The last week in India went by so fast it is incomprehensible. So much was jam packed into every hour that I think I went go go go all the time and not much thinking. Praise the Lord for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to guide us when we don’t even know what to prioritize first. But everything works together for good and God’s thoughts are WAY higher than ours!!! So the last week I finished up all my projects and got everything ready for the team. This included cleaning a house for them wearing a surgical mask the dust was so bad. It even got through the mask ewww anyway now the house looks beautiful!!! Lots of hard work but it was all done the day they arrived.
The final days there I spent hours and hours singing playing praying and loving on all the kiddos especially the HIV+ kiddos. I got a little sunburn on my face sitting in the sun that long. Teehee!!! We had family prayer where the children all prayed and sang praise song the children have a worship service and prayer meeting every night amazing huh!!! So we sang everything from I’m trading my sorrows, to This is how we overcome, to Awesome God to Lord we lift your name on high and Friend of God… These children sing their hearts out and when they pray, they pray a long time intensely!
So the last few days I was there I kept praying I wouldn’t lose my voice from all the singing. Which I never did! Praise the Lord…
So many beautiful things happened in all my time with the children, way too many to write all here.
But the last day I was there we woke up at 7 am and ran ragged the entire day. When I went around and said good bye to all the children it was sad yet so fun. I spent a long time with the little HIV- girls where we sang and danced like fools but laughed so hard my abs killed. Then it was off to the HIV- boys where there was more laughing and goofing off as the boys bestowed me with a garland. Then I went to the older HIV- girls for
more garlands and BANANAS!!!! So very good!!! Then I had to say goodbye to my sponsor child she had a very hard time smiling through the tears. But she found hope in the fact that her mother who is 24 and HIV+ will be getting a job at agape and going to the school to better her education and life. AMAZING HUH!!! So before I left the girls asked if they could pray for me, how precious!! So they all got down on their knees and laid hands on me and prayed for a good 15 minutes. My sponsor child Haseena prayed as well which I think helped the goodbye process. After they prayed for me I prayed for each of them and as a group concerning the issues of the hostel and the interrelationships between the girls. They are middle school and high school so all the problems are the same there interpersonally as there is in the US so prayer is needed!!! Anyway so I was able to mentor the girls and help them work out some of the dynamics.
From there I went to the HIV+ kiddos and said goodbye to all of them. I had to pick 3 kids to pray for me so I asked them who wated to pray for me,a bunch raised their hands- talk about a tough pick. So I chose 2 girls Ravali and Kajal and then looked at the boys with their hands up. Little Saimanikunta had his tiny hand raised I asked lynne if I could choose him. She said sure and smiled with a great look of surprise and said no one else would ever have given him a chance. Sai really doesn’t have much verbal abilities except for mimicking the melody of a song I am singing which is beyond adorable. But look at him does it get much cuter!!! I don’t think so!!! Anyway Sai comes up a little confused because he wasn’t expecting to be picked.. he stood next to me squinted his eyes shut put his hands together in front of his face and began to pray, well I think he w
as praying. In a mix of Telegu, Hindi and some definite Holy Spirit tongues he pored his little 2foot body into this prayer. I was shocked as well as Lynne and the others there that he actually prayed. It was beyond precious! No one knows what he prayed but we all know Jesus knew his little heart. What is more precious than a little child praying over you, I can’t think of anything! Sai is a 6yr old boy the size of a two year old who was so mal-nourished when he came with full blown aids that his speech and language development is below the level of a 2yr old so his age is shocking but his heart will shock you even more. The other girls prayed for me and I was able to understand some of it even though it was all in Telegu. Then Deepak my man put a garland around my neck soooo cute!!!
Right before I left Ravali called me over, I thought she was gonna hand me cards- which they did but the real reason they called me over was way more precious!!! I went over 10lb garland around my neck and all and started talking to them they hushed me to be quiet which was confusing but then all the girls in unison went “Spppp sppp chukka chukka mua ta ahhhh” not exactly sure how to spell all that since most of it is tongue clicks which aren’t in the dictionary but in a strange un explanatory way this is a funny way to say “I love you” I taught a few girls how to do it and they in turn taught all the HIV+ girls and they did it together to say goodbye to me!! I know its a little lame but I teared up as they did it and am tearing up now thinking about it, man I love these girls!!! So after a ton of hugs and I’ll miss u’s it was on to the last hostel, the little HIV- boys. At this point it was almost 10pm and I walked into find all the little boys sleeping in a row on the floor, talk about precious. We were only able to wake up a few so the sleeping ones I kissed and said I love you and goodbye too. The ones who were up gave me a garland and laid hands on me and prayed. They were so groggy and sleepy it was so cute! So then we went back to the house and got my stuff and headed to the bus we were taking to the airport.
After a hour ride to the airport we were pulling in and lynne asked rutnam where my luggage was and he laughed and said in the car. I was not sure how to react cause the car was in uppal, an hour away!!!! It took me a good 5 minutes to believe Rutname that he had seriously forgot to bring my luggage!!!! So we picked up the team at 1am loaded them onto the bus, and drove back to uppal, that the lordmy flight wasn’t till 7:20am. It was such a God thing that we forgot my luggage. I would have hung out at the airport for 5 hrs instead of helping lynne move in the team. I was able to haul luggage with my boys (the 16yr old orphan boys, who had been my helpers/ bodyguards all month) Got to love them!!!! And I was able to field so many of the questions the team had on the ride home and once we got to their house. I even killed a cockroach before any of the guest saw him in their room.
I so didn’t want to leave and it really didn’t feel like I was since I came back from the airport with them. They all though I lived in India hahah how funny is that!! Anyway so at 4am my 5 boys and chekropani the driver and I (with my luggage this time) loaded double checked this time:) We got to the airport said our goodbyes then I was off to concur Hyderabad’s airport AHHH!!!
So I got through security to my gate and then ate some funky food and got on the plane! Couldn’t sleep at all which is funny because as I boarded I had officially been wide awake and peppy for 24 complete crazy hours!!! Once in London and through security ate a sandwich yummy and then waited to board again. Once on the plan I did the math an realized I had been awake for 40hrs!!!! and then I crashed!!!! I slept the whole plan flight from London to home, which is good cause I needed to get some zzzz’s So my last bite of Indian food was on the airplane, and to my surprise they served my favorite India dish YEAHWHOZY biryani, oh good!!! The stuff not on the airplane is way better but I’m not complaining!!! So I got off the plan and honestly it seemed like an hour ago I was with the kids in India helping the team into the house, I must have been in a serious coma zombie existence cause it really didn’t feel like it was over 24hrs ago I was there. So I Got my bags and went out and got to hug my family and talk to my dad who was boarding a plan as I got was leaving the airport:( but I’ll see him Friday. (love u dad big hugs if you are reading this!!!!) So arrival home was wonderful it was like I never left!! Its weird I feel like I should be in India now but there is a huge snow storm outside lol so I am in kind of a funky state of mind I feel like I should still be there but I know God is in control and has all of it in his hands. I look forward to sharing more stories with you and what home is like besides the cold. Today I am off to go sledding and drink cocoa!!! There are a few wonderful things about winter!!!!! Hugs to you all and thank you for all your prayers and support.
The final days there I spent hours and hours singing playing praying and loving on all the kiddos especially the HIV+ kiddos. I got a little sunburn on my face sitting in the sun that long. Teehee!!! We had family prayer where the children all prayed and sang praise song the children have a worship service and prayer meeting every night amazing huh!!! So we sang everything from I’m trading my sorrows, to This is how we overcome, to Awesome God to Lord we lift your name on high and Friend of God… These children sing their hearts out and when they pray, they pray a long time intensely!
So the last few days I was there I kept praying I wouldn’t lose my voice from all the singing. Which I never did! Praise the Lord…
So many beautiful things happened in all my time with the children, way too many to write all here.
But the last day I was there we woke up at 7 am and ran ragged the entire day. When I went around and said good bye to all the children it was sad yet so fun. I spent a long time with the little HIV- girls where we sang and danced like fools but laughed so hard my abs killed. Then it was off to the HIV- boys where there was more laughing and goofing off as the boys bestowed me with a garland. Then I went to the older HIV- girls for
more garlands and BANANAS!!!! So very good!!! Then I had to say goodbye to my sponsor child she had a very hard time smiling through the tears. But she found hope in the fact that her mother who is 24 and HIV+ will be getting a job at agape and going to the school to better her education and life. AMAZING HUH!!! So before I left the girls asked if they could pray for me, how precious!! So they all got down on their knees and laid hands on me and prayed for a good 15 minutes. My sponsor child Haseena prayed as well which I think helped the goodbye process. After they prayed for me I prayed for each of them and as a group concerning the issues of the hostel and the interrelationships between the girls. They are middle school and high school so all the problems are the same there interpersonally as there is in the US so prayer is needed!!! Anyway so I was able to mentor the girls and help them work out some of the dynamics.From there I went to the HIV+ kiddos and said goodbye to all of them. I had to pick 3 kids to pray for me so I asked them who wated to pray for me,a bunch raised their hands- talk about a tough pick. So I chose 2 girls Ravali and Kajal and then looked at the boys with their hands up. Little Saimanikunta had his tiny hand raised I asked lynne if I could choose him. She said sure and smiled with a great look of surprise and said no one else would ever have given him a chance. Sai really doesn’t have much verbal abilities except for mimicking the melody of a song I am singing which is beyond adorable. But look at him does it get much cuter!!! I don’t think so!!! Anyway Sai comes up a little confused because he wasn’t expecting to be picked.. he stood next to me squinted his eyes shut put his hands together in front of his face and began to pray, well I think he w
as praying. In a mix of Telegu, Hindi and some definite Holy Spirit tongues he pored his little 2foot body into this prayer. I was shocked as well as Lynne and the others there that he actually prayed. It was beyond precious! No one knows what he prayed but we all know Jesus knew his little heart. What is more precious than a little child praying over you, I can’t think of anything! Sai is a 6yr old boy the size of a two year old who was so mal-nourished when he came with full blown aids that his speech and language development is below the level of a 2yr old so his age is shocking but his heart will shock you even more. The other girls prayed for me and I was able to understand some of it even though it was all in Telegu. Then Deepak my man put a garland around my neck soooo cute!!!Right before I left Ravali called me over, I thought she was gonna hand me cards- which they did but the real reason they called me over was way more precious!!! I went over 10lb garland around my neck and all and started talking to them they hushed me to be quiet which was confusing but then all the girls in unison went “Spppp sppp chukka chukka mua ta ahhhh” not exactly sure how to spell all that since most of it is tongue clicks which aren’t in the dictionary but in a strange un explanatory way this is a funny way to say “I love you” I taught a few girls how to do it and they in turn taught all the HIV+ girls and they did it together to say goodbye to me!! I know its a little lame but I teared up as they did it and am tearing up now thinking about it, man I love these girls!!! So after a ton of hugs and I’ll miss u’s it was on to the last hostel, the little HIV- boys. At this point it was almost 10pm and I walked into find all the little boys sleeping in a row on the floor, talk about precious. We were only able to wake up a few so the sleeping ones I kissed and said I love you and goodbye too. The ones who were up gave me a garland and laid hands on me and prayed. They were so groggy and sleepy it was so cute! So then we went back to the house and got my stuff and headed to the bus we were taking to the airport.
After a hour ride to the airport we were pulling in and lynne asked rutnam where my luggage was and he laughed and said in the car. I was not sure how to react cause the car was in uppal, an hour away!!!! It took me a good 5 minutes to believe Rutname that he had seriously forgot to bring my luggage!!!! So we picked up the team at 1am loaded them onto the bus, and drove back to uppal, that the lordmy flight wasn’t till 7:20am. It was such a God thing that we forgot my luggage. I would have hung out at the airport for 5 hrs instead of helping lynne move in the team. I was able to haul luggage with my boys (the 16yr old orphan boys, who had been my helpers/ bodyguards all month) Got to love them!!!! And I was able to field so many of the questions the team had on the ride home and once we got to their house. I even killed a cockroach before any of the guest saw him in their room.
I so didn’t want to leave and it really didn’t feel like I was since I came back from the airport with them. They all though I lived in India hahah how funny is that!! Anyway so at 4am my 5 boys and chekropani the driver and I (with my luggage this time) loaded double checked this time:) We got to the airport said our goodbyes then I was off to concur Hyderabad’s airport AHHH!!!
So I got through security to my gate and then ate some funky food and got on the plane! Couldn’t sleep at all which is funny because as I boarded I had officially been wide awake and peppy for 24 complete crazy hours!!! Once in London and through security ate a sandwich yummy and then waited to board again. Once on the plan I did the math an realized I had been awake for 40hrs!!!! and then I crashed!!!! I slept the whole plan flight from London to home, which is good cause I needed to get some zzzz’s So my last bite of Indian food was on the airplane, and to my surprise they served my favorite India dish YEAHWHOZY biryani, oh good!!! The stuff not on the airplane is way better but I’m not complaining!!! So I got off the plan and honestly it seemed like an hour ago I was with the kids in India helping the team into the house, I must have been in a serious coma zombie existence cause it really didn’t feel like it was over 24hrs ago I was there. So I Got my bags and went out and got to hug my family and talk to my dad who was boarding a plan as I got was leaving the airport:( but I’ll see him Friday. (love u dad big hugs if you are reading this!!!!) So arrival home was wonderful it was like I never left!! Its weird I feel like I should be in India now but there is a huge snow storm outside lol so I am in kind of a funky state of mind I feel like I should still be there but I know God is in control and has all of it in his hands. I look forward to sharing more stories with you and what home is like besides the cold. Today I am off to go sledding and drink cocoa!!! There are a few wonderful things about winter!!!!! Hugs to you all and thank you for all your prayers and support.
I love the pictures of Sai and the bananas! :) You are a delight, Amy, your heartfelt sharing and willingness to continue to grow....you are fearfully and wonderfully made ....and annointed for your task....even when the task is learned step by step. Blessings to you on what comes each day in the Father's presence. xoxo Mom
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