Thank You!

I'm so blown away. In just the past couple of days, we've raised more than what we need to get Ramu's testing underway. Hopefully the money will be in the hands of Baptist Church Hyderabad by early next week, and the wheels can begin to turn. I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of so many. I've had two different people tell me that God had led them to set aside some money to give to something, but they just didn't know what it was until they heard Ramu's story. They both said they instantly knew this was it.

When I went back and read what I had initially written about Ramu, I was reminded that the day I met him JD told me that he believed that Ramu was going to be healed one day. At that time, it hadn't even occurred to me to try and do anything to make this possible. I wrote, "Why was I born into the vast wealth of America and these little ones were born into such poverty and their choices are so limited? What do I do with this?"

How amazing that God would have given me at least one answer to this question. Perhaps I was born into America so that one day I would come to India and meet a little boy named Ramu and be able to bring some of the resources of my great nation to his aid. I'm so grateful that my friend Dana jumped on this so quickly and kind of shocked me out of my grief over his situation into action. What a lesson that sometimes God just asks us to pray for others, and sometimes he wants us to act on their behalf.

I truly believe that Ramu is on his way to restored sight. But I still hope with all my heart that you will join me in praying for him. First, pray that he is a candidate for surgery, and that in the three years since his last scans there hasn't been any injury to the optical nerve that would hurt his chances. Second, pray that through this journey, God will be glorified in a mighty way. I pray that the people of that sweet village would not see his healing as a miracle from America, but from the great Healer, and that many more of those precious gypsies would come to believe in the power of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Wouldn't that be worth way more than we could possibly raise?

My dream is to return to India next year and be able to visit that church again. I want to be able to look in Ramu's eyes and see the love of Christ radiating back at me in place of the complete fear and desperation I saw last month. Oh, please join me in praying for that miracle.

JD told me that day that Ramu has the voice of an angel, and that whenever he hears him sing he is brought to tears. I can't wait to hear him for myself one day.

My Ramu Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know, I recently had the privilege of traveling to Hyderabad, India, on a mission journey with eight other members of my church. My experience there was more than I could have ever hoped for or imagined, and I saw God moving in powerful ways. The people of this amazing country are burned into my heart, and I pray that God never allows the passion I have for them to fade.

One day while we were there, we visited a village church where I met a little boy named Ramu. He seemed about my oldest son's age, probably around 9. The pastor that we were with told us that his name was Ramu, and that he had been blind since birth. His father died a few years back, and his mother is suffering from tuberculosis. We had an opportunity to pray for this family and this precious child, but I had to pull away from the prayer time because I was so overcome with grief. The look of fear on this child's face was unlike anything I have ever seen, and the look of sheer desperation on his mother's was more than I could bear. They so earnestly wanted us to bring healing that day, and we couldn't.

Since that time, Ramu's face has never been far from my thoughts. Through talking with some of the local ministers, I found out that he is a candidate for corneal transplants, and there is a great possibility that his sight could be restored. I wrote about this experience on my blog from India, and my dear friend Dana immediately jumped on it and asked why we couldn't raise money for his treatment. I was overwhelmed by her readiness to do this for a child she had never met, and it filled my heart with a determination to pursue helping Ramu.

All I know at this point is that the initial testing and hospital stay is going to cost $1250. I still don’t know the exact cost of the actual surgery. But even if it's double that number to get it done, I feel like it's easily doable. We all have so much, and if we each give even a little, great things can be done.

I know that you all get hit up for money constantly for one thing or another, so I hope this doesn't just get lost in the shuffle. I completely understand if you can't give right now, but please join me in prayer that a miracle will be done in Ramu's precious life. You can read more about my experience with him at http://leighannswords.blogspot.com/2008/02/namaste-last-day-was-such-long-one-that.html, and I'm attaching a picture of Ramu so you can see him for yourself. He's such a beautiful boy.

Please pray about this. If you feel the Lord leading you to give, please write out a check to Brentwood Baptist Church or BBC, and put the words “India Fund: Ramu” on the memo line. You can drop this off at the church or mail it to Jamie Bennett, c/o Brentwood Baptist Church, 7777 Concord Road, Brentwood, TN 37027. Please do this as soon as you are able to so that we can get the ball rolling. The pastor of the church knows that we are attempting to raise money for him, and he is very eager to see how the Lord provides. What an incredible opportunity to be a part of something so much bigger than ourselves.

If, by God’s grace, we raise more money than we actually need for Ramu, please be assured that what is leftover will go to help take care of his mother’s ongoing medical treatment with tuberculosis, and any other needs that could be met in that sweet church. Their building is supposed to be complete by the end of this month, and a church dedication service is planned for March 31st. I so wish I could be there to see it.

Thank you in advance for giving this careful consideration. I know the Lord will bless you for it!

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

Birthdays and Easter Eggs

With all this talk about India, I neglected to share a pretty important event in the Swords household. Since I didn't have my computer last week to download these pics, I missed posting on Bradley's birthday. But my firstborn turned nine last weekend. Unbelievable.
I'm sure the picture doesn't do it justice, but this is his very first self-made birthday cake, thanks to Bailey's Easy-Bake Oven. I think it's supposed to be an oreo cream cake. He was so proud of his efforts. I'm not sure even he ever got brave enough to taste it, though.

We were supposed to go on a camping trip with the Abbotts, but the weather didn't cooperate with us. If it had just been cold, we still would have gone. But the weather was really stormy on Saturday, so we decided to postpone it for a couple of weeks. All was well, though, once we decided on new plans. First we went to see "Horton Hears a Who" and then it was off to Chuck E. Cheese, the perfect consolation prize for any disappointment in life.

From there we went to Maggie Moo's for dessert. Bradley hates cake, so this is a much better option for him than the traditional route anyway.

Last Sunday it was our neighborhood's annual Easter egg hunt. Even though Brad was running a fever and had the beginnings of strep throat, his enthusiasm was undeterred. How hilarious to see these kids running for plastic eggs as if they were made of gold. Or video games.

Today is Easter. Since it was 35 degrees when we left the house, I decided to punt on Bailey's sleeveless dress and sandals. I figure in a few weeks we'll dress up and take pictures and pretend they were taken on Easter. Why not, right?

()

This year for the first time we got the kids up at 5:45 a.m. and all made it to church for the 7 a.m. service. Jeff and I sang again at 9, and then hung out until the service was over so the kids could leave with Mom and Dad and go on to their house. We sang again at 11 and then headed out. It was exhausting, but so worth it. The music was completely exhilarating and emotionally draining. I love singing about the resurrection, because without it my faith is meaningless. I have no doubt in my mind that Christ is alive and well, and that there are some great things in store for us to do.

At Mom's house there was another Easter egg hunt after lunch. Bryant was sleeping, but my nephew Cooper, Brad and Bailey had a ball finding the eggs Granddaddy had put out for them. I think I was passed out on the couch at this particular moment, but Jeff got a few pictures for me.

This year Mom did something really fun with the eggs that I've never seen before. Instead of filling them with candy (yeah!) she had typed up little messages. As they opened the eggs, they would read things like, "Give Granddaddy Reid a hug and kiss," or "Build something with Legos and see if we can guess what it is." It was so creative and the kids had a blast with it. What I especially loved was when they were supposed to ask my grandparents about favorite Easter memories of when they were kids. I loved hearing my 93-year-old granddad tell about dying hen eggs and hunting for them.

()

Here they are doing the bunny hop, a very graceful endeavor, I assure you.

March 23rd also happens to be Bryant's birthday. So my baby turned two today amid all of the craziness of Easter. Peggy made him the most adorable cake, as usual. Oh, to be so talented and creative! If you can't see it well, it says, "Hoppy Birthday Bryant." So clever. :)

Although he slept through the dinner and egg hunt, he did wake up in time for some cake. He'd been talking about it since yesterday when he saw it. It's so fun to hear him communicate more and more each day, even if he does get a little overly adamant about what he wants.

Aunt Krenan scored a hit with the Sesame Street garage. There's an elevator and everything. Hours of entertainment in one little box.

I can't believe how fast another year has flown. It stuns me to think that Bradley is now halfway to eighteen. Knowing how fast he arrived at nine, that doesn't seem all that melodramatic to say. I'm trying to slow down and enjoy the moments with them, as they pass by at such a breakneck pace. I know that if I don't make time to listen to him now, he won't make time to talk to me in a few years, and that thought terrifies me.

()

As for Bryant, he is just a fantastic kid. He makes me laugh constantly, sometimes simultaneously with making me want to string him up by his fingernails. How much more fun could life be?

()
I pray that you all had a joyous Easter, and had at least a little time to reflect on what it means to serve a God who is alive and actively pursuing relationship with us. What an undeserved and amazing gift. I'm awed by Him.

()

Today we sang a song with the following lyrics. I can't think of a more perfect way to end the day than to reflect on these words.

()

More than a baby in a manger,

To whom nobles would humbly bow their knee.

Or the young Man who heaven knew as Savior,

He is alive in me.

()

More than the Man who walked on water,

Or the One who caused blinded eyes to see.

Greater than all the signs and wonders,

He is alive in me.

()

More than the Man who heard "Hosanna!"

From the same who cried, "Crucify the King!"

Freely He gave as they demanded.

Still He's alive in me.
()

More than the man, mankind rejected

With nails in His hands and through His feet.

But the end told much more then they expected,

For everyone knows, in three days he rose

With power forever to redeem you and me.

()

He Lives. He Lives.

Conquered the grave, covered our sin.

He Lives. He Lives.

Death could not hold the promise within.

()

He lives.

You just thought that I was done talking about India. I have a feeling that won't happen for a really long time, actually.

Last night marked two weeks since our return to the States. So it was the perfect time for a team reunion. Ashley opened her home to us, and when I got there I laughed out loud to see the enormous sign from the Meerpet Church Dedication plastered to the front of her house. It was classic.

The first couple of hours were spent just hanging out together, enjoying being a team again. We ate and shared plenty of pictures, memories and laughs. We were also working on a package to send back to India with gifts for our many friends there, so we spent time writing thank you cards as well.

When the actual meeting began, we each had a chance to share how we've been feeling over the past couple of weeks. Kim talked about ten myths of re-entry, almost all of which I have felt or said at some point since being home. There was a general feeling of unrest with everyone, as I think we are all still trying to figure out what to do with our experiences there. None of us want to go back to being exactly who we were before we left, and we're all trying to figure out how to merge who we were then with who we are now.

After sharing, we prayed together. This is one of my favorite things about this team. When we pray, no one is in a hurry. Everyone has time to lay their heart out before God, and there's never a sense that we need to hurry up and get through. Sarah was there, and she was able to lay out some specific requests for Baptist Church Hyderabad, such as praying that they are able to acquire the movie theater next door to them to add on some much needed space. I so love that Sarah is here with us, because I feel like I have a lifeline back to India whenever I am with her. She's an amazing person, and one whose example I want very much to follow.

()

We also spent some time talking about the different projects that are possible going forward with a partnership between our church and BCH. I'm so excited about being a part of these things, and I want to just jump in and get them going. As long as the Lord allows me to, I will definitely be going back there in the near future, and I can't wait to see who He handpicks to be on the team next time. I have no doubt that he chose each one of us individually, in spite of our faults, and that He was able to use us to pursue Kingdom work. He truly is a Great Big God.

()

After we were done meeting, we all just kind of hung out for a while. There was a definite sense that no one really wanted to leave. We all knew that this was most likely the last time we'd be all together again in the same place, and we were trying to suck the life out of every last minute.

()

I love my team. I love that I will hear Jeremy on the radio one day and be able to say, "I went to India with that guy." I love that Charmaine's heart is so burdened for those in need around her, no matter how different from her they may be. I love that Dick can make me laugh until I cry. I love Ashley because what you see is what you get, and she is a math genius. I love that Roger can come up with a movie quote faster than lightening, and that he is earnestly seeking the path God wants him to take. I love that Kim can take a group of strangers halfway around the world and never show one ounce of worry, no matter how frustrating airlines and Indian time can be. She showed me that it really is possible to step out of your comfort zone and be available to whatever God asks. I love Nelson's passion for God's word, and that he can argue himself in and out of a hole in less than 90 seconds. I love Laura for her ability to see people for who they are and love them anyway.

()

I love that each one of them holds a special place in my heart from here on, and that no matter how far away from each other our paths on earth may take us, we can rest in the promise that we will all be together again one day.

I'm almost dreading this post, because by the end of it I'll be finished conveying the day-to-day experiences that I had in India. But since I've almost been home two weeks, it's probably time to do so. Wow, I can't believe I've been home that long. Exactly this time two weeks ago I was boarding a plane somewhere around 2:00 in the morning in India getting ready for a really long commute. Even crazier, it's getting close to a month since I left for India. That doesn't even seem possible.


Anyway, back to our day of departure. On Thursday morning, we had the privilege of leading around 400 kids at a Sunday school retreat. But this wasn't just ordinary Sunday school. These kids were bussed off to a pretty awesome resort, so they were ready for some fun by the time they got there. This is the sign that greeted us on arrival.

When we walked up to the pavilion where the kids were, they were all jamming to some praise and worship music. They were so excited to see us coming, and we were thrilled to be there. Since it was a holiday in India, many of the children's parents were there, too, so it was a big crowd.

When we first arrived, our team kind of sat over to the side to wait our turn. There were announcements and other good things that needed to be taken care of. We laughed when someone said, "Please don't get hurt and spoil everyone's fun." I couldn't imagine hearing that over here, but it didn't seem to raise an eyebrow. There's something so peaceful about a non-litigatory society.


After a word from Pastor Kim Cox, I had the opportunity to lead the kids in a few activities. First, I taught them the words and motions to the song "Great Big God." At this point, they couldn't get my CD to work, so it was just me and the microphone - so not in my comfort zone! But they picked up the motions well and seemed to enjoy it.

After the song, I told the story of Caleb and Joshua coming back from the Promised Land. We talked about being scared when something is in front of you that seems really huge, but how we can have peace knowing that God is in control and He promises to take care of us. We never need to be afraid. We all memorized Isaiah 41:10 together, "God says, 'Do not fear, for I am with you.'"

At this point, I told them I thought we might have some visitors. Ashley stood up and started reading a narrative about Joshua and Caleb, and then Jeremy, Nelson and Roger all came in dressed like spies and did a little scene enactment about listening to God and believing He would do what he promised. They did great, and the kids really seemed to have fun with it.

And then one of my favorite moments of the whole trip sprung out of the blue. I asked the kids if they would sing "Great Big God" with me again. They all seemed happy to do so, and by this point the CD was working. Once they heard the music, it was like the whole thing just clicked and they were loving it! When the song finished, I turned around and some of the youth were pumping their fists going, "One more time!" So we did it again. And then we did it again. On the third time, JD grabbed the mike and told all the parents to stand up and join their children. Actually, he had me say it first, and no one listened to me. But when he said it, they obliged. And it was one of the most beautiful times of family worship I have ever encountered.

We ended up singing the thing four times. And this is not a short song we're talking about. But the looks of utter abandonment on everyone's faces and the sheer bliss of praising the Father made a deep mark on my heart. It was a moment of complete joy, and I will never forget it. Laura actually posted some video on You Tube, so you can see it for yourself here. The last time through we had some of the kids on stage helping us, so those are the backs of the heads you see. I wish you could see the faces of the youth, because they are the ones I remember most clearly. They know how to worship the Lord!

Here's our team with the Sunday School director. I wish you could see the sign behind us. Our names are huge along the bottom. It was hilarious.

As soon as Pastor Samuel arrived and spoke to the families, the kids were dismissed to go to the water park. A few of them chose to play cricket, which blew my mind because it was so hot. But who can explain boys and sports in any culture?

I was amazed to get over to the pool and see that the kids had jumped in fully clothed. They don't do bathing suits. It was such a stark contrast of cultures, and I must say a welcome one. They actually had two different pools where the boys and girls were supposed to be separated, but I don't think it turned out quite that way. But it was hilarious to watch the kids playing around with all their clothes on.

Did I mention that Laura is a sucker for the children? Yes, this is her soaking wet after being coaxed in. Hilarious! :)


After the retreat, we left and headed back towards the hotel. We knew it was time to pack, and we were dreading it. We stopped at restaurant for our last authentic Indian meal. I haven't eaten Indian food since that day, and I'm actually craving it. There's supposedly a few Indian restaurants around here, but I'll have to take Sarah with me so I know what to order. Whatever we ate that day was super spicy, though, and they brought out this really cold yogurt drink to go with it. My stomach disagreed with this meal, but I think it could have been a lot worse.


After a few hours at the hotel, we headed back to the church because we still hadn't had a tour of the orphanage. Last year when Kim and the exploratory team went, the conditions at the orphanage were in desperate need of some help. Thanks to a private donor at BBC, I think $85,000 was sent specifically to help bring up the standards. Each girl now has her own locker, and there was fresh paint on all the walls. Here's a few pics of where these precious 50 girls live.

We discovered while talking with Sarah's mom that it costs about $400 a year per child. Kim began brainstorming about the possibilities of a sort of sponsorship program through our church where we could "adopt" the girls and take care of their finances. I love the idea and hope that we are able to make it happen. Here is Kim with the orphanage director. She is an answer to prayer since this time last year, because Sarah's mom used to run the place herself.

After leaving the church for the last time, it was back to the hotel to finish getting our things together. We were tired, and not looking forward to the journey ahead of us. There was a sense of sadness over leaving, even though we were ready to get home to our friends and family. We just wished there was a way to do it without the 36-hour commute.

Sarah's parents came to the hotel, along with several of the elders that we had spent so much time with. This time they brought us each beautiful shawls. The generosity of these people was overwhelming. They are truly givers, in every sense of the word. I learned so much from them.

Just looking at their faces makes me long to return. I believe in my heart that I will go back. It's just up to the Lord to tell me when. I'll be there.

As we left for the airport around 10:30, we had our very own one-man motorcade. Emmanuel escorted us on his bike all the way. It added a whole new level of terror to the driving to see someone that we knew and loved out there in it on a bike. But he made it just fine, as I'm sure it wasn't the first time he'd braved the roads.

We waited at the airport for several hours before heading out around 2:30 in the morning. There's not really anything to say after that. We eventually got back (well, Nelson a day after us thanks to United's fine planning capabilities.) The rest is history.

I've been so amazed to hear from people who were able to keep up with our trip through the blog. I'm thankful that the tool is out there, and that our trip was able to be much bigger than the nine of us who actually made the journey. I feel that this part of my life is far from over. Now I'm just looking forward to seeing where God takes it from here.

This is Holy Week, and I don't think I've ever been as fully aware of God's saving grace and His amazing love for His children. How else could He have made such a sacrifice for such imperfect people? I adore Him. I hope you do too.

I miss my computer so much. I can't believe this is how we used to do it in the old days. I hate having to come upstairs and fight my kids over this monster that is chained to a desk. Craziness!

Anyway, I hope to have caught up through our next-to-last day by the end of this post. So here goes...
Who says you can't still get your picture made with Mother Theresa in India?

On Wednesday, our hosts wanted to give us a chance to do some shopping. Because of the huge beggar problem, there was no way for us to just go shopping in a street market. We couldn't really be outside anywhere without getting swarmed. And it is so pitiful because they just don't give up when you say no. You can get in the van, and they will stand there knocking on the window until you practically have to drive over them. It was so hard to watch.

But because of this, they took us to a handicraft fair that you have to pay to get into. So we were free to roam around and find some souvenirs. The prices are all negotiable, of course, and thankfully we had Solomon and company to help us haggle. There was one shirt that I really wanted that the seller said was 400 rupees. This translates into about $10. But when Sagar tried to bring him down, he wouldn't go below 375. So Sagar says, "Walk away." So we did. We waited on the girls to get back, and then Sanga went over to buy it. She got it for 250! It was awesome. We were so lucky to have them with us.

The picture above is just classic Solomon. This man has more of a servant heart than anyone I've ever meant. He absolutely refused to let us carry our own bags. So I had to capture him standing there holding everyone's stuff. He was just adorable and I miss him very much.
This is my oh-so-subtle picture of Muslim prayer time. It was kind of surreal to see these men just grab some grass, lay out their rugs and go through the whole ritual. I'm quite sure there are places in Nashville where I could see this very thing, I just never have. But it is everywhere over there.
After shopping, it was Pizza Hut for lunch. The pizza was good, but the most exciting part was that they had actual sweet tea... with actual ice! I was completely ecstatic after so many days without my addiction. I even got Pastor David to try it, and I think he liked it. However, his came with ice cream in it, and that just seemed a little weird to me.

After having my sweet tea, I could have stayed another week. But of course that option wasn't available. There was a bell by the door that you were supposed to ring if you had a good time. It was fun to hear people ring the bell and hear the Pizza Hut guys yell, "Thank You!" It was like an Indian version of Moe's.

This is Pastor David, his wife Esther and their 7-month old baby girl, Jessica. She was a doll, but I could never get her to smile for the camera. I loved watching David interact with her and just shower her with kisses. Some things are clearly universal.

This is the only picture I got of Gishon in action. He was my driver most of the time, and although I thought he was going to kill me more than once, overall I know he was doing a great job. He would smile at us every now and then, as if our absolute paralyzing fear was somewhat amusing to him. He didn't really speak English, but every day I'd tell him thank you and he would give me such a genuine smile. He was just one more reason I fell in love with this country.

After a brief rest at the hotel, we went back out to see the Baptist Center India. This is a project of the church that Pastor Samuel was very excited to tell us about. There is a church up on a hill alongside a very busy road, and they own something like 19 acres of land out there. There is a home for the aged currently located on site that houses eight elderly women I'll tell you about in a bit. Eventually the plan is to move the orphanage out there as well, along with several other projects. It was great to hear about their vision for this center, and have a chance to pray over it with several of the church elders.

I had to take this picture. It was so symbolic of the way these people love one another, and extended that love to us. One thing that we realized very quickly is that the Indian people have no apparent concept of homophobia. Their men will hug each other, walk arm in arm, hold hands, etc., and no one even raises an eyebrow. It didn't take our men long to accept this, and it was awesome to see these Christian brothers from different sides of the planet embracing in such pure and simple ways. I loved it.

Pastor Samuel and Dick hit it off from the very beginning. I think it was the common grandfather bond. It made me smile to see them together every time.

As usual, it didn't take long for the pastor's son to find Laura and keep her busy. They shared a coconut and several games of chase. I think she was worn out by the time we left there.

I know it's going to be hard for you to tell what's going on in these pictures, but it's one of my favorite memories from the trip, from a purely non-spiritual standpoint. After our tour of the center and hearing about their goals and vision, we all were sort of wandering around looking at stuff and just kind of hanging out. There was a cool breeze blowing, and the sun was on its way down, so the air was just about perfect. It was just one of those good-feeling kind of moments.

One of the guys picked up a rock and started pitching it over the hill down at that hole in the roof of whatever the building is there in the second picture. This of course turned into a competition to see who could be the first to hit the hole. Soon we were all grabbing rocks and heaving them down the hill. I don't think any of us actually hit it, but it was a blast trying.
After that, we walked back down the hill to the building where the elderly women stay. The pastor of the church and his family live there with them and take care of them. These women were so precious, and I couldn't believe the bare existence that they are in every day. There are about four women per room, and it basically just looks like a kind of warehouse. It reminded me of the abandoned factory where the city of Franklin housed the Katrina refugees a few years ago. Just kind of a big empty room with some beds in it. One of the ladies didn't even have a mattress, but JD assured me it was by her choice because she has a bad back. It killed me to see her just laying on a kind of metal bench. She was a stroke victim, so she wasn't able to fully know what was going on. But we hugged and loved on each lady, and they were precious to embrace.

Someone came and got me after we'd been visiting a few minutes and said that one of the ladies serves as their choir director, and would I come and sing with her. So I walked back in her room and knelt down in front of her bed. I held both of her hands and we both sang "Amazing Grace." I was singing in English, and she was singing in Telagu. We were all singing together, and as I mentioned before, I was just overwhelmed with the idea that this was a tiny glimpse of Heaven, how people from all nations will be joining together in song to praise God together. It's definitely something to look forward to.

After we sang Amazing Grace, they wanted to sing "Showers of Blessings." I actually have a clip of this on video, and I'm so excited that I figured out how to get that on my blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did, and feel free to sing along. The words may come to life in a new way. They definitely did for me.

There shall be showers of blessings,
This is the promise of love.
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the savior above.
Showers of blessings,
Showers of blessings we need.
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

Back to India. Tuesday morning was our first opportunity to get to spend time with orphans. They have a morning devotional every day at 6:00 a.m. It made for an early morning, but it was completely worth it. When we arrived, the girls were all sitting in the front of the church waiting on us. They were singing songs together and it was a beautiful sound. There are fifty girls in the orphanage, ranging from 4 or 5 all the way up through teens. Most of the little ones didn't know any English, so it was hard to communicate with them other than smiles and squeezes. But they could all sing in English, and it was amazing to hear. Tuesday morning they did several songs for us, including action songs. This was good because we needed a little action to wake up.

Charmaine did the devotional on Tuesday. She spoke about how there are five fingers on your hand, and they are all different. She talked about the body of Christ, and how we are all different as well, but equally important and valuable. She talked about the parable of the talents, and how the man with only one talent should have invested it wisely. Just because you think you may only have one talent, you should commit it to God and use it to the fullest. She did a great job.

After she spoke, I had the opportunity to pray with them. I asked them to all come up to the front and gather around me, because I wanted to be able to touch them. I wanted to pray with them, and not just for them. But even when they came up to the front, they still kind of stayed in a safe circle around me. I couldn't get them to come very close. I realize that there is no telling what these girls have been through, and the touch of a stranger may not be all that welcome. But I just wanted to grab up every one of them and pack them in my suitcase and bring them home. They were just delightful girls.

Sarah had sent gifts for the girls, so after we prayed we were able to hand out pencils, pens, erasers and (the most exciting) Snickers. They were so grateful for these small things, and their faces were just lit up. They thanked us so much that my heart just broke on the spot.

One of the things Sarah's mom told us about was that they buy all the girls new dresses for Easter, and she told us about how much it cost to do that. I'm so happy that we had enough money left over at the end of our trip that we were able to donate the money to buy all the dresses for them. And I plan to continue to send money as often as I can for these sweet girls. They are doing an amazing job with this, and I want to continue to be a part of it.
The rest of Tuesday was an "off" day for us. Our hosts wanted to take us for some sight-seeing around Hyderabad. The first place we went was an amazing 16th century fort called Golconda. Being such a history lover, I was soaking up every minute. How surreal to be in a place that was constructed so many centuries ago. It was absolutely beautiful. Solomon was so excited to show us this place. He's such a scholar.

This was our tour guide. Had I written that day, I'd probably have been able to tell you his name. I do know that he had 4 small children, and he'd been leading tours for 15 years. His granddaddy taught him everything he knew. He was fantastic.
There were about 400 steps up to the top of the fort, so here's Pastor David catching a breather on one of our many rest stops. We were all worried about Dick because he has a replacement knee. But he was such a trouper and made it all the way to the top. He's such an awesome guy. I just love him!

Once we made it to the top, we had a gorgeous 360 degree view of the city. It was a clear (and hot!) day, so we could see for miles around. It seemed like a great time for a group photo. The folks on the left are Sanga, Megha, Moses and Sagar. I miss them so much.

I also took the opportunity to have my picture made with the very famous pastor reverend Kim Cox, associate missions minister. It might be worth some cash one day...

The amazing thing about the fort is the way it is set up acoustically. From way down at the bottom of the hill, if a guard clapped in a certain area, the guards up at the top could hear it clearly and be warned of coming danger. There were so many fascinating things about the place, but the genius of construction for acoustical purposes was the best.

Here's Laura and Megha taking a water break.
On the way back down we went into the area where guests of the king would stay. This room was designed so that the paranoid king could eavesdrop on everything that was said. In this picture, our guide was whispering into the corner. If you stood in the other corner, you could hear him as clearly as if he were standing next to you. Apparently the sound also carried up and over into the area where the king stayed. Pretty cool. I so wanted to just close my eyes and open them to what the place was like all those centuries ago. I think it would have been an amazing thing to see.
After the fort we went to the Salarjung Museum. We were all pretty tired by this point, but there were some cool things to see. There is a statue called Veiled Rebecca that is absolutely mesmerizing. It's a depiction of the bride of Isaac, but she's completely covered in a veil. It's unbelievable.

After we left the museum we went to eat lunch. We passed by the Charminar, which is Hyderabad's most famous landmark. The thing was built in 1591, and still looks amazing. One of the many gifts our hosts gave us were lamps with a replica of the Charminar inside. My glass broke on the way home, but the statue inside was fine. I love having it as a reminder of the city.

I think I wrote about lunch the day that it happened. It was the first time that I felt a physical sense of danger while we were there. When we got out of the vans, the guys were rushing us inside and up the stairs to a back room. Megha was telling me that it wasn't really a safe area for us to be. This part of town is entirely Muslim, including the radical kind. Actually, we found out that there had been a bomb set off near this area the month before we came that was set off by a Muslim in an attempt to start a riot. Not a great feeling. But I felt completely bathed in prayer the entire time we were there, so I had no doubt that the Lord would protect us through lunch.

While we were waiting for our food, I had the privilege of listening to Laura share her full testimony with the girls. She is an amazing woman who has lived through some really tragic things. But she has used them to make her stronger and they have shaped the person she is today. And I love the person she is today very much. I hope that I could be half as strong as she is if faced with similar circumstances.

Friday afternoon we had a little bit of down time, and then we were back out that evening for a night tour. They drove us up to High Tech City, where all of the computer companies are. We were out for a while, and this is when Pastor David brought up the subject of demons. He told us some pretty freaky stories. I can't imagine what it is like to literally be faced with the presence of demons in someone you are ministering to. But it's happened to these guys more than once.

We stopped at a roadside juice stand where the guys are sitting there with the fruit ready to make it for you as fresh as possible. They had everything from pomegranate to pineapple to a cocktail of everything together. It was the best juice I have ever put in my mouth, truly.

When we got back in the vans, I assumed we were still really far away from the hotel, but it turned out we were just minutes from there. It was really a great end to an amazing day.

As for life in the States, things are getting better for me. The grief of separation is passing, and I'm getting to the sorting out stage. I have to figure out how to take everything I saw and experienced in India and merge it into my life here. I don't want to get complacent and go back to life as usual. I want to strive for the kind of relationship I experienced with God there, and make it a reality in my life here.

Gotta run... life is calling. More to come.