Fear Milingay!

As promised here are a few pictures. I have ton more and stories to go with them but you will have to come over for chai to see the rest. (Seriously, people I brought chai home to make!) Just looking at these pictures makes me want to go back. I hope you can see why I fell in love with this country and its people. Enjoy!

A forest fire

The children of Kana (you don't smile for pictures in India)


Swammi she is 3 and has quiet a personality, we had a lot of fun.


Joni, me, Jana

Bahtwari

Mossoorie

Well as they say in the movies, or at least the good ones, That's all folks! I have really really enjoyed keeping this blog. I didn't realize how much I enjoy writing. I am toying with the idea of starting another one just journaling day to day thoughts of mine, we shall see. Thank you all for reading. May God go with you wherever He takes you in this life. ~Anna

The end is near

No, the title is not a fatalistic statement. It is the truth. Sadly. I leave Moussoori tomorrow at 10am for the roughly 8hr. trip to Delhi. But lets not think about that now, ok?
Lets talk about this weekend. We left our house Saturday morning with Rani and her nephew Renau for our trip to Kanajack. Rani said the hike should take about 3 1/2 hours but its India and nothing concerning time is as it should be. First off the hike was more of a mountain trek. Although the path was very level, we are in the Himalayan Mountains and at a very high altitude. Needless to say this Midwestern flat plains girl is very sore! We were greeted at a village about 1/3 of the way to Kanajack by about 30 students that had just gotten out of school. They don't see many white people around here so they kept staring at us. Rani wants to build relationships in this village so we stopped. J&J and Rani sang Hindi Christian songs and then Rani told the story of the Prodigal Son. (When the son comes home the father does not kill the fatten calf in the Hindi story he kills a fattened goat :-) When she finished she asked if any of the children had heard about Jesus, not one of them raised their hands. Rani started right in and told them about Adam and Eve. It was getting pretty late so she told them when she comes back next week she will tell them more. They were so attentive! Then one of the mothers invited us over for chai which of course we accepted. Jana brought bubbles along so I started blowing them for the kids. They had never seen bubbles before and called them balloons! They had a blast running around trying to catch them! Needless to say I had fun as well.

About 3 hours later (4pm) we reached the first village of Kanajack. There are actually 3 villages that make up Kanajack. At the first one, Dona, we were given chai and constantly swarmed by people. Rani told the women that we were nurses and we immediately had a line in front of us!! They don't normally see doctors because they are so far away and if they do they only tell the doctor what is really wrong if they are female. Oh and they had no idea what blood pressure was. Yeah, try explaining that! It got a little overwhelming for me because 1) I don't know Hindi 2) Most of the women only spoke the tribal language of Garwhali so translation was very difficult for Jana, Joni, and Rani 3) The women were fascinated by my white (pinkish because it was very hot and I was a little bit sunburt!) skin and kept crowding around to touch it. hahaha Oh boy. But we did help a little I think and the women were grateful for someone to listen to them.

After that excitement we went to the village of Kana which is where to spend the night. There is a man and is family there who has recently become a Christian. We stayed at his house and they cooked for us! We had supper and then Rani, Ranu, and Joni took a 20 min. walk to the third village. Jana and I were so tiered we decided to stay with the children of Kana. There was about 15 of them or so. We were thinking we will sing some songs, blow some bubbles and tell Bible stories. WRONG!! The kids had so much energy!! We sang Hindi Christian songs (well Jana did...), played Chawli, Chawli, Billi ( translated is means Rat, Rat, Cat. It is Duck, Duck, Goose, because Jana doesn't know the Hindi words for that!) twice, sang Father Abraham with all the motions, blew bubbles, then played London Bridge twice, and took pictures (which is more exhausting then it sounds)!!! We were even more tired by the end! It was a blast though. I am more comfortable around the children because they don't care if you know Hindi or not and will correct your Hindi without being judgemental. Needless to say everyone fell into bed at 9:30. Then we got up at 6am and headed out. It took us about half the time to get back, in case you wondered. I asked out of curiosity on the way back how many kilometers it was one way to Kana, its 20 (for those of you who don't use the metric system its 12.5 miles.) that is with a roughly 8lb backpack. Wow, I am going to sleep well tonight! It was beautiful, a great way to see "the real India", its beautiful people, and well worth it.

So that is my weekend in a nut shell. How was yours? Keep yourself posted here for the next week as I am going to upload some pictures to the blog, just a few mind you as there are almost 200! Hope all is well. Thanks for following along with me on this journey. Your prayers and support have meant more then you know. Love and blessings to all.

Something different today

Your of this city/your the King of these people/ your the Lord of this nation/.../There is no one like our God/For greater things have yet to come/and greater things are still to be done in this city.
I have been immersed in Indian culture for nearly three weeks now and I have noticed something. I have made friends with Hindus, Muslims, and Seeks. Three groups who are known for hating each other. At the moment here in Moussoori they work alongside one another in relative peace. But there is something that these religions have in common, they have a strong believe in fate/destiny. The Hindus say that events were meant to happen because of something that you did in a past life or something that someone did to you. The Musliums say Inshallah or if Allah wills it. Now you can argue and say that in a sense Islam is close to Christianity in that we say we are to follow the will of God no matter what that maybe. But stick with me here for a min. Here in Moussoori all of these groups except the Christians pretty much look out for themselves and their kind. Sure they will invite you in for tea but as far as really giving to another brother in need it doesn't happen. Here in Moussoori it is the Chrisitans, both foreign and Indians, who are getting work done. They are the ones that set up homes for orphans, they give some of the best medical care in these parts (I visited the gov. hospital yesterday. Oh goodness that is another story for another time). It is the Christians who are arranging to visit villages and bringing needed supplies and fellowship from the outside world. It is the Christians who are bringing hope to a desolate nation in need of so much. We were talking yesterday about how big India is, over a billion people, one day it is suspected to surpass China. How cool would that be if it was a nation of over one billion Christians? Now I am not as niaeve as I may sound I know that this is an impossible task but I believe in an impossible God. The One who flooded the Earth, healed the blind, died and rose again. In any case I believe that my God is the God of this city/nation and has amazing things planned for it. It has been such a blessing to me to see these plans taking place. Will you please join with me in praying for the nation of India our Christian brothers and sisters here and especially those who have yet to know The One True God.
Thanks for listening to my long winded post. I hope to post on Sunday night again but no promises. Much love to all.

Don't be too shocked

My goal in writing this was to keep you all informed and less confused about what I was doing. Well I have failed on both accounts. But not intentionally mind you. I have learned in India how to go with the flow. The reason I have not been in contact more is because electricity here is speratic as is cell service. Water in the pipes comes and goes as well but that has nothing to do with me sending e-mails. I felt I owed you more of an explanation and that's the best I have. I appreciate all of you who have kept up with this blog even though it is not updated as often as I would like.

On the confusion side of things we went to Kahti Pani today (if you notice my spelling of places changes from phonetic to the correct spelling after I have visited...) that is about an hours walk away. I think I messed that up in my last post. I so enjoyed the visit today. The village is all composed of one family who actually come from a different part of India originally. When the team first started visiting these families they were told to come back whenever they wanted but they were not allowed to read a Bible. Then one day a family member asked if she could have a Bible and the rest of the village wanted one too! None of them are Christians but there is definitely great hope there. Today we visited 3 different homes (that means three cups of chai, and you have to drink it all or it is rude.) At two homes we read the story of Nicodemus and Jesus in John 3. It is an interesting story to consider when thought about from a Hindu perspective. The second home is the home of Pyle a 15 year old who is devouring her Bible. Her mother told us that any spare moment her daughter has she reads the Bible. How amazing is it that a 15 year old with no other Christan connects, except this once a week visit, is reading the Word? Please keep her in your prayers. I did some nursing as well. There is one member of the village who has high blood pressure so J&J try to keep an eye on it. I took her blood pressure and then the rest of the Pioneer team was wondering what theirs was! I am happy to report that everyone was healthy as far as bp's were concerned. We also picked peas. Yes, peas. The goal of the Pioneer team here is to build relationships in order to bring others to Christ. This means doing whatever needs to be done to build trust. So we picked peas in the fields. At the end the women insisted on giving us some. This is a huge compliment in Hindu culture. The people in Khati Pani have some of the best fields around and agriculture is their livelihood. Please keep this village in your prayers that the spiritual seeds that are being planted would continue to grow.

Tomorrow and Friday there is not much planned. We can't do much in town because of elections. People who are loyal to certain parties all close down their shops when votes are cast and when they are counted, which is pretty much the whole weekend. It's also a bank and post office holiday. I don't fully understand it so for us it just means no bazaar. We are going to scope out a government hospital tomorrow because we have heard a lot about it and J&J have never been there. I will let you know what I find out.... We will just be taking it easy before we leave on Saturday morning for Kanajack with Rani (J&J's Hindi teacher).

It is starting to hit me more and more everyday how soon I will be leaving Moussoori and India. I think its going to be harder then I orginally thought. I miss my family at home (I am not just saying that!) but am falling in love with the people and culture here. More and more with everything I expierence. Jana and Joni have been more then amazing gracious hosts. These women so exude the love of Christ in everything they do. To top it all off they are funny, we get a long so well. That is such a blessing. Please pray for me that the transition will be as smooth as possible for me as I come back to the States.

A short blog today. That's what happens when you blog twice in 24hours! I hope all is well with you wherever you might be.

Fact of the day: I had water buffalo for lunch. It was made by one of the team members and was amazingly good, partially because it was flavored with beef seasoning! Its the first red meat I have had in India. But it is technically illegal. Water buffalo are a relative of a cow and it is a law that you are not allowed to kill cows. But Muslims still sell it here and not much is done to punish them!

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away....

I apologize for the lack of communication with the home front. We had an awesome time in Utterkashi this weekend. We were in a village/town of Bahtwari at a Christian School. The village is in a valley surrounded by mountains with a river, or ganga, running through it. Breathtaking. I wasn't sure I would like teaching teachers that much, especially about things that seem so elementary (brushing your teeth, personal hygiene etc.) But the point was to make it so they could take the information we gave them and teach their students, most of whom do not practice these things. The staff was so thankful for everything we had taught them and by the end they were really getting into the demonstrations we had planned. It was so rewarding.
I finished up my last two days at the hospital yesterday and today. The days could not have been more opposite. Yesterday (Monday) I spent the day in the ICU with a 7 year old boy who came into the ER unable to breathe because of swelling in his face and airway. The performed an emergency tracheostomy and were giving him tons of different drugs to treat all the possible infections he could have. They have no equipment or medicine for pediatric patients, so they were giving half doses of medication. It was hard to watch because they family had no money to pay for anything so the hospital donated all the care. This also meant that he couldn't be taken to the city where he would get better care because no government hospital would take him. The nurses are not used to taking care of any patients, adult or child, with this kind of severe illness. It scared me a bit because there were times they were asking my opionion on things. Some of which I knew the answer to other times I did not. I really tried only to talk when I was asked as to not overstep my bounds. It was an interesting observation of Indian nursing care compared to American nursing care. I spent the day watching this boys vitals and calming him down because he would get so restless. It was hard because I don't know how to comfort him in Hindi so I just started praying. Despite the doctors best efforts I found out today that he died during the night. I have seen people die before but it is different with a child like this. The hardest part for me is to accept that everything that could have been done was in fact done, they just don't have the options of care that we do in the states. I am thankful for that tonight.
On the flip side today I saw my first life birth. A healthy baby boy! It was such a neat experience. (To all you mothers out there they do not give pain meds. here unless it is a complicated birth. Happy Mother's Day!!) The parents were only 19 (Yikes!) but they were so happy, especially because it is a boy, they are valued more over girls especially as first borns. I found it really neat that even though this family was Hindi the nurses prayed over the them asking God to bless this young life. What a way to celebrate International Nurses Day and my last day at LCH!
I am going to miss the hospital. It was hard at first but I finally started to find my niche and the nurses had accepted me as one of their own. It was such a nice feeling.
I cannot believe I only have one week left here. Its a melancholy feeling. I can't wait to come back and tell you all what I have experienced here. Tomorrow we are going to visit friends in the village of Kondrajack just an hours walk away. Then we have two days free and Saturday/Sunday we will be in another village that is about 4hours from here (again no phones or internet). I leave Moussoori on Monday as my flight leaves Tuesday at 12am. Wow this has gone by fast. I hope you all understand this quick update, there is so much more to share. Thanks for reading. Love to you all. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

What's in a name?

I want to start by saying a big thank you to my roommate from college, Rachael, who posted my last post for me because I wasn't able to get on here! Thanks roomie! :-)
Let's see the happenings here....Well I have spent the last two days in the hospital shadowing the nurses on the wards (the main rooms of the hospital). I won't go into too much detail lose you all but this has been a great learning experience for me as health care here is drastically different then in the states. Not all bad mind you, just different (and yes, I always where gloves!). The hardest part is that I cannot talk with the patients because I don't know any Hindi beyond, "Hi. How are you?" (Namastae. Op kay say hey?" Yeah, be impressed.) I spend a lot of my time getting lost in Hindi conversations of the nurses. Sometimes I can at least figure out the subject but other times I have no idea. I must be getting really good at pretending though because sometimes they start talking to me in Hindi even though they know I don't know any!! All the nurses on the ward speak English however so they translate for me sometimes, or at least try to include me.
At night we have been doing the traditional thing and having chai with friends. Indian people amaze me with their hospitality. It doesn't matter what is going on you are always invited in for chai and biscuits (the British influence still runs high around here!) Sometimes people come here but Tuesday night we went to Jana and Joni's (J&J from here on out) Hindi teacher's house. Her name is Rani. She had three American men stay with her this week while they were ministering in the villages and they gave a Bible study. Rani and her nephew are Christians but the rest of the family is not but they all came to the Bible study, which is neat. We sang a lot of songs in Hindi (some of the more popular ones I am getting to know!) then the three guys shared. After the study and chai they through an impromptu dance party. Even though I didn't participate (you IWU students understand...) it was a blast to watch!! I wish I would have taped it...
Today (Thursday) we went to the bazaar. It was an amazing cultural experience to be among the hustle and bustle. There are stores for everything wood, silver jewelery, chemists (pharmacy), grocery stores, restaurants etc. I need to work on my bartering skills however.... Probably the most fun was picking out my fabric for my salwar suit. The fabric store is floor to ceiling fabric and carries everything from cotton to silk in every and any color you can imagine. I won't tell you what color mine is because I want it to be a surprise when I come home! You can buy pre-made suits but most people don't. Then we went to the tailor, where my suit is now, and I picked out the neck line and got measured. I can't wait to see the finished product!
Tomorrow we leave for a village in Unterkashi Provence (north east of here). We are going to be doing some health teaching to teachers of a school there till Sunday. It is a 7-10 hour drive (depending on the roads) through the mountains, I am told it is gorgeous. It is going to be an exciting experience because J&J have never been there and resources are limited (aka clean drinking water(we are taking a portable filter), no phones,...) but we are staying in a "hotel" (the other option was rustic camping so at least I will have a bed!) Please pray for health for all of us!
This blog seems so random and inadequate I apologize. When I get home (hard to believe I have been here over a week and a half!) come over for chai and I will fill you in with all the details, lucky you! I am feeling more and more comfortable here everyday. Please pray that I don't get too overwhelmed at not understanding the language and the Christ will radiate through me even in my silence. Thanks so much for reading. ~John 16:33

Hindi lesson for the day: Anna is the verb for "to come" in Hindi. Jana is the verb for "to go"

HIPPA? What’s that?

Today was my first day at LCH, the hospital here in Mussoori. I have no idea what the initials stand for but I found out a few other things. It is a Christian hospital that is a part of a chain of hospitals kind of like Good Sam . So the hospital is pretty small and sends all the "hard" cases to Derha Duhn. They have 4 bed male surgical ward, 5 bed male general ward, same goes for the female wards, a nursery room (with one bed), a labor and delivery bed, a 3 bed ICU/post-ops, and then a 3 bed pediatric ward. There are rooms on the 3rd floor called semi-private and premium rooms. The semi-private have two beds and cost about 1,000 INR and the premium room is private and has a TV. That room costs 1,500 INR. As far as I can figure there are 4 doctors. One is a pediatrician, OB/GYN, surgeon, and an gen. med. doctor. They see patients in the morning at their offices in the hospital. People line the halls for hours to see a doctor. There is also an OT. The hospital has one ventilator and none of the nurses know how to use it. Oxygen is really only used in the ICU. The craziest thing is that they have no gloves except for use in sterile procedures done by the doctors. When I helped a nurse get an IV in I put gloves on that I had brought and she laughed at me! Needless to say I said many prayers for my personal health and safety today.

The day starts out with a chapel service that everyone attends in the lobby where I made new friends for the week! There are a group of 3rd year nursing students and some medical students from Christian Medical College in Bangalor, India (southern India) that are doing clinical at the hospital this week. This is nice for me because in southern India English is their first language and Hindi is their second so I learned a lot about Indian nursing school from them! After the orientation of the hospital I was sent by myself to spend the day in the Emergency Department. Here they call it the casualty department. That sounds really morbid to me! The nurses, one in particular, spoke very good English and was very good at explaining things to me. We had four patients that all were admitted to the hospital. So it was kind of a slow day, but it was nice to talk to the nurses. Trying explain things about the States is kind of hard especially explaining nursing school because it is fairly different.

I am feeling so much more comfortable here even though my Hindi is very limited. I am learning a few words and phrases but most things (especially at the hospital) I cannot understand. So I just smile and nod! Hahaha Thank goodness for Jana and Joni who graciously translate whole conversations for me!

I am having a lot of trouble with the internet here, especially when checking my e-mail. I am sorry! I will check it as soon as possible. I am not ignoring you. Thanks for the prayers. The weather is much cooler, in the 70s but people are still fairly sick with a viral fever. So please continue to pray. Hope all is well. Much love to you all.

My orange was green

So much to report and I have only been here three days!!! Well let’s start with the important stuff shall we? I ate at McDonald’s in Dehra Duhn (pronounce Dune). No Big Macs here, however, just chicken and vegi burgers. I stuck with chicken, if you must know. The fries are the same thought! Yummy! My flight was very uneventful and I got a good amount of sleep. I met Jana and Joni at the airport and we spent the night in Delhi, were it was 98F at 9:00 at night and at 6:00 the next morning. We took a 6 hr. train ride from Delhi north to Dehra Duhn mostly through the plains where they grow a lot of wheat. This country is so populated there was hardly 5min without seeing people or buildings, even though it is considered the country. In Dehra Duhn we caught a taxi to Mussoori, about an hour away. I thought about taking a video of the drive but it would make most of you sick! The entire ride is tiny windy mountain roads and is driven at breakneck speed. I am surprised anyone is alive to drive around here, especially in Delhi. No one drives between the lines and it is perfectly ok to drive the wrong way on a road, oh and there are no seatbelts. So between cars, buses, trucks (the beds filled with people), motorcycles, random cows and ox drawn cart things get pretty crazy! But nevertheless the drive to Mussoori was gorgeous. Actually Mussoori is gorgeous. All the buildings sit perched on the edges of cliffs and have the most amazing views. Getting to them can be a bit treacherous but it is well worth it.
Yesterday (Thursday) we attend an Indian Christian wedding at Kellogg church where Jana and Joni (actually the whole Pioneer International team goes there). The wedding was supposed to start at 11am but it started an hour late. This is typical here, things are never expected to be “on time” so everyone asks if you are running on “Indian time”. It was an interesting experience. The bride wore white and a veil. The vows were are the same as they are in the states. So even though it was done in Hindi I could understand what was going on! All the women dress up in their best saris or salwars so the colors are simply amazing. Afterwards everyone is invited to a lunch feast. They hire a band and the band leads the parade of people down to the place where the meal is. When I agreed to go to the lunch I admit I didn’t realize what was all involved. Remember in kindergarten “no cuts, no buts, no coconuts”? Yeah, apparently they didn’t learn that here. It was chaos with all the pushing and shoving! Jana ended up getting my plate because I couldn’t keep up! J It was my first taste of Indian food here and I have to say it was not bad. It wasn’t as spicy as I thought it would be and I got to eat it all with my hands! (all those times, mom, you tried to get me to hold my fork right, went out the window...) The only silverware here in India is spoons and those are only for picking up the scraps, usually. Oh and tables are not customary in India, they usually eat on the floor but at the wedding everyone was standing because there were not enough chairs. The wedding was a good time for me to meet the rest of the PI team and I really enjoy spending time with them. They try and hold their conversations in English for my benefit but sometimes they forget and it ends up being a mix of Hindi and English. Oh well I guess it’s a way for me to learn Hindi!
Today I got another cultural experience. Jana, Joni, and myself went to a team members house, Susie, (who actually grew up in Wheaton, IL…crazy) to help prepare lunch for some women from the village of Khtapahni (sp?). This is something different because usually it’s the team members visiting the villages this is the first time the villagers came to a team members house. After they arrived an hour late we sang songs and told the story of Jonah then ate lunch of dahl and some other dish with rice that I don’t know the name of. We then played three games and had a blast, if they were shy at first they really open up after that (I must admit so did I). Then we had chai and desserts. (Chai tea is a staple drink around here and is always served to guests. It is not uncommon to be invited over for chai.) Most of the day was spoken in Hindi because even though the kids knew a bit of English the women did not. So needless to say I didn’t say much but I am learning to pick up on what is going on pretty well and the team members usually translate the gist of what is going on. Guess its time for me to learn Hindi! I was, however, invited to one of the villagers houses whenever I wanted! None of the visitors were Christian so we pray that something that was said or done might strike a chord with their hearts. Late this afternoon we went down (when I say down I literally mean down the hill (in IL or IN we call them mountains!) to the hospital to meet Dr. Samuel the head doctor. I will start shadowing there Monday morning. I have no idea what this means but the staff seems very nice and speaks English really well which will make things a bit easier. I was surprised at how much English everyone speaks here in India. The newspapers are all in English, signs are both in Hindi and English. Everyone at least knows Hello and How are you. English is actually the second official language in India after Hindi. Here in Mussoori there is a Hindi language school (started a hundred years ago for missionaries) so there are quite a few westerners and other Asians around.
Wow! I feel like I have overloaded you sorry about that. There are probably a million and one things I could say but I will stop for now. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers they mean so much. Those coupled with the loving hearts of the people here, especially Jana and Joni, made for an easy transition and lots of fun! Two requests 1)Pray for the area here. They are in a drought and are having record breaking temps. in the 90’s, which for a mountain town this is hot. The dry brush is causing a lot of wildfires. Pray for rain and the health of the villagers as water is at times hard to come by. 2) Pray that I can open up more to the locals. It is harder than I thought. Thanks so much. Love to you all.
P.S. If you have any questions regarding India or anything I am doing let me know and I will try to get an answer!
P.P.S. Just the peel was green, the fruit was orange and juicy. Also I don’t only eat Indian food, for dinner here at home we have spaghetti, crapes, and fahitjahs! Lol Oh, and don’t worry I don’t drink the tap water Jana and Joni have a big filter for drinking water.

Last One from the U.S.

A question I am asked over and over again two very important questions. 1) How am I doing? 2) Am I ready?

To answer question number one. I personally think this is the harder of the two. Am I nervous? Of course! But of the healthy sort I feel. I mean I am going to a foreign country where I don't speak the language, where I don't really know one, and really have no clue what I am doing. Yet I have a sense of peace and that is totally a God thing. I know He has total control. He already has proved this because I know I wouldn't have gotten this far without Him. Am I excited? Of course! This is once in a life time experience and something I have always wanted to do. I get to see knew things, smell new (and strong!) scents, meet new people. In short I get to experience a total new culture! There are not many people that get opportunities like this! So maybe the best answer to this question is I am just a whole heaping bundle of emotions. In all honesty maybe you should ask me this question when I am on the plane, when it actually hits me that this is actually happening.

Question number two. Am I ready? Well I am all packed. Which in and of itself is a feat considering I packed while unpacking from school. I have all the essentials a head lamp (because its not a matter of if the power goes out but when), a water bottle with filter (a very nice gift), and plenty of Sudoku for personally sanity's sake on the 14 hour flight. Am I ready to stand out? Yes, it wouldn't be the first time. Am I ready for 105 degree heat? In all honesty I am not sure what that feels like any more... Am I ready to avoid the monkeys at all costs? Sure, if it means not being mauled by them! Am I ready to be a nurse in a hospital where only one person speaks English? I have no idea. I know it will be hard but I am sure I will learn a lot regardless. So in answer to this question I believe the resounding answer is, Yes, I am ready. (As ready as I will ever be.)

I know a huge reason I am a prepared as I am is because of all of you. My church family was a true example of the body of Christ today, I am so blessed to be covered in their thoughts and prayers. I cannot thank them enough. My family has helped me get ready in so many ways right down to every little detail. Without them this trip wouldn't even be a dream. My friends who have listened to me talk and talk about this trip, and yet have never stopped encouraging me. Thank you all so much. I'll talk to you on other side.

They are well guided that God guides ~Scottish Proverb

One week and counting!!!

I cannot believe that a week from today I will be in India (more or less when you add all the time zones) Unfortunately I have another day of finals and a ton of packing to do, so I can't write all whole novel today. So you guys are getting a picture! I love picture books! (I wish they made text books like that...)
I just finished watching What Not to Wear on TLC and am kind of amazed at what different cultures considered appropriate style! This is a salwar on loan to me for my trip from one of the profs. I babysit for. Thanks Anne! It is more everyday wear then a sari. I will be wearing this when I visit the villages, otherwise I can wear jeans with modest tops (meaning covers my behind). The top is called a kamzee and the scarf is a necessity for modesty. I consider myself a pretty modest dresser but finding shirts that come to mid thigh has been a bit of a challenge. Not so with this! Each province has their own patterns of material. Some sew little mirrors on the fabric, and in this province, where it was made, they use block patterns. All in all it is very comfortable. Which is good considering the average is 100+ degrees! Putting it on makes me want to go all the more but alas studying calls my name.... (by the way I republished my first post below for those of you who are new! Enjoy!)

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." ~Ephesians 5:1-2

Namaste

Wow I feel so grown up. My very own blog! :-) My parents got there very own stationary and I get to choose backgrounds.... This is actually something that I have wanted to do for awhile but was never really sure where to start. I decided that this blog would be a good way for people to see how I am preparing for my trip to India (and maybe some other random stories along the way). I hope that once I am in India I will be able to update it with some of the happenings there.

As many of you know I am going to Mussoorie, India from April 27-May 19, 2009. Mussoorie is a town, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayan Moutians, northwest of the capital of Dehli. (Click on the map on the right Delhi will be in the upper left corner. Right of Delhi will be Derha Dun which is very close to Mussoorie.) It has long been noted by the British aristocracy for its beauty. They built many resorts and to this day the nearby city of Dehra Dun attracts many tourists. Surrounding Mussoorie are about 9,000 villages reachable only by foot. Many of these villages have never heard of Christ. I am staying with two sisters, Jana and Joni. Jana is a nursing graduate from Indiana Wesleyan. They do a lot of traveling to the villages providing medical care and sharing the gospel. Something exciting is happening as they are starting to see the fruits of their labor with an entire family being baptised! God is defiantly at work there.

As far as what I will be doing I have many options but at the same time very little idea! I know for sure that I will be spending some of my time earning my clinical hours at the hospital/clinic in Mussoorie, watching a lot of surgeries. I also hope to be able to travel with Jana and Joni to the surrounding villages providing basic medical care and building relationships with the people.

I am taking this trip for a few reasons, by the way they are in no particular order 1) To fulfill my course requirement. Indiana Wesleyan University requires all nursing students to complete 42 hours of clinical service in a culture different from there own. Some choose to go to an Amish birthing center while others are going to Africa for the summer. It just depends on where they feel called. 2) India is fascinating to me. They have a beautiful vibrant colorful culture with a very complex religion. Plus who doesn't like a good Bollywood film now and then! 3) I have always, always, always, wanted to travel and study abroad (just ask my parents. I think I caught my great-grandmothers traveling bug...) One of the main attractions to Indiana Wesleyan's nursing program is this class. I am really excited about the new experiences that await! 4) (and most important) I feel that God has a plan for me in this trip. I pray that I will be a willing tool for Him to use in whatever way He wants to further His kingdom.

Ask and it shall be given to you...

The baby boy that I asked all of you to pray for a few posts ago is once again in need of your petitions before the Throne Above. Stellan was moved to the step down unit and had a discharge date of today. Unfortunately for the last 24hrs. Stellan has had long periods of SVT and signs of drug toxicity. The cardiologist decided they had no choice and Stellan and his mom flew to Boston (from their home in Minn.) where the electrocardiologist is so Stellan can receive his heart surgery on Tuesday. Please pray for the doctors, the parents, and the other children as Stellan could be there for weeks. For a better idea of what all is going on click on the picture of Stellan on the upper right corner of my blog. Thanks for following along, reading, and praying.

Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea. A great high Priest whose Name is Love Who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on His hands, My name is written on His heart. I know that while in Heaven He stands. No tongue can bid me hence depart.~ Before the Throne of God Above

Time

(Nate, thank you! :-)
Time is an interesting phenomenon. It is something we love and we hate. In Transcultral Nursing we learn to evaluate how different cultures evaluate time. A culture can be past, present, or future oriented. In the United States we are very future oriented. Always moving thinking about the next thing that needs to be done and planning for our futures. In other cultures, such as the Native Americans, Latin Americans, and African peoples, are very present oriented. They are concerned with what is happening right now. If you have a meeting that is supposed to start in 10min but you are holding a conversation with a good friend the meeting will start when you are done with the conversation over an hour later. Then there are some cultures, mainly rural tribes like in the jungles of the world, that are past oriented. Things are done in accordance with tradition, the way they have been done for hundreds of years. India has a bit of all three time orientations. The major cities are future oriented like us but the more rural places tend to be present/past oriented. In nursing we think about these things when dealing with cultures so we can plan medication/testing schedules and how a people group will comply with appointment times.

I have been thinking a lot about time. The present for me is very busy because school lets out in less then two weeks. Everything is winding down and yet speeding up as finals approach. The future is very bright. In 16 days I will be getting read to board a 14.5 hour flight to Delhi, India for three weeks. Then June 1, two weeks after I return from India, I start my summer internship for 8 weeks. Then I go back to school a month early for RA training. *breath* WOW.

Last but certainly not least the past. I was thinking today how when I started planning in October I never thought the trip would come this fast. For that matter I never thought my junior year of college would be ending this fast. I was driving with a friend the other day and we were talking/rem incising about high school. It dawned on me that four years ago at this time I was preparing for a missions trip with my high school youth group to Taipei, Taiwan (an island of the southern tip of China). Junior years must be good years for missions trips! It was a trip that stretched me way outside of my comfort zone. There was so much I could not control and so much that I did not know. That scared me. I enjoyed it but at the end I wasn't sure I ever wanted to do something like that again. In fact the next year when my youth group went back I did not join them. Looking back it was one of the best experiences I could have had. I would never have even considered a trip like the one I am about to take without my time in Taiwan. Now here I am four years later preparing yet again to go on the other side of the world and feeling even less prepared then I did then. With all the excitement that is growing for this trip, the nervousness is growing as well. Yet I know my faith in God is stronger and that He has brought everything together perfectly. Please pray that I keep a willing and open mind/heart. because I know with that there is no telling what can/will happen.



"With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." ~2 Peter 3:8



P.S. Three weeks after being admitted to the PICU and one week before he is scheduled for heart surgery Stellan broke his SVT for over 24 hours. He got moved to a step down unit and could go home early next week!!!!



"He has RISEN!! He has risen indeed!"

Please Pray

I know that this blog is for my trip to India and I never intend to try and take away from that but something has been laid on my heart that I cannot shake. I believe in helping others in any way I can and in this case I think this blog is the way to do it.
Stellen is a 5 month old baby boy with a severe heart condition called SVT (super ventricular tachycardia) that is causing his heart (which is about the size of a walnut) to beat at an excess of 200 beats per min. He is going to have to be flown across the country for a major heart surgery that is very very risky for an infant. You can learn more about him, his condition, and his family by clicking on the link on the side (the photo of Stellen). I do not know this family personally but I strongly believe in the power of prayer and that is something that is desperatly needed now.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that you will hold baby Stellen and his family, especially his mama who has been staying in the PICU with him, close to you tonight. We know that you are in total control of whatever happens and may your will be done because we know that it is good, even if we never understand it. I thank you that this family knows you and trusts in your plan. I pray for Stellan's dad as he is home with the other three children who have the flu. Give both parents rest that they need and wisdom in decisions that no parent should ever have to make. May you bring grace and peace to this family. Carry them through whatever storms lay ahead. I beg you Father if it be your will to heal Stellan so that he may live a long life serving and praising you. Give the doctor's wisdom as they are at a loss of what to do. I pray for everyone that takes care of this precious little one may they be full of love, patience, and grace. In the perfect name of Yahweh Rophe, the God who heals I pray. ~Amen

Did you know?

Time for something different. I have done a lot of research on India both for my Transcultral nursing class and for my own personal benefit. I have come across many facts about this country, some very useful (like don't point the bottoms of your feet when you cross your legs because it is considered the greatest insult a person can give) and other bits of information not so much. So if you are coming along with me on this journey I think you should share in the knowledge. We will start with the cold hard facts and progress (possibly downward?) from there.
-India's population is 1,166,079,217 people (only country besides China to have over a population over a billion)
-The rupee is the national currency. The current exchange rate is $1=50.07 INR. (Not bad when $1=.75 euro!)
-There are currently 2.4 million Indians living with HIV/AIDS. (Stunning how unreported it is...)
-The average life expectancy is 70 years average for males and females.
-Ayurveda is the oldest school of medicine in the world.
-The number of times the earth orbits the sun and pi were discovered by Indians in the 5th and 6th centuries respectively, before the Europeans.
-The Indian railroad is the largest employer in the world. Employing over 1million people
-There are so many festivals in India every other day is a national holiday.
-India has the most post offices in the world.
-There are over 200 million cows in India (that's what happens when you can't kill them and they roam free!)
-Bollywood produces more movies then any other country in the world! Including the U.S.A!
-1,000 elephants were used in the construction of the Taj Mahal
-The national game of India....you will never guess....no it's not cricket....hockey. No joke hockey.
-And last but certainly not least: the national board game of India is Parcheesi. Why I will never know.

Now that you are all enlightened by my random fact tour of India I bid you Namaste!

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."~Indira Gandhi (a Prime minister of India who was assassinated in 1980. The international airport in Delhi is named after her.)

To live is Christ....

Amy Carmichael was an Irish woman who was a life long missionary to India, serving 46 years. She founded Dohnavur Fellowship in Tamil Nadu, just 30 miles from the southern tip of India. She adopted India as her home, not taking the typical route of missionaries of the day, she dressed in saris and would dye her skin black with coffee. She was a tough women with strong ideas that others did not always agree with but she was loved. The women and children she cared for took to calling her "Amma" which means mother in the native Tamil. At her commemoration service this was spoken, "Joy is not gush: joy is not jolliness. Joy is simply perfect acquiescence in God's will, because the soul delights itself in God himself... rejoice in the will of God, and in nothing else. Bow down your heads and your hearts before God, and let the will, the blessed will of God, be done."

I am currently in a C.S. Lewis literature class and we have been talking about the will of God as it relates to Lewis's book Out of the Silent Planet. Through our discussions I have come to the conclusion that being in the will of God and doing the will of God does not promise safety or peace. I am not sure I can readily accept this thought of unsafe. I like to think that when and if I am in God’s will I am safe from danger, persecution, my enemies, hardships, and the world. Then I come to the realization that I am blessed but still in danger so that I can experience true joy and through it all become more than blessed. I cannot believe that this is all because I am fallen. Although the fact that I am stubborn, run from God and therefore need and deserve punishment is a large part of it. Everyday there are thousands of Christians who are tortured and killed for simply praying together or owning a Bible. Now I know that there are miraculous stories that tell of these Christians who do not feel any pain from their unspeakable tortures. I believe, however, that by enlarge these people feel every blow, kick and wound inflected upon them. They truly suffer and experience not only physical pain but mental pain from mind games and lies. Yet even in the midst of all this, they are living in the will of the Almighty. Fair? Of course not. Effective? Most definitely. The Christians who are persecuted are of the most vibrant Christians the world has ever seen. Their churches are growing exponentially. They have experienced true pain and in doing so have become more like Christ, so that they may now experience true joy.

There are Christians being persecuted in India. Thankfully not where I will be but in a province called Orissa. They are killed by their own neighbors and are forced to flee into the jungle with only the clothes on their backs. Although the risk of being persecuted is not high on my list of things to be afraid of. There are other dangers that I could face, as there is with any missions trip or foreign travel. Although I am not worried, because I know that this trip is what God wants from me/for me and that everything that happens will be for His glory alone. Good will come of whatever happens even if I never see it. I am excited for what is to come!!!

I apologize if this post is a downer or makes absolutely no sense. There are a million and one thoughts in my head right now and I needed to write some of them down for them to make sense. You guys are the lucky recipients. :-) May you take time today to thank and praise God for what He gives and who He is even in the midst of the storms.

From subtle love of softening things, From easy choices, weakenings, (Not thus are spirits fortified; Not this way went the Crucified;) From all that dims Thy Calvary, 0 Lamb of God, deliver me. Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire; Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God! ~ Amy Carmichael

The countdown has offically begun!

I apologize for not updating much lately. Spring break kind of through me off posting (as well as everything else I am supposed to do!). My goal now is to post once a week till I leave for India. Speaking of leaving, exactly six weeks from today I will be boarding a plane for a roughly 14.5 hour flight bound for Delhi, India. (Yes, despite the long travel time I opted for the direct flight rather then deal with layovers. Maybe I will regret this decision, who knows.) I cannot believe that it is coming so quickly! It seems like just last week I was deciding where I wanted to go for my Transcultral requirement and that was in October. Let me catch you up on a few things that have been happening these past few weeks in regards to my trip.

~My visa has been approved! Yay! They are letting me in and out of the country! Now I just need to pray that my passport makes it back from the consulate without getting lost!



~Jana called from India! (She is one of the ladies I will be staying with and she is coordinating my trip) I was so surprised, mainly because I thought it would never really work with the time difference. Right now it is currently 8pm here on the east coast and 5:30am in Delhi. That is a 10.5 hour time difference. Nevertheless, it was nice to put a voice to the e-mails we have been sending. I can't wait to meet her she sounds like a very sweet lady. I will be spending the first week at the hospital in Moussoori working 8hr days to complete my requirements and then the next two weeks I will be traveling with Jana and her sister Jodi to the local villages.



~I had my first experience eating Indian food while I was in London, UK. Figure that one out! It was good. I like rice, vegetables, pitas, and chicken (I forget what the name is. HELP!) so as far as that concern goes I think I will be more then fine. Hot, spicy things remain an issue. I tried a few different things that made my mouth burn and eyes water. Hopefully, I am not considered too rude while I am there! Jana assured me that while I am with them they cook a variety of different things, even American food. But no beef! It is illegal to kill cows in India as they are the symbol of the fertility goddess.

It has really hit me these past weeks that I will be traveling alone. Maybe its because of all the traveling I did over spring break that I realized how nice and important it is to have a travel buddy. Although while I am there I will be with Jana and Jodi most of the time. I will be alone traveling there and back, I will be on my own in the hospital with very few English speakers, and there will be no one to share my stories with when I get back. Now I know all of you want to hear my stories and I am grateful for that but what I mean is that no one will be here that shared the experiences with me in India. Traveling alone was never my plan but apparently it was God's. I know that He will be with me the entire time and then some. Pray that I can feel a sense of peace and comfort on this issue. Thank you.
For those of you who are new it is probably helpful to start at the bottom of the page and work your way up. Thanks for stopping by.

~Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. And trust in me." John 14:11~

Ok, so maybe I don't want all snow to melt....

I have to admit I am getting a bit tired of snow and cold. But then I saw this picture sent by the missionaries I will be staying with. These are the Himalaya Mountains taken from one of the villages surrounding Mussoorie. Beautiful.

Abandon...does that word create unease in anyone else?

Last week I went to Thursday night chapel. Mostly because I missed two chapels last week (for legitimate reasons I might add!) It was debatable whether I would go or just take a skip. I was tired. Thursdays are long days because of morning clinical, plus it is the end of the week, with a ton of work still left to be done. I don't know about you but it is when I feel the most doubt or hesitancy towards spending time with my Savior are the times I need to spend time with Him. They are also some of the times when He speaks most clearly to me.

This past week here on campus we had missions week. Missionaries and missions organizations come from all over the nation and the world to speak about their particular area of service. Maybe it is my C&MA upbringing but I love these times. Anyways (I promise this long story has something to do with India!) at chapel on Thursday night the speaker was half of our missionary in residence team Mike Helvie (the other half is his wife Cindy...). They were missionaries in Africa. Mike told the story about how he has always loved to jump. It started when he was a baby and then as he grew older he found a love for diving boards. He worked his way up from a 3ft board all the way up to a 21ft board. Then once he conquered that he heard about this bungee jumping experience. Apparently this is the oldest bungee jump in the world. Basically you jump off the side of a gorge. I don't know how to explain it to you but from the movie he showed this was quiet a jump. A lot bigger then the 21ft diving board. Well he did it. He said he screamed and held onto the rope the entire time. When he got home he was convicted by God to do the jump again this time without holding on. Mike said it was one of the greatest things he had ever done. God did this to show him that he was to live in total abandon of what felt "safe". God was calling him to a new mission field.

Mike and his family left their current position in Africa to serve unreached people groups around the area. All the while Mike was talking God is speaking to my heart "Anna, that's you! I am calling you to serve this unreached people group in India. Are you ready to let go and let me do the planning? Are you ready for what is in store for you? I promise you it will be beyond anything you can imagine." Mike then talked the first missionaries who were sent out. They would pack their things in coffins because they knew they would not be coming back. What kind of commitment is that? Before they would sign their names in a book showing their dedication to what Christ had called them to do. He had books for us, who felt we had been called to minister for some portion of our lives to unreached people groups. I knew what I needed to do, what I had been called to do but I am a doubting Thomas and suffer from a huge pride issue. I like my control (even when its not possible) and I like my box. I can't take any of these on my adventure with God to India. After a debate with myself and God, I went up and signed the book. After we had signed we were given bookmarks to sign to remind us of our commitment. The commitment on the bookmark is in the post below.

I know that now I have committed in total abandon to go forward with this trip I am one with a huge target painted on my back that Satan is aiming for. Please pray that I will daily be submitting my plans to the One who has far bigger plans then I can imagine. Pray that everything that needs to be done in order for me to leave the country will be done. There is way more to do then I ever even considered. Lastly today pray for the people in Mussoorie may their hearts be opened to hear about the One who wants to give them a life far greater then they know.

~"Safe?, said Mr. Beaver, "..."Course he [Aslan] isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."~ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

On this day, February 12, 2009, I have decided to be a committed disciple of Jesus Christ. I will answer Jesus' call to us when he said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." I will commit to spending a part of my life to tell those who have never heard.
~Anna C. King

*more to come later*

More than blessed

"And now the weak say I have strength/ by the spirit of power that raised Christ from the dead /And now the poor stand and confess that my portion is Him/ and I'm more than blessed"

These are the opening lyrics to a song by Hillsong called "Savior King" (if you have not heard it you should). The last line has been playing over and over in my mind the past few days. I am more than blessed. I am not exactly sure that I know what that means, yet I know it is true. How often do I forget that? I have been doubting somethings having to do with this trip. Such as asking God if this is for real. Am I really going to do this God? Yet time and time again he has brought everything together, giving me a sense of peace. Money has already started coming in, thanks to many of you. I have bought my airline tickets! That is when I knew that this is for real. I even got an e-mail from my prof who is overseeing the logistics of the trip saying how awesome this trip sounds (if you knew my prof you would understand how much this means coming from her!) Then I got an e-mail from Jana, my preceptor in India, giving me even more details of what life will be like in India. Everytime I get an e-mail from her I become more excited!

One of my life motto's (that I kind of took from someone else...can you do that?) is "I have been blessed to be a blessing." Meaning that the reason God has me given so much is so that I can pass it on to others. My blessings were never meant to be solely mine. They are to be shared with everyone. That is why I am going to India. May the Lord bless and keep you may He make his face shine upon you and give you peace.

What's in a name?

Alright first lesson learned in blogging. Organize your thoughts and ideas before posting. Got it.
I forgot to tell you last night the reason behind the name of this blog. Well the first part I hope is obvious I am going to India. (see post below) The second part of the title comes for the verse I have chosen for this trip.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) reads, "Pray also for me that whenever I open mouth, words may be given to me so that I will make known the mystery of the gospel." I pray that this may expand to include my attitude and actions. As I nurse most of my communication comes through touch. This will be exemplified by the fact that I do not speak the language. I want everything that I do and say to radiate Christ's love for the people I come in to contact with. I ask for you to pray this verse for me both now and when I am there. I have been asked to prepare my testimony to give while I am in Mussoorie. I have to admit this makes me a bit nervous 1) because vulnerability has never been a strong suit for me. 2) I don't know how it will be translated and received. I need to breath and remember that I am the child of the God who has the whole world in His hands.
When people hear the name India the immediately think of Mother Theresa. She was a women with very strong beliefs and convictions whose example changed the world. I want to leave you with a daily prayer of hers that I hope may touch your lives as it has mine. May you remember in whose arms you rest.

"Dear Lord,
Help me spread your FRAGRANCE wherever I go. FLOOD my soul with your spirit and life. PENETRATE me, possess my whole being so utterly all my life may only be a RADIANCE of yours. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may FEEL your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only you, O Lord! Let me preach You without preaching, not by words, but by my EXAMPLE by catching force, the sympathetic influence of what I Do the evident fullness of the LOVE my heart bears to You. ~Amen"