So, I've finally made it to a computer!
Everything went well with travel for the most part. I met Andrew - a fellow team member from Bryan college in Tennessee - in the Chicago airport. We had a lot of confusion in the Delhi airport where we almost didn't get our bagage, but the man I had sat next to on the way from the U.S. helped us navigate through customs and whatnot, so it was all good! Also, Andrew and I had to stay in the Chennai airport overnight. But yet again, God sent people along the way who helped us get where we needed to go. Side note: the Indian sunrise = amazing.
Once Andrew and I landed in Madurai, we were picked up at the airport by a pastor, his wife and child, and a driver who took us through Madurai and the surrounding villages and up into the mountains to the village of Kodaikanal for the Word for the World sponsors' conference. It was there I was able to meet the other two team members Shannon and Katelyn and the Asir family. God gave me this time to get used to some of the Indian customs and make some cool connections with the people at this conference. The children I met were so smart and many speak several languages! I've been trying to pick up some Tamil, but so far I've actually been more successful with remembering Hindi.
After about 3 days here (without cell service btw, Mom :P), we moved a little further down the mountain to St. Peter's boarding school which was located actually in the village of Kodaikanal. We stayed here for about another 3-4 days for the Word for the World staff conference. It was more difficult to make as deep of connections at this conference because it was much bigger and more structured. But it was amazing getting to meet some of these missionaries from all over India and see how God is filling such beautiful people with His joy! I also got to speak for a few minutes at this conference wit the help of two translators (Hindi and Tamil) which was a great experience. My team and I also performed a couple of skits for the talent show (one of which I where we taught them some teching moves and the marqareena (did I spell that right? ha, sound it out!). One awesome moment was when Auntie Asir went to the market to get us some bananas. I hadn't had fruit since I had left for India a little over a week ago. And PTL, I nearly cried for joy :) But my favorite part of this conference was meeting the young boy I befriended. God used this child to break my heart. This I know is a good thing.
After this conference we made the trip down the mountains again back to Madurai where we stayed at Jim Asir's house for the night and for most of the next day. It was great actually being down in the heat of the city. I think because I had come to India expecting the heat, the cold mountain air of Kodaikanal was just too much for me and the light clothes I had packed! Madurai was great though because it really gave me time to connect with the Asir family better and feel at home enough to really get some rest in.
Last evening we took the night train from Madurai which was super fun. I seriously love this team God has given to me for this summer - they are amazing and have encouraged me to grow so much! We arrived this morning in Chennai and will be staying at the Asir's house for 3-4 days. It's great here. Really hot. But it's beautiful. These people are beautiful. And God has already been using them to teach me so much about how to grow closer to Himself.
So far the biggest challenges I've had have been extremely human challenges like getting used to their diet of mainly starch and meat or having your food sometimes served to you hand-to-plate - and these challenges are extremely humbling for me. But already God is using this time here to teach me so many things. I already learned so much about love and service and furthering His kingdom. And I can already feel my perceptions of the world changing just from this short time in India. I can't wait to see what else He chooses to reveal to me during the rest of my time here!
Please continue to pray for:
the Asir's ministry
the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of the team
the Asir's family and all those connected to them
my family back home
and for me to continue seeking and being open to God and the people He places in my life
Thanks! :) Hope to post again within the next few days! Love yall! :)
Everything went well with travel for the most part. I met Andrew - a fellow team member from Bryan college in Tennessee - in the Chicago airport. We had a lot of confusion in the Delhi airport where we almost didn't get our bagage, but the man I had sat next to on the way from the U.S. helped us navigate through customs and whatnot, so it was all good! Also, Andrew and I had to stay in the Chennai airport overnight. But yet again, God sent people along the way who helped us get where we needed to go. Side note: the Indian sunrise = amazing.
Once Andrew and I landed in Madurai, we were picked up at the airport by a pastor, his wife and child, and a driver who took us through Madurai and the surrounding villages and up into the mountains to the village of Kodaikanal for the Word for the World sponsors' conference. It was there I was able to meet the other two team members Shannon and Katelyn and the Asir family. God gave me this time to get used to some of the Indian customs and make some cool connections with the people at this conference. The children I met were so smart and many speak several languages! I've been trying to pick up some Tamil, but so far I've actually been more successful with remembering Hindi.
After about 3 days here (without cell service btw, Mom :P), we moved a little further down the mountain to St. Peter's boarding school which was located actually in the village of Kodaikanal. We stayed here for about another 3-4 days for the Word for the World staff conference. It was more difficult to make as deep of connections at this conference because it was much bigger and more structured. But it was amazing getting to meet some of these missionaries from all over India and see how God is filling such beautiful people with His joy! I also got to speak for a few minutes at this conference wit the help of two translators (Hindi and Tamil) which was a great experience. My team and I also performed a couple of skits for the talent show (one of which I where we taught them some teching moves and the marqareena (did I spell that right? ha, sound it out!). One awesome moment was when Auntie Asir went to the market to get us some bananas. I hadn't had fruit since I had left for India a little over a week ago. And PTL, I nearly cried for joy :) But my favorite part of this conference was meeting the young boy I befriended. God used this child to break my heart. This I know is a good thing.
After this conference we made the trip down the mountains again back to Madurai where we stayed at Jim Asir's house for the night and for most of the next day. It was great actually being down in the heat of the city. I think because I had come to India expecting the heat, the cold mountain air of Kodaikanal was just too much for me and the light clothes I had packed! Madurai was great though because it really gave me time to connect with the Asir family better and feel at home enough to really get some rest in.
Last evening we took the night train from Madurai which was super fun. I seriously love this team God has given to me for this summer - they are amazing and have encouraged me to grow so much! We arrived this morning in Chennai and will be staying at the Asir's house for 3-4 days. It's great here. Really hot. But it's beautiful. These people are beautiful. And God has already been using them to teach me so much about how to grow closer to Himself.
So far the biggest challenges I've had have been extremely human challenges like getting used to their diet of mainly starch and meat or having your food sometimes served to you hand-to-plate - and these challenges are extremely humbling for me. But already God is using this time here to teach me so many things. I already learned so much about love and service and furthering His kingdom. And I can already feel my perceptions of the world changing just from this short time in India. I can't wait to see what else He chooses to reveal to me during the rest of my time here!
Please continue to pray for:
the Asir's ministry
the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of the team
the Asir's family and all those connected to them
my family back home
and for me to continue seeking and being open to God and the people He places in my life
Thanks! :) Hope to post again within the next few days! Love yall! :)
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