Right now I am sitting here in the Heathrow airport waiting for our 9.5 hr. flight to Vancouver. Sorry we didnt get to update the last few days we were out of signal reach. But dont have much time so I will just say that we will fill you in on the random events that happened those days.
Well we now are on our home strech and most of us are torn about how we are feeling. We want to go home and tell you all our stories cause it sounds so much better with vocal expressions but at the same time we did not want to leave. The second years last year were right when they said that it was really hard to leave, but I think once we get home we will be really happy. Monikym (our funny man driver) , Martin Luther, Vardhini, and Dr. Anand send there greeting and thanks for letting them borrow us for this month. I know I can speak for everyone when I say, "we will miss them and hopefully we will see them again sometime." and I can also say for the group, "we cant wait to see all of you and sleep in our own beds.
Anywhos time is running out love ya
Lindsey and the team
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Life in India
So I(Catherine) was the last one to put my finger on my nose so that is why I am here writing this post.
Let's recap
Sunday we drove to a fishing village that was suppose to take 2 1/2 hours but actually took 3 1/2 because we stopped numerous times. It seems all the funny stories involve going to the washroom. At one of the random stops we had to use the washroom so we told Vardhini and she took as to someone's home and I asked her if she knew them and she said nope she just asked if we could use their washroom. The awkward part was when we came out and the women we didn't know re wrapped our Saree's.
I have decided that Vardhini must have an amazing sense of hearing. She wasn't even in the jeep and I whispered(I know what your thinking me whisper? but I actually did) to Natashia and told her I would like some lays because I was feeling queasy and next thing I know Vardhini came back to the jeep and said "do you want lays?" I was laughing she also did the same thing later in the day with ice cream.
So we get to the place where we need to board the boat to go to the fishing village and it's time to walk out into the water and get onto the boat and Sarah who was feeling sick the whole drive felt it was best she didn't come because she would be puking the whole way. Lindsey also decided to not go on the boat. So we left the two of them at a house that the doctor "knew". He told us they knew them but Sarah said went to like three different houses before they found this house that had a bed and a bathroom. So the two of them spent five hours with people who didn't speak English and poked them and fixed their Saree's for them. Then spent two hours chilling with our drivers in the jeep with the AC running.
The rest of the team arrived at the Village after about 30 minutes of being on the boat. We walked to the church where we were served lunch that included various seafood and of course sprite. After we had a service where I think most of us fell asleep at the front of the church. It was not because of Pastor Kevin's preaching but rather it was really hot and we were all tired. When the service ended most of the team went and handed out bibles to the children of the church and I was left to pray for people. In India people always come up to the front for prayer and want you to place your hands on their heads and pray for them. The village was a very cool experience because it was different from the other parts of India that we have been to. After leaving like two hours late we were on the boat to see the sun set it was very pretty.
Ok so the power has just gone out so I am going to wrap this up. Oh wait it's back on.
I will wrap it up anyways because it is getting long.
Wait I have been told I need to tell you something else. Yesterday(Monday) we told vardhini that we wanted to go to town in an auto rickshaw so she said "OK". They will come at 3:30 and get us. So at 3:30 she says there here. We go downstairs and I can't hear the auto rickshaws and I look and it's actually bicycle rickshaws and we were like "oh my". A little more intense than we thought. I didn't think Sarah was going to get on it because she was scared. She was like "I am going to die" and being the good co-leader I am I said to Sarah "that's OK if you die you get to be with Jesus" This didn't really help but she did get on it. So Vardhini, Sarah, Natashia, Erica, Phil, Guy from school and I took three of them to town. It was really cool because we were going slower and could see lots of things that we couldn't see from the jeep. People also stared at us a lot and auto rickshaws would drive by slowly and try to use all the English words they knew. Clearly we didn't die.
Tomorrow is our last day in Chirala. We leave for Piler on Thursday morning. They are having a farewell service for us at the school tomorrow which will be sad for us because we will have to say goodbye to the children and teachers who have touched us each in many different ways.
Please continue to pray for us as we say goodbye tomorrow, travel to Piler, minister in Piler and then travel to Chennai. The team's health has been pretty good lately but is still an area of pray that we need. Please also pray that God would help us to understand everything that has happened and everything we have seen.
Thank you for all your prayers and support.
Love Catherine and the members of Team India.
Let's recap
Sunday we drove to a fishing village that was suppose to take 2 1/2 hours but actually took 3 1/2 because we stopped numerous times. It seems all the funny stories involve going to the washroom. At one of the random stops we had to use the washroom so we told Vardhini and she took as to someone's home and I asked her if she knew them and she said nope she just asked if we could use their washroom. The awkward part was when we came out and the women we didn't know re wrapped our Saree's.
I have decided that Vardhini must have an amazing sense of hearing. She wasn't even in the jeep and I whispered(I know what your thinking me whisper? but I actually did) to Natashia and told her I would like some lays because I was feeling queasy and next thing I know Vardhini came back to the jeep and said "do you want lays?" I was laughing she also did the same thing later in the day with ice cream.
So we get to the place where we need to board the boat to go to the fishing village and it's time to walk out into the water and get onto the boat and Sarah who was feeling sick the whole drive felt it was best she didn't come because she would be puking the whole way. Lindsey also decided to not go on the boat. So we left the two of them at a house that the doctor "knew". He told us they knew them but Sarah said went to like three different houses before they found this house that had a bed and a bathroom. So the two of them spent five hours with people who didn't speak English and poked them and fixed their Saree's for them. Then spent two hours chilling with our drivers in the jeep with the AC running.
The rest of the team arrived at the Village after about 30 minutes of being on the boat. We walked to the church where we were served lunch that included various seafood and of course sprite. After we had a service where I think most of us fell asleep at the front of the church. It was not because of Pastor Kevin's preaching but rather it was really hot and we were all tired. When the service ended most of the team went and handed out bibles to the children of the church and I was left to pray for people. In India people always come up to the front for prayer and want you to place your hands on their heads and pray for them. The village was a very cool experience because it was different from the other parts of India that we have been to. After leaving like two hours late we were on the boat to see the sun set it was very pretty.
Ok so the power has just gone out so I am going to wrap this up. Oh wait it's back on.
I will wrap it up anyways because it is getting long.
Wait I have been told I need to tell you something else. Yesterday(Monday) we told vardhini that we wanted to go to town in an auto rickshaw so she said "OK". They will come at 3:30 and get us. So at 3:30 she says there here. We go downstairs and I can't hear the auto rickshaws and I look and it's actually bicycle rickshaws and we were like "oh my". A little more intense than we thought. I didn't think Sarah was going to get on it because she was scared. She was like "I am going to die" and being the good co-leader I am I said to Sarah "that's OK if you die you get to be with Jesus" This didn't really help but she did get on it. So Vardhini, Sarah, Natashia, Erica, Phil, Guy from school and I took three of them to town. It was really cool because we were going slower and could see lots of things that we couldn't see from the jeep. People also stared at us a lot and auto rickshaws would drive by slowly and try to use all the English words they knew. Clearly we didn't die.
Tomorrow is our last day in Chirala. We leave for Piler on Thursday morning. They are having a farewell service for us at the school tomorrow which will be sad for us because we will have to say goodbye to the children and teachers who have touched us each in many different ways.
Please continue to pray for us as we say goodbye tomorrow, travel to Piler, minister in Piler and then travel to Chennai. The team's health has been pretty good lately but is still an area of pray that we need. Please also pray that God would help us to understand everything that has happened and everything we have seen.
Thank you for all your prayers and support.
Love Catherine and the members of Team India.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Day Off
Hey everyone,
Today was a pretty amazing day. It was a day off. dont hear much of that around here. Anyways, some of the girls (Christen, Sarah and Erica) went to the school today thinking that the older classes were still there and well lets put it this way they were there with the teachers and that was about it. They did learn a little bit of Hindi out of it though. You will have to ask them how that went I am not to sure.
Christen and I have been trying to learn some Telugu so we can communicate a little more with the people here. Christen is doing a pretty good job at it, I on the other hand it is coming a lot slower. The people really appriciated it that we are trying to learn it. Everyone says it is easier to learn English than it is to learn telugu.
Anywhos back to the day off. Alot of us just hung around the house today. Many slept or read it was pretty laid back. Christen and Kjel went to the ocean again today. Once again you will need to ask them about it. I heard it was pretty amazing though.
Well we have an early morning tomorrow so i better head off to bed.
Thankyou for your continuous prayer support and we love reading your comments from home. Can't wait to see you all back in cold Canada.
Love always,
Toma (Lindsey)
Today was a pretty amazing day. It was a day off. dont hear much of that around here. Anyways, some of the girls (Christen, Sarah and Erica) went to the school today thinking that the older classes were still there and well lets put it this way they were there with the teachers and that was about it. They did learn a little bit of Hindi out of it though. You will have to ask them how that went I am not to sure.
Christen and I have been trying to learn some Telugu so we can communicate a little more with the people here. Christen is doing a pretty good job at it, I on the other hand it is coming a lot slower. The people really appriciated it that we are trying to learn it. Everyone says it is easier to learn English than it is to learn telugu.
Anywhos back to the day off. Alot of us just hung around the house today. Many slept or read it was pretty laid back. Christen and Kjel went to the ocean again today. Once again you will need to ask them about it. I heard it was pretty amazing though.
Well we have an early morning tomorrow so i better head off to bed.
Thankyou for your continuous prayer support and we love reading your comments from home. Can't wait to see you all back in cold Canada.
Love always,
Toma (Lindsey)
Are you joking me??
This is the story of three girls. We will call them Nat, Cat, and Sarah. Like every other night in India there is a gospel meeting somewhere. The three girls decide to go, Sarah being a bit hesitant because she's tired. After waiting 1 1/2 hrs the ambulance finally arrives to take them to the gospel meeting ...
Ok, enough with the 3rd person talk.
So, we get into the ambulance and Sarah asks Cat "How far to the meeting? Like 2 km?" Cat laughs and replies "No, more like 70km!" Sarah then responds "It's a good thing I peed before we left." We all laughed.
The thing about driving in India is that people make random stops along the way and you have no idea what is going on because you don't speak Telegu. We finally arrive at the gospel meeting, after 3 stops - gas station, Vardhini's parents house, and random place where we picked up random lady - It is about 2 1/2 hrs later and close to 10pm. IT TAKES 2 1/2 HRS TO GET 70KM IN INDIA!!!
The gospel meeting was amazing like always. We belted out 'Here I am to Worship' like at every other meeting and brought greetings from Canada. Cat and Nat brought greetings from every person in Canada so Sarah was left with no-one. When Sarah said "My little brother says hello" the translator, aka the Doctor, laughed and didn't translate. Sarah was choked. Vardhini preached in Telegu and we sat pretty with flowers around our necks - well, Cat and Nat took theirs off because of sneezing and hay-fever.
At the end of the meeting we prayed for many of the people who came forward. Cat got hold of a baby and it almost did it's business on her ... or maybe it did? By the end of praying Sarah had all the flowers around her neck. We were then invited to a family's house for dinner. It was now 12.30am! We weren't hungry. Sarah almost cried because she was NOT hungry!
Nat had an experience and a half ... we all had to pee. Cat and Sarah had a nice squatter, with a hole, and Nat had a small cement room with ... no hole! So here I am, standing in this room going "What am I suppose to do in here?" There is nothing except for a bucket filled with water. Vardhini comes into the small room and shuts the door. Meanwhile, Sarah is outside laughing and wondering what we are doing in that room ... and Cat is peeing in the other room listening to all of this. So, Vardhini pulls her saree up a few inches and squats down "You just squat and go ... like this. And then take the water and pour it over the floor". Sounds simple enough!! Vardhini leaves and closes the door leaving me all alone in this small cement room with nothing to do but pee on the floor. So, I peed and tried not to splash myself. After diluting the floor with water and washing my feet I was met outside by Cat and Sarah waiting to here what happened. I refused to tell them until we got back and after I had a shower!
So, pretty much at this rate Sarah will be practically married or engaged by the time we leave India!! As we were walking back to the ambulance - down this road, through someone's yard, down this tiny pathway (It felt like we were the Secret Service or something), oh and passed the random cow that Sarah thought was going to attack us - this boy/man who was walking with us asked Sarah's name, and then said "You come back to India next year, this month. I will wait for you. Yes? I will wait for you to come back to India!" Sarah was a bit creeped out. Then he hands her a piece of paper and pen, hoping for her phone number or email address but gets "God Bless your heart, Sarah, Canada" and he hands her a paper. In the ambulance Sarah opens the paper to find his name and number!! Awkward!
... Finally at like 1am we were on our way back. We got back shortly before 4am, travelling back with the ambulance lights flashing and travelling at 50 km/h. Our heads hit the pillow shortly before 5am after Nat had a shower and told us her story.
We might go nap ...
Nat, Cat, and Sarah
Ok, enough with the 3rd person talk.
So, we get into the ambulance and Sarah asks Cat "How far to the meeting? Like 2 km?" Cat laughs and replies "No, more like 70km!" Sarah then responds "It's a good thing I peed before we left." We all laughed.
The thing about driving in India is that people make random stops along the way and you have no idea what is going on because you don't speak Telegu. We finally arrive at the gospel meeting, after 3 stops - gas station, Vardhini's parents house, and random place where we picked up random lady - It is about 2 1/2 hrs later and close to 10pm. IT TAKES 2 1/2 HRS TO GET 70KM IN INDIA!!!
The gospel meeting was amazing like always. We belted out 'Here I am to Worship' like at every other meeting and brought greetings from Canada. Cat and Nat brought greetings from every person in Canada so Sarah was left with no-one. When Sarah said "My little brother says hello" the translator, aka the Doctor, laughed and didn't translate. Sarah was choked. Vardhini preached in Telegu and we sat pretty with flowers around our necks - well, Cat and Nat took theirs off because of sneezing and hay-fever.
At the end of the meeting we prayed for many of the people who came forward. Cat got hold of a baby and it almost did it's business on her ... or maybe it did? By the end of praying Sarah had all the flowers around her neck. We were then invited to a family's house for dinner. It was now 12.30am! We weren't hungry. Sarah almost cried because she was NOT hungry!
Nat had an experience and a half ... we all had to pee. Cat and Sarah had a nice squatter, with a hole, and Nat had a small cement room with ... no hole! So here I am, standing in this room going "What am I suppose to do in here?" There is nothing except for a bucket filled with water. Vardhini comes into the small room and shuts the door. Meanwhile, Sarah is outside laughing and wondering what we are doing in that room ... and Cat is peeing in the other room listening to all of this. So, Vardhini pulls her saree up a few inches and squats down "You just squat and go ... like this. And then take the water and pour it over the floor". Sounds simple enough!! Vardhini leaves and closes the door leaving me all alone in this small cement room with nothing to do but pee on the floor. So, I peed and tried not to splash myself. After diluting the floor with water and washing my feet I was met outside by Cat and Sarah waiting to here what happened. I refused to tell them until we got back and after I had a shower!
So, pretty much at this rate Sarah will be practically married or engaged by the time we leave India!! As we were walking back to the ambulance - down this road, through someone's yard, down this tiny pathway (It felt like we were the Secret Service or something), oh and passed the random cow that Sarah thought was going to attack us - this boy/man who was walking with us asked Sarah's name, and then said "You come back to India next year, this month. I will wait for you. Yes? I will wait for you to come back to India!" Sarah was a bit creeped out. Then he hands her a piece of paper and pen, hoping for her phone number or email address but gets "God Bless your heart, Sarah, Canada" and he hands her a paper. In the ambulance Sarah opens the paper to find his name and number!! Awkward!
... Finally at like 1am we were on our way back. We got back shortly before 4am, travelling back with the ambulance lights flashing and travelling at 50 km/h. Our heads hit the pillow shortly before 5am after Nat had a shower and told us her story.
We might go nap ...
Nat, Cat, and Sarah
Friday, January 12, 2007
Ants in my Pants
So i guess the title kinda explains it already. "Chimalu Naku Ishtumledu" or "I hate ants"Theres been a few nights where me or phil have been woke up by these tiny little red ants. they like to hang out everywhere. they especially like garbage so me and phil thought we'd clean our room of garbage and that helped for a little while. Last night when the one half of the other team got back from a bible college graduation where we performed the drime, me, sarah, catherine,natashia ,..we sat down to eat our cold dinner, and it was about 11 at night. i was one of the first to start eating, big surprize i know, but anyways i noticed that the red ants had gotten into the rice. i quickly emptyed my plate and just had soem fruit. But the girls and pastor al and pastor luther all took the rice. so the girls are a little bit mad i never told them about the ants in the rice but i'm sure they'll get over it eventually. they keep saying their going to put ants in my food to get me back, but we'll see if that happens.
Today me and Phil and the Rev's went to see a church roof being constructed, it was a long drive there and a long drive back but it was good to go to these villages and see the work thats being done and meet the Pastors and the people and pray with them. It seems liek everywhere we go they always have pop for us to drink, we were gone from 10am till 4 in the afternoon, and they gave us 3 bottles each, at a few different places, and yu pretty much have to drink them, so i think i am very sick of sprite but its amazing how hospitable these people are.
well thanks for all your prayers and support, take care
kjel
Today me and Phil and the Rev's went to see a church roof being constructed, it was a long drive there and a long drive back but it was good to go to these villages and see the work thats being done and meet the Pastors and the people and pray with them. It seems liek everywhere we go they always have pop for us to drink, we were gone from 10am till 4 in the afternoon, and they gave us 3 bottles each, at a few different places, and yu pretty much have to drink them, so i think i am very sick of sprite but its amazing how hospitable these people are.
well thanks for all your prayers and support, take care
kjel
Thursday, January 11, 2007
First Aid
So for three mornings in a row, Kjel and I (Erica) had the opportunity to go with Pastor Al and Pastor Kevin to the dedications of first aid clinics in surrounding villages. These villages are poor, and don't have a lot. They have centers for the kids there, in which the kids come to from 6am -730am, and again after school 5pm-8pm. The same center's are where we opened the first aid clinic's. It was a really cool expierence to see how much these villages are being helped, and how much they still need help. The kids work on their school work at the centers, and it gives them that extra learning time, because school is the way out for a lot of these kids. Some of the kids at these centers are handicapped, and they are all poor. Please pray for the clinics and centers, that they can be beneficial and helpful to the villages. The kids kept calling me sister, which in Telugu almost sounds like my name, except without the 'r'. It was really cool.
Last night half the team (Phil, Lindsey, Christen and myself) went to a gospel meeting in a village 1.5hours away! It was a crazy drive once again, but aren't they all. It was really cool, some of the boys of the village did a dance for us. So neat.
Today is the last day of school, in which we teach english, and get to spend lots of time with the kids. It's a sad day. Tomorrow the kids are off for 4 days to celebrate the harvest time, a big holiday in India.
Please continue to pray for health, and safety (especially every time we're in a vehicle).
Love Erica and Lindsey (and Team India)
Last night half the team (Phil, Lindsey, Christen and myself) went to a gospel meeting in a village 1.5hours away! It was a crazy drive once again, but aren't they all. It was really cool, some of the boys of the village did a dance for us. So neat.
Today is the last day of school, in which we teach english, and get to spend lots of time with the kids. It's a sad day. Tomorrow the kids are off for 4 days to celebrate the harvest time, a big holiday in India.
Please continue to pray for health, and safety (especially every time we're in a vehicle).
Love Erica and Lindsey (and Team India)
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Beach Days
Hey all,
Well it's been a hot few days and we decided that we were going to beat the heat by taking a trip to the ocean yesterday. That was a really fun and entertaining experience. We taught for the morning doing our usual routines and then on the way home for lunch this random guy was calling after us. When he finally caught up to us he explained that his wife has parkinson's disease and the medicine was going to cost him about 1037 ruppies which he didnt have. So we discussed it with Dr. Anon and found out that we had the medicine that she needed here. So they have the medicine they need. Thank God!
Anyways back to the beach story. We picked up the older classes from the school to come with us and we headed out on the bus. (the really crowded school bus that is.) When we got there it was so amazing. The water although really salty was so warm. We jumped in the waves with the kids. Probably swallowed quite a bit of sand and salt in the process but it didn't faze us all that much. We came across many crabs. Phil and Sarah held them, while I was randomly picking up sea shells and found a snail. The kids and I thought I should take it home for a pet but then I realized that it probably wouldnt like the flying very much. Probably dislike it even more than I do. So he went back in the ocean.
Well that was our exciting day and we will keep you updated as more things happen. (As often as we possibly can with the random poweroutages and all).
Anywhos, miss you all lots and can't wait to see you then. God Bless and remember us in your prayers as well as the other teams in Kenya and Peru.
Love always,
Toma (Lindsey Toma) and team.
Well it's been a hot few days and we decided that we were going to beat the heat by taking a trip to the ocean yesterday. That was a really fun and entertaining experience. We taught for the morning doing our usual routines and then on the way home for lunch this random guy was calling after us. When he finally caught up to us he explained that his wife has parkinson's disease and the medicine was going to cost him about 1037 ruppies which he didnt have. So we discussed it with Dr. Anon and found out that we had the medicine that she needed here. So they have the medicine they need. Thank God!
Anyways back to the beach story. We picked up the older classes from the school to come with us and we headed out on the bus. (the really crowded school bus that is.) When we got there it was so amazing. The water although really salty was so warm. We jumped in the waves with the kids. Probably swallowed quite a bit of sand and salt in the process but it didn't faze us all that much. We came across many crabs. Phil and Sarah held them, while I was randomly picking up sea shells and found a snail. The kids and I thought I should take it home for a pet but then I realized that it probably wouldnt like the flying very much. Probably dislike it even more than I do. So he went back in the ocean.
Well that was our exciting day and we will keep you updated as more things happen. (As often as we possibly can with the random poweroutages and all).
Anywhos, miss you all lots and can't wait to see you then. God Bless and remember us in your prayers as well as the other teams in Kenya and Peru.
Love always,
Toma (Lindsey Toma) and team.
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