Even though I won’t be actually arriving at home for another 2 weeks, things are very quickly coming to an end here and I find myself thinking about all the things I will be happy to be home for. Even more than that, I'm thinking about the things I‘m going to miss terribly when I leave this place that I've come to love with my whole heart. Although it may seem a little premature to make a post about those things, next Sunday we will be on a train headed for Hyderabad and the next time we have internet may not be till we are in Dubai next Thursday and even then it may not...

Red and blue and orange and green and everything in between covered my arms, fingernails, feet, skirt, hair, face, legs, and pretty much every part of me. This was not for a few fleeting moments or hours, but rather every hour of every day this week.  My team and I have been given the wonderful opportunity to paint the walls of new apartments into which some of the precious orphan girls will be moving. And, as a result, I am usually covered in paint.  And I have been reminded that as I am covered in paint, I am even more importantly covered by the blood of the Lamb. I wish that my...

There’s a little girl here (for her sake lets call her J), and she can walk. And while that might not seem like a huge thing, it is undoubtedly one of the most amazing things I have seen in my lifetime. Because for one so small and with a disability like hers, it is an amazing feet to accomplish, especially here in India. And since coming to India a little over a month ago I have watched J firsthand flourish into a spitfire little girl who will trample you if you don’t get out of her way fast enough. A little girl who giggles lots and asks for hugs boldly, who loves with a...

     Imagine a beautiful ocean right infront of you.  The sand, the beautiful mini forest at the back end of the beach, seashells, the little crabs that you don't see unless you are five inches away from it, a beautifully painted canoe ready to go adventure this beautiful mass of water.      Do you have that image?  Ok good, now add some cows just walking across the beach and then some men wearing only speedos.      Add on top of that 18 women all in either baggy shirts and floor length skirts OR in traditional daily...

One of the most drastic differences between India and America is the way that religion is a defining characteristic of Indian culture. Honestly, I didn't know much about Hinduism before being in India. This summer, I've absorbed so much knowledge about this religion. India was founded on religion, and their lives and culture revolve around it.  In America, the separation of church and state is very strictly enforced. Not too much legal action is enforced in India, especially not separating church and state. Hindus have many gods and idols that they worship – many of...

We are now on month two here in India, which feels strange to think about. It feels like such a greater length of time than that, and at the same time doesn't feel at all long enough for this season to be over halfway through. While my body has not been satisfied and my mind has been confused, my spirit is at total peace and love. Being over halfway through this summer of India, I've been thinking about some of the memories and times which have remained vivid in my mind. Knowing that God wrote them all for me, I would love to share them with you all. These are memories God crafted...