Wedding Fun

The invitation was hand delivered looking ever so beautiful. Printed in lovely font, the time... 3:00pm. Yay! Our first wedding invitation! We'd be sure to be all dolled up and ready on time!

Wrong! Thankfully, we were warned by the brother of the groom NOT to arrive on time but to be there by 3:30. After some family pics, we were now running even later and feeling HORRIBLE. 

Senseless. We arrived at 3:45--- the same time as the groom and his family! Shwew, not late at all. We all take our seats, and wait, and wait, and wait. 

Finally, at 5:00 the bride arrives, enters the church, and the wedding begins! Lesson learned... Indian time! ;)

BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

Today, Wednesday, January 30, 2013 will go down in history as the best day of my life. I'll attempt to recount the events of tonight to the best of my ability.

Tonight, after singing the girls' bedtime songs to them, I asked them to say their bedtime prayers together after I left. Needless to say, I stood outside the door and eavesdropped like any nosy Mom would do! ;)

The conversation went something like this:
Kiley- "I'll pray... Dear Jesus, thank you for this wonderful day today. I pray that tomorrow will be a wonderful day too..."
(I can't remember it all, but the ending is the best part anyway)
"and I pray that Kamden would accept you as her Savior. Amen."

Kamden- "Kiley, what did you pray about me?"

Kiley- "I prayed that you would accept Jesus as your Savior. Now Kamden, (speaking very sternly) TELL ME THE TRUTH... Do. Not. Lie. To. Me! Have you asked Jesus into your heart? Tell the truth!"

Kamden- "Yes."

Kiley- "Kamden, are you telling the truth? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?"

Kamden- "No. But I don't want to get baptized. It will hurt my nose and I'll get water all in it."

Kiley- " You don't have to get baptized if you don't want to... You just have to accept Jesus and decide to follow Him. Getting baptized won't save you. Do you want to do that?"

Kamden- "I don't know how."

Kiley- "Well. Maybe in the morning when Mommy is doing your book with you (we do little devotions every morning) she can pray with you about it and tell you how."

Kamden- "How do you do it?"

Kiley- "You just have to pray and ask him..."

Kamden- "I pray."

Kiley- "Not just any prayer. Kind of like this... (She proceeds to pray one of the most theologically accurate sample salvation prayers I've heard-- asking forgiveness for sins, help me to do right, I want to follow you. I want to go to Heaven, etc.)

Kiley- "Do you want to do that?"

Kamden- "yes"

Kiley- "Ok. Go ahead. But, DON'T just copy me."

Kamden then proceeds to pray to accept Jesus into her sweet little heart the best way she knew how, being led to the foot of the cross by her, mature beyond her years, big sister.

After Kamden prayed, Kiley explained much better than I could what this meant in her life. She told her, "Now, Kamden, when you're tempted by the devil to go and play with that purple ball when Mommy is reading the Bible story, you'll think, 'I shouldn't do this' and you'll want to obey now."

By this point I'm bursting at the seams, but wanted the girls to be the ones to tell us what had happened... not fabricate anything in their little minds for them, I walked away and started telling Jason all that I had overheard. Hoping and praying they would not wait until morning to share the big news with us. Within minutes, two little sweethearts walked out hand in hand and Kamden, with a huge grin on her face says, "Mommy! I did it! I accepted Jesus!"

We kept our composure the best we could while hugging and smiling and Jason took a few moments to chat with her about her level of understanding of the step she had just taken in her journey of faith.

Meanwhile, I chatted with Kiley who was bursting with excitement for her little sister (who the two of us had been praying for very recently).

-Little sidenote: Kiley's salvation story has been one that we have had to watch unfold over the years. For some time now, (about 2 years), she has been adamant about the fact that she prayed to receive Christ on her bedroom floor one night by herself. As a parent, it was difficult to not have been there to experience this for myself or really for anyone to have actually "lead" her to Christ. (Oh, me of little faith). So we have had numerous discussions regarding her faith and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I'd say her passion for leading her little sister to Christ tonight was enough to remind this mama that "you will know them by their fruit."

Anyway, Kiley & I chatted about how she was now not only Kamden's big sister, but her big sister in Christ. And how she was the best person to disciple her being that she was young and understood her much better. (For those of you who know Kamden, she's quite the interesting one to try to understand ;)

So this led Kiley to decide to expand her little "Prayer time" spot she had made under her bed to include a spot for Kamden so that she could help her do her devotions there.

I could go on and on because there's so many neat little things that happened and there's so much joy overflowing in my heart! Tonight this verse rings true...

"I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 Jn. 1:4

And, now, will you pray with me that this will truly be the beginning of her walk with Christ as she continues to grow and understand all that Christ has done for her and in God's own timing and in their own ways, they would express the desire to follow Jesus in believers' baptism. And, with that, folks, I give you the story of our first 'decision for Christ'. I have dreamed of sharing this news since we knew we were leaving the States. Never did I dream it would be my own child!!!!

I Told You So

Today was a great day. Really. It was. But it definitely had its moments. You know... Those moments. They were small and really laughable and neat. Not like cry buckets type of moments. But, I've decided, I think it's my new ministry. To have 'moments' so that I can have a new blog post for you to read. So, I'll take one for the team! ;)

At one point today, I got a little down on myself thinking "What if I'm doing a horrible job making friends, and being a good neighbor, and doing all the right things. I mean, I'd never know because I can't understand them when they talk about me!" So I decided I would make chai and an American sweet for my landlady and take it to her. Well, of course, this consisted of being certain I was dressed appropriately. So I ventured off to get dressed. And I had one of those moments... I decided I hate the clothes here. Hate is a strong word but you understand, I was having one of those moments! So I pouted for a bit, made the dessert, and started the chai, and guess who shows up... My landlady! She ended up coming up here for a favor and I was able to surprise her with tea and snacks. And, believe it or not she loved the American sweet!!!! Which hasn't happened yet for her! And we had a really great time chatting and laughing about weddings and relatives and such! That was a cool thing from God.

Then, as her daughter joined us and everyone was hanging out in our home, I peeked in on the kids, and there sat the land lady's daughter, drawing a picture of a cross and asking me how to spell JESUS!!!! I was thrilled! I proceeded to tell her "Jesus loves you" and "Jesus loves Jasmine" and she proceeded to write "Jesus loves jasmine" Now THAT is a cool "I told you so" from God: "These silly little things you get all worked up over. I've got this!"

So that's the most amazing part! But yet another moment occurred. I was full of myself today, I'm tellin' ya! ;)

So, Jason brought home a special type of food today which meant I had to figure out a tasty way to prepare it. So, long story short, I deemed it a DISASTER. I was grumbling and complaining about how I'd been in the kitchen for an hour and a half and come out with nothing of any value. I set the food before everyone and when Kamden saw the meal, she said "I've been wishing for this since we left America!" I almost laughed out loud.... Until she scarfed down three full plates!!!! The girls couldn't stop eating it and were thrilled, calling me the best cook ever and such! Then, I really had to laugh out loud because Jason was already laughing and I knew God had to be! So I just sat there and decided to be the object lesson for the day telling the girls how I had been worried about the meal turning out at all and that God came through and made it "the best meal ever"! They, of course then started singing their latest Bible verse to/AT me "So do not worry saying 'what shall we EAT' or 'what shall we drink' or 'what shall we wear' for the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them..."

I get it. ;)

Not a Cookie Cutter Christian

Written 1/10/2013

It's been a long time since I've posted. So much has happened. So much that I can't wrap my mind around the many emotions I've felt over this holiday season. That's part of the reason I haven't posted. Because each time I try, I can't put into words the feelings I've had, the things I've seen and experienced, and the lessons I've learned.

But today, aside from all of that, I have decided to write a post, inspired in part by the latest sermon I listened to via the web. I was reminded that we, as Christians, are so accustomed to putting on a cookie cutter image of what a Christian should look like and not allowing anyone to see our weaknesses. So true.

And so, today, I won't be writing about the Christmas blues or the strange way we celebrated our Savior's birth. Instead I'll post straight from my heart. My unclean, filthy heart.

My girls are memorizing some great verses through song (the Seeds series, it's fantastic). One song in particular stands out as I share my heart:

"Store up for yourself treasures in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:20-21

Now, I can read this verse and think to myself that I'm doing a pretty good job at following it completely. At least, I'm trying my best. But, today as I sat around a board game with my girls just doing my best to make them both happy, it becomes clear to me that much of my treasure is hidden in those two beautiful girls. I find myself saying too often "everything I do is for you" and then I realize that is not what God intended. He created me to serve Him. And he reminds me that I can not serve two masters. And so when I find myself focusing my time and attention on pleasing the people in my life, I realize I have made them a little higher than God. Sure, my intentions are good. My number one desire is for my girls to grow into godly women, but by focusing my full attention on them, I am not producing the same results as if I were to Focus on the Father.

Another verse that they recently memorized comes to mind now...

"... But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL..." Matthew 6:31-34

When I hear this verse being quoted from their sweet little mouths and I try to accurately depict what it means, it becomes clear that if I pursue God's kingdom and His righteousness first then along with that will come the things I worry so much about and try to control. But in pursuing them instead, I will lose out entirely. That goes for my relationship with my girls, their relationship with God and with each other and the world as well. ALL these things will be given to me IF I seek HIM first instead of them!

I love those precious girls and the amazing people they are becoming, but I was definitely knocked off my horse when I was faced with the realization that in doing so much of what I do for them, I in reality am doing it for the wrong person. It's when I step back and readjust my lens to focus on my relationship with the Father that everything else in life seems to become a whole lot clearer also!

Kiley's View

Kiley wrote this book for her Daddy as a "Christmas" gift. Since I've been so overwhelmed with too many different emotions, feelings, and thoughts to narrow anything down to a blog post, I'll share hers. She gave me permission, btw!

Today's Christmas Insight from The Lord

One of the questions we get asked A LOT is "Where are you from?" We smile, say America, and wait for the response we know is coming. They look a little shocked, then they ask what we are doing here. They are simply amazed that we are here to begin with, but when we go deeper and tell them we LIVE here, their chin literally hits the floor! They just can't believe it. They don't understand why in the world we would leave America and all it's glitz and glam for a place like this one. I want so badly to shout to them, "We came for you!!!"

This happens daily, but today, in an OVERLY crowded bus, and I do mean OVERLY CROWDED, this image came to me...

The God of heaven left His throne to come to us!!! I left America, which is full of its own set of problems. He left perfection. The people here are amazed that we've come. That we chose this way of life. But we need to be amazed that HE came. That HE chose this way of life. If they're that much in awe that we came, how would they feel if they knew that the God of the universe loved us enough to come to earth?

As I sat on that bus next to beautiful women who find it so unbelievable that we could see anything worth our time in these filthy, dusty streets, the image came to my mind of our Savior who chose to walk the filthy, dusty streets of this evil world. We're accepted, even elevated for coming. He was scorned and rejected for coming. We came not because of our own love for these people but because of HIS love for them. And He came because His love was beyond measure. Imagine how He must have felt, as He walked among His own and His own received Him not. Did He feel like shouting, "I came for you!!!"

I want to emphasize that what we have done is nothing special. We left one piece of the world to go to another. He left paradise, perfection, Heaven, knowing what His future held, and yet He came.

HE CAME FOR US!!!!

...And so, today, sitting in an OVERLY crowded bus, and I do mean OVERLY CROWDED, the true meaning of Christmas came alive for me!

Be in AWE! HE CAME FOR US!!!!

Are there people walking along your daily path that need to know that He came for them? Let's shout it out this Christmas, HE CAME FOR US!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

CASTING CROWNS LYRICS
"While You Were Sleeping"

Oh little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you're lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

Oh little town of Jerusalem
Looks like another silent night
The Father gave His only Son
The Way, the Truth, the Life had come
But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save

Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today
Jerusalem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping

United States of America
Looks like another silent night

The Shopkeeper

Last weekend I had the privilege of going shopping for jewelry for our business here. It may sound glamorous but it's pretty tough work. Remember, we're not in Kansas anymore! ;) But I really had a great time laughing and browsing with my team leader/ mentor. We had quite the experience throughout the trip and really enjoyed ourselves!

The icing on the cake, though, was during our last stop. All we had left to do was to pay the shopkeeper and be on our way. Well, this particular guy spoke better English than he did Hindi. He was kind enough to help explain the business process a little better to us "small business" folk and we then ended up on the topic of "Why in the world are you are?" This question comes up often since people here think it absurd that we would CHOOSE to live life here! Especially when we tell them the city we live in! Well, my friend was able to share that she was a follower of Jesus and so he looked at me and asked if I too followed this Jesus! When I said yes, he called for his helper because he had a free gift he wanted us to have. I'm sure you can guess what it was. We knew immediately it was some type of a 'cross' jewelry but, do you know that he had to draw it for his helper to know what he was talking about! How many people do you know who wear this object around their neck flippantly while people on the other side of the world don't even know what it is!

Needless to say, this "free gift" opened the door wide for us to talk about a different free gift! And, would you know that in a land of so many Hindi speakers, The Lord allowed me to be able to share the Gospel with this man in detail!!!

I asked him if he knew why that symbol was so significant to us and he said he did not. So I explained why it is so special. The Holy Spirit gave me the words to say and I was bursting with excitement to be able to share. The best part was that he was very interested.

He, of course, combated me with "I believe every way is ok" to which I replied "Jesus said 'I am THE Way, THE truth, and THE life!" So, if He claims to be the only way, then someone has to be wrong. He also said that we all serve a "guru" who is dead! This got me so excited because I was able to point to the cross necklace and ask if he knew what happened three days later! Sadly, after saying that his guru was dead, he then said "oh! But our guru vanished as well." So much contradictory in these false religions. But the Holy Spirit gave me such a zeal and I was able to reply with "My God's not dead! He's alive!"

It was awesome having the opportunity to share and actually be completely understood for a change. And I was excited that the man could sense my excitement for my faith.

My friend was able to leave him with a tract and our husbands' numbers and we were on our way. My friend told me that he has been shared with multiple times before but has never been this open. Praise God! His timing is perfect and His Word never returns void!!

The feeling I had after leaving that place was amazing. I was on such a high after being able to talk about my Savior to someone who doesn't know Him! It made me think, "how many times did I take for granted to opportunity to share with anyone and everyone I meet in a land where we all speak the same language?!"

I was encouraged and motivated to learn more to be able to share more with the people who are all around me.

Please pray for this shopkeeper that he will be overtaken with a curiosity and a conviction to want to know more!

The Me I Never Knew

Things I find interesting about myself. It's hard to know what things are actually going to affect you when you've never moved overseas before. I have nothing to compare it to so a few things came as a surprise to me.

First, I've been really surprised by my desire to cook. And to bake. And to just be in the kitchen. Most of you know I took advantage of the world of ease in America and let plenty of meals go by without cooking. I also spent a lot of time complaining about the responsibility of cooking. Now, I look back and think how ridiculous. I have been given the awesome privilege of providing for my family in this one simple way and I'm loving it. Thank you, God for this new found joy.

The next thing that caught me off guard is how much I enjoy talking about the luxuries of "home". I've always teased people overseas who torture themselves with thinking of, dreaming of, talking about the foods they love from home. Why torture yourself? But, funny enough, some of my favorite conversations today have been talking about what types of places we loved to eat, desserts we love, and of course going on and on about Chick-Fil-A.

* A little side note. Today, Kiley randomly says "I wish we had a Chick-Fil-A here. We just happened to be having chicken strips for dinner (made with a CFA recipe I have), so I told her, "Girl, who needs Chick-Fil-A when you have CFA... "Chicken From Angel"! She appreciated that bit of humor. ;)

Anyway, so I never expected I would enjoy talking about things I can't have but it kind of brings a warmth to reminisce especially about all the memories with the people we enjoyed those restaurants and foods with.

Third, I don't miss the TV one bit! Not an ounce. Not to say we'll never get one again, but it doesn't even cross our minds. The girls either. We haven't had a single craving for it. Technology helps, because we watch the occasional movie on the laptop, but it's rare and you'd probably laugh at what we watch. ;) A wise friend once told me TV is a thief. It steals precious time. And I believe that's true. We have way too many other memories to be making right now.

And, today, I came to terms with the fact that items from home are treasured. I'm not really that sentimental of a person. But, today I found myself almost in tears over the fact that one towel bled onto one from home. That was a gift from a dear friend. Normally, that wouldn't be a huge deal I thought, but it was a treasured gift from someone I loved and now it was tainted. It made me much sadder than I expected.

I'm also a little surprised at how much I miss my WV family. I mean, duh, I knew I'd miss them. But it's not like I lived next door to them before. We were more than three hours away. But, let me tell you, distance makes the heart grow fonder, for sure. I find myself daydreaming about going hunting with my dad (something I never really got into growing up... Oh the memories I missed out on), teasing my sister and making her LOL, cracking up at my brother because he's such a nut, and hugging on my mom, something else I took for granted. Not to mention my brother & sister-in-laws, who I just wish I could spend more time getting to know better and just live life with them. And that sweet baby, Aaleyah! ... THANK GOD FOR TECHNOLOGY because I can still call my mommy anytime I need random advice on something, I can listen to my dad's hunting stories and find myself listening much more intently than ever before. I can call my brother when I need a good laugh or someone who will simply listen when I'm down, and I can call my sister at the wee hours of her morning because I know she'll be awake and I know I'll make her day, which makes mine.

I also never expected I'd feel at home so fast. I thought I would have to endure for quite some time. Just get by. Remember why you're here. You can do this. But, God gave me the desires of my heart, which I far from deserve. A place to call home. My home away from home.

There's so much I'm learning about myself. But so much I still have to learn. I'm blown away by God's goodness to me. And I'm amazed by how He's taking the time to invest into me, convict me, change me. I'm on this amazing journey and He has lead me all the way. He's changing me day after day. And, for that, I am incredibly thankful.

Side Notes on our House Video

After the video posted and sent, I thought of about a million random things I forgot to mention.

So, here's a list of what comes to my mind right now:

1. First, our home is a new build. So since its never been lived in before, it's appearance is in great condition. Funny thing is, every worker that comes through to fix one thing seems to break another. ;) Anyway, we're super thankful for a new build! It saves a lot of inconveniences like mold, etc.

2. I forgot to point out all the random lighting. It's like a guessing game everytime you flip a light switch. You never know what you're turning on (or off). Not to mention, the lights are just in random places all over the rooms... On the walls, ceilings, corners, you name it. And of all shapes and sizes. And, don't forget that everything is opposite here, so you flip the switch up for off and down for on.

3. On the back porch, you may have spotted a big box. That's our inverter. Our power goes out randomly day and night. That allows us to keep our fans and most lights. Not our microwave/ oven though so if I'm baking something and the power goes out, it has to wait. Thankfully, tho, our stovetop is gas.

4. The shower faucets are entertaining because there's too many to count. It's another guessing game as to what you're turning on or off or up or down!

5. The girls room has a huge window overlooking the front street (and the monkeys that come to visit often on our front porch).

6. Finding furniture for them and bookshelves for all our homeschool materials has proven to be difficult. We are in the process now of trying to find someone to build that stuff for us.

7. The dust is unbelievable! But we are getting used to it. And it gets dusted daily.

8. Ooh! And I forgot to show one of my favorite things about the house! The ceilings are beautiful and we forgot to show you our huge skylight!

That's all the interesting facts I can think of right now. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! :)

We've been blessed beyond measure!

Prayers Answered! Faith Strengthened! Future Brightened!

Last week, after meeting numerous people in the villages, our team of about 30 people came together and spent time "prayer walking" in a circle around specific names of people we had met.

As we walked that circle, I became OVERWHELMED by the thought of all those people who had caught only a glimpse of our Savior and now were left with the possibility of never hearing His name again.

You see, with so many contacts made, each visit has to be rated on the level of interest and whether follow-up is encouraged. After all, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

I spent that prayer time that night begging God that we would have some chance of meeting these people again, the ones who may never have a chance to hear again apart from our mouths. I prayed over and over specifically that somehow we would run into these people from way out in the village when they came into town for a dr visit or an errand of some kind. I'll be honest, in a city of a couple million people, I ended the evening very disheartened. Wondering how we could possibly get the task done.

This takes me to a specific village that I visited on the next to last day. It felt like a day with little "profit". We visited the home of one woman where a large crowd quickly gathered and we told stories to no avail. I even listed THAT woman on my prayer walking sheet the final night. She had broken my heart because she was an elderly woman and when I asked her to tell me about the best day of her life, she simply cried. It broke my heart to think that possibly no one has ever cared enough to ask her that before. Or maybe she couldn't think of a best day. I was burdened for her.

There was also a young man sitting right next to her who walked with crutches and had one bad eye. He caught my attention because (aside from his injuries) he looked exactly like an Indian version of a friend of ours. It was crazy how much they looked alike!

Well, would you believe that he got on our bus today right here in our town!!!! He lives a good hour out into the village (the one we had to ride a buffalo cart to get into) and he was here in our town on our bus!!!!!!!!! I just about cried!!!!!

Jason actually spotted him too (having never met him) because... He said he looked exactly like that same friend of ours!!!! I told Jason "I met him in a village last week!!!! I can't believe this. I prayed this exact thing would happen!! We have to talk to him." And would you believe... HE UNDERSTOOD SOME ENGLISH!!!!

We were able to give him a tract and pray for him right there!!!!! It was amazing!!!!

My faith was strengthened big time today! SPECIFIC prayers that I prayed answered so beautifully!

Please pray for our new friend, Shahjad, (sounds like 'C- zar'). He asked that we pray for a bright future for him! Ha! Will we ever! Join me in praying that his future will be brighter because of Jesus!!!!

A Memorable Day

By now maybe you've realized I really enjoy blogging for myself just as much as for others to read. It's a quick, easy way for me to keep track of what all is going on in my life.

So, today was a doozie of a day. But in a good way. There was hardly a moment I felt frustrated or down. That's not to say I didn't have those moments but the good far outweighed the difficult.

The day started with a very fast rickshaw ride to language class! Thank goodness!

Language class was a bit overwhelming but I know we can do it. It was just information overload after not enough sleep.

Then, we came home after picking up our friends' kids (all four of them) and bringing them back here for science and gymnastics and lunch. I guess we must have been late getting back because my house helper didn't show up which definitely put a damper on things, but we persevered. I definitely had a few moment of " I can't seem to do anything right" but looking back, that was silly. So, I washed all the dishes we own after doing a really cool edible cell science experiment and Jason was nice enough to take over gymnastics. Then we learned a lo more science which I thought was super fun.

After "school" was over our landlord's little girl came up to play for a little while and she even helped us a little bit with language. So did Kiley which was really fun.

Both Kiley & Kamden played really well together and were in the greatest moods. They ended up coming to help me in the kitchen and actually took quite a load off.

We made a quiche ( my first ever) while daddy ran to the store (twice) to grab candy for our family trick or treat and milk for my quiche. Then we made personal pan pizzas shaped liked jack-o-lanterns which turned out delicious- made from rori!

Finally it was time to dress up and trick or treat around the house. Priceless moments. The girls chose from tech very limited supply of dress-up clothes they have. Kamden was Strawberry Shortcake & Kiley was a "dressed up" puppy. Jason was the hit, tho. He wore quite the attired and called himself a hippy. We laughed and laughed.

We ended the night with Charlie Brown & the Great Pumpkin. It was a great day and lots of fun memories were made.

It didn't keep me from waking up with a touch of sadness after seeing all the pics of home but it sure was a special time.

The other note I'd like to remember from the night was that many people were praying for me as the sounds that we hear through the night and really all day everyday are very unnerving. But last night, it was (almost) silent! Praise The Lord for answered prayers!

You can all pray for the noise some more. Noise is my trigger point and as I type this I sit on a bus listening to constant deafening honking. To the point that I have resorted to holding my ears in public. It's almost roughy me to tears a few times. So please pray for my ears to adjust to the volume. Thanks a ton! :)

*pics will be posted on Facebook.

A Day in the Life

Every morning I awaken to the sounds of another day. Construction, loud Hindi music, horns galore honking constantly, and men calling out from bicycle rickshaws advertising whatever they may be selling.

I dress myself in my kurta, pants, & dupatta, adjusting the dupatta a number of times before finally feeling like its not going to fall off. I pull my hair back into a ponytail attempting a different style each day in an effort to change it up a bit. Each day I feel a little more comfortable in what I'm wearing.

On a good day I'm able to spend some time in God's Word, and sometimes begin fixing some chai for the family and maybe some cinnamon-sugar roti with some type of fruit so that we can gather around our new table and grab a quick bite to eat.

I get the girls ready for whatever happens to be on the agenda that day and we head out. Immediately upon stepping outside, I see the dust flying through the air as it was awoken from the streets very early in the morning by the business that takes place each day. Bicycle rickshaws are already busy and people are traveling to and fro by foot, bike, scooter, car, rickshaw, and the occasional buffalo cart. We say good morning to our landlord and then to our neighbors, MooMoo & MaMa (a calf and mama cow).

We begin walking down the dusty street, our feet already beginning to show the grime that we will encounter that day. We stop a bicycle rickshaw and give him the name of a destination. The girls hop on first, facing backward where they are able to enjoy the sights behind us. I step up, sometimes remembering to gather my dupatta so it will not get caught in the wheel. More times than not, I forget.

Among my first thoughts are always, "I can't believe I'm really living this out!" And "I wish so & so could experience this!" The girls are a constant chatter, naming animals as we pass them and waving hello to each one. I smile and thank God for the amazing experiences they are having. Then, I snap back to reality and remember I have to tell this driver how to get where I need to go! I often let him pass my turn before I remember to tap his shoulder and point left or right.

Riding down the busy street on a rickshaw means ALL eyes are on you. People literally stop and gaze at the American and often nudge their friends to get a glimpse. Most welcome with smiles when they can pick their chin up off the ground. I smile and sometimes offer a 'namaste' to the women I pass.

By now, I've probably been told that my dupatta is dragging at least a couple of times and I smile and nod as I gather it back before it gets covered in dust, mostly laughing at myself and thinking that nothing goes unnoticed when you stick out like a sore thumb among millions.

I pass mounds of trash, dirty water, and typically a number of cows, puppies, or pigs grazing through the trash looking for something to eat. If its a longer ride, I pass homes made of tents or sheet metal or whatever is available where people are laying on cots, children are often unclothed, and many are working hard hammering metal and welding it into shape hoping to sell a good today in an effort to feed their family. Young children can be seen frying roti over an open flame and we dodge toddlers who are running much too close to the busy street. Intermixed are food carts, vegetables for sale, shrines, and laundry being hung to dry. I may even spot someone relieving himself wherever he chooses along the busy highway.

By now, I've attempted to tune out the sounds of I don't know how many deafening blaring horns. The larger the vehicle the louder the horn. The sound threatens to unnerve me but with each passing day I think I'm growing more accustomed to the constant noise. There's never a dull moment and we come much too close to accidents more times than I can count. I hold my girls close, silently thanking God that they know their birthdays and their age (many people here do not) and yet get the amazing opportunity to experience more than a DVD player in the car on a safe road in America.

If we happen to be visiting in homes, we arrive at our destination and pay the rickshaw driver his wage then begin walking down brick-laden streets weaving in and out of concrete slabs for homes. We do the spin move multiple times as I hold the girls' hands on my left or my right depending on which side of me the traffic is on. Once again, we stop traffic with our fair skin, eyes constantly gazing on us. A few prayers have already been lifted for the people of this particular community and we are quickly invited into a home for chai. Before we can be seated a large crowd has gathered, everyone just staring as I begin to speak. "Apca nam quia hai?" "Mira nam Angel hai." "Ap quesa hai?" "Mai tik hoo". By this point I've exhausted the majority of the language I know. With an interpreter I'm able to share with the people hoping for some type of a response. We leave after being begged to stay for a meal and being invited to please come again.

The girls and I head back home chattering about the best parts of our day and theirs usually include the numerous animals we've spotted. As I hop back on a rickshaw for my ride back home I realize that my positive outlook (given to me only by God's grace) may have caused me to make living here almost seem glamorous and I'm reminded by the sights, sounds and smells assaulting me and often taking my breath away, that it is the farthest thing from glamorous. And then, I'm thankful that I enjoy adventure and love a good challenge and wishing I could adequately portray this place in pictures and with words.

We arrive home, scurry up to our first floor (meaning second floor) flat and the girls remind me not to look into the eyes of the monkeys that are sitting on our porch as if they are our very own Welcome Home committee.

At some point everyday something reminds me of home and I remember that this is long term. That always spurs a mix of emotions and I would be foolish to say that I don't get homesick every day. But at the same time, I am reminded that I was made for this and that I have been blessed with the most amazing support system and I quickly jump back into the joy of what's happening here.

I spend the rest of the day washing dishes, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, or reading with/playing with the girls and then at the end of the night begin to wind down in order to do it all again tomorrow. But instead of the same ol' same ol', it's always a brand new adventure awaiting us!

Modes of Transportation

Just a quick rundown of one trip to the village:

Hop in a vehicle (designed to hold 7 people) with a total of 16 people. Ride about 15 minutes to a bus stop. Ride the bus for about 15 minutes. Hop off and walk about 1/4 mile. Ask around about transportation. Too expensive. Stop a passing buffalo cart. Hop on. Ride about 10 minutes to a "tempo" stop (an open auto rickshaw/SUV style vehicle). Sit for almost an hour waiting for the vehicle to fill up. Should hold about 11 people not so comfortably, ended up holding 22! Ride into the village. Walk around for a bit. Then ride back out of town on another crowded tempo, walk some more, ride another crowded tempo, walk to the bus stop, ride to our neighborhood, hop on a cycle rickshaw, and finally arrive at home!

First Day of Organized Ministry

Oct. 22, 2012

Already we've had many opportunities to speak the name of Jesus, but today was our first day to actually go out into the communities and find ways into people's homes with the end goal being to share the Gospel with them!

Kiley & I went out with a translator and had a wonderful day! First, we survived our first rickshaw accident! Our rickshaw was hit by another rickshaw in the front tire. We were unharmed and were approaching our destination so we just hopped out and went on. I felt bad when I looked back and saw that his tire was bent and that probably meant the loss of income for him.

We went into some alleyways where we were quickly invited into homes and soon were being begged to "please come to my home"! We were fed snacks, water, cookies, soda and chai galore!

I was surprised at how quickly and easily I was able to present my testimony or a story from God's Word or even share the gospel story. The people listened intently and seeds were sown!

One woman in particular has been suffering of a fever for over a month. I was able to pray for her healing and then she allowed me to tell the story of the bleeding woman. Please pray for her healing so that she will recognize the power of Jesus. She was elderly and this was the first that she had heard of him!!! She truly had never heard the name of Jesus! Later, she came to another home where we were to sit with us some more!

The final home we visited was full of sisters in their 20s who begged us to visit. They had two dogs ( which Kiley was dying to pet) so we went into their home. They fed us yet again and were very proud to show us their home. They were especially proud to show us their worship room where they kept their shrines. They are very deep into Hinduism and say that it brings them peace. I was able to share a lot about my faith with them and they concluded that they believed all that I said was true but they believed you can believe in whatever way you wish. It broke my heart that even when presented with the truth that Jesus is the only way, they did not choose to place their trust in Christ. It was a great visit and I believe good seeds were planted. We received a formal invitation to their wedding so hopefully we will have a chance to visit with them again.

It was a great day of ministry and I believe the Holy Spirit gave much boldness and great open doors! I was amazed at how easy it felt to turn conversations spiritual. I left this morning nervous that I wasn't prepared but, as always, God came through!

Below are some pictures of people you can pray for that I met today.

Lessons from a Press Wala

From the girls' window you can watch the "press wala" working all day long. He opens his shop early in the morning and stands in front and irons clothes without fail. Needless to say, I'm quite thankful for him! ;)

At one point I looked out the window and saw him standing in the same place he'd been all day and I wondered, "Does he even dream there is more to life?" What is his purpose in life but to stand in front of his shop ironing clothes for other people to earn a mere 2 rupees per item just to come back and do it all again tomorrow.

I'm broken hearted for the people who do their jobs well, only hoping that if they are faithful in this life that somehow they will receive a greater one the next time around. What will this young guy's hard work get him aside from an eternity apart from God if he never hears and accepts the Good News.

So many lost people. Some searching. Others content. But all lost.