In India

I apologize profusely that I have posted nothing for so long. This is the second time I have gotten to an internet cafe since reaching India. Many things have happend. We reached Delhi and our team of 16 promptly started dropping like flies from Delhi Belly(this involves alot of diahrea and some ocasional vomiting) We went to catch our train to Varanasi where we were to do a week of Hindu/cultural studies We missed our train and had to rebook tickets for the next day while a Hinu holy man cast spells on us. We pulled out the guitars and had a time of worship in the train station to make him run away. And scurry he did. Worship has got to be the best spiritual warfare. The ext day as we were going to the train station to catch our train, I fell down the stairs in the hotel with my 50 lb pack on. I sprained my foot badly and could not walk. Meanwhile we had 2 students with dangerously high fevers. Us three sicko's, another guy leader and our very own nurse Lydia ended up staying back at that hideous hotel for another three days while the rest of the team continued on to Varanasi. Prayers were felt as the train ride was terrible with one of the students passing out. It was a good thing that I sprained my ankel because I ended up getting very sick that night and throwing up constantly for the next 3 days. They're baaaack!I never fully got rid of all the parasites and they have come to stay for now. Pray for my body please. We finally all came together again in Varanasi where I fell head over heels in love with India. Everyone told me it was a terribly heavy place spiritually, a place where people go to die. Somehow despite that I found it magical, the stuff of legends. Now our team is in Kanpur where we will be the rest of the time. Today we had a time of ministry in a school which was wonderful. tonight we will join a home group for a time of Christmas celebration. Other than that we are just getting settled in our new home, all of the girls are looking very Indian in their new clothes. Thank you for your prayers and love everybody!

So Much To Tell

The past week has been a whirlwind of emotions and circumstances for me. It started out with the joy of driving to my Grandparents house in southern BC for Thanksgiving. I got to relax for a few days and spend precious time with my parents and other family members. I even got a little early Christmas in when grandpa and I drove into the woods to cut down a Christmas tree. We found a beautiful tree and brought it back to the house where grandma and I decorated it as well as the house. Being at G & G’s also brought bad news though, news of my Aunt Pam’s worsening condition as she battles cancer a second time round. It was hard news to take right before I am leaving the continent for a couple months. The news just seemed to get worse as I returned to the states. When I crossed the border (without a hitch, praise the Lord) I had two messages on my phone from one of my best girlfriends, Kristin. She sounded very upset in them and said I needed to call her right away. By the time I finally got a hold of her every terrible scenario that could possibly happen to anyone in her immediate or extended family, all of who I am really close to, had gone through my head. I was a basket case. And on top of that I had to stop at a clinic to get vaccinated for my trip. Hep A & B in my right arm, tetanus & typhoid in my left. Needless to say I was not looking forward to driving 7 hours while my left arm felt like it would fall off. Finally Kristin caught me on my phone while I was in Target in Coeur d’Alene. The news was bad but not what I had imagined. Our friend and old roommate Sarita Determan had lost her very long battle with anorexia and bulimia and gone to be with the Lord. Sarita had been shopping with her father the day after Thanksgiving when she had a heart attack (anorexia eventually causes the heart to shut down). This news was crushing, heart breaking, maddening, so many emotions welled up in me as I talked and cried on the phone with Kristen. I had an extremely emotional day as I drove and drove with only my thoughts to keep me company. I got back to the base only to step into a stress filled environment that stressed me out. The count down to outreach was upon us and we were feeling the crunch as students still needed more money to be able to go to India and there were so many little details that had to be taken care of. On Wednesday night I got a call from Ben & Kristin. They said they were buying me a plane ticket to fly to Seattle for Sarita’s funeral and needed to know when I could leave. HA! If that didn’t raise the stress level. Well, I flew off to Seattle for a few sweet days with my angel faced Kristin. The funeral was really good, such an honoring time of Sarita and the Lord although hard in the face of circumstances. I found myself so angry at the waste of it all. Even though Sarita loved Jesus with every bit of her tiny body, she was eventually crushed by what began as lies from the enemy and eventually controlled her. She will be dearly missed.