God's Love Flows Through People

When this trip became a possibility mid-May, there were 4 details that needed to be taken care of. In my head I told myself, "If God gets these 'impossible' details resolved, I will know I am supposed to go on this trip." The details were: somone to take care of my dog (yep!), to have the camping trip I'd already scheduled with my son rescheduled (yep!), my passport in less than two weeks so it could be included with the rest of the passports to be given a Visa to get in/out of India (it takes 4-6 weeks to get a passport and if you pay extra 2-3 weeks . . . mine came in 8 days) (yep!). The final detail was the money. You may wonder how much does it cost to take a trip like this. The flights, and in-country cost is $4.000, the passport and shots were over $300, other costs include purchasing craft supplies, sporting goods, items needed by the children, and thank you gifts to give to our hosts. The money part of my trip seemed truly 'impossible' and I didn't want to ask anyone for money.

As I began to talk about this trip, people actually asked me if I needed money to go! I was given a check for $100, $100, and $200. This last week a check came from the estate of a dear friend. She left it in her Will to give some of her estate to friends for them  (are you ready for this?)  . . . to travel. Her Will was in place long before I had even heard of this trip. Wow, God!

Yesterday, God put the final reassurance and financing in place. My church family, New Hope Community Church in Shelby, MI put on an amazing fund raiser and raised over $1000! This was beyond my imagination! There were many who gave items, baked, and worked until their bodies hurt. My thanks to you for peeling onions, collecting gift cards to auction off, for washing dishes, baking, selling, making cotton candy, and for the many buyers at the auction. I appreciate and am humbled by ALL of your effort, your love and your prayers. 

God's love comes to us vertically down from heaven. When we are filled with His love, it overflows us and spills out to the people around us horizontally. God's love has flowed into me through so many of you. Here is the bigger picture - this mission trip is a chance for ME to be the person who receives Gods love, overflows and share His love with the children of India!   Wow, what an honor!

Bonding and Empathy

Our team met last night for the third time. There are 19 of us: our Orphan Outreach leader, two leaders from WCSG radio and 16 of us from various backgrounds, occupations, and with an age range of late teens to 60ish.

You might wonder what is done to prepare a team to travel together to minister to children who have lived most of their lives not having their physical and emotional needs met. After we discussed travel details, our team leaders led us into topics that are usually reserved for a counselor’s office or a close relationship in which it would be safe to share such personal things. As I said, this was only the third time this group had been together.

At the second meeting we were given an assignment that made many of us squirm. We had already shared cherished and happy memories from our childhoods. The assignment for the third meeting was to prepare to share memories from our childhood that caused us pain, distress, or deep sadness.

As people shared last night, it meant ripping off carefully concealed emotional bandages to reveal deep childhood hurts. Within our conversation were vivid descriptions of family life ending through divorce or death, of illness, of abuse, of shame, of blame, of confusion and disappointment, and of childhoods lost. As we listened, heads were shaking, and tears flowed. We left the room last night loving each other in new and deeper ways.

Not only do we have new depth in our relationships with each other, we were reminded that the children we will be meeting have experienced the same pain, confusion, and loneliness. The difference between our cultures and our ages doesn’t matter. Pain, hope, and love are universal. We realized that our childhood experiences can become tools that God can use to help us relate to the children we will be meeting.

Many of the people who shared, went on to say that God didn’t leave them broken and without a future. We realized that our empathy isn’t enough to share with the children. God had a plan for each of us in that meeting last night and God HAS a plan for each of the children we will meet.

Here is a verse God had several people point out to me when I have been in despair:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.” Jer. 29:11

This is the mission of our group, to show God’s love by helping meet some of these kid's needs and to be living examples of God’s ability to bring a childhood of pain into a life with hope and a future.

  

Two Weeks from Thursday . . . India!

I thought you might like to see our Itinerary. It is tentative.  I was amazed to see how fantastic our lodgings are. I asked someone who traveled with Orphan Outreach on a trip last summer why our lodgings were so nice. Her response was that it allows us a chance to rest after intensive days, it helps us stay safe and provides us with food that is less likely to make us sick.

For those of you who can support us with prayer, NOW is the time to begin praying over each section of our trip. Please pray for physical and spiritual safety for each member of our team. Please pray that God's plan to show love to these children will be accomplished through us.

We have a team meeting tonight, so I will know more of what we will actually be doing with the kids in my next post.

WSCG Radio Mission Trip to Manali, India

{IN12-07CR} Tentative Itinerary

July 12-22, 2012

Thursday, July 12

1:45pm Depart Grand Rapids arrive Detroit 2:50PM 
4:00pm Depart Detroit to Amsterdam

 Friday, July 13

5:55 am Arrive in Amsterdam
11:30 am Depart Amsterdam arrive Delhi 10:50pm, donation bags given to Uma
4-5 hours rest at Eaton Airport Hotel

Saturday, July 14
6:05 am  Depart for Manali (1 hour flight)
7:30 am Arrive at Kullu Airport (Breakfast at airport?) & Drive 1 hour to Manali
Morning Check into Shanti Guest House
http://www.highmountainstourism.org/inicio_uk.html
Rest & Lunch
Afternoon Orientation/Introductions at DUF Children’s Home/ Time with kids
6:00 pm Dinner (pizza with kids at orphanage) and to bed early
Night at Shanti Guest House

Sunday, July 15
Morning Church in Manali with children
Lunch at DUF Children’s Home

Afternoon Ministry/Activity Time with kids

Dinner & Movie Night at Home
Night at Shanti Guest House

Monday, July 16
8 am Breakfast
9 am Devotional with Staff and Kids
Morning – Sports camp/VBS/Cooking/Projects
Lunch at Children’s Home
Afternoon – Continue time with kids
Walk back to Guest House
Dinner in town
Early to bed at Shanti Guest House



Tuesday, July 17
5:00 am Leave Shanti Guest House

*Pack snacks/breakfast

7:45 am  Depart Manali for Delhi (1 hour flight)
9:00 am Arrive in Delhi
Check into Hilton Garden Inn http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=DELSKGI
Lunch at Mall
Afternoon Rest and Tour, Mosque in Old Delhi
Evening Dinner & Night at Hilton Garden Inn

Wednesday, July 18
8:00 am Leave Delhi for Agra with breakfast on the way
Taj Mahal Tour
Drive back to Delhi
Dinner & Night at Hilton Garden Inn

Thursday, July 19- Friday, July 20
2 days of Ministry at Christian School in Northern Slum, Delhi
Lunch & Dinner in town
Night at Hilton Garden Inn

Saturday, July 21
Check out & leave bags in hotel
Morning Ministry at School in Southern Slum, Delhi
Afternoon Rest & Shopping in Delhi
Evening Dinner & packing, Leave for DEL airport

Sunday, July 22
12:50am New Delhi arrive Amsterdam 5:45A
8:15am Depart Amsterdam arrive to Detroit 10:45am
3:45pm Depart Detroit arrive in Grand Rapids 4:43pm 

Namaste

Namaste is Hindi for hello/goodbye, it is accompanied with a small respectful bow with palms of hands together fingers extended and held in front of the chest or head.

I have had the honor of gathering advice from two people from India. Both were excited to hear of our trip to their home country and were eager to be helpful.

Both of them told me to learn some Hindi. The man I spoke to said that people will respect my effort. He said people will often switch to English as they realize you don’t speak Hindi.

He told me the town of Manali is a vacation spot will have a comfortable temp because it is in the mountains, but he said New Delhi will be very hot, dry, dusty, and crowded. He said if it rains, “you should go out and let it soak you. It will feel good.”

He did say that people will be inquisitive as to why we are there. He asked about our purpose for going to India. When I told him we are visiting a Christian orphanage and two Christian schools, he asked if we will be wearing shirts with a Christian emblem on them. I said, “Yes.” His advice was to wear them when we arrive at the orphanage and schools. He said people may not receive us well if it appears we are proselytizing.

He said the people will stare at us. He said the women are harmless, but the men may say things and we should ignore them. He echoed the need to be vigilant, to stay with the group and to rely on the trusted local person our group will have with us.

Clothes and Shopping

He said to dress very modestly, no form fitting clothes, no shorts or short skirts. He said a loose fitting t-shirt and jeans would blend-in the best. He also said not to bring too many clothes. He said there are great clothes and shoes of good quality that are reasonably priced. He told me about a salwar kameez (loose fitting pants and tunic type top) worn by both men and women, a kurta/kurti (a long or short tunic) and a dupatta (a long scarf worn by women to cover the head and/or shoulders to protect from heat and dust).

 He also said to bring clothes in cotton and colored in grey, orange, blue and pink. White will get dirty.

He said to be prepared to bargain down inflated prices at open air vendors, but at the mall the prices are set. He said the vendors expect you to bargain and don’t respect people who pay the inflated price. He said, for example, a $3000 price could be quoted for a $100 item. He said not to appear too eager to make the purchase even if you want it. He said walk away, the vendor will follow you to make the sale. J (This means one thing . . . shopping!)

The woman I spoke to told me to pack:

Ziploc bags – lots of them, from 2 gallon size and down. There will be many opportunities to use them. There is lots of dust and these bags can be used to keep things you purchase clean as well as for packing.

Bring toilet paper it is expensive to buy.

Bring insect repellant, lotion, lipbalm, Advil, a small umbrella, comfortable shoes, baby wipes and Crystal Light.

She told me to do this and when I return, I will thank her for the advice. J

He said to bring books for the children in English. He said they are desirable and very expensive to purchase in India. He specifically mentioned science and geography books.

(I am excited because I have some science books I am bringing. I have enough for the orphanage and both schools!)

When I asked about the food, he said to be prepared to gain weight on the trip. He said that India food is VERY good. He said the meals are high in calories and heavy. He said to walk a lot if possible. His advice, “Try lots of different kinds of food. If an Indian person says a food is spicy, don’t eat it, it will very spicy.”

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I discovered there isn’t a book, “Hindi for Dummies” L

I bought, The Lonely Planet, “India”

Here are parts of the opening paragraph, “India presents an extraordinary spectrum of encounters for the traveler. Some of these can be challenging, particularly for the first-time visitor: the poverty is confronting, Indian bureaucracy can be exasperating and the crush of humanity sometimes turns the simplest task into an energy-zapping battle.”

“Love it or loathe it – and most visitors see-saw between the two – India will jostle your entire being. It’s a place that fires the imagination and stirs the soul like nowhere else on earth.”

And with that, “Namaste.”

From the U.S. to India: Kid-to-Kid

On the last two days of school, I put up pictures of the kids who live in the House of Grace orphanage. The pictures and biographies were of great interest to my students. They decided to send greetings to each of the 45 kids. This is a photo of some of their thoughtful cards. I can't wait to give them to the children in India.

OUCH! (And other bits of reality.)

Today I had my shots to go to India: Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Tetanus. I didn’t need to get Hepatitis B shots because I already had them. I also picked up my Malaria pills. These need to be taken the 3 days before leaving, each day while in India and for 7 days when we return. There is also a possibility of Dengue Fever, Influenza, and accidentally getting sick from bacteria in the water. We will be bringing an antibiotic, Imodium, and Gatorade powder in case of diarrhea.  The health department said not to drink the water, no iced foods, and to close your eyes and mouth while showering. The advice for food choices is: “boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it.” Because Malaria is carried by mosquitoes, we need to bring insecticide with DEET in it.

Here are some interesting facts from the U.S. Government website concerning travel in India:

India is the world's second most populous country, and the world's seventh largest country in area. All U.S. citizens need a valid passport and valid Indian visa to enter and exit India for any purpose.

Crime and Terrorism: India continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect U.S. citizens directly or indirectly.  The U.S. government continues to receive information that terrorist groups are planning attacks that could take place in locations throughout India. Recent incidents include the February 13, 2012 bombing of an Israeli diplomatic vehicle near the diplomatic enclave in New Delhi that injured four persons.
 Petty crime, especially theft of personal property, is common, particularly on trains or buses.
 U.S. citizens, particularly women, are cautioned not to travel alone in India. If you are a woman traveling in India, you are advised to respect conservative local dress and customs.

Past attacks have targeted public places, including some frequented by Westerners, such as luxury and other hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas.

Scams: Major airports, train stations, popular restaurants, and tourist sites are often used by scam artists looking to prey on visitors, often by creating a distraction. A popular scam is to drop money or to squirt something on the clothing of an unsuspecting traveler and during the distraction to rob them of their valuables. Tourists have also been given drugged drinks or tainted food to make them more vulnerable to theft, particularly at train stations. Even food or drink purchased in front of the traveler from a canteen or vendor could be tainted.

Medical: Monkeys can transmit rabies and herpes B, among other diseases, to human victims. Avoid feeding monkeys. If bitten, you should immediately soak and scrub the bite for at least 15 minutes and seek urgent medical attention.
Medical evacuation coverage is strongly advised. (The organization we will be traveling with does have this coverage if any of us has to be sent home in an emergency. It is in addition to general medical coverage.)
Travel and Traffic: Travel by road in India is dangerous. India leads the world in traffic-related deaths and a number of U.S. citizens have suffered fatal traffic accidents in recent years. You should exercise extreme caution when crossing streets, even in marked pedestrian areas, and try to use only cars that have seatbelts. Seat belts are not common in taxis.
On Indian roads, the safest driving policy is to always assume that other drivers will not respond to a traffic situation in the same way you would in the United States. On Indian roads, might makes right, and buses and trucks epitomize this fact. Buses and trucks often run red lights and merge directly into traffic at yield points and traffic circles. Cars, auto-rickshaws, bicycles, and pedestrians behave only slightly more cautiously. Use your horn or flash your headlights frequently to announce your presence. It is both customary and wise.
On the few divided highways one can expect to meet local transportation traveling in the wrong direction, often without lights. Heavy traffic is the norm and includes (but is not limited to) overloaded trucks and buses, scooters, pedestrians, bullock and camel carts, horse or elephant riders en route to weddings, bicycles, and free-roaming livestock. Traffic in India moves on the left. It is important to be alert while crossing streets and intersections, especially after dark as traffic is coming in the "wrong" direction. Travelers should remember to use seatbelts in both rear and front seats where available, and to ask their drivers to maintain a safe speed.
If a driver hits a pedestrian or a cow, the vehicle and its occupants are at risk of being attacked by passersby. Such attacks pose significant risk of injury or death to the vehicle's occupants or at least of incineration of the vehicle. It is unsafe to remain at the scene of an accident of this nature, and drivers may instead wish to seek out the nearest police station.
Natural Disaster Threats: Parts of northern India are highly susceptible to earthquakes. Regions of highest risk, ranked 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 including Himachal Pradesh. (This is the state where the orphanage is located.)
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I think it is necessary to look at the reality of a situation. These facts could be disturbing, but I am not obsessing on them for two reasons. First, if we were tourists in the U.S., and were going to a large city, there would be many of the same warnings about places to avoid and to be wary of sketchy people or scams. Earthquakes are also a concern in parts of our country. Thankfully the penalty for hitting a stray cow isn't as severe here in the U.S. as in India.
Second, and most importantly, God has given me multiple indications that I am supposed to be on this trip. I know, no matter what happens, God is in charge. I am going to trust Him. The focus should not be about possible danger, it should be about showing God’s love to the children we are going to serve.

Here is a map with the general locations of our trip.