. The kids were astonished at the statistic that the USA has 14,000 slaves, little did they know- India has even MORE trafficked slaves.

The kids love to learn, they are so interested in the topic of slavery. They ask questions and want to learn more. Doesn't this scene looking so different from American classrooms, the students' attentiveness in India never fails to amaze me.

Today for evening ministry, KB and I met our new friend Tanzilla at the park.  She did henna on our hands.

The rest of our evenings are spent hosting visitors in the office of Ashraya Mission, cooking dinner then eating and cleaning up. At night we watch an episode of Arrested Development (well, I fall asleep during this) then we all crash into bed.

It has been so great being back in India. It wasn't surreal at all getting here, it was just a relief to be back. Southern India is so different from Delhi, it's a bit wilder. There's a mountain in our backyard. While we were at the park today a herd of goats were lead through by their shepard, and strangely enough it wasn't strange. The electricity goes out for 2 hour increments twice a day. We have to  sanitize (boil) every dish after we wash it. It's all a part of being back in India and I have loved every second of it.

Until next time, Namaste!

beautiful people

Beautiful people don't just happen. Much like a diamond that goes through hundreds of years of extreme pressure to become the pristine gem, beautiful people are sculpted by their life's trials and struggles.

This quote makes me think of the house parents at Asha Mission Children's Home. Mr and Mrs Sharma devote their lives to taking care of the 30+ children that live in the home. It's because of these house parents that Asha Mission feels like a home, not just a house with four walls. They are completely selfless, the daily routine in the home is that of getting nearly 3 dozen children ready for school- bathed, fed, teeth brushed, clothed, backpacks packed, lunches made... and once they are home from school- snack time, homework time, play time, prayer time, then it's time to get ready for bed so it can all happen again the next day. They have 2 biological children of their own that also live in the home, but it's awesome to see that they treat every single child as their own, no distinguishes made between them.

Here's Mr Sharma holding his biological son, Jerry. Being goofy at Christmas time 2011 with a pair of pipe-cleaner spectacles. Photo cred- Caroline Morris.

pre-trip thoughts.

Saturday August 18th is the day I head back to India (KB, Eliza, Drew, and Tom leave for India on July 25th). I am filled with a jumbled mix of thoughts and emotions as I gear up to leave... INDIA. 90 days (12 weeks, 6 days). 90 days dealing with the backwardness and crooked standards of The World's Largest "Democracy". 90 times bathing out of a bucket. 90 times going to bed with no air conditioning. 180 times squatting over a hole in the ground. 270 meals eaten with my hands- wait.. I actually love eating with my hands.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." -James 1:2-3

INDIA. 90 sunrises and 90 sunsets that are sure to inspire the sweetest lyrics and verses to blossom in my heart. 90 mornings to wake up and seize the day. 90 mornings to sip chai tea while planning upcoming activities and outings. 90 afternoons to use wisely, not idly. 90 evenings spent eating delicious dinners while swapping funny stories with our dear Indian friends. 90 evenings to reflect on the day and realize I've experienced something new God has done for me, my family, my friends. 90 nights staying up late talking about God and how present He is in our lives, and how tangible He feels in India.

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." -Ephesians 4:2

INDIA. Countless opportunities to open my eyes and SEE. Countless opportunities to open my ears and HEAR. Countless opportunities to open my heart and FEEL. Countless opportunities to open my lungs and SING. Countless opportunities to open my arms and EMBRACE. Countless opportunities to open my mind and EXPERIENCE. Countless opportunities to show people love. Countless opportunities to show people patience. Countless opportunities to show people kindness. Countless opportunities to stop being selfish and be more SELFLESS. Countless opportunities to find humor in everyday stressful situations (trust me.. this happens often in India). Countless opportunities to dive into God's words that seem to SHOUT and JUMP off the page while reading them in India. Countless opportunities to realize the nations don't need ME, they need GOD and His redemptive grace. Countless opportunities to pray, thanking God for everything He blesses us with daily DAILY. Countless opportunities to smack myself in the forehead, when I see something else awesome God has done. Countless blessings He bestows on us DAILY. Countless opportunities to exchange a simple smile with a stranger. Countless opportunities to remember how lucky I am to have a support system with me in India, and at home.

The previous list is just a glimpse into the many blessings my team and I will receive during our stint. Heading back to India (and spending how many days there again? yes, 90) brings such a flood of JOY into my heart.

SO many things are left for me to learn. I can't wait to jump back into the rhythms of India and drink it all in.  I agree with Bono when he says (basically anything, but this particularly) "The more you see the less you know". No matter how much you see, experience, or live through, one things remains constant. Jesus. and nothing is worth pursuing unless it glorifies Him.

"I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life." -Jesus (John14:6)