Day 5 - Rainy Day Schedule

Forecast called for a slight rain until 10am, yeah right!. Indian forecasts must be like Indian time, you never know if it's right. We had a steady light rain today which we would like to blame on the hour and a half delay of our transportation to the school today. Yet, you can't rule out a steamy cup of tea as the culprit.

We finally arrived at the school, and all went well as soon as we started teaching. Time was short, but we continue to wear our flexibility hats. The topic for today was thrice gross, funny, and a shocking reality; parasitic worms. We talked about how worms can get into our bodies, symptoms of the condition, and how to treat it. The look on the students' faces was priceless when we told them that worms could potentially come out of their mouths when they cough or out of their bottoms when the females lay eggs. Sorry if you were eating.

We also finished up teaching our "Big ... Book" with the opportunity for students to make a change. We believe most previously have, but are hoping for the future of others.

We heard the girl that starred in the Not Today movie was a student at the school. We finally recognized her (she's aged since the production of the movie) and got to talk to her about her experience. She is such a sweet girl, unassuming, and very smart. Continued blessing to her and her family, and to the Not Today movie that so accurately portrays the appalling issue of human trafficking. If this is an issue you are concerned about, you can find more information and ways to get involved at the Not Today Resources website.

We currently have a few sick people that are in the process of getting better. Please keep them in prayer for a swift recovery.

Don't know if it will be raining tomorrow, but we have a long day in store with lots to do. Thanks to all our supporters and prayer warriors. You are helping us make a huge impact into the future of some awesome kids.

Blessings to you all.

Day 4 - A Long Day

Yesterday was our second day of teaching. We are already forming relationships with the students and are inspired by their warm smiles and positive attitudes.

After school, we were able to spend several hours playing with the students as we were once again being flexible and waiting for the adult teaching service to begin.

Today it hit us that we only have a few days left with these sweet students who we are growing close to. We have been so grateful for the time The Lord has given us with them.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we continue our journey here.

Blessings,

Lauren and Maddie

Day 3 - Put Your Flexible Hat On

Two words, ohmygoodnes thatwasanawesomeday!

We started out with more questions than we had answers for. Blessings to Becky and Mickey (our co-leaders) for working the logistics, but even though you plan and plan and plan for the work to do, India has a way of slapping you in the face to change it all.

Some advice to any future overseas workers, make sure to put your flexible hat on daily, and add a change of underpants in your backpack for the bus rides (the traffic is mind-boggling).

We finally got our hands dirty today with some teaching. We have two teams of eight people. We then divided each team into two groups of four to teach bible lessons, memory verses, and a health and hygiene curriculum to four classes of roughly 30 students each. The verse for today is:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. ~ Psalms 139:14

We also taught students about germs and how they can spread to cause disease. We showed them how to prevent spread with proper hand washing and minimal water usage.

It's been a long day and tomorrow's even longer. We will teach classes again, and additionally teach nearly the same curriculum to adults in the evening. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Blessings to you all.

Day 2 - Worship Like An Indian

A day late but certainly worth sharing. It's so awesome to attend church in other parts of the world. When it all boils down after and hour of worship and announcements, then a message that seems like it's going nowhere but then blows your mind away when the application is finally presented, God is at the center of it all. We were provided a worship experience that was both entertaining and soul provoking. The people by the stage in the picture above were encouraged by a church leader to dance for the Lord; so much fun.

On another note, God has been gracious to us with very nice weather and accommodations. Thank you so much for helping us all to get here and continuing to pray for us while we do the work that God has for us. 

Day 1 - Stay Awake

Hussain Sugar Lake, Hyderabad, India

Got to experience a little bit of Hyderabad today. Driving around the city is much like driving around any developing community; riches and rags, well-to-do and well in need, satisfied and surviving.

We saw driving that, by American standards, would be considered insane. We saw smiling faces and waving hands from a bus next to ours. We saw cows roaming free and a boy pooping on the side of the walk way. We saw desperation in the pleas of a mother and her infant child. How does this happen? How did we as humans allow "religion" to separate us from what is really important, loving and taking care of one another?

Today we are trying to stay awake. In the coming weeks we will meet the needs of a desperate people neglected by their own culture. One day we will ask Jesus when we saw Him hungry and fed Him, thirsty and gave Him drink, a stranger and invited Him in, naked and clothed Him, sick or in prison and visited Him. Jesus will answer us, "to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."

Visa Update 2

Business kills a blog, so this is to quickly get you caught up on what happened with our visas.

A week prior to us leaving, we had people on the ground in San Francisco trying to find and push the applications through. They came back with some good and bad news. Lost apps and passports were found, but the process was being delayed by the Indian consulate and disorganization at the company contracted to process the visas.

A key figure at Friends (our partner here), went back to SF for three days prior to our departure on Thursday. With his determination, relationships, lots of prayers, and unexplainable miracles, all visas were obtained two minutes prior to his meter expiring and ensuing departure from SF.

Why does God have us sweat it out? Why do we have to wait till the very last minute (or two if we're lucky)? If not, how then would we be able to experience His presence and witness His miracles? Praise to Him and Him alone. There is no possible way this process would have been completed if left to the work of man alone.

Visa Update 1

So far a bitter sweet evening of information. Bitter because a few visa apps are missing (seriously, untrackablly missing), and sweet because the rest are showing various statuses that give hope for timely returns.

The enemy is clearly hard at work, but our God is near and wants us to find peace in the midst of the storm.

It reminds me of the story when Jesus was walking on the water to His disciples through a raging storm. He could have commanded the storm to stop, but He chose to meet them amongst the chaos.

Where Art Thou Visa

Less than two weeks till take off and still no visas have arrive. Faith is able to move mountains, therefore faith can move visas. Join us in prayer for patience for delivery of visas prior to the 25th.