Ok so I am Super sorry it has been so long since i have wrote all of you.. 7 days wow nelly thats quite a chunk of time.. so I guess I will fill u in on what is happening on the other side of the world.. litteraly.. Well for starters it is quite warm.. I hear it is a tad chilly in your neck of the woods.. but here it is cool at nights arounf the mid to upper 60s and it can hit 90 in the day time-- but I promise I am not bragging-- Sweaty children are oh so fun to cuddle.. :)ok so saterday was kinda un eventfull we helped Lynne out alot and got a ton of work done for her so she was happy... anywhosyon sunday one of the volunteer's grandmother came to India.. she was such a funny and great lady... so me and the two other volunteers went with the grandmother into the old city... t was crazy fun... it is like walking in NY city but with twice as many people and you are like a celebrity... We were the only white people... there were a solid 20 or so people who followed us around for about an hour just taking pictures of us on there camera phones.. It was sooo weird.. The high light and i mean HIGH LIGHT of the day was DINNER... we went to this 5 star hotel next to the airport called Novatel or sumthin like that anyway.. we went to an all u can eat buffet.... but it was AMAZING food and AMAZING dessert i cant even begin to describe it.. I have never eaten so much in my like-- we skipped breakfast and held out till we ate a late lunch there and then we didnt eat supper ... we were still full....I ate buffillo but it was sooo good.. there were like 18 different types of bread-- AMAZINGso we ate then we came back to the hostile and on monday was this volunteer Dan's last night here.. so we went around to all the hostiles and they sang him songs and gave him a huge real flower garland thing around his neck.. he gave them all twizlers.. it was so cute 1/2 of them didnt know what to do with them :)
then the coolest thing about the goodbyes was that 2 children from each of the 4 hostiles prayed for him in telegu (there native language)
but they really prayed it was like a half hr for 4 of them to pray it was incredable and all of the children extended there hands toward Dan and the ones who were close layed hands over him.. they prayed for his protection in flight travel and while he is gone and for school and for his health and so much more-- that is the gist i got from what i could understand--- it almost brought tears to my eyes to be able to see these children pray their heart out----
so we saidf bye to dan when his taxi came around 11pm after hanging out with him and lynne and rutnam all evening....
So i brought stickers and paper to the children at hostile 2 this week and they went crazy it was like kids on christmas morning who have never had a christmas before-- there faces were in awe at all th colors of paper--- suprizingly they LOVE to write in tons of colors (with the new colored pencils) on white paper -- they thought the rainbow look was the coolest thing---- AND THE STICKERS they LOVE them--- I gave them roughly 4000 stickers and a packet of constructionpaper and one of white and the have used almost all of it... they have made sooo many cards and they are so happy--
such a simple thing makes these kids week...
ok so yesterday (for me wed) i was at hostile 2 and i taught them all how to sing (I am a friend of God)--- they scream it it is soooo cool and they want to just keep singing and singing--- pray i dont loose my voice lol-- but it is wonderful--- some days i sing for 3 hrs or 4 straight with the kids-- they love it.... and I do too
ohh yesterday the children at hostile 2 were given hard carmel type of candy like wearthers.. anyway this little boy around 3 (way to young to be sucking on this candy) was eating one and he choked Shella (a women who is volunteering here while her husband is on a business trip) was in the room with me and she screamed "he is choking" we both rushed toward him she was alot closer and grabbed him and gave him the himlick -- he puked all over the floor and there in the center of the mess was the piece of candy--- PRAISE THE LORD!!!
not even 10minutes later the mess was cleaned up and he was laughing and playing again....
AGAPE got two new girls this week .. they are sisters ages 4 and 5-- so cute!!!
they came on monday and one of them had a stunned look on her face all evening and didnt say anything the other (5yr old) screamed no stop for hours by the time that they were doing the goodbye for dan the two girls were sitting on a platform dead quiet and not wantin g anyone to touch them...
(the girl on the left in the green is the one who cried straight all evening)
(this is the same little girl a few days later)
I have never heard such a beautiful laugh it is the most amazing thing to hear---- now 4 days later they both scream and laugh and talk oh so loud and run around when i see them --- they are little bundles of joy and have so much energy-- it is amazing how they turned the corner so quick and didnt wake up the next morning and go back to square one---
I love hearing her laugh as i am in a different room-- I cant help but smile--- LOVE TRANSENDS ANY LANGUAGE BARRIER!!!!
soo God is good---
as for my health as i know you all have been praying-- my hearing is sooooo much better almost normal-- my ear goes through spouts of poping and pain so that can still be prayed for as a flight home is in my near future :(
but nothing is coming out YEAH!!!!!! im not loosing any more of my brains!! haha
but i have some not so great news i had coffee for the first time 2day!!! man i missed it but there was not cream or sugar and it was so bitter but i just wanted it so bad so i drank it anyway... not a good choice-- it hit my stomach like a rock more like a cruse missle full of rocks anyway my stomach is killing me--- not this is pain i kno haha-- but anyway i am hoping by the time you are reading this -- I feel better but as for now i think i might skip out of chicken curry and rice 2night-- the chicken is not really chicken i swear haha ---
so that is a prayer request----
another of mine is for my two roommates they are both 18 and college student one flies home with me and the other comes home in april anyway they are both not saved-- when we have talked about faith they were like "well its for sum people just not me.. i guess there might be a god.. but i dont know" so you can be praying for them-- that god can soften their hearts and their minds to see his face and really encounter their maker!!!-- they are fantastic girls and I have shared very openly with them and me and dan have also had conversations regarding faith and christ infront of them so you can be praying that a seed is planted and it can be watered ....
speacking of seeds well not really seeds but my mom e-mailed me and asked if i had gotten lice yet--- considering every child here has lice it was expected with my long hair--- but up until this morning i was lice free everytime i combed my hair with a lice comb--- but this faithful morning i found one little bugger-- only one on my whole head and he was a small one but still -- he was there-- so I speak against lice in the name and power of jesus christ and also for healing for my stomach and complete and total restaration of my ear--- and i know those reading will agree with me so 2and many more are gathered--- even if it is via internet and differewnt time zones-- GOD IS GOOD-- IN EVERY TIME ZONE haha lol
ok so last night i got a bit of a suprize lynne and rutnam's two adopted sons came for a sleepover.. they are both roughly 18months old... james screamed from the time he got here till he went to bed at 9:15pm and luke was so cute and just terrorized our room :) so I learned what it is like to have a baby who doesnt sleep through the night--- James slept the whole night-- while luke woke me up around 6 times and he cried and cried and i had to put him back to sleep--- but they were both really cute in the morning but boy was i tired----
so this morning a girl (meena) form hostile 3 around 14yrs old gave me a card inside she had writed out her faith and professed how salvation in chirst changes your life it was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes as i read it ... it has been so cool being able to talk about my faith and how important it is to me witht the older girls here-- we are having like real conversations about real stuff not just bible stories but life application-- so it was wonderful that she put forthe the effort to write it all out and give it to me-- the card also thanked me for coming to india and her wishes for me to return--- man i love these kids!!!!!
on a more gooffy note yesterday i did alot of runnign around and a human jungle gym with the boys at hostile 2---
they were doing forward rolls over my sholder and i would catch ther head and lead them to the ground-- all the while i was teching them and they were singing along to Every Move I Make.... talk about exausting but they loved it!!!! and i had a blast!!!!
God is great all the time even when we dont feel him close close he is there you just have to believe--- cause he is there !!!!
we went out to a village with lynne and rutnam and it was sooo cool to see how 90% of the indian population lives-- they are little sad looking shacks of houses -- and buffillo everywhere and is smess awful and it is sooo smoky... we went out to the fields where they grow rice-- beautiful-- and all the gream fields ... such a contrast to the big city--- it was amazing---
we went on side roads where we go out and walked and saw the sun set--- so beautiful--- the sun is HUGE here and it is like a huge fire ball-- so awsome -- talk about gods might manifested in his creation----
just to put a picture in you mind we were standing on a bridge and rutnam mentioned after i asked if he wanted to go for a swim that "the water is all full of sewage" ewwww-- it smelled like it--- anyway we walked a few yards down and there were people bathing in the water and down a bit there was a man washing his cow in the water EWWWWW---nasty-- so cleanliness is not india's storng point!!
but even so dirt dusty smelly and poverty stricken I love it here... i miss you all but to be honest i really wish i could stay longer-- 3 weeks is just way to short!!!--- two girls have aready cried cause i am leaving on sunday :(
so i dont know when i'll get a chance to write agin but as for now i'm gonna say Good night from india where it is 66 degrees :) I'll send some your way!!!!
i love you all God bless and thank you for your prayers they are heard and felt here !!!!
All my love
ME
then the coolest thing about the goodbyes was that 2 children from each of the 4 hostiles prayed for him in telegu (there native language)
but they really prayed it was like a half hr for 4 of them to pray it was incredable and all of the children extended there hands toward Dan and the ones who were close layed hands over him.. they prayed for his protection in flight travel and while he is gone and for school and for his health and so much more-- that is the gist i got from what i could understand--- it almost brought tears to my eyes to be able to see these children pray their heart out----
so we saidf bye to dan when his taxi came around 11pm after hanging out with him and lynne and rutnam all evening....
So i brought stickers and paper to the children at hostile 2 this week and they went crazy it was like kids on christmas morning who have never had a christmas before-- there faces were in awe at all th colors of paper--- suprizingly they LOVE to write in tons of colors (with the new colored pencils) on white paper -- they thought the rainbow look was the coolest thing---- AND THE STICKERS they LOVE them--- I gave them roughly 4000 stickers and a packet of constructionpaper and one of white and the have used almost all of it... they have made sooo many cards and they are so happy--
such a simple thing makes these kids week...
ok so yesterday (for me wed) i was at hostile 2 and i taught them all how to sing (I am a friend of God)--- they scream it it is soooo cool and they want to just keep singing and singing--- pray i dont loose my voice lol-- but it is wonderful--- some days i sing for 3 hrs or 4 straight with the kids-- they love it.... and I do too
ohh yesterday the children at hostile 2 were given hard carmel type of candy like wearthers.. anyway this little boy around 3 (way to young to be sucking on this candy) was eating one and he choked Shella (a women who is volunteering here while her husband is on a business trip) was in the room with me and she screamed "he is choking" we both rushed toward him she was alot closer and grabbed him and gave him the himlick -- he puked all over the floor and there in the center of the mess was the piece of candy--- PRAISE THE LORD!!!
not even 10minutes later the mess was cleaned up and he was laughing and playing again....
AGAPE got two new girls this week .. they are sisters ages 4 and 5-- so cute!!!
they came on monday and one of them had a stunned look on her face all evening and didnt say anything the other (5yr old) screamed no stop for hours by the time that they were doing the goodbye for dan the two girls were sitting on a platform dead quiet and not wantin g anyone to touch them...
(the girl on the left in the green is the one who cried straight all evening)
so the other people were all engaged in the goodbye to dan but I went over and sat next to the younger girl i slowly inched closser and tickled her foot and slowly got her to smile and open up a bit... arounf an 1/3 hr later a few smiles later i got her to agree to sit on my lap... now i was on to the older one (the one who cryed and scremed all night) so i tried to touch her but that wigged her out so i just tapped out the beat to the song the kids were singing on the platform we were sitting on so she would hear the sound and feel it... (both girls speack no english so they would have no understanding when I would say "you are ok"ect) so slowly she didnt get the horified face when i got closer so i attempted to touch her hand --- on her wrist was a bracelet that had bells attached i rang the bells and she smiled (success!!!) slowly the bells lead to tickling and blowing air on her face and tickling her with my hair ect.. the flash of my camera was intreaging to so after 2 hrs she too came and sat on my lap.. a girl who started of silent with puffy and tearstained eyes form hou
rs of crying was now giggling so loud that lynne turned around and said shhh (cause the children were singing) PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!
rs of crying was now giggling so loud that lynne turned around and said shhh (cause the children were singing) PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! (this is the same little girl a few days later)
I have never heard such a beautiful laugh it is the most amazing thing to hear---- now 4 days later they both scream and laugh and talk oh so loud and run around when i see them --- they are little bundles of joy and have so much energy-- it is amazing how they turned the corner so quick and didnt wake up the next morning and go back to square one---
I love hearing her laugh as i am in a different room-- I cant help but smile--- LOVE TRANSENDS ANY LANGUAGE BARRIER!!!!
soo God is good---
as for my health as i know you all have been praying-- my hearing is sooooo much better almost normal-- my ear goes through spouts of poping and pain so that can still be prayed for as a flight home is in my near future :(
but nothing is coming out YEAH!!!!!! im not loosing any more of my brains!! haha
but i have some not so great news i had coffee for the first time 2day!!! man i missed it but there was not cream or sugar and it was so bitter but i just wanted it so bad so i drank it anyway... not a good choice-- it hit my stomach like a rock more like a cruse missle full of rocks anyway my stomach is killing me--- not this is pain i kno haha-- but anyway i am hoping by the time you are reading this -- I feel better but as for now i think i might skip out of chicken curry and rice 2night-- the chicken is not really chicken i swear haha ---
so that is a prayer request----
another of mine is for my two roommates they are both 18 and college student one flies home with me and the other comes home in april anyway they are both not saved-- when we have talked about faith they were like "well its for sum people just not me.. i guess there might be a god.. but i dont know" so you can be praying for them-- that god can soften their hearts and their minds to see his face and really encounter their maker!!!-- they are fantastic girls and I have shared very openly with them and me and dan have also had conversations regarding faith and christ infront of them so you can be praying that a seed is planted and it can be watered ....
speacking of seeds well not really seeds but my mom e-mailed me and asked if i had gotten lice yet--- considering every child here has lice it was expected with my long hair--- but up until this morning i was lice free everytime i combed my hair with a lice comb--- but this faithful morning i found one little bugger-- only one on my whole head and he was a small one but still -- he was there-- so I speak against lice in the name and power of jesus christ and also for healing for my stomach and complete and total restaration of my ear--- and i know those reading will agree with me so 2and many more are gathered--- even if it is via internet and differewnt time zones-- GOD IS GOOD-- IN EVERY TIME ZONE haha lol
ok so last night i got a bit of a suprize lynne and rutnam's two adopted sons came for a sleepover.. they are both roughly 18months old... james screamed from the time he got here till he went to bed at 9:15pm and luke was so cute and just terrorized our room :) so I learned what it is like to have a baby who doesnt sleep through the night--- James slept the whole night-- while luke woke me up around 6 times and he cried and cried and i had to put him back to sleep--- but they were both really cute in the morning but boy was i tired----
so this morning a girl (meena) form hostile 3 around 14yrs old gave me a card inside she had writed out her faith and professed how salvation in chirst changes your life it was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes as i read it ... it has been so cool being able to talk about my faith and how important it is to me witht the older girls here-- we are having like real conversations about real stuff not just bible stories but life application-- so it was wonderful that she put forthe the effort to write it all out and give it to me-- the card also thanked me for coming to india and her wishes for me to return--- man i love these kids!!!!!
on a more gooffy note yesterday i did alot of runnign around and a human jungle gym with the boys at hostile 2---
they were doing forward rolls over my sholder and i would catch ther head and lead them to the ground-- all the while i was teching them and they were singing along to Every Move I Make.... talk about exausting but they loved it!!!! and i had a blast!!!!God is great all the time even when we dont feel him close close he is there you just have to believe--- cause he is there !!!!
we went out to a village with lynne and rutnam and it was sooo cool to see how 90% of the indian population lives-- they are little sad looking shacks of houses -- and buffillo everywhere and is smess awful and it is sooo smoky... we went out to the fields where they grow rice-- beautiful-- and all the gream fields ... such a contrast to the big city--- it was amazing---
we went on side roads where we go out and walked and saw the sun set--- so beautiful--- the sun is HUGE here and it is like a huge fire ball-- so awsome -- talk about gods might manifested in his creation----
just to put a picture in you mind we were standing on a bridge and rutnam mentioned after i asked if he wanted to go for a swim that "the water is all full of sewage" ewwww-- it smelled like it--- anyway we walked a few yards down and there were people bathing in the water and down a bit there was a man washing his cow in the water EWWWWW---nasty-- so cleanliness is not india's storng point!!
but even so dirt dusty smelly and poverty stricken I love it here... i miss you all but to be honest i really wish i could stay longer-- 3 weeks is just way to short!!!--- two girls have aready cried cause i am leaving on sunday :(
so i dont know when i'll get a chance to write agin but as for now i'm gonna say Good night from india where it is 66 degrees :) I'll send some your way!!!!
i love you all God bless and thank you for your prayers they are heard and felt here !!!!
All my love
ME
WOW... I love reading your updates Amy, every time I do I am encouraged in my own faith and renewed in my passion for missions : )
ReplyDeletexoxo
Faith
you seem to be annointed to cuddle sweaty children. lol hahah What an amazing trip this has been as you've even been a celeb. So sorry to hear about the coffee stomac bomb. OH, and you found a little lice - ok, so there are big lice??? lol!!! Feel free to leave the little critter there. I like the "Every Move I Make" gymnastic idea! Hope your back is holding out. :) haha The huge sunsets sound wonderful! And your extensions of unconditional love (tickles, face blowing, music tapping, must be God inspired, you are a beautiful soul, angel.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sending along your prayer requests.
I can't wait to get my arms around you!
xoxoxoxo
Mom
a joy to read this update amy. makes me miss "my kiddos" in the DR. sorry to hear about the bad experience with the black coffee. will be praying for your stomach and that the little lice will stay away. i know you are missed here, but i also understand how difficult leaving will be. will be praying for the transition. call me anytime.
ReplyDeletelove you
becky
I'll be praying for the lice to leave you alone. I am glad you ear is feeling better! Bundle up Better to leave wanting more than the other way around! God is good that way. We love you!! Enjoy your final days in Indian Sun and the Lord's Son!
ReplyDeleteWe love you!!
Julie
My thoughts have been filled with you and the amazing work you are doing since I read your blog. I've also been having a hard time finding words to tell you how I feel. I am so proud of you. I am so amazed at the way God is working in and through you. I am humbled at your faith, energy and passion. I can't wait to talk to you and somehow to see you. We are praying continuously for you- safety, health, peace, strength. By the time you read this you will most likely be on your way home. Bless you my sweet Amy. Grandma and Grandpa are praying for your furiously (especially your ears). We all love you so much and know you are in our Father's hands. We trust Him and wait eagerly to have you home even though we recognize how hard it will be for you to leave. Our lives will never be the same because of what you are doing...I can't imagine how you feel. Email or call when you can. We are so anxious to connect with you.
ReplyDeleteAll our love,
Ginny, Roger, Laura and Chris