I sit, more often than not, on cold cement. It usually starts the same: head bowed, hands clasped, eyes shut lightly. I came to India with such a child-like faith. Shy and mild, too timid to really even lift my eyes. But here, in India, I’ve grown. So I sit on cold cement. Eventually my clasped hands seperate, and come to rest palm up on my knees. I rock slightly, back and forth, and then tip my head back. I lift my face to the heavens. I used to think that you weren’t praying right if your head wasn’t touching your knees. Or if your hands weren’t clasped just so. Or...

Last week was a really tough week. Honestly, it’s just been a really tough month. March started off good, Mid-debrief went beautifully. It was great to head into the city and regroup, refocus, and remember what American food tasted like. We grew closer as a team there, and talked about how we wanted to continue to grow and what we wanted to accomplish for the last two months. So I was more than excited when debrief ended and we could get back to Barasat and put those plans into action. As soon as we stepped foot in Barasat though, things started to go downhill. And I should have known...

Our new normal: we refer to food by its color:       pass the green stuff.   locals follow us around, stare at us, and take our pictures. ALL the time:       I returned the favor.     Trash goes in the local pond:     Or just on the ground. It hurts a little every time.   Showers are a thing of the past:       Oh, hey shower. And hindi flower pot.   Laughter knows no bounds:               I have the honor of spending the next three months with these incredible wom...

July? Already? I have definitely been in the missions time warp where some days feel long but the time is flying by! Over the past month I have grown to love the crazy quirks of India that make it so different from home! Sitting on the floor, eating with my hands, and the rickshaws all feel very normal now! My tolerance for spicy food has even increased exponentially! (Although I would pay an exorbitant amount of rupees for a burger right now…)  Over the past few weeks my relationships with the boys have blossomed. One of my favorite parts of the day is welcoming the boys home from...

As our time here in India begins to wind down, I feel like I need to share a few moments that have impacted my life in one way or another. I don’t know the names of these women and children, nor do I know their life stories. But I feel like these brief encounters with them, either up close or from a distance, collided our worlds together in unexpected ways. Each paragraph holds a special story and exposes an intimate perspective into their world. I hope you enjoy these short snippets and glimpses into this crazy place called India. A young woman walks down an uneven brick road where old...

Looking back on the last few days I feel that the Lord decided to bless me beyond anything I could have imagined. I keep envisioning God talking it over with Jesus as they planned out this time, smiling with excitement as they were getting ready to give me this gift.  It says in James “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” I have received from the Father of lights a gift specifically and masterfully wrapped.  My team and I had a chance to visit the girls home which just opened up (this home is through ASHA mission...