Meet Sweetie & Dolly

Meet Sweetie & Dolly - these are their nicknames! They live below us. Their mom, Joti, cooks for the bible school and dad, Kumar, takes care of maintaining almost everything around here. I wasn't feeling too great one day so I sent my amazing sister down stairs with the camera. She snapped these shots of them and all their cuteness! Yesterday I had the chance to spend the afternoon with them. We played ball, painted nails (with polish from America) and they showed Jan and I their school books. They go to an English medium school down the street. To them I am sister Carissa. They are all smiles and so giggly!

- Carissa

Meet Ramah

Meet Ramah, she is 11 years old. Her father died and her mother abandoned her. She lives in one of the Children's homes in Nellore. She gets clothing, food, education, goes to the local church and knows songs about Jesus in Telegu and English. She was the sweetest, and so compassionate. Always sharing her sweets and treats with others. I saw her as she worshiped with her eyes closed, and her voice raised. When they would be led into prayer she would be praying her own prayer. B caught her on film at one of the meetings, eyes closed tight, praying fervently with tears coming down her cheeks. I have fallen in love, I want to take her home to love on her.

- Carissa

Trip To Nellore

I write from our bedroom, as a lie on my belly with the fan on full blast above me, and the windows open with a slight breeze coming in. We have a little down time, so I wanted to write a little while it is still fresh on my mind. We returned from our four day trip to Nellore. After a four hour long and windy car ride we arrived to a chicken curry lunch and then headed to a hotel. Hotels in villages of India are not like hotels in America. There isn't any pastel pictures framed hanging above your large comfy beds, things are just a bit dirtier and for lack of a better word simpler. We got towels brought up to us, with two tiny rolls of toilet paper. Let me clarify that this was a nice hotel, and a blessing. No bugs, hot water from 7am-10am, AC in each room, foam mattress' and western toilets!

We had a little time to get comfy and get ready for our evening meeting. Then off to a small village church for some India worship - think any indian music you have then take the high female voice add drums, piano and put that volume as high as it can go! I will have to post a video sometime so you can hear it for yourself. Worship was followed by a little preaching - we have some guests from the State here as well, and they shared. Followed by prayer for blessings, healings, and family. After praying for so many, I think I usually feel more blessed then they do. When all is done we eat. If it is 9pm we eat, if it is 11pm we eat, if it is 1am we eat. No matter we eat and it is chicken curry, with rice and usually (not always) a vegetable delight. Then back to the hotel for sleep. 

The next couple of nights were about the same. Getting home late and then waking up for breakfast in the morning. The first morning we got a little coffee delivered to the room (water, goats milk, sugar plus instant coffee), it was good. Our afternoons were filled with visiting churches around the city (anywhere from thirty minutes - a couple of hours away), praying, saying a word and fellowship-ing. It is so refreshing to see what God is doing in such a tangible way. One of the churches we visited lies on the shores of the Bay of Bangel. We got to walk to the shore, found some pretty shells, dipped our toes in the water and saw and talked with the fishermen. 

Our last morning before heading home, to Guntur, we went to the pastor's house for breakfast. We had a delicious breakfast of chicken curry, curry gravy, mashed potatoes and a fried egg. Three meals of chicken curry is a lot for this American girl but it was their blessing to us, so we eat happily. Then into the jeeps we pile for our ride home. As B and I walked up the stairs to our "apartment" I turned and said "it is good to be home". Oh, the irony in this statement... that only a few days makes this place already home. This is where our stuff hides, where we don't have to live out of a piece of luggage.

Being here causes my heart to be full of so much thankfulness. For our home in America, for the over abundance of blessings that God has given us.
- Carissa 

Monkeys

How exciting this post will be. There was monkeys hanging outside across the road. Last year they said that a big fat monkey used to sit across the street but he wasn't around at all. Until now, there was a baby with a momma, then medium baby, a big fat one, and then a normal sized adult one. We threw an orange at them and they grabbed it and ran into someones drive way. Where they ate it up and watched us cautiously. Below is them in the cuteness.

A Birthday Party

A birthday party... how very exciting. So below (the little boy hiding) was the birthday boy. He turned five. And let us just say that the party itself was very interesting and quite the cultural experience. It was basically a meeting. In the street (a dead end street) was a stage with seats on it and a table. They sang worship for 1-2 hours, then had a scripture reading, a short message, a long message from Harley, a cake cutting (with Ben and my help) and then the poor kid had to eat cake from every family member there AND wait as the photographer took the picture. He looked a bit miserable. After all that we had a couple people do thank you's and then two prayers to end the service at 10:00 pm. With a chicken curry dinner to follow, oh my! Like I had said it was a interesting experience and left us belly full and dog tired!

A poster in their living area, X is for Xmas tree. Had to share it!

The cute neighbor girl who wanted to come say hello. She was too cute!