India

Jack came to me at the end of December and I asked about going to India. At that point I wasn't really talking with God. Things weren't going the way I thought they should. I was more frustrated with myself then with Him, but I was blaming God. I spent the next month upset with Him, but after that I began to seek God. I wanted to know and understand Him. I felt that if I understood God better, maybe I would understand the things happen in my life. While seeking God, I began to plead with Him, to allow me to go to India. I told him on several accounts, that I wasn't worthy of being sent to India, but that I wanted very much to go and shine His light into a very dark country. I wanted to go and make a difference. I had the need to go.

As we were planing for India, I struggled a little with what my role would be there. I do short-term mission often. I like to go and support. I really enjoying serving those that are serving. There didn't seem to be a spot for that. Then I was asked to teach English. I didn't really want to teach English. That's my job. I wanted to get away from that. I really struggle with getting things ready. I struggle with getting the lesson ideas and games together. Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to going to India, at this point.

However the ache in my heart was more than my unwillingness. It had been a little bit of a fight to get them time off work, so I figured. I should go. I finally felt that maybe it would be ok, to go on a mission trip and not serve those that are working. I thought maybe is time to try a different role in the group. I let go and let God. I should have known that God had different plans for my trip than the ones we were making.

The Sunday before leaving I meet up with Tracy Phillips. She was in charge of telling the bible stories. I meet her outside of gate 17. Her husband and her took me to dinner at the Navy Club. It was their treat. This was probably the greatest thing ever. I could have anything I wanted. They even let me have a milk shake like the kids. After that, we went to their apartment which is on base. I got to spend sometime relaxing. It was really kinda nice. I also got to shower. Now to some this may not seem big, but when your shower is your bathroom, to shower in a real shower is really very nice. I also got to sleep in a soft bed. I started my trip out with a mountain full of blessings.

Monday wasn't anything special, we flew into India. On Tuesday, we found that what we had plan wasn't what God had planned. The school the children went to had been close for the week. They said it was too hot to go to school. This was a sign that God had bigger and better plans. God knew what He was doing right from the start. We had vaccinations to give to the children. If they would have had to go to school there was no way they would have gotten it done. We left have the children with Lara and Sherrie to give shots, and Tracy and I took the other half. She taught them the bible story. I played the game with them. They had a good time. They love to hear bible stories. We probably could have told them the same bible story all week long and they would have been happy. After the game we made two groups. Tracy took half and the craft. I took the other half to teach them the colors words. One activity, I like to do when teaching color words is have a colored paper snowball fight. The kids crumple colored paper into balls and then through whatever color is called out at each other. Now, I have to admit, this lesson failed. The kids would just throw the paper balls, it didn't matter the color. However, I have never had a group of kids have so much fun with a lesson. Tracy and I traded groups but it was lunch time. After lunch, they started on the younger kids. They need someone to hand out candy. So that's what I did. It turned out that as the smaller children waited in line the more scared they got and it was harder to give out shots. I had to keep the children back from crowding the table. Lara need someone to get the children medicine to, so I handed of the candy to someone else and started helping Lara out. I also found myself running to the kitchen and getting the little containers that had the vaccinations in them. I had no idea how long my day would be or that it would be that long. We went late into the night taking care of these kids. We ran out of the right needles and had to use smaller ones. This made the process take longer, but we got through it. I noticed one little boy who spent most of the evening sleeping the kitchen. He looked like a lot was taken out of him and that this was just too much. The poor thing was sound asleep around 4 or 5 in the evening. We finished around and got back to the hotel around 9pm. I was worn out and hungry. Thankfully Ann and I were sharing a room. She order enough dinner for the both of us. Lara's husband, Shane, had also order dinner for me. I ate dinner, read for a little while and then went to bed.

Wednesday wasn't as long of day, but it took just as much out of me. The kids were sitting out waiting for us. Tracy taught the kids a bible study, and we tried to teach them some songs. We played a game, and gave them some playdoh to play with. They weren't very active. Lara and Sherrie showed up. They were all laying in the shade worn out. Most of them were sleeping. It turns out that most them had high fevers. We lined them up took them temptures and gave them more medicine and had them drink water. Some kids had fevers of 103 or 104. I felt bad for them, but they still seemed happy. The little boy that was sleeping on the couch yesterday came through the line. I notice he had some macus in his ear. I pointed out to Lara and Sherrie. They looked at it and he had an ear infection. No wonder the poor thing looked so worn out, his poor little body was fighting and ear infection and he had shots, the poor thing was just way over worked. After spending the day at the children's home, we went over to the pastor's confernce to give the pastor vaccinations. Lara, Sherrie and Mary were working away at getting the needles ready. I was helping out in all the little ways that I could. The pastors attempted to line up and wait for the turn. It was rather rough because there grown men were having trouble waiting in a line. I gave them some mecidine to help with the fever. They kept asking me to give them shots. I kept just telling them no. I also kept yelling at them to get in line. I finally used my teacher voice and said in a line one behind the other, I know kindergarteners that do it better than you. That straight them up for a little while, but they kept asking me to give them a shot. I had a pastor come up and talk with him. He was worried about getting a shot. He didn't like needles. I tried to explain that a little pain now is better than getting really sick later. The pastor at the fornt of the line kept asking me to give him a shot. I looked at him and said "I am a teacher. They are nurses. If I give you shot, and I do it wrong. You could die. Do you still want me to give you a shot?" His reply, "No, sister, no." Then he turned around and said something to the rest of the pastor and they all left me alone about giving them their shot. I don't know what is about those pastor, but they was probably the best day I had. It was fun interacting with them.

Thursday, we had half the day with the kids at the children's home. The kids were feeling better and a little more active. Tracy told on last bible story. Lara sang with them. We gave them present. We said good-bye. Some of the cried and were sad to see us leave. We had lunch at Pastor JD and Ruth's house. It was very good.

Friday, we went to the Baptist Hospital and then went shopping. Ruth tooks us shopping and was very helpful. We went to the hospital for two reason. One of the children from need so medical attention that he need. Ann had found a lady with a very young baby. The mother was no longer producing milk and the baby was just skin and bones. We brought them to the hostipal to get looked out. The mother had a lump on her breat that need to be drained. The hostipal gave the mother formula for the baby. Mother and baby have both been released from the hostipal and are doing better. They also gave us a tour.

Overall, India was a great experince for me. I stand amazed at how God's plans were better than ours. That God had thought this week out and made things happen that were just unbelievable.