I left you all in Chicago so I am reaching back in hopes to pull you to the lovely hotel lobby that surrounds me. We are all splitting one hour of internet for 50 Rupees (44 Rupees=$1).
The 14 hour plane ride from Chicago to Delhi took us over Greenland, Russia, & the middle east...it was so fun seeing the cities we sped over and the low temperature of -50 F that wrapped around our plane. The flight was not full so Layce & Kassen both had 3 seats to sleep across, my dad snuggled next to me & the wall roping in 5 hours while Megan & Abbie conversed with a woman Sheshi (they had prayed to connect with someone & found that through a commom love for math) and her son Rohan. Dinner, a bag of assorted snacks, breakfast, & movies/tv we all provided. Once in Delhi we had a few hold ups :) Layce was heavily questioned in customs, we had our passports & bags checked several times, and getting checked in again seemed to take 4 Indians a great amount of time. We quickly went through security, I was laughed at and asked the woman waving a stick around me what was the matter, she smiled and said they think we are beautiful...I quickly replied oh but YOU are beautiful and she grinned from ear to ear! We quickened our pace through the straight mile of terminal and made it to the gate just in time. Catching our breath only to find the ENTIRE airplane filled with males under 5 feet tall...one woman was spotted or so I hear!
With God's protection and guidance we found Paul Moses and Regan once in Chennai and all piled into a bus. Speaking in my best Indian accent I recalled what Dell's Call Center man had said to me 1 week earlier. I told Regan how he was from Chennai and how ironic it was! Confused Regan asked at the end of my story, "Why are you speaking like that?" Embarrassed I sheepishly replied,"I don't know..." We all had a great laugh when he looked away!
Cool showers that night felt wonderful as we slide into the beds of Marina Inn & caught 8 hours of sleep (Abbie had company in her bed...some blood splattered, she "was too tired to have them switch the sheets evidently!!!)
Yesterday we had a hot hotel breakfast & then devotions lead by Robin-Our Identity in Christ. After we had a meeting with Paul, Regan, & Thomas (head, travel companions, interpreters, bargainers, etc) to get a better idea of our schedule. Basically we came away with this: "Morning, afternoon, & evening are the only for sure events in your day!" :) We traveled 4 minutes down the road to a nice but cheap restaurant for Naan (bread) and curry followed by a quick nap before we walked to the Field Hockey arena next to us. There we played a team winning one and losing one with a couple 15 year olds that substituted in for our missing 6th player. Now all drenched in sweat we traveled by, TookTooks (spelling? but pronounced that way) to an English and Tamil Church service. Abbie gave her testimony and Robin spoke on 4 "Proofs" that we are walking as a Believer. During the next service we (even Abbie's friend Erica & her husband that joined us) were all given a traditional gold necklace that goes past the pelvis. I was given the opportunity to share my store and as I was told by Megan, "set a good example of how to really connect with the crowd." Paul then spoke and really convicted us with Jeremiah 20:9-10. Kassen remarked that in the American mindset we feel it is best to work out our problems FIRST and THEN go to the Lord and do what He has asked. But Paul encouraged us by saying, "my troubles are much, every night give me courage and a BURNING passion to talk about the good news of the Gospel. We must not be afraid or ashamed! Success is going from failure to failure without getting discouraged!" We are all looking forward to working through the trials of the upcoming weeks and pressing on IN THE MIDST of them with Christ's help!
The 14 hour plane ride from Chicago to Delhi took us over Greenland, Russia, & the middle east...it was so fun seeing the cities we sped over and the low temperature of -50 F that wrapped around our plane. The flight was not full so Layce & Kassen both had 3 seats to sleep across, my dad snuggled next to me & the wall roping in 5 hours while Megan & Abbie conversed with a woman Sheshi (they had prayed to connect with someone & found that through a commom love for math) and her son Rohan. Dinner, a bag of assorted snacks, breakfast, & movies/tv we all provided. Once in Delhi we had a few hold ups :) Layce was heavily questioned in customs, we had our passports & bags checked several times, and getting checked in again seemed to take 4 Indians a great amount of time. We quickly went through security, I was laughed at and asked the woman waving a stick around me what was the matter, she smiled and said they think we are beautiful...I quickly replied oh but YOU are beautiful and she grinned from ear to ear! We quickened our pace through the straight mile of terminal and made it to the gate just in time. Catching our breath only to find the ENTIRE airplane filled with males under 5 feet tall...one woman was spotted or so I hear!
With God's protection and guidance we found Paul Moses and Regan once in Chennai and all piled into a bus. Speaking in my best Indian accent I recalled what Dell's Call Center man had said to me 1 week earlier. I told Regan how he was from Chennai and how ironic it was! Confused Regan asked at the end of my story, "Why are you speaking like that?" Embarrassed I sheepishly replied,"I don't know..." We all had a great laugh when he looked away!
Cool showers that night felt wonderful as we slide into the beds of Marina Inn & caught 8 hours of sleep (Abbie had company in her bed...some blood splattered, she "was too tired to have them switch the sheets evidently!!!)
Yesterday we had a hot hotel breakfast & then devotions lead by Robin-Our Identity in Christ. After we had a meeting with Paul, Regan, & Thomas (head, travel companions, interpreters, bargainers, etc) to get a better idea of our schedule. Basically we came away with this: "Morning, afternoon, & evening are the only for sure events in your day!" :) We traveled 4 minutes down the road to a nice but cheap restaurant for Naan (bread) and curry followed by a quick nap before we walked to the Field Hockey arena next to us. There we played a team winning one and losing one with a couple 15 year olds that substituted in for our missing 6th player. Now all drenched in sweat we traveled by, TookTooks (spelling? but pronounced that way) to an English and Tamil Church service. Abbie gave her testimony and Robin spoke on 4 "Proofs" that we are walking as a Believer. During the next service we (even Abbie's friend Erica & her husband that joined us) were all given a traditional gold necklace that goes past the pelvis. I was given the opportunity to share my store and as I was told by Megan, "set a good example of how to really connect with the crowd." Paul then spoke and really convicted us with Jeremiah 20:9-10. Kassen remarked that in the American mindset we feel it is best to work out our problems FIRST and THEN go to the Lord and do what He has asked. But Paul encouraged us by saying, "my troubles are much, every night give me courage and a BURNING passion to talk about the good news of the Gospel. We must not be afraid or ashamed! Success is going from failure to failure without getting discouraged!" We are all looking forward to working through the trials of the upcoming weeks and pressing on IN THE MIDST of them with Christ's help!
Today we woke up at 6am and headed 15 minutes out by TukTuks to 'run a clinic' and play against the girls. Kassen shared her story with 20ish male futbol players on another field and my dad said it went really well! We came back to eat some breakfast and will be heading out with Paul's wife Grace to get fitted for the Indian dresses!!! We are all stoked to 'fit in' if that is possible!
Thank you for the prayers! You all are loved and missed,Jenni
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