the stories unfold.

This week has been incredibly busy but ten times as good as last week! Weve been working with the street kids in the mornings and at the university in the afternoons. AND every free moment I get (when we dont have team time, etc) I go find the kids in the community centre where they 'work' and play with them and sing with them. I absolutely love these kids with everything in me! I want to do something more.. something long term for them. But I know that the best way is to pour into them NOW and to the organizations and people that are staying. Its going to be hard to say goodbye. This week carolyn and I have been spending our mornings in a sort of daycare for the kids. Between 8 to 12 kids go usually and shower, get clean and put on fresh clothes and comb their hair etc. and get chaitea and lunch and have times of prayer worship and teachings. Its a time where they learn discipline and structure. Its really good for them, and I can see the change in these kids compared to the ones who dont go. It is just the one full time worker, and he has been there for 8 years. There are so many challenges. We are planning on interviewing many of the different people we work with and their stories. So weve been cleaning the kids and trying to kill lice from their hair - which is nearly an impossible feat. Ive never seen so much lice before. Its unreal. and dancing and singing with the kids. They LOVE to dance! and then we rush over the the university to talk for a couple hours. The university has been going well this week too. Weve been learning lots and teaching some.. and really just having good conversations! Yesterday carolyn and I skipped uni and went with a medical team to where the kids live with many families. Its called the flyover.. and its literally loads of families living under and overpass on either side of train tracks. Its loud. its open. its dirty and its crowded. It was alot worse than the slums we went to. The smell wasnt so bad because it was so open, but WE smelled so much worse when we got back. I spent three hours there playing with (getting swarmed by) kids and I got more dirty in those three hours then I think I might have ever been. And that is where these kids LIVE. Its home. They are literally sleeping in dirt. Now I understand how the ones that we wash daily come back looking the same the next day. And the lice.. Im sure thats not the only parasite or insect that they deal with either, but it was the most evident to me. Lice bigger than ants, and kids hair so think with eggs that I couldnt comb through.. It was cute.. I was combing and braiding hair and there was an instant that a lice jumped into my hair without me noticing but one of the many moms standing watching saw and grabbed it out straightaway. They were looking out for me! Many people approached me with different problems too assuming I was there with the doctors to help.. I have never wanted to be able to speak another language so badly! The kids all had a riot mimicking all my faces that I make, and my laugh etc. And they played a game with us that we called pass the baby.. where people would hand us random babies and see how long it would take for them to cry! It was a surreal expereince the whole thing! But like I said, the kids that are going to the different programs are noticeably different from all these new ones we met. It neat to see the change.. and know taht they are making a difference! Walking back we ran into a whole family that we know out begging and we stopped and played for a bit. Then the kids started asking us to pray - so we prayed for their baby sister, and their cousin and auntie and their mother pulled us over to pray for her sick husband. This is a family that I think we all feel a special connection with. They really are good people - even the parents. The mom (of 4) cant be much older than I am. And the father is sick and cant work, or hardly stand. But you can tell that they do love their children. The begging really is their only income. How I want another ending for their stories though.. I dont want them to follow the cycle! I pray for healing and I pray for miracles. The kids are so happy and so trusting - this is why I love to be with them.

Ive got to run off to the University now.. last day. Happy Easter to all. love

rolling slowly

So we have been at the University for a total of 4 days now. And to be honest, it is not as easy for me as the last two weeks were. I feel more drained this week - in every way. One major difference is that here the work is slow.. with kids you get instant reactions and feel the love. I do enjoy what we are doing, and it is interesting learning more about Indian culture. Slowly we are forming relationships too and building trust. Two weeks is hardly time at all to develop friendships though. I would ask for your continued prayers for our group in this time. Today was a blessing, we had good conversation and the whole atmosphere felt lighter and less forced. Pray that it just continues to increase. And that as a group we will remain united and strong. I know that that is a very important part of who we are and what we are showing. For me personally I think I just really need to talk with my family! Ive become even more attached to them I think this year than I ever was at home - which I know my parents love! It is hard sometimes to be away from all that is going on in people's lives I love back home. I also need to spend more intentional time digesting what Im going though and thinking things through more. I need to be re-energized I think. I am looking forward to this weekend - we are having a birthday 'party' for two of the people on our team.. and we are going to a waterpark! I am so excited to just relax and have some fun.... and SWIM! Its been so long! The days are most definately getting hotter here and that might be a large part of what is affecting all of our energy levels. The past two days especially have been brutally hot, and it will only get worse! Its nice when you can go inside with fans or AC but some places dont have annd then its death. ALSO today we just moved in for 4 days with a few of our friends that we were working with in the preschools.. I am really looking forward to spending these next few days with them! They are wonderful girls. Tomorrow we are treating them to a fancy dinner, and the girls might all go get henna done as well! Its fun being able to bless people who are working so hard!

Other than that, I know that personally I am learning and growing.. but it almost seems like the majority of that will come out after I get back to my life. I think, just like I thought, this is all good practice for me. For so many different things. Its been a very practical time for me to try, and to get better at things, and to experience and do. I love getting to get my hands dirty after spending so much time taking in.

And now I go home to rest. Much love and Blessings.

a fresh start

Today we start our work at the university! We are working under the Tourism Department, and will each have about an hour during the week to give a lecture on the tourism, etc in our countries. Other than that, we are sitting in on classes, and hanging out with the students. I look forward to building some relationships! Even just in the markets or on the streets we have already experienced the curiousty that people here have for us Westerners. They want to know everything about us, and what we think of their country. Its very different from Northern Ireland! There we were always asked WHY here? Here, it is more of when are you coming back or do you want to stay! These next two weeks are going to test my knowledge of Canada that is for sure...

This past weekend we kept very busy. Friday we took the day to rest after two lonnng days of sanding and painting. And Saturday we went to a new market, then to the Street Kids Ministry. Yesterday - sunday - we drove out to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. It was magnificant! So beautiful.... and HOT in the sunlight. the white marble reflected all the sun and the heat. We spent the whole day in Agra and got in late last night... now ready.ish for a full week at the university!

time flies. and flies are everywhere.

there are so many stories to share. So many words I want to write! My heart feels like it might burst with love for the people I have met here. I actually think I was in some sort of child-deprived state for the last little while in my life.. I forget how much I LOVE the little ones! I could stay at the preschool for days and days and not grow tired. Hot and sweaty. Yes. But those kids make me so happy. Today was the last day of teaching for some time as we are starting our next thing on monday. The rest of this week we are painting and repairing the two schools and the clinic with some of the money that was raised for this trip. There is one family in specific in this slum that has my heart. They live in a one room house (like everyone else there) with 11 in the family. The oldest boy is 21 and is the main support of the family. He hopes to move to America soon. The father is sick (we dont know if it is a disease that can be digagnosed or if it is spirits). The two youngest kids are in the preschool - Deeplata and Amardeep. Ive been to this family's home four times now I think, each time being served chai tea (it is made with goats milk so I can drink it!) We sit and hear stories and encourage them (the family knows our Father, but they are losing hope) and pray for them. When we go - in shifts - in the afternoons or evenings to the slum we do house visits and the feeding program, which is giving eggs and medicine to a few select malnurished familes.

Its strange actually.. today I noticed while walking over the sewage channels and through the dusty 'streets' of the slum that I actually used to the conditions these people are living in. Not used to it enough mind you to try USING the toilet system there (basically just pull the pants down and choose a corner. seriously.) But it doesnt shock me. I think these people now have names and stories and it has helped me to see the life there instead of getting overwhelmed by the lack of hope and the poverty. My face is known as I walk through the houses, and the children trust me. And even moreso with the ones that have been there for years serving this community. Im actually really sad to leave. But I know that I will enjoy the university as well, and the house visits and night shelter.

Also, every saturday weve been hanging out with the street kids in the area for a few hours.. but we see them every day at the community centre where we eat as well. We are able to play with them and hug them and when they need it, to feed them and bandage their wounds too. They too trust us and feel our love. I am actually disappointed when I leave from lunch without seeing them! Last friday a few of us went out to eat and just to walk around for abit in the evening and we ran into about 8 or 10 of these street kids. They were really hungry and were asking us for food. At first we didnt know what to do (the kids dont usually ask US for things, if they have needs they ask our friend who leads the program). We ended up running into our friend though and talking to him, and then went out and got some biscuits and water and crackers for the kids.. so they could share and take some home too. Then we just hung out with them for awhile and played. I didnt even notice at the time, but when we finally went away to get some food for ourselves I saw that they was a crowd of Indian people standing around watching us play. In fact.. almost every time we stop to hug one of the little ones.. we get the same kind of attention. And sometimes we even get people trying to tell us to stop because we are getting dirty. Im not offended or even sad when this happens. I know that for Indian people, this is just how it is. And the kids themselves are used to it. We are the ones acting differently. I just hope that through us somehow the kids will feel their worth and their value and feel loved. and that by our actions, the people watching will at least start thinking about these kids.. and start noticing them. Im very happy that we see them every day.

As for prayers. Please pray for finances for basically every one of our friends here. And for all the different projects. Pray against the lack of hope that is everywhere. And for our continued health.. weve had a few minor issues, but nothing too serious.

So this week we are painting and on sunday is our first day of real tourism... we are off to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I will keep you posted.. Much love.

a new day

We are full swing now in our work here in Delhi. Saturdays we are with Street Kids playing and Sunday is a day off. This week we are visiting two different slum areas - Jesola and Mohammodpur. Monday I went to the preschool in Mohammodpur just to observe mostly with Brian and Cortney, and in the afternoon all of us went to Jesola and did various jobs there. I went with Isaac and two friends. We just walked around the slum and visited with different families. A couple girls latched on to me and took me around to their houses and introduced me to all their family members. Then sat me down and did my hair... actualy any time I leave my hair down the little girls tend to grad my hair bands and start braiding my haid for me! Im starting to pick up on Hindi.. slowly. Its a difficult language - many of the words sound the same to me. I know how to ask How are you and What is your name and I know different greetings and nouns - like sandal and flower. (I love learning language and money and culture whenever I go to a new place.. its one of my favorite things about travelling!) Today I went back to Jesola and helped teach in the preschool. There was an incident with one of our friends this morning (we dont know the full story but apparently she was waiting outside the wall for another nurse to come and a drunk man came and beat her - please remember her and the others that work in the clinic) The teachers we were with had to go see if she was alright, so Carolyn and I took over the class. With almost no Hindi it was a little difficult to control the class, but I like the challenge of it! When they came back we had a quick break, like recess, and then Isaac and I took over the class again to teach some English. We shared the story of David and Goliath - translated and with big actions, and we taught some english colors and words. I love it!

Our Father has been so good to our team! I have felt so blessed here. Even when I started to feel sick with a fever/sinus cold over the weekend, He was quick to respond and gave me the strength and engery I needed each day so far. I havent been lacking in anything here. It is really good to be helping and learning from the community that is here already. They are doing great things in the places around and in Delhi. This is difficult for me to write differently than I would like to speak! I will try to answer some of the questions Ive been asked so far...

Personally, I am adjusting quite well. I dont know why, but I am blessed to be able to adapt quickly to new cultures and I tend not to get overwhelmed with very different sights and ways of life. It is all new and exciting to me here. And with the poverty and the street kids, etc.. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the vastness of it I prefer to look at the small difference I can make in the children that I do meet. As a team we have talked about different ways to cope with everything we see.. and it is different for different people. I just want to pour all my energy and love into the kids I meet, and their parents that serve me chai tea and food out of their own poverty.. that is how I "deal" with what I see I guess. And I would rather give that than keep the cycle going by giving money and keeping the kids on the street (do I need to explain more?). Definately my strength and all I have to give comes not from me, but from above.

There is poverty all around. on all the streets. You can see the Caste System in effect everywhere you look. I would say that in the slums though it is just gathered, or centralized. There is rubbish everywhere, and people urinating anywhere they want to. So obviously it smells pretty bad. In the slums, there are children running around naked and barefoot.. and flies everywhere. As for heat, it feels HOT but so far I think its only been between 25 and 30. Next month is the start of summer and will get up to high forties. The kurtas we wear (Indian outfits) are nice in the weather, even with the long trousers and long sleeves. The mosquitoes are bad here too. We are still learning about the food. We have tried some Indian dishes - our favorites so far are the butter chicken (but I cant have that because of the dairy) and the dhal and tandori and afgani chicken. None of these dishes are too spicy. Other than that we eat fruit and salads and weve had fast food top (subway pizza hut and mcdonalds) we are still learning the foods here. Everything is so LOUD here. There is constant honking in the streets and just people everywhere! And a few times a day they play out music and prayers I think from the Muslim temples..? we also have many birds and peacocks living around our house. This is super long so I will end there.. We hope to put videos up soon! lovelove

Namaste

Hello all from INDIA! We all made it safe and sound to Delhi. We arrived on wed night after a whopping 24 hours of travel or something like that. The location we are staying in is very nice... all us 4 girls are in one room - with one bathroom/shower/toilet and the boys another. We have fans in our rooms so at night it is even cool (we just wake up with sore throats from the ceiling fans but its worth not sweating in our sleep!) And we have breakfast served to us and cleaned up after us everyday. Usually eggs, toast, cereal, and bananas. We also have a balcony for our use and we can use the roof too - for very important things like catching up on our tans (its the only place sheilded from view so we can actually wear tank tops and cropped trousers up there!). We've spent the past few days going around in autos (see facebook pictures whenever I get those up) and visiting a couple different markets. We had to have much of our shopping done before this next week, because come monday we will not be wearing western clothes very much any more. Its been alot of fun going around and purchasing Dupatas and Kurtas. The patterns and colors are all so beautiful! For food so far its been alot of take out and fast food. We have a couple people on our team who really cannot eat spicy food, so until we figure out some local dishes made with cream or cheese instead of peppers and chili, we will be eating at more common places . We did try one Indian restaraunt - Al-Bake. And it was pretty good.. the butter chicken is perfect for me, but the Chicken Korma ( which is usually a perfectly sweet indian meal) was really hot. SO weve had mcDonalds and pizza hut and and indian fast food joint called Fast Trax a couple times. Tonight a local friend is taking us around the community centre - where we eat daily - and showing us the good/safe restaraunts and shops and good foods to eat. My "role" is kind of being developed as time goes on. For sure I am in charge of transportation - meaning arranging and bargaining for the autos (they usually charge double for us because of the "white tax" so I try and haggle it down to half that) and all the budgeting for that as well. Also, I am helping Lidia create the schedule while we are here.. and any rotas or calenders as needed.. and planning any tourist things. so far.

Today we are going with another friend to a street program where we will be playing with kids for a couple hours! And monday we start with our regular program - which we dont even know yet! Delhi is very different from any place Ive been before. But so far I really like it. Im just soaking everything in! Some of the team members so far I think have found the poverty and beggers and the shopping with the bargaining very overwhelming, so it is good that we have debriefing and accountability as a team. I look forward to seeing and experiencing more...

I will keep you posted!
Love joy peace.

to everyone.

This will be my final blog written from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I cant believe it! Tomorrow I am off to India! We are packed, and today we spent literally ALL day cleaning the entire house (washing the walls even.. it was intense). We are taking the midnight bus tomorrow to Dublin and flying in at 6 in the morning from there. meaning, we will get zero sleep tomorrow night. We start off in India the first couple days just getting adjusted and buying new clothes and the like. Then we buckle down. Working in the clinics in the slums - with feeding and weighing programs - and in the universities - teaching classes on tourism of our countries and builing relationships - in orphanages and schools - painting and playing with the kids - and with the street kids ministry on saturdays. I want to say it again THANK YOU to you all who helped with raising funds for this trip. We had enough money come in for our 'extra', which was the video camera, and we will be sending videos homeward bound as often as we can. We would love to be able to show you exactly where your money went. ( We have already tested the camera out; filming the boys trying the catch and kill the mouse in our kitchen! no success yet... )

I also wanted to tell everyone that I will be cutting down considerable on correspondence (mainly from facebook) while Im gone. Partially because Im not sure how much internet time we will have, but also because I want to remain focused while there and really spend my time differently than I typically do. I want it to be different, because I want to be changed thoroughly! I will say that I will continue writing blogs so keep checking this. And I never refuse updates from anyone, in fact I welcome them. Please remember to keep us all in your prayers in this time. We are entering into unknown grounds. (and of course, I am excited for that reason!)

So for now I say goodbye. Next time you hear from me it will be from the land of the Indians. Love to you all and Blessings.