Finally... another update!

Hey guys! I just realized I haven’t given much of an update for a while. Sorry about that. The last update I gave was in the middle of the VBS week with the ACCEPT orphanage. This was such a great week. I really love these kids and it is go great to be able to see them twice a week and really invest in their lives.

Last week was kind of slow. Monday, we did a school program in the morning and did some medical training for our upcoming medical camp in November. Then, the ministry I am working with was attending a children’s conference on W,T,F. So, I thought it would be a good opportunity to explore the city of Bangalore a little bit more! On Wednesday, I went to visit an NGO named SEARCH. I have a family member that works in the microfinance area there. This was a really interesting experience and I learned a lot more about NGO’s and what it is like interacting with the Indian government. Thursday, I went into the city with one of my cousins (I guess technically he is my dad’s cousin – but he’s 25 so we will just say cousin). We went out to lunch and shopping and just bopped around the downtown area. It was fun. Friday, I joined the MEM team at the children’s conference. This was being led by a pastor from Sri Lanka – so it was very interesting to chat with him a little bit. Saturday, we did a children’s program at the Home of faith orphanage. Sunday, Shreya’s parents and sister came over to our house and we played cards and games. It was fun.

This past week has been really great and I really feel like I have found my niche here! On Monday, we did the Children’s program at the school and then did some medical training. Tuesday is the ministries day off and this week, I found another ministry to help out with. They do medical work in nearby slums. I will be working with them on Tuesday and Friday evenings from now on. I really enjoy this. We provide basic education, medication, bp screenings, and basic wound care. I am really excited about the opportunity of serving with this Mercy ministry. Then Wednesday and Thursday, Prasanna and I spent the day at ACCEPT doing patient care and helping out there and then we did a children’s program in the afternoon once the kids got down with school. Here is a heartbreaking story about one of the children at ACCEPT. Her mother found out she was HIV positive right after she had Rachel. She then committed suicide. Dad was no where in the picture so after her mom died the village people also thought that Rachel would have HIV so they literally threw the baby in the village dump (trash area). Someone called ACCEPT and told them what had happened so they went over to the village and rescued this baby from the dump. she is a beautiful little girl and i nearly cried when i heard her story as i was holding her in my arms. Friday, we did the children’s program at the school and then I joined the Mercy ministry in a stone village to do the medical care in the evening.

Prayer Requests:

Lonliness - I am really learning a lot over here and really being stretched in ways I didn’t even know were possible. As I said, I do feel like I have found my niche here, but it is still hard. I still struggle with lonliness and homesickness a lot.

Patience – working in the India culture is sometimes, most of the time, very frustrating for someone who is used to the efficiency of American culture. The continued and increased need to patience is definitely evident for me.

Willingness – That God will keep my eyes open to continued opportunities to serve Him and that I will be willing and trusting to do whatever He has is store for me over here.

Thankfulness – continued praise for the way God is not only working in my life but allowing me to be used as he works in the lives of others along side me.

One of the little boys from the stone village

Doing some wound cleaning

On Monday night, I went to a wedding reception with my family here!

This past week we did a vacation bible school for the orphanage at ACCEPT. Schools had the week off because of holidays. Since there was so school we were able to do programs with the children each day. This was a really fun experience for me – We usually started with some skit or welcome activity. Then we did 3 or 4 worship songs. This by far was the children’s favorite part. We then did a bible message and ended with some arts and craft activity that related. The children were really appreciative and really enjoyed the program. I love kids and it was really great to be able to spend time with these children. Also it is great because we will be at ACCEPT twice a week until I leave so I will be able to continue to build these relationships.

Hey Guys! Thought I would write another blog update today!

This past week, on Monday and Wednesday I spent time training the MEM staff on HIV/AIDS and we made many posters and curriculum that we will be using as education resources for our upcoming medical clinic. We also spent two days at ACCEPT – I worked mainly with a something like a nursing assistant because he needed the most help – doing patient care with baths, cleaning, walks, and feeding.

On Saturday I met up with Jen Wahlquist and the group from Gustavus and Concordia that she is working with. We went to Day 1 of the Australia v. India Test Cricket Match. This is basically a 5 day game – I have finally figured out the rules and strategy behind cricket! Ha! It was fun! Then we went out to eat and out for ice cream! It was fun and great to be around a group of Minnesotans! On Sunday, The Antin family and I went to church, out to lunch, to a park here in Bangalore, and then to visit some more relatives that I haven’t met yet. It was a full day.

Yesterday, we started with a Vacation Bible School with the orphanage at ACCEPT. It was really fun and I really enjoyed it! I even found myself ending up as the main character in a musical mime presentation for the children! Ha! Today is our day off as the VBS runs Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tonight I am going to a bollywood dance class with some new friends here and then out to dinner! I have no idea what the class is like – but I am excited!

Personal Prayer Requests:

-          Endurance – As it has been about a month and a half since I have arrived in India – I’ll admit I am starting to get homesick and weary. Please pray for Strength and Endurance to really make the most of my time here and to be fully present in all circumstances

-          Trust – Continued trust that God is in control. It continues to be frustrating for me finding work. The efficient way that I am able to use my skills and strengths back home is not really the way I have found it here. It is definitely more of a waiting game and really trusting that God has a plan and is working through me even when I struggle to feel used.

-          Focus – as I am becoming more adjusted and meeting more people here that my focus remains on Christ and serving Him and His purposes for me here.

-          Opportunities – and that I will keep my eyes open for opportunities to share life and love with others. I had a good quiet time today reading Galatians 6 and was encouraged (6:9). I want to always been looking for opportunities here (6:10) even if they present themselves in ways that I am not looking for. I have definitely been humbled here in India. All opportunity to boast in myself (6:14) has been taken away as I have been left completely dependent on God to meet my needs. There is really no way for me to be self sufficient here. It is refreshing to strive to be truly free from all worry or concern and to simply focus on Christ and helping share His love with others. There are opportunities not only in my work environment but with all interactions I have with anyone here. I do feel that this is where God wants me to be – even if it is something that will be a challenge for me until the day I come home.

 Jen and I at the Cricket stadium!

 Some of the children from ACCEPT

Here are the people I work with at MEM - Moneshna, Esther, Me, Paul, Prasanna, Mami, and Hmanna!

Trekking!

This past weekend I endured a two day trekking trip! Ha! I say endured because it was quite the experience! I was planning on going with my new friend Kristin, she is a Canadian living in Bangalore for 1 year while her husband works for an IT company. The day of the trek I found out that three of my other new friends, Hanne, Stacie, and Henry were also coming on the trip. The three of them work for International Justice Mission. Hanne and Stacie are from the US and Henry is from England! It was a group of 30 of us that went with Bangalore Mountainering club. Besides the 5 of us, there were two other foreigners, one guy from Germany (who essentially wore an orange jump suit the whole trip) and one 7 foot man from the Netherlands. Otherwise it was all Indians! It was really fun!

We left late on Friday night and rode in a TT (Tempo Traveler – a mix between a 15 passenger van and a bus) overnight. When we got in the TT, there was a TV and I was hoping for a movie for the drive. Bad thought. The movie that played during our overnight drive was a low budget horror film full of zombies and blood and guts everywhere. Not exactly what I was in the mood for. We arrived at our “homestay” which contrary to the name was actually a small lodge/hostel where we were staying for the night and freshened up before our big day of hiking. And a big day of hiking it was indeed! Our first hike was the tallest peak in Karnataka (the State of India I am living in) and once we reached the top we went spunkling in a cave for a little bit. However, we couldn’t go very far because our guide told us that if we went further there were bats and if we shined our lights at them we would all die. Kiran, our guide, was full of “facts” throughout our trip including that you should cover a leech bite with a bandaid EVER, don’t drink water when you are hiking, and when you are standing under the waterfall make sure your hands are covering the back of your neck otherwise you will get brain damage. Anyway, this was a big hike up to this peak, but the day did not end there, in fact it had only just started. We hiked 21 km in total across many mountains. This was actually very tiring. Especially when Henry, Hanne and I literally power lunged up a mountain for a Km because we had lost the path and our guide. Then we walked around for about 20 minutes until we found some other people from our group. Then we came across a group of 15 middle aged men litterally having a dance party in the middle of nowhere on the side of the mountain. They very very eagerly offered us fanta and the "states fresh fruit" which was actually just a cucumber.  Throw on some off and on fairly heavy rainfall and call it a day. Hike started at 9 am and ended at 6 pm. I was exhausted. We made it back to our “homestay” which did have hot water and were able to shower somewhat and then had dinner at 9pm (which is the normal dinner time here in India) and then I crashed! We left the next morning to head to the waterfalls. We hiked around and then had some time to play in the water also – as you can see that means for girls full clothing and for Indian men – minimal clothing. Ha! The place we went to had wild monkeys! It was so great! Here are some pictures!

Here is a picture of the three of us girls playing in the Waterfalls

You cant really see but Hanne and I are sitting underneath the Waterfall!

Here is one of the many Hindu temples we came across during the two day trek. Notice the Monkeys!!

Our trekking group! What a hoot!

 Stacie, Henry, Me, Kristin, and Hanne!

I cant really figure out how to rotate the bad boy...gotta love solo shots...

I know... its too long...

So today is my day off – which means I have time during the day when the internet comes in steady – so I thought I could give an update and share some more photos!

So Last Sunday was my last update! Since then I have been working with the MEM ministry pretty regularly. On Monday we went and did a children’s program – here is a picture of some of the children and me praying over the children whose birthday it was! They can wear whatever they want to wear to school on their birthday – they don’t have to wear their uniforms! After the school program I did some medical education about blood pressures and taking vital signs. I will be doing this training with the MEM staff pretty regularly (every Monday) until the next Medical camp, which is in the middle of October.

On Tuesday, I woke up at 4:30 in order to catch my first Indian train and took a three hour journey to Dharmapuri with hopes of visiting the leper colony there and planning for a medical camp and doing some wound cleaning – however, the level of flexibility necessary in India is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. This being said we were able to go to the colony because our interpreter was taking a bath and our driver was no where to be found….ha! But I was able to spend some time visiting a children’s orphanage there. It is a home for girls because the level of female infanticide is very high in this village. Here is a picture of some of the girls from the orphanage (who can speak some English because they learn it in school) and also a picture of Veronica and I. Veronica is the person I have been spending the most time with. She is a Chilean nurse and has been working with the MEM ministry for 3 years now. She is crazy and very fun. Ha!

On Wednesday, we have a “family meeting” where all the YWAM ministries as well as the DTS students have a time of worship and there is some teaching. I am starting to meet some great people here which has been encouraging. After the meeting, Veronica and I went to ACCEPT (which is an HIV/AIDS hospice/hospital/orphanage) and planned to volunteer there two days a week. Then we went back to the MEM house and did some HIV/AIDS education to the staff before we volunteered the next day.

Thursday and Friday, the MEM team spent the day at ACCEPT, Veronica and I volunteered with the nursing staff, while the only team members did some grounds work outside and a children’s program in the evening. No pictures from here because they actually prohibit photos. Sorry. I am looking forward to this ministry opportunity. The first couple days were discouraging. Because of the unorganization it is difficult to know my role and how I am helping but I am hopeful that as time continues I will continue to connect with the staff and as they learn to trust me be more helpful to them. If nothing else, I have gotten really good at physiotherapy and giving body massages to patients. During my time so far at ACCEPT I have been really struck with the sufferings of people here. The stigma attached to HIV in India is really bad. Families will abandon other family members because of it. The orphanage is full of 20 children who are all HIV positive and whose parents have either abandoned them or have died from HIV/AIDS related illnesses themselves. On Friday, I was very heartbroken as I sat with a patient. He was a 13 year old boy who was HIV positive. He had no parents and no known family. He was transferred from a government hospital to ACCEPT essentially for the hospice program. He had been there 3 weeks already. On Friday he moaned, coughed and vomited all day. His CD4 count was at 21 and he had TB and the medication wouldn’t work for him. On Saturday morning I went to ACCEPT to do some HIV testing for a local street people shelter. When I returned after the testing, I found out that this child had died. It was really hard and the first time that the sufferings of people had really struck me.

Like I said on Saturday I went and did the HIV testing for Home of Hope (a shelter for street people – most of whom have either physical or mental disabilities). This was a very cool experience. I even got to do the blood draws! After the testing I was driving home in the back of an autoricksaw when I literally ran into Jen Wahlquist, she graduated 1 year earlier than me from Bethel. This was definitely an encouragement as I learned she stays very close to where I am staying! Sunday I went to church and lunch with Kristin and Brian, they are a Canadian couple my dad had connected with, as well as Stacie, she is from New York working for IJM. This was a really refreshing lunch as I felt very understood with my worldview, could understand all their English, and was able to laugh about crazy things that happen in India. I am really praying these relationships develop into friendships for my time here.

Today, I was sitting outside in a chair reading, which is a very strange thing to do here – sit in the sun that is – when all of a sudden I heard running and barking. I turn around to see 4 stray dogs literally chasing at full speed a cow down the street in front of my house. Only in India….

Here are some pictures of the house I am staying at and of my new favorite fruit – Guavas. Mostly because it is so readily available on the tree right outside the front door.

Prayer Requests:

- Lonliness and Friendships: While it does seem like I am keeping busy – I assure you boredom and lonliness are my biggest enemies here. It is still really hard for me being here and not having “friends.” I am starting to connect with the people I am serving with which is really great but after I come home from the ministry, I find myself getting very bored and lonely. Please pray that these new relationships develop and add more of a sense of adventure for me here.

- Trust for God’s will for me here and Patience: I am also struggling with purpose here. It is hard to have a western mentality of doing many things and doing them efficiently over here. It is just not the way things work. It is discouraging for me and at times very frustrating but I am definitely learning to not only depend on God fully but to also really TRUST His plan for me while I am here. Every day I wake up and have to surrender the day to Him, knowing that it is only Him that is going to get me through it and it is Him that is in control of whatever is going to happen that day. Pray that I am able to be open to however God wants to use me here, whether I am able to understand it or not.

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 The Antin house!

 My room!

 Me and Veronica in Dharmapuri!

 Shreya's Birthday party!

 Prayer for the Birthday Children

The Children's Program at the School

 Guavas

Girls from the Dharmapuri Orphange

some pictures

So I finally figured out how to add some pictures to this blog and also found some time where I had internet for a long enough time to upload some pictures. Enjoy!

Here is The family that I have been staying with. They are so great! My dad's cousin Ravi, his wife Shreya, and his three children. The three people on the right are Shreya's parents and sister who came to visit for the weekend.

Here is a picture from Bidar. The man standing with me in the back is my grandmother's brother and the four women on the bottom right are my grandmother's sisters. The woman sitting on the far left is another one of my dad's cousins.

Here is a picture of Me, My grandfather, and this brother and sister. He broke his hip about a week before I arrived in India so I went and visited him in the hospital. It was a really incredible experience to meet him!

Here is a picture of my grandmother's brother (bottom right) and his family.

Hello Hello!

I thought I would give a quick update. Things are getting much better over here. Not only am I adjusting to India – but I am starting to feel a lot more peace over here. I started this past week serving with the MEM ministry. On Monday, we went to a school in the area and put on a children’s program for the younger students at the school. Then I spent the afternoon sorting through all of the ministry’s medications, arranging them into categories and disposing of the expired medications. This was a huge task because the medications were all over the place – half in Indian and the other half in Spanish! Ha!

Wednesday, we went to the YWAM base in Bangalore for a time of community worship and fellowship. After this, we went back to the MEM ministry and I provided some medical education to some of the staff. I taught vital signs training (taking blood pressures, temperatures, pulses, and respirations) and some patient interaction education. Its crazy that I am teaching these things but the people here are very interested in any medical education they can get their hands on – so I am feeling used. On Thursday, Veronica, the medical director and I planned a lot of education topics for the upcoming three months and planned for our upcoming medical clinic in October. On Friday, we did another children’s program at a nearby school. It is really neat to be able to do these children’s programs because they are very Christ centered programs in schools where a majority of students are Hindu or Muslim. It was a good introduction week, full of a lot of planning for the upcoming months. I feel very welcome within the team and am praying for a sense of unity soon.

Prayer Requests:

-          Lonliness – I am starting to connect with some of the people who are serving with the MEM ministry long term, which is really encouraging. It is still hard for me being alone here, however, God is really teaching me to depend only on Him for my daily needs. I praying that as I continue to decrease, God will continue to increase. He is good and I am learning what it means to truly trust in Him.

-          Joy – While I am adjusting more and more here, it is still hard to not worry and to rejoice in the Lord regardless of circumstances. Please pray that I will find joy in my circumstances here and that I will be free to experience and truly enjoy India while I am here.

-          Spiritual warfare – It is definitely easy to feel a presence of darkness in the area I am in. There are Hindu temples on every corner and it is so ingrained into the culture here it is astounding. Please pray for protection, for peace, and to not get or feel weighed down by this darkness.

-          Presence – Please pray that god will help be to be fully present in my time here. It is really easy for me to get discouraged and feel useless. Pray that I will continue to trust God that His plans are bigger and better than I can see or imagine and that I can show love and life at all times while I am over here.