The COLORS

My Birthday Celebration

Friends, I must share with you how blessed I was on the day of my birthday celebration.  You must know how I love to celebrate - and I don't miss my own birthday as an opportunity to host and cook and decorate and gather a crowd of people! :)

On this day I wanted to share the joy of celebrating with the people that have meant a lot to me here in India and I was in turn overwhelmed and touched by their love and friendship.

We had a picnic at Farley where I stay.

To you whom I could not share my day with this year - I wish you could have been here.  Love you!

Here are some photos :

It was a FUN day! :)

I chose Pink, Orange, and Yellow :)
The beautiful flowers are from the Farley garden.

Menu:  I baked the Chicken (Brenda's Christmas Chicken)
Annette made the rolls (Buttermilk)
Valsa brought the vegetable (Indian Eggplant)
Mala brought the Potato Salad

The People

FF Staff: Greg, Rod, Susai, Shymala, (Shyamala's Sister) 

Laura (FF Volunteer), Jessie, Valsa (Bible Study Friends)

Elizabeth, Jaya (FF Staff), Tom (Bible Study), Mala, Susai's Kids: Nelson & Martin 

Sheida (friend from community), Karen, Jeff, Abi (Pastor and family from church), Diana (FF)

The Cake

And introducing...... THE CAKE!
This is the Maltby Cake
(Yes I baked this in India ;)
Served with Mixed Fruit (mango, pineapple, and banana)

Hannah (volunteer) lighting my special flower candle!! ;) -
As it lights it blossoms and sings Happy Birthday!!  This is an Indian tradition.

Singing:  "We're SOOOO glad God made you....Happy Birthday to you!"

Happy Birthday!

And the Birthday girl cuts the cake!

...And Greg helps serve - our usual tradition in the FF. :)

Beautiful!

Lovely People.

The Gifts

My guests totally surprised me by bringing gifts for me, and I really was blessed by the way this made me feel loved and at home!  Thank-you everyone!

Hannah and I

My Iranian Friend -Love her!  Sheida

The Day of my Birthday with my English Class

I must share with you my English Class:  These are the lovely women whom I have had the opportunity to teach English to.  We had class on my birthday and they came dressed in their best Sari's of bright color, brought their children, and cooked homemade sweets!  This sincerely was the highlight of my day. I felt truly blessed on my birthday!

Travelling

Travelling

Let me take you through the journey I have taken this month through India. Come…..

First Stop: Bangalore

City - Shopping - History (Palace) - Market

Bangalore is India's third most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration. Bangalore is well known as a hub for India's information technology sector. It is among the top 10 preferred entrepreneurial locations in the world.

The Crowded Streets of Chickpet Market

The Bangalore Palace

The Traditional Indian Wear: Sari 

Shopping - A Typical shop with loads of clothing folded on a shelf -
they pulled out about  20 of them for us to see and laid them on the floor.

Second Stop: Goa
One Word: Paradise - Hut on the Beach - Good Food - Rented Motorbikes - Sunrise Boat ride - Dolphins

Goa is India's smallest state however it was ranked the best placed state for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India.  Goa is a former Portuguese colony, the Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.

Agonda Beach

The Crew - Bronte, Ty (Sheen'a Friend), Sheena, JT (Ty's brother), Aajay (Simose Staff), Me, Dinesh (Simrose Staff),  Heidi (Ty's Mom)

Simrose Resort:  Where we stayed

The huts we stayed on - steps away from the beach
We crawled out of bed and took morning swims and runs on the beach
and lounged at the bar late into the  night.

Third Stop: Mumbai (Bombay)
Biggest & Richest City in India! - Tons of People - Colors - British/ Indian Buildings - Run Down/ Beautiful - Gateway to India

 Mumbai has a total population of approximately 20.5 million, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world. In 2009, it was named an Alpha world city. Mumbai is also the richest city in India.

This is it:  The Biggest City in India (Reminded me of NYC but bigger)
Skyscrapers to the slums

A perfect picture of the vast contrast here in Bombay - Run Down yet British Architecture

The Catholic Hostel we stayed in :)

Wesley - Me - Sheena
Wesley is a former FF staff from Mumbai - He showed us around!
We had a blast together

The Gateway to India

The Famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel - Wow!  It was Extraordinary :)
Perhaps one day I'll stay there :)

Bombay = Good Times
We had so many!!

Getting Henna done on the streets :)

Bye Bye city on the coast!

It was so good to spend time travelling in India and see other parts of it.  For heavens sake, If I'm gonna be here for a year then I want to conquer it!  This was just a start - but a really good one!  Bangalore is a really well know city and quite large - we very much enjoyed finding our way around the high points of town, including the locals' Chick Pet Market, Commercial Road (Shopping), and an auto ride tour of the history of the city including the Tudor Style Palace.  We met friends of Sheena's in Goa and truly were blown away at the amazing time we had - the culture is that of California - laid back  beach bums.  The coast was nothing short of beautiful and we spent our days lounging on the beach and eating wonderful western food with the luxury of a hut on the beach.  Sheena and I made a last stop in Mumbai on her way out of the country.  The city won my heart as the pinnacle of my favorite things about India.  I'm looking for ways to go back! :)

Encouragement for your Souls

in the month of april....

Trusting and Waiting….. Has it been the theme for anyone else?  This past month, or two, or more… has been a bit dry?  Maybe, maybe not?  

Seasons like this require a special kind of engagement into what God is doing when the real pull is to forget about God and sulk in your worry.  Wondering, why isn’t this happening/ why doesn’t God tell me?  

March - it has been one of those months of trusting and waiting on the Lord.  Though I did not know exactly what God had in store I chose to surrender it to him.  AND I found so much rest.  There was a joy in finding peace in the Lord - of not worrying myself over the future, and resting.  Trusting and not forgetting, but waiting and trusting.  

Now it is April

       And I can just sense that Spring is around the corner, I just know that God has a huge fruit      

       harvest to produce; abundance, outbursts of blessing, surprise!  Not just for our individual

       desire but for His desires too that He will sew in our heart!  Great things for the Kingdom!

       I have great expectation for the things that God is going to do this year to Establish his     

       Kingdom on Earth.  And I believe He is going to do it through His people.  He has torn us 

       that He might heal us, He has struck us down that he might bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1)  Don’t

       you remember last year - so many of us went through some of the hardest times of our lives - 

       the most broken - shocking moments!  And do you remember how God restored you!  Do 

       you remember how miraculous it was?  

       He was preparing you to be partners with Him in establishing His Kingdom.  

       Are you Ready? 

       Don’t forget - in this time of ‘stand-stillness.’ 

I have dedicated these first 2 weeks of April  to war against the enemy and intercede for the fruit that will be produced.  I am fasting a couple things and getting up early to pray.  

I am praying for

• The Body of Christ - strengthening and encouragement
• The Fruit - Asking God to fulfill His plan 
• Against the Enemy - because we know with any good thing comes opposition/ praying for specific protection over myself that I may not be taken off guard or discouraged

Let’s pray for the things that are on God’s heart this year.  Please join me in prayer!

"From the days of John the Baptist until the present, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12

My Favorite Song right now

Bible Study

My City: Ooty  
Green: My House -Farley
Red - Stephens Church (famous Christian Church)
Orange - My Work: Freedom Firm
Blue:The Train Station
Center: Commercial Road
(Where the marketplace and tourist attraction is)

This week I want to share with you one of my favorite parts of my week:

Bible Study

I have to tell you about the bible study that I attend weekly, it has become such a joy to me, and a great way to get to know people in the community!  One of the coolest things about this bible study is that it is comprised of all kinds of people - Indians & foreigners!  The bible study started 25 years ago from one of the most historical churches in Ooty - Stephen's Church.  There are quite a few people that attend from the international school that resides in Ooty as well.  Hebron School is a primary and secondary school that houses international missionary and business children from all over the world.

Hosted in the Home

Every week the bible study is hosted in one of the church member's houses.  So, I get a taste of Indian culture and what better way to get to know someone than going to their home.  They also serve us dinner afterwards, and always give us their best! :)

Hymns

We always start out by singing hymns!

Discussion

Nigel, and Tom George

One of these two men lead the bible study. 

They are both well versed in the word and trained in theology - I have learned so much from them!

We are studying in the book of Luke right now.

One of my favorite things about this bible study is that it is not taught - it is led.  Nigel and Tom do a phenomenal job of creating a study that get's everyone to participate and helps us to come to our own conclusions.  They ask probing questions and lead us to breakdown, and study the word in ways I would have never thought of on my own. 

This is apart of such a timely season that the Lord had provided for me to study His Word, and soak it in.  I am so thankful!   

A Story

A STORY

The Realities of:

RECOVERING from SEX TRAFFICKING

 & AIDS

Since living in India I have been confronted with the realities that sex victims face even after being rescued.  The rejection they face from their own communities, lack of hope for the future (most girls who have been trafficked come from a poor background which is what makes them vulnerable to being 'taken'), lifetime of health problems (STD's and HIV), the scarlet letter given to them, eliminating much possibility of getting married - ALL WHICH LEAD return to the sex trade.  

This viscous cycle: Vulnerable women are forced into this inhumane trade and it scars their life in such a way that many never exit - sometimes willingly submitting themselves back into it - knowing nothing else - accepting their 'lot.'

  

I had the privilege to sit down with some of our investigators, apart of the Freedom Firm legal team in North India, during our staff retreat in February and hear first hand accounts of what happens in a brothel.

Inside of a Brothel:

·           Most are tricked into the trade by someone who says they have work for them.

·           Girls perform daily and nightly, all but 4hrs, forced to keep 7 minute sessions.

·           Girls are presented in a line to customers to choose.

·           Girls are brainwashed to believe that they will be punished if they confess to the police. Beaten and oppressed.

·           Some, even if rescued, lie to police that they are working willingly because of this fear.

(*These are firsthand accounts from our FF investigators - they are not a consensus of all brothels).  

Today I want to tell you a story of girls who have contracted HIV while they were trafficked:

3 out of 5 of the current girls in our aftercare center have contracted HIV.  As I sat in an informational session with the girls about HIV last week, I realized that this disease is not just a sickness, but a painful and fatal monster that affects them daily - not just physically, but emotionally too.  

  

Two Indian women from a local hospital came to educate the girls on health and cleanliness in order to maintain the virus HIV.  They were very sweet and made it seem as 'normal' as possible.  We talked about health, diet, and cleanliness first which the girls were very encouraged to receive.  The last part was saved to address the specific virus of HIV.  

HIV is not a disease, it a virus in the blood.  It kills the bodies white blood cells, which fight of sickness in the body.  It cannot be cured, only maintained.  

There are 4 stages of HIV - the first which can be medicated, the fourth which nothing can be done but admittance into a care center to be watched. 

To demonstrate what is actually happening the girl's bodies the instructors drew a picture on the white board.  She drew an outline of a body, many dots to represent white blood cells, and one red dot to represent the virus HIV.  She highlighted the red dot until it was bigger and bigger and then drew a line to all the white blood cells and circled them with the red marker (signifying the death of each good cell).  .........The girls stared at the white board, aware that this was not just education but what was happening in their bodies, and tears started to well up in my eyes.  

If you could have seen their faces - One just stared at the instructor - their was anger in her watery eyes.  Burning anger.  "Why did this happen to me?"   Another, looked away - there was hopelessness in her eyes.  She was already progressing into a deeper stage of the virus and had to be temporarily admitted into the hospital last month to start treatment.   She struggles daily with feeling a sense of hopelessness about her future. She doesn't know what her future holds, or how long it will hold.  

I have no idea what these woman face.  I am not in their shoes.  They did not choose to be in their shoes either.  The greatest pain of their situation is that their health was stolen from them.  During one of the most horrific times of their life they contracted a virus that will never let them forget.  

How do we address these kind of tragedies?  What does the gospel offer?  These are questions that I am mulling over.  I am discovering greater understanding of God's plan for humanity and that our ultimate goal is THE KINGDOM.  

More thoughts to come.