photos...

kamal...my adopted son, and me...x

i've just realised we're a little too close in age...x

cynthia...

i asked cynthia if she wanted to write about what we've been doing, 'yes' she replied, so here it is...

cake for uncle eugene. cooking like that. hands going around and around in a stirring motion. you know that?

what did we put in it? oil. what flavour is the cake? umm...fine. banana!

i don't like the dog. the dog doesn't like cynthia. i like sister. the dogs smelling, chi!!

milk. suhana don't drink milk. i drink my milk all up! i drink so such a lot of milk. mmmmm.

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TICKLIng the keyboard, and no letters come up. fascinated by the capslock light.

my turn then sisters turn, acha?

sunday was independence day.

August 11

I'm going to try and remember things to tell you, but after spending most of the day in bed with a migraine, my memory and general brain function isn't serving me all that well.

Starting this morning after morning tea, Priscilla and I bathed the twins in the kitchen sink. They absolutely loved it, smiling and laughing the whole time! It was nice to have beautiful clean babies to put to sleep afterwards!

The night before last, Shavani slept in my room and the good little girl only woke up 3 times, fed, had her nappy changed and went straight back to sleep. Bless her for being so good! Priscilla and I then babysat all day, which was really nice but after 9 hours and following a broken nights sleep, we were a little exhausted. It's a good thing they're so sweet.

Apart from that, I can't remember what I've done this week.

The weekend was a tough one. Maxine, the director of the Mission, was brought home from the ICCU in Delhi, to a local hospital, and then transferred back to the Farm in order to die at home surrounded by her family.

Saturday was the funeral and while it was interesting to see the Mission / Indian way, it was very sad, not only for her family, but for the effect her absence will have on the children. It was also my first burial experience which I also found a strange and scary concept. Despite all this, I felt so blessed to be here and be able to offer a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold.

Life is going on 'as normal' and the kids seem to be doing generally really well under the circumstances. There's a few foreigners around, a girl from Ireland, another girl from Adelaide, Rick and Maxine's daughter from Tasmania and just today arrived a girl from the US who's here long term who works as a teacher.

Hopie and I spent the evening a few days ago getting henna-d. Beautiful matching peacock patterns on our left 'non-working' hands.

I made a lemon cake yesterday in a gas-stove-top oven, and surprisingly it turned out really really well. Yippee!

It's Priscilla's birthday on Friday and I'd love to make her a cake, but she doesn't particularly like cake... And I was planning a gorgeous chocolate mud cake with chocolate ganache. Maybe we can eat that and she can eat licorice...

That's all for now. Absolutely loving it and very much aware of God's amazing love and provision and work in my life and the lives of His people...x

twins!x

Shavani and I have spent the morning together hanging out on the couch.

So sweet! And above she's lying next to her twin sister, Saloni.

Loving them so much. Just feel for them in this awful heat!x

August 4

Yum! Popcorn...

Cleaned my room. Skyped mum with Cynthia. Made bread.

Last night Gail and I sat outside in the breeze stargazing, shooting star watching and firefly admiring.

Then crazy times in the girls dorm...true sleep over style. Bollywood dancing included!x

August 3

Warning...I'm about to moan.

I'm hot! The power went off this morning at 8am and only came back on at 8pm for an hour.

Now we're sitting here sweating, covered in mozzie bites and grumping... Did I mention it was almost 30 degrees?

Ok, I'm so uncomfortable I can't concentrate so I'll write tomorrow...x

Youth Message

Isaiah 6 v 8 says

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying ‘Whom can I send? Who will go for us?’ So I said ‘Here I am. Send me”

Earlier this year I was going through depression and wondered whether God really loved me, if He really cared about me and what the point of my life was.

Isaiah shows us that when we feel like we’ve failed God, we can end up finding ourselves in a better position to serve God.

As God has worked in me, I realised that He has put me on this earth for a purpose. He wants to use me to serve Him.

Nine weeks ago on Sunday night, I was in church and pleaded with God to work in my life, to use me in His kingdom for good, to show me His purpose for my life.

God forgave me for doubting Him and poured His love on me.

The next day, Sheila and I met for lunch. She suggested I come to India with them to serve here on the farm. And… that I shouldn’t just come for 2 weeks, but I should stay on for 2 months.

I thought about it all afternoon and felt peace in my Spirit. God confirmed it that night through teaching at Bible study on the verse in John saying

‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life… The Truth will set you free’

and then further the next morning through a verse I read from I Thessalonians 2 v 7 which says

“We were very gentle with you, like a mother caring for her little children”

I knew this was God’s plan for me and trusted Him to provide the way. He then blessed my obedience by providing money to come, cheap flights and most importantly, a closer relationship with Him.

When we ask God to use us, to reveal Himself to us and to work in our lives, we need to be prepared and expect Him to do just that.

Look where I’ve ended up! Here at the farm in India.

What will God ask you to do if you open yourself to Him?

Will you say “Here I am send me?”

August 1

It's friendship day in India today and I've been at the orphanage 2 weeks!

I guess it's kind of like mothers day but you give friendship bands that you weave and cards to your friends.

So far, I've got 5 wooooo!

My new room is great. I decorated it yesterday with all the letters Jo has sent for me. And I also did some small canvas paintings which I'm going to use as friendship day gifts but which are currently acting as decoration!

I've also just put in the oven a great big tin of banana bread for our friendship day afternoon tea.

We've having lots of fun cooking, more the trying to create something out of nothing aspect. The other night we had a lovely meal out of eggs, indian greens, tomato, capsicum and eggplant. We ended up making omelets and flat samosas - which isn't exactly 'real' but due to minimal oil supplies we had to shallow fry!

I've been brushing up on quadratic equations to be able to tutor some of the year 10's...interesting!

Thankfully the weather has been quite cool and the electricity has been fairly steady so managing to stay pleasant and my heat rash is going away...owies!

I spoke at Youth Group on Wednesday night. A 'sweet and short' message.

This morning I took the Sunday School for the young girls and all the nursery children. To my surprise we had a great time!

The girls are trying to convince me to get a nose ring...but I'm going to sleep on that one a bit longer, as they'll be piercing it the old fashioned way! Ice. Needle. Matches.

And I've started doing some Yoga stretches/exercises which are a surprisingly effective workout!

The pics (in backwards order) are of my bedroom from the courtyard, the main room with Hope on my bed, some of my suits and Priscilla roasting marshmallows on the gas stove...enjoy!x