Long time...no see

It's been too long since my last update. Rather than write a long update I'll just post a bunch of pictures to show you what I've been up to!! I hope you enjoy them!! =)

 

Happy Birthday Hosea Luke!! October 12, 2011

 

October 26, 2011 Doesn't sweet little Tarren look just like a little pumpkin? 

 

October 31-November 4 I got to go up to Bugnay again. 

I love visiting the mountains...it had been too long!! 

I love this old woman...she's so cute                                                                       I got to cook over the fire in the home where 

and has quite a bit of spunk too!                                                                             we stayed...nothing like pancake mush!!

 

This woman has the most beautiful smile,                                                               This day on outreach I think I ended up 

       but she doesn't like to show her teeth.                                                                 weighing about 15 babies of different ages!

 Meet Norvin - November 7, 2011

 The day after Anrhey was born (November 18, 2011) I went to his home to check on him and his mama.

Even though it was a short trip, I had a nice little break in Manila for a day. 

Like I said, it was a NICE break!! =)

Just a couple days after Thanksgiving I got to attend a breech birth!! It was a really good birth too!!

The baby cried a little right after he was born and only needed a little help to breath. So much to be thankful for!! 

Each Tuesday I work in the clinic doing prenatal exams. I love watching 

a moms face when she hears her baby's heartbeat for the first time!!

This little guy weighed only 2.1 kgs (4.6 lbs) when he was born on 

December 2, 2011. Please pray that he is doing good. His mama hasn't come 

back for any postpartum checks and I worry that maybe he's not gaining enough.

This is Lilibeth, doesn't she look good for being in labor? 

She was so excited to finally meet her sweet little girl on December 8, 2011.

So, that's some of what I've been up to the past two months...fill in the gaps with LOTS of studying, sleeping when I can and having fun with my roommates! I hope that December is going well so far for you and that you enjoy the holiday season!! I know I will!!

Mixed feelings

So, I fly out for India tomorrow. And I can't wait! But I'm also nervous. I'm excited to be in a place I call home again. But what if it doesn't seem like home anymore? I can't wait to see all the beautiful Indian people. But what if I view them in a different light than I once did? I'm looking forward to hearing the sounds, seeing the sights, and smelling the odors that are India. But what if the sounds, sights and odors that I once was attracted to are now repulsive to me?
What if I have remembered and glorified India in such a way that when I step off the plane everything that I once held so close to my heart is the last thing that I now desire? This is what makes me nervous. I love India and I don't want to do anything other than that, love India. And so this trip makes me a bit nervous because my love for India, her people and her culture may change in the blink of an eye. And I do not want that.
Please lift me up to the Father as I travel to, arrive and travel in India. Ask that any changes in my thoughts, views and heart toward India will have only made my bond there stronger. Ask that as I meet up with all my friends that we will have a sweet time of reconnecting and that our friendship will be strengthened and renewed. Ask that all the nervousness I have right now will be put to rest in Him. But most of all, ask that while I am there, that His light will shine through me.

Missing you and the times we had (old and new...)

It's been a long time since I posted last. Over two months! And I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart. I am really, truly going to try and be better. I promise!
Anyway. I was thinking about friends the other day. And it made me remember a post I did last year. I'd like to re-post it now, and add a few more recent memories to it.

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I was thinking this morning about life, and how at one point I spent a lot of time with certain people and then our lives went in different directions. We still talk and occasionally hang out, (well, now that I’m in !nd!a, not so much hanging out...) but our lives are more separate. So, in this entry I want to remember a few great times I had with friends.

I think back about two years ago. A core group of us from Camp would hang out almost every weekend. Kyle, Ben, Becca, Kelsey, and I. Sometimes we would pick up Alex and Zach and they would go “Fizz” with us at Village Inn. Or we would pick up the Lake Village kids and do something fun with them. Take them to a parade, horse back riding or have a birthday party in the trailer court for one of them. That was a really fun summer. I miss you guys!!

In August of 2005 I met the Biernackis at LifeLight. Leslie and I stayed up until 2am talking about nothing and everything. That was the beginning of our friendship. Together we helped run the coffee house at Camp, did LVKC, worked at Camps, lived together, worked together, pulled all kinds of pranks together, read and fought over who gets to read the newest Ted Dekker book together(by the way Les, I’ve got Bone Man’s Daughters, the latest...but I’m not sure when I’m going to read it...save for a hard day maybe), laughed and cried together, cooked together...the list could go on and on! I love and miss you TONS Leslie, JP, Echo and Jonah!!

In 2003 I was going to collage at Gr@ce U. I met an old friend there and we got to know each other again. Julie and I hung out a little bit that fall semester, but more the spring semester. But that summer(2004) we worked (and goofed off A LOT) in house keeping together. When we got off work we would go see movies at the dollar theater because they were only 50 cents before 6. We moved to Sioux City and lived at WIT for a semester, and then got an apartment. We had dreams of starting a catering business. We did scrap booking together. We got really good deals when we went shopping. We would go to kind of expensive restaurants and eat for really cheep. Jew, I miss all the good times we had. I love you!

These are just a few of the good times I remember having with just a few good friends. I want you to know that even though I am on the other side of the world I still think of you often and I love and miss you all immensely! I ask Dad to bl3ss you often and I can’t wait to see you in two years!

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While I was in Ind!a I met and lived with an AMAZING family!! They truly became my Ind!an family. I taught them how to make pizza and how to play the "Stealing Game" aka, Settlers of Catan. We celebrated Christmas together and I made up really goofy songs on my guitar about each of them. I love and miss you guys TONS!!!

My team in Ind!a was simply amazing!! And they still are. I miss playing games with you guys. I miss taking care of the boys while Stephen and Amber went out for a date. I miss going to parks and eating watermelon. I miss drinking Stephens chai. I miss living with Suzy, and watching movies together.

While I was home I spent lots of time with my sister and her boys. She has the two goofiest, but most adorable boys I've EVER met!! Eli loves to be silly, running in circles saying, "Stop rabbit, stop! Stop rabbit, stop!" pretending the rabbit is chasing him. He also loved to read books. I read Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book to him every night and pretty soon he was able to recite it back to me. Sammy is also an equally silly boy. He loves sleeping with a crib FULL of stuffed animals and chasing the chickens during the day. He loved it when I chased him through the house just to catch and tickle him. And I miss talking with Kry about anything and everything.

Well, that's my new addition to this old post. Even if I didn't mention you here, know that I love and miss you very much!!
~sara~

Leaving home for home - an emotional roller coaster

I'll be leaving home(India) for home(USA) in a week.
I have such mixed feelings about it. Every time I think, "I'll get to see this person when I get home" or "I'll get to do this when I'm there" I think "But I have to leave this person" or "I won't be able to do this anymore."

I am excited to see my niece and nephews, Kaili Sue, Noah , Toby(I get to meet him for the first time!!) Eli and Sammy. I've missed them so much! I can't wait to love on them all I can!
I'll get to see my brothers and sisters and their significant others.
I get to see my best friend and her family.
I get to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
I get to see many of you that read this blog.
I'll get to do some scrap booking with my friend Julie.
I can go to the library and check out a book to read.
I get to share with you about my experiences here and about what I will be doing, face to face.
I'll get to go to church.
There's so much I'm looking forward to!

But...
I'll have to say goodbye to my host family.
I have to leave my friends here.
I won't live next to the mountains anymore.
I won't be able to have paneer.
I won't get to wear all the pretty clothes that I wear here...well not without getting strange looks anyway.
I won't be able to take my clothes to the tailor.
I won't hear Hinid everywhere I go.
There's so much I'm going to miss!! 

The ups and downs of these next couple weeks are going to be tough. It's a difficult place to be. But I know that it is right where Dad wants me. And I am excited about this next step.

Time for goodbyes

On Thursday Suzy and I went to visit some friends in another town. We were there till Saturday morning. It was really good to see them again, but it was hard to say goodbye. I was able to visit Salim and Sitara's(my host dad and mom) families as well as the family that we stayed with when we went to the wedding back in September. It was really hot while we were there, so we slept on the roof and it was fun, other than the sun glaring down on me at 5:30 in the morning!


On Saturday we left there for D.D. We went to the hostel where we first lived back in June. It was really good to see our madam and her daughter again. They are both very funny! Chona(the daughter) wants to be very "American", while her mom is very traditional. They got into an argument(like they do every time we are there) about getting married vs. "live-in". I can see such a generation gap in them. Chona so wants to be like what she perceives all American girls are like and her mom wants her to be Indian and not anything different. Neither one of them wants to compromise in their way of thinking. I know her mom just wants the very best for Chona, but she doesn't see it that way(just like teenagers in the States).

While we were visiting with Chona she asked us if we'd go to church with her in the morning. She said that she's been wanting to go but that she was scared because she wouldn't know what to do. Of course we said yes, we'd take her. There is a church just up the street a little bit, so the next morning we got ready and walked there. We were a bit late so we missed the singing, but it was still a good service. The pastor talked with us for a bit after and asked Chona if she'd come back next week and she said she would. They had some tracts and pamphlets sitting on a table and she took a few of them home with her. We'll wait and see what happens I guess. :)


The rest of this week will be spent finishing things up here, packing, visiting a village, and saying goodbye to all my friends, many of whom have become family to me. I know it'll be a hard week in many ways, filled with bittersweet moments. But I also know that Dad will give me the grace and strength that I need each day. Please keep me in your thoughts this week! You are in mine. :)

Holi - the festival of colors

Holi is the festival of colors. It's a very exciting day filled with colors of course!! Suzy and I were excited to be able to experience this festival. All the people on our routes had invited us to their homes for Holi and one guy(Rashib, he runs a shoe/umbrella store) invited us to his house for lunch today. Yesterday he took us to the bonfire sight to see puja(w0rship) and explain the history of Holi.

Holi comes from a legend involving King Hiranyakashipu. Because Hiranyakashipu wanted to avenge the death of his brother who was killed by Vishnu he performed severe penance and pr@yer for many years to gain enough power. Finally he was granted a boon and with this boon he thought he had become invincible. This made him very proud and he forced all those in his kingdom to w0rship him instead of Vishnu.

However, he had a very young son, Prahalad, who refused to w0rship him and continued to w0rship only Vishnu. Angry,  Hiranyakashipu asked his sister, Holika, to help him kill the boy. They tried many times to kill him but each time little Prahalad escaped death.

Holika was believed to be immune to fire and would never be burnt. So, it was decided that Holika would hold little Prahalad on her lap ontop of a pyre until the boy died. However, when the plan was carried out it was not Prahalad who died, but Holika. Prahalad came from the fire unscathed and thus it is believed that good won over evil.

Each year H!ndus celebrate this festival with colors remembering the victory and believe that what ever they pr@y for will come true. The colors themselves come from a time when Krishna(believed to be a reincarnation of Vishnu) used to play pranks on the girls in the villages. He would throw water and color on them and soon many of the other boys joined in this fun and so the tradition was carried on.

That is the history of Holi. Now for some pictures of Holi 2010!!

 

During puja the ladies tie a string around the wood to make sure the fire doesn't burn anything good. 

This is Suzy and I with one of the ladies on my route. You'll see more color as our day went on. 

 Suzy and her didis(elder sisters)

Suzy

This is Aprit, one of the boys on my language route.

Me!!

 

This is Arti, a little girl on my route.

Some boys on the street that colored our faces. This boys was coming at me with two handfuls of color right as I was taking the picture!!

 

Here is Suzy with some of the ladies from her route.

 

These two girls tried to get us to drink some bong(an alcoholic drink they make for Holi) but we declined the offer.

This man is standing right inside the temple giving out bong and pakoris(fried snack). 

Even the dogs join in on the fun! :D

Can you find Suzy? She's really in this picture, I promise!! 

At first I wondered why they were using black color, but then I realized it didn't start black. It's just all the colors mixed together.

This is Kishan, one of the shoemakers that works across the street from my house.

 This is another tradition of Holi. A pot is tied above the street filled with butter, milk and money. Men then stand on top of each other trying to break the pot with a rock(or in the case this year, a stick)

 

This little boy was really camera shy, but I did get a couple good ones of him. 

Well, I hope you enjoyed these pictures. I've got a few more on facebook, so you'll have to check those out too!! Have a good day, and HAPPY HOLI!!!

Our Friend Sundar

So, we’ve moved into our new place here in Muss00rie. While it has a lot of potential, it also needs A LOT of work! In this blog I wanted to write about some of the misunderstandings we’ve had with Sundar, the maintenance man at our apartment complex.

When we got here we realized that we didn’t really have a shower. The pipes were sticking out of the wall for the shower head and the handles, but they were all capped. So, Stephen went over and asked Sundar to come look at it, which to put new pipes in that run from the handles to the shower head. What he was really saying was that when he got new handles we could turn the water on to get the right temperature.

This morning he came over and was asking about some keys. We thought he was asking us for two keys, but couldn’t figure out what keys he wanted. The keys to lock our door? We only have two to begin with. We have two different locks. Maybe one of each of those? We were so confused. But no more. Stephen found out that Sundar had lost his keys and came over to ask us if he’d lost them here!

And I am sure this is only the beginning of our misunderstandings with Sundar because of language. We still have many more things to repair so we will be seeing much more of him around here!

Missing you and the times we had...

I was thinking this morning about life, and how at one point I spent a lot of time with certain people and then our lives went in different directions. We still talk and occasionally hang out, (well, now that I’m in !nd!a, not so much hanging out...) but our lives are more separate. So, in this entry I want to remember a few great times I had with friends.

I think back about two years ago. A core group of us from Camp would hang out almost every weekend. Kyle, Ben, Becca, Kelsey, and I. Sometimes we would pick up Alex and Zach and they would go “Fizz” with us at Village Inn. Or we would pick up the Lake Village kids and do something fun with them. Take them to a parade, horse back riding or have a birthday party in the trailer court for one of them. That was a really fun summer. I miss you guys!!

In August of 2005 I met the Biernackis at LifeLight. Leslie and I stayed up until 2am talking about nothing and everything. That was the beginning of our friendship. Together we helped run the coffee house at Camp, did LVKC, worked at Camps, lived together, worked together, pulled all kinds of pranks together, read and fought over who gets to read the newest Ted Dekker book together(by the way Les, I’ve got Bone Man’s Daughters, the latest...but I’m not sure when I’m going to read it...save for a hard day maybe), laughed and cried together, cooked together...the list could go on and on! I love and miss you TONS Leslie, JP, Echo and Jonah!!

In 2003 I was going to collage at Gr@ce U. I met an old friend there and we got to know each other again. Julie and I hung out a little bit that fall semester, but more the spring semester. But that summer(2004) we worked (and goofed off A LOT) in house keeping together. When we got off work we would go see movies at the dollar theater because they were only 50 cents before 6. We moved to Sioux City and lived at WIT for a semester, and then got an apartment. We had dreams of starting a catering business. We did scrap booking together. We got really good deals when we went shopping. We would go to kind of expensive restaurants and eat for really cheep. Jew, I miss all the good times we had. I love you!

These are just a few of the good times I remember having with just a few good friends. I want you to know that even though I am on the other side of the world I still think of you often and I love and miss you all immensely! I ask Dad to bl3ss you often and I can’t wait to see you in two years!