Closing Thoughts...

This is Jon Brooks, privileged to be the leader of Team India 2007. I am attempting to wrap up this great trip in words that will do it justice! Our students have done an excellent job of keeping you updated as to the many ministry opportunities as well as the cultural smorgasbourg that was tasted by our team over the past two weeks. As a parent, administrator, pastor, and friend, I am extremely proud of our young men and women. Travis, Justin, Weston, Austin, Brandon, Allyson, Ansley, Samantha, Angele, Alexis, Joelle, and Jillian, know that Mr. Krake, Mrs. Bowen and I are your greatest fans. You will remember this trip as a milestone (Ebanezer Stone) in your life that God used to shape and mold you greatly for His purposes.
On Friday, we left the Palace in Jodhpur and caught the afternoon flight to Delhi on Jet Airways, India's finest airlines. Many of the team ate the in-flight cuisine which of course consisted of curry chicken and an extremely spicy blend of something. This group of students and adults were amazing when it came to sampling the local fare. Veer would of course give his cupbearer approval and then the team would dig right in! I must say that the game of "the first thing I will eat when I arrive in the U.S.A..." became more and more popular as the end of our trip approached. It seems that big fat juicy hamburgers, bar-b-que, and steak seem to be the top of the list. (Interestingly, chicken in ANY form or fashion was not mentioned!) Upon arrival in Delhi, the last day shopping spree commenced. It was downright scary and hilarious to see what used to be mild, self-conscious, non-aggressive human beings turn into bartering fiends! Rupees were flying! Alexis Cochran stole the show when she quietly mugged a street vendor who stalked her for two blocks! He saw an easy sell and loudly proclaimed his "best price" for a bongo drum as 1500 rupees (roughly $35 U.S.). She quietly assured him that she only had 100 rupees and was astonished that he persisted with the sell. In her most stern voice (?????), she would rebuke this poor man over and over again by stating, "I only have 100 rupees left!!" I of course was enjoying the situation immensely and, in my subtle way, egged on the confrontation. Long story shortened, Alexis walks on the bus carrying a drum that she paid 100 rupees (roughly $2.25 U.S.) and a very startled looking vendor made his way down the street, licking his wounds. Vicious I tell you! We completed the mission of spending every rupee in our pockets and celebrated by eating at the T.G.I. Fridays in downtown Delhi. It was as close to American that we have experienced all trip, but still.....chicken! Travis did have the "local" ribs but that was a bit of a stretch for the rest of the group. We are still monitoring his condition and at this time all systems are good to go. One last thing. If you wondered where all of the smokers in America have gone, simply visit the T.G.I.F. in Delhi and your question will be quickly answered. When I asked for the smoked chicken, I had no idea! The Delhi International Airport was our next stop and our young men were champions once more as they struggled with bulging bags and suitcases while navigating through the mass confusion and chaos. Our flight left at 3:05 on Saturday morning. In a bit of a side note, I must say that I kept waiting all trip long to hear our students grip about this or that and I was pleasantly disappointed. We were exhausted from our adventures and yet they patiently dealt with each other as well as others no matter what situations arose. Our team quickly fell asleep on the first leg of the flight to Germany. We all learned to catch sleep whenever and wherever you could. Just ask Veer! Taking advantage of a three hour layover in Frankfurt, many students worked on their studies, teachers worked on their grading, and I was secretly stashing Mrs. Bowen's "favorite" Indian spices in her carry on luggage. Let's just say that when she opens that bag at home, she will get an overwhelming reminder of the smells of India! Sandra, Austin made me do it!!! I would like to remind our parents that your students are surrounded by the finest group of adults that I have ever encountered. The obvious love that these teachers have for our children is so encouraging. God used Glenn and Sandra throughout this trip to inspire, challenge, motivate, and move our students out of their comfort zones. Our students responded and the result was simply amazing. Hearts changed. Destiny's realized. Tears shared. God honored. It is with great joy in my heart that I close this year's India blog. Thank you God for your protection and provision. Thank you Veer and Blessy for partnering with us on this adventure! Thank you Glenn and Sandra for your leadership. Thank you parents for trusting us with your incredible children. Thank you students for being Jesus in India! Till next year, God willing, Jon

Sandy Camels and Shiny Temples

Hey everyone! This is Weston! I have no idea where to start. Well... The original plan was to hit the road toward Jodphur from our "luxurious" hotel in Beawar to ride camels at the edge of the Great Indian Desert, but God decided to make an abrupt change in plans.
While we were attempting to back up on a small narrow road, our bus slowly slipped into the surrounding sand. In the back of the bus, we all laughed aloud when Mr. Brooks told us to get out and push. It was a good laugh until we heard the wheels spin in vain on the loose sand beneath us. The color drained from our faces. What was originally scheduled to be a quick camel ride over a few small dunes turned into a 5 1/2 hour struggle to free our bus. We were finally able to phone in a secondary bus to enable our trip to continue. We drove a good hour before we were dropped off at an emporium where we shopped... and shopped.... and shopped.
Mr. Brooks and Mr.Krake had been speaking of a surprise that they had for us in Jodphur. They agreed to tell us after we took a quick look at one of the marvelous temples of this city. As we neared the beautifully-lit building, it became clearer and clearer that this was no temple at all. It was a palace! We were greeted at the door with flowers and cold beverages. We were then informed by Mr. Brooks that this would be "hotel" for the night! I'm pretty sure the color returned to all of our faces.
After dinner, we all settled in to do our devotional. We were posed with the question, "Why has God sent you on this trip?" I believe God has used this trip to strengthen my prayer life and my faith in Him. He has shown me that if I am right with Him, I will be right with life. Each orphan, adult, and friend on this trip has had a huge impact on me and the way I view my relationship with God. I am so thankful for every one of them.
Satan has thrown many twists and turns our way, but I believe everyone will agree when I say that God has turned it around, and made it for the better. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!
Signing off for now,
Weston

Brandon in Beawar

Hey Everyone!! This is Brandon writing from Veer’s house. Yesterday we had the privilege to be served dinner by Veer’s amazing wife Blessy. During the dinner, the girls were able to have henna tattoos done. They look pretty cool, too bad they are just for girls. We ate chicken, tomato soup, and ice cream. Veer’s son, Jeremiah, is so funny and was on a sugar high most of the night. After dinner we made our way to our hotel, the Raj Mahal. My dad and I got the honeymoon sweet which overlooks the whole hotel. We all had a good laugh about this. This morning we went to Veer’s house for some awesome pancakes, and then proceeded to his school to teach. I made some cute little flowers with 1st graders and then sung with 3rd graders. The students were so much fun and so respectful. When we entered the room the students all stood up and said “good morning sir.” They would not sit down until you told them to, which I learned the hard way. Afterwards, the students put on a program for us. They danced and sung very well. Then Veer had a great idea to put Justin, Weston, Austin, and I on the spot. Yes, we had to improv a dance in front of 150 laughing kids. It was fun because being goofy is our specialty. Well we are about to eat lunch then work on Veer’s land. We are having a blast and cannot wait to see you all on Saturday. Bye!!

Voyaging to Visit Veer's

This is Allie here writing from Veer’s home in Beawar. Hi!!! Today was our last day at the Raipura Orphanage and it was very difficult saying goodbye to all of the beautiful children we became friends with. I say “friends,” because within the 3 to 4 days we spent at the orphanage, the kids immediately claimed us as their friends if not, best friends. Anyway, after the very sad goodbye we started our journey to Beawar, where Veer lives. After a very exciting bus ride full of unexpected adventures (losing A/C, watching several animals almost get run over, etc.), we finally arrived at our hotel, the Raj Mahal. They greeted us with flowers and a dot on our forheads (a “cultural tradition,” they said with large welcoming smiles). We are now at Veer’s house about to eat dinner with his wife Blessy, his son Jeremiah, and his beautiful baby girl Joanna and we are having a blast! See everyone very soon. Only 3 days left :):(!!! Sending love to Mom, Dad, Kristin, John, Matthew, and (Chelsea) Ha Bye!!!

Heartbreaking Goodbyes

Hi guys! [side note: ‘guys’ means ‘cow’ in Hindi, so if you say it to someone here, they reply, “Hey buffalo” ! HA!]
It’s Sammy writing today. I hope everyone is enjoying their Spring Break! I know I am. Right now I’m sitting on the bus as our driver & “shotgun” rider try to fix the air conditioner… and yes, it is waaaaay hotter than home right now!
Anyway, right now everything is just sinking in and I’m trying to digest what just happened. Who knew saying goodbye could be so had. I obviously didn’t. I woke up early this morning so I could see the kids before they went to school. It was 6:30 AM and the older girls were doing heir chores for the morning. Candy wrappers were everywhere from the night before and he sound of smacking was still echoing throughout the hallways…the girl I had gone there to see, Sima, wasn’t there…. She had been with me since the first day we got there. She’s beautiful.
Well, I talked with some of the other girls and then I went to the small children’s hostel, “My Hostel.” This hostel was attached to the house and sort of overlooked the building we stayed in. The youngest is a 4 year-old boy named Misek, and the oldest, Lily, is 13. Let me tell you, I could stay in there all day and not think about anything outside of that room. I was infatuated with them. I wanted to be just like them. I’m watching them and they are so full of life and so much passion. I walk into their room and there they are, sitting on the floor praying, each of them with their own individual prayers. I look a them… and I love them. I love them and I don’t want to leave them.
We start our goodbyes and we cling to every word we say, grasp every hand we can until it becomes impossible to even look at one another before tears fill our eyes.
Now, he whole team is outside getting ready to load the bus, and here they come…they all come out of their classes to bid us farewell. Then I see Sima…she runs up to me, “Auntie, Auntie!” Sima doesn’t speak English, but even though we couldn’t connect our words, our hearts were connected and that’s all that mattered. Saying goodbye was hard for all of us – the whole team. But out of the overwhelming sadness comes the joy of knowing that someone, a beautiful someone, will never forget the three days they spent with you and you will never forget that beautiful someone.
“Mai Tumse Yaad Karonga”
“Mai tumse pyaar karthe hoi!”
[I miss you and I love you]
Sammy.

Clothing Madness

Hey Everyone! It’s Jill here writing the blog for tonight. I hope y’all are having a wonderful spring break! Mine has truly been life-changing. Tonight, my group was in charge of distributing all of the candy, toys and clothes. Let me just say it was CRAZY! It was awesome to see the teamwork in this group helping get everything ready & organized. It might not have gone perfect, but it still was truly amazing. We ended up having enough stuff for everyone. Watching the leaders come get everything for their room was incredible. They know each child by name and especially by heart. The smiles on their faces and the gratitude in their heart is something you cannot describe. The “Thank-You Auntie” “Thank You Uncles” could be heard everywhere As well as the smacking of candy and laughter. I think God has showed me and everyone else in this group the true meaning of being grateful. Well, I miss and love you all. Can’t wait to hear from y’all!
-Jill

Vegetarian Only

Hey everone!

It's Alnsley! Today is your lucky day because I'm writing this blog. The team has had a great morning and noon time, so far. We ate french toast and fruit for breakfast. After that we just relaxed and watched Mask of Zorro with the kitchen girls while the students were taking their exams. Woo Hoo! Also, anyone who was praying for my sickness, thank you so much! I am feeling significantly better, but my mom may have caught it now. She had a bad fever yesterday, but it broke last night, and she is feeling much better also (though she still has a sore throat). Anyhow, we are at this Pizza/Baskin Robbins place eating vegetarian pizza (no meat here) and are going to go downstairs for ice cream! Oh yes, ice cream is awesome. (I'm writing this on a piece of paper as we wait for our pizza). Well, we are still having an awesome time over here and can't wait to see what happens next. Keep us in your prayers and have an awesome spring break!

-Ansley

Go Team America

This is Justin here, writing about our Sunday here in the Kota orphanage: Raipura. Today, we held the church service. I did the introduction and Alexis and Angela held the service using Vegitale Movie clips. Then Alexis and Allie led in some songs. The kids loved the chapel! After that, we went and ate lunch and played soccer (or futbol) with the kids. We were team America and they were team India. (The picture is of Team America). We won 6-4!!! These kids are so amazing. My heart is completely broken after spending a few days with these precious kids. I don't know how I am going to be able to leave! I had a great chance to just chat with many of them and had a great conversation with a guy named Zahn (that's us in the picture).
We also distributed sports equiptment that Austin and one of our Emmanuel friends, Alex, went and purchased. They were soooo thrilled and so appreciative.
Tucking the kids in at night is so unbelievable. They long for your touch and speech. We had fun just being in the dorms with them hanging out. They are the greatest kids in the whole world. This is a poem they wrote me:
"The ship that will never sink is my friendship with you." by Robert

Simon Says...

Hey Guys! This is Joelle. Saturday, we left Dr. MA Thomas' house in Kota and drove to the Emmanuel Orphanage in Raipura. The first thing we did was get a tour led by Simon (The new Veer). As the tour came to an end, the bell rang and all the kids ran up to us. For the longest time I thought this was a boy's orphanage because I could not see girls anywhere. It turns out that the girls enjoy hanging out in their hostel (or "dorm"). So we hung out with the kids for a while and that night, we watched Narnia with all of them. (the picture is me introducing the film, and Simon is translating). Later that night, we tucked them into bed. Well, at least that is what we were supposed to do. It was more like we played dress up and then danced. Keep Ansley and Mrs. Bowen in your prayers... However, Ansley is doing better. I can't wait to see what else God has in store for us!

-Joelle.

Uniform Lessons from Austin

Friday, after driving for about three hours we stopped in Tonk for a quick visit to a local school/ orphanage. It was comforting to know that kids all the way across the world have to wear uniforms. What kind of uniforms? Well the students have to wear what is similar to our chapel uniform EVERYDAY. You will not hear me complain again about once a week! Well after visiting their school, we continued our journey to Kota where we met at the Bihop’s house for a quick bite, then we headed to Ashok’s. (Check out his website: http://www.ashokbapna.com) Ashok is the clothes-making guy, and he is amazing. After numerous hours spent waiting to be helped or searching intently for the right fabric, there it was…well now that you are wondering what it was, guess you will have to wait! God Bless!
Austin Staats

Travis' stinky elephants and useless junk.

Hey Mr. Travis Johnson will be in charge of the blog today so I'm just gonna sit down and recall some of the many events today. It started off with yet another heart-stopping exhilerating bus ride with multiple near head on collisions. It is amazing to see the variety of cultures as we pass through different states and watch the countryside and cities come and go. After a long 5 hour bus ride we arrived in Jaipur (pronounced "jay-pooer") and proceed to mount some rather large stinky elephants. We then had an awesome elephant ride up to the top of Amber Fort (or "Amber Palace") where we were once again atacked by vendors selling usless junk. We then had a tour guide show us around the palace on top of Amber. We saw many beautiful rooms and dream gardens throughout the palace. When we arrived at the center of the palace, we came to find out the king had 12 wives and there were 12 rooms for each of his wives (not to mention all of his concubines). After the tour, we took a hair-raising ride down the back-side in some rather junky jeeps. From there we rode the bus to a precious gem shop in the middle of the town. There we were able to see how the gems were shaped and polished from their natural forms. We then perused around the shop and saw many expensive rings, necklaces and other fascinating things. We then rode the bus back to our new hotel and settled in while waiting for Mr. Brooks and Veer to bring us back some Indian Pizza Hut. Moments later, we were talking to our parents and friends from across the world on the internet. Well, it is about bed time, so I'm gonna stop there. I'm excited for what tomorrow holds and will take many pictures.

I love you Mom, Dad, Lulit and Petros!

Mum Taj Mahal

It is Wednesday night and we are pleasantly stuffed after gourging ourselves at the hotel buffet. The reflection time with the team was meaningful as the days events were shared. The Taj Mahal was amazing! We were given a great tour of the "love gift" and got quite the education. It had us jumping for joy! India is full of wonderful historical nuggets. We are excited to see what tomorrow uncovers. For more info about the Taj, check out Mr. Krake's India Blog where he answered some questions from his 9th Grade World History Students. http://gkrake.blogspot.com

Fardabad Leper Colony

The ministry of touch continued as we visited a Leper Colony where one of Veer's close friends pastors. We were able to pray over some of the lepers being treated there, and were able to purchase some of the throws they create there by hand as a way of supporting the leper colony. They take their resources and purchase cotton with which they spin throws and blankets. The proceeds go to support the entire colony of 350 families.

Chawla Orphanage in Delhi

What an afternoon experiencing what Mr. Brooks calls, "the ministry of touch." There was something special about just being able to hug an orphan, and let them climb all over you. They would grab you by the hand and proudly show you off to their friends. In the short morning/afternoon we spent there, several bonds were made, and our first real taste of the wonderful children of India set in.

Delhi

After meeting Veer and our immense charter bus in Delhi, we made our way to our hotel. While our flight came in at about 2am India-time, it was 3:30 before we made it to our hotel. It was quite a thing to experience India traffic even at 3 in the morning!

Despite the lovely hotel accommodations and wonderful shower, we were only able to enjoy 3 hours of sleep before we headed off to the orphanage in Delhi.

I`m (Mr. Krake) posting this blog from Mr, Brooks` phone as we wade through more traffic on our way to the orphanage. Isn`t technology a wonderful thing?

On our Way

We`re here in Frankfurt Germany having arrived halfway on our travels. Trying our best to relax while awaiting the next leg which will bring us into Delhi. The time change shock hasn`t hit most of us yet, but we`ll surely enjoy a bed by the time we reach Delhi.