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.