Care Package!

Thanks to the kind folks in Kentucky for sending some goodies my way. It really brightened a rainy day. Getting packages from America just never gets old. It feels like Christmas every single time. Thanks you guys!

Pictures From Retreat

the view that was outside of my window

we had tea twice a day in the garden.

fog rolling in over the fields

a nearby garden that I was able to explore a few times

overlooking the tea fields

the monkeys that plagued us in the mornings

Retreat

Right now I am sitting in a 100 year old British bungalow. All I can hear outside are crickets chirping. No dogs. No horns. Just the sounds of night.

We are in the middle of our team retreat up in the mountains. Our little bungalow is situated in the middle of a tea plantation. The surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. All of our meals are provided for and served to us by a gracious staff. We get served things like fish with chips and rhubarb with custard. We have tea twice a day in the garden. During the day, we meet in the library which smells of dusty books and has a spectacular view of the valley. Last evening, after dinner, we had a bit of a chill so they lit a fire for us in the parlor. (And I am writing all this with a British accent of course..)Its all so Jane Austen-esque.

Its been good to wander the tea fields and gardens. Its been good to be quiet and seek His face. Its also be a great time of fellowship and worship. I am honored to be on a team with such wonderfully creative, sincere seekers of God.

Of course there are always the pitfalls....What would life be without the pitfalls, right? First of all, I am allergic to my room. My nose apparently doesn't like 100 year old British bungalows. Within seconds of going inside, my throat gets scratchy, my eyes start watering..the whole works. Thankfully, I found some allergy medicine so I can at least sleep at night. And then- the monkeys. They are fearless. They sit outside our windows and doors, just waiting for the right moment to pounce. Snacks have been stolen and mornings have been disturbed.

But despite the monkeys and allergies, its been good. And I am thankful.

On The Road Again

I am about to head out for about a month's worth of traveling. I am leaving today for team meetings in a different part of the country. I was checking out the place we are going stay and we will be staying right in the middle of a tea garden! That sounds like every little girl's dream. Oh if only I were eight years old again. ;-) They go nuts around here about gardens. I think it must be left over from the British influence. I am looking forward to the peace.

After our team meetings, we are going to another town for some language intensives with a teacher who calls himself the Hindi Doctor. So, I am looking forward to my Hindi getting fixed!

(an update on my injuries- I am healing up quite nicely. Thanks to you all for praying)

Thanks Guys For the Reminder

Last week I was in a small scooter accident so I have had a hobbly knee. And then over the weekend, while in the slums, I hit my eye on one of the low thatched roofs which caused an eye infection. Then yesterday hot grease splashed up on my face resulting in some small burns around my nose and lips. Then last night, ants decided to infest my bath towel. So, in addition to the burns, I now have ant bites on my mouth. I finally just hit a wall yesterday and burst into tears. I looked in the mirror and thought 'why am I even trying'?? I don't think I have what it takes. In those moments, I usually turn on some music and spend time being quite. A old Phillips Craig and Dean song came on. And I have been crucified with Christ, and yet I live... Thanks guys for the reminder. The familiar truth penetrated my heart. Its not my strength but His. So with my hobbly knee and swollen face, I will walk in that strength.

Me Apna Ap

One of the favorite topics around here is cooking. Back home, I am not much of a cook. I like to cook if I know other people will eat it but when its just me- I am not very motivated. Especially after 12 hour of hospital work. I was tired and hungry and wanted something fast. Lean Cuisine was my best friend.

Cooking is the same thing as breathing around here. So, when they ask me what I cook and I say 'nothing' its like saying I don't draw in air to breath. Its actually a joke with some of my national friends about the content of my diet. My friend last week finally shamed me enough to do some thing about it. She said "you have lived in our country, learned our language and wear our clothes but you don't cook our food".

Well...ya see...I'm a nurse...uh..Lean Cuisine..long shifts....drive thru....uh.... I had absolutely no excuse that would make sense to her.

So today, I pulled out my Indian Food cookbook on a mission! Three hours and a small kitchen fire later, I had made roti (the flat bread they eat here) and okra.

I quickly ran hot buttered roti down to my neighbor Auntie.

"Auntie Auntie menay apna ap roti banaee"!! ( Auntie I made roti all by myself)

"Shabash! Barea Baita" ( Good job! Wonderful child!) She then reviewed each step of the roti making process to make sure I had done it correctly.

I felt like a three year old who had just tried pull -ups training pants for the first time. I'm a big kid now.