Well we arrived in India last night. Our flight from Kalua Lumpur went very well. We ate our first Indian meal on the plane and it was delicious!! We just LOVE Indian food. Our contact Sudha picked us up. It is a very strange yet fun feeling to get picked up by people you don’t know and haven’t actually spoken with even on the phone. Both here and in

Sudha and Monica are wonderful. It’s funny but I had this feeling that we were going to really like them. As soon as I met Monica there was not an ounce of awkwardness. They are both very energetic, friendly and open, with great senses of humor. They are a young couple very close in age to Brent and I. Actually, Monica and I are only a few months apart!! And Sudha is a musician like Brent!!

We stayed up chatting for a while, called our boys (praise God for our Voip working) and then retired for the night. This morning when we got up Monica has made scrambled eggs and French toast. It was so nice to eat a home-cooked familiar breakfast. For the last week we have been eating, with the exception of two days, the breakfast at the hotel which for me was hard boiled eggs, sesame green beans, white beans in Asian tomato sauce, and Chinese steamed buns.

After breakfast we walked across the street to their offices where we sang worship songs, had devotions, and prayed with Monica, Sudha, his brother

Something that is interesting to note is that I was in Calcutta

Thank you for taking the time to read this and remember us.

Love,

Jenn and Brent

After our tour we walked to the school where the girls attend. We were even invited in to film which was a wonderful surprise. Like the orphanage the school was modest. The classrooms were very bare nothing more than a concrete room with a chalkboard. Few, if any, colors in the rooms. A teacher carried a large stick which I was told is used for discipline. The play area was nothing but a large dusty yard with a simple stage. But the children filled the school with life and energy, despite the drabness of their surroundings. When they saw us they got very excited sweetly shouting phrases like, “How do you do?” and “What is your name?” They loved our cameras and wanted to have their pictures taken. Many kept asking us our names. One offered to shake my hand and I accepted. I spent the next 10 minutes shaking one small sweet hand after another!! Something I really enjoyed seeing where all the moms waiting outside the school gates for their children. Although they lead very different lives from me and my mom friends, there are still so many commonalities.

The man who runs the orphanage gathered the children and we walked back to their home. Once they arrived they stood in lines singing and a short prayer. Then they each had chores to do and afterwards, prayer time then snack. Brent was allowed to film all their activities and the children loved every minute. He got to interview and film a Sunday school teacher, the man who runs the orphanage, and of course, Davica. Each had something really wonderful to share about how God is working in the children’s lives. Davica talked about sharing her faith with her Hindu friends, her favorite Bible stories, sang for us, and was proud to recite memory verses. When she was done she turned to leave and then stopped and asked if she could pray for us. So this petite little 9 year old girl stood in the circle of 6 adults and led a prayer on her own accord. It was quite touching. The Sunday school teacher shared an exciting story of how a church was birthed out of children coming to a Sunday school class.

I guess what struck me most out of the experience at the orphanage was all the joy. Despite the unfortunate circumstances these children have faced they seem to be experiencing a great deal of joy. And the people the family who runs the orphanage is simply amazing. They put so much energy to taking care of those who are helpless on their own. I am humbled, truly humbled, by their servitude.

I love driving around in India for a couple of reasons. One is because they drive really crazy without feeling too dangerous. Two they drive on the other side of the road and three, the cows. There are cows everywhere and they crack me up. They hang out on the sides of the roads, one the medians, and even in the roads. I find it hysterical. Some of them are decorated because the Hindus believe they are Gods, which I suppose isn’t funny. Although, when I see a cow or a goat wearing a necklace or earring type things on its horns I can’t help but crack a smile. Sudha said the cows all belong to people and at night they return to their homes. The streets of India are just bustling with life and energy. People and animals everywhere just living life. Almost all the women are wearing brightly colored saris. Bicycles, motorcycles, a few cars, and autos (motorized rickshaws) zoom every which way. Comparatively, America seems so ordered and or one might even say a bit uptight!! There is no such thing as speeding or animal control here in India. There is also a very low crime rate. Although Monica and Sudha said they saw a guy hit another guy because the one said the other hit his cow!!!

After we arrived home we had dinner with Monica and Sudha. (Monica is an amazing cook.) And then we fell into bed, exhausted.

This morning was nice. We woke up and had breakfast. We had devotions today with Monica, Rajkamri and Richard. Brent led since Sudha was at a meeting. We read Matthew 18 and then talked about what we can learn about faith through children. Afterwards, Brent spent some time on the computer and I got to do a little exercising and some much needed stretching. Then we did laundry. After lunch we walked to Sudha’s mothers house/school. His mother started a private Christian school that costs less than half of other private schools so parents with less money have another option other than the government run schools. Interestingly, the majority of the kids who attend are Hindu. Monica said that parents, regardless of religion, like to send their kids to Christian schools because they think the children are better disciplined.

Soon we will be leaving to meet our second child for the documentary. Please continue to pray for our health, the children, and the filming. We hope that all of you are doing well back in the states and we think of you often.

Love,

Jenn and Brent

Then there is the faith of a child and this church was also filled with many children bubbling over with energy, life and hope. We filmed two Sunday school teachers. They shared stories of children coming to know the Lord and the changes that come. One woman heard we were there and walked over from a nearby village with her daughters wanting to share their story. She spoke of even though she has less money than when she was a Hindu she feels she has more and loves to give to others. One young girl, Sheba, was formerly a Hindu. She told us through tears how she used to see the scary faces in the trees and how she was scared every day. Once she became a Christian she had no fear and the evil faces stopped tormenting her. As some of you may know, most representations of Hindu gods have grotesque or distorted faces.

While we captured some good stories we unfortunately didn’t get to film any of the children’s everyday life outside of church. We asked Sudha if that was going to be possibility. They are looking into it. Please pray that it happens.

Today our new friends wanted to take us to a beach. We drove south to a small town outside of the city. We had a nice Indian lunch and then spent the afternoon on the beach. The beach was beautiful…not an oil rig in sight. It was hard to believe that the tsunami had hit this beach only two and a half years before. I tried not to think about it. A lone cow wandered onto the sand and headed down the beach. I rented a horse, Michael, for a half and hour and took off down the beach. It sounds really exciting except we “took off” like a tortoise with arthritis. Even though Michael is probably the most stubborn horse in the world it was still really fun to plod along the shoreline. Until…we got to the next resort down the beach and all the sudden Michael just stopped and refused to budge. Of course, this was in front of the more crowded resort and nothing I did would make him move one hoof. After a minute or so of me gently trying to urge him on trying to look inconspicuous…you know “I’m stopping on purpose to take in the view”, it became evident to the people in front of the resort that I’m having “horse trouble”. They all begin to stare and smile at the pasty white girl on the stubborn horse. After a couple more minutes, my urging became a bit less graceful and our audience became a lot more interested. One woman pointed and smiled. A few men shouted advice in another language. One man mimed motions to me on how to get Michael to move. Nothing worked, so the mime guy got up from his chair and tried to lead Michael. Nope Michael wasn’t moving. The mime guy walks behind Michael and starts to slap his rump. That works…sort of…and Michael sulks forward, probably rolling his eyes.

Believe it or not, as we trudged down the beach we caught up with the cow. We only caught up because the cow had stopped to gaze out at the horizon. As we approached the cow became somewhat curious and watched us with interest. And after we passed he started mooing. He sounded so confused like he was lost. Rightly so, cows belong in herds in fields of grass not alone on sandy beaches. I guess that is what happens when someone mistakes you as a God puts you on a pedestal.

It was great sitting on the beach chatting with our friends. It felt as if we had known them for years. God had one last treat for us before we left. A huge heard of goats. As some of you know, I love goats. I think they are one of God’s most fun creations. Monica helped heard the goats over, which was a sight!! You gotta love a girl who runs and herds the goats like a sheep dog!! There were big ones, little ones, ones with horns and ones without. One of them was so sweet and stayed right with Monica and I. This little guy even laid his head in my hands. The third stupidest thought of the trip ran through my head, how much and how can I get him home. Silly girl.

We left the beach and began the two hour drive home. We all talked, laughed, and played games part of the way home, but then Monica and I both got car sick from our brake happy driver. I think Monica is coming down with a cold but doesn’t want to admit it…please pray for her. Her hospitality is amazing. She works so hard in her sweltering spicy kitchen making sure her guests are very well fed and considering they practically run a small inn that is no small feat. Right now there are 3 other guests plus us staying here and they are at the airport right now picking up two more. I would be the crabbiest woman in the world if my kitchen was that hot and I felt I had to cook for all my guests. I have a lot to learn.

Tomorrow’s plans are a bit uncertain. We do know, as much as that is possible to “know” in India, that some traditional musicians and an Indian folk dancer are coming over to be recorded and filmed. Other than at there is nothing else on the agenda. Sunday is our last day and we are visiting some Sunday schools. Please pray that another door gets opened up and we get to film another child in their daily environment. Also Brent and I has some slight stomach problems, pray they don’t get any worse.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your thoughts.

Much Love,

Jenn and Brent

In the afternoon we drove a couple hours down the coast to a small fishing village. We parked and took a “fairy” boat across the river then walked a couple hundred meters to a grass hut on the beach where they were having Sunday school. What more can I say. Grass hut. On the beach. Wow. This is the tsunami coast. When it hit the church was somehow spared. It seems our locations are getting progressively more removed from civilization as we know it. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for South Africa…

Tomorrow we fly to Johannesburg by way of Dubai. Please pray for no luggage problems and for safety.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Love Brent & Jenn

This morning at the Chennai airport, we realized we had some gnarly breath. Yuck. So we went to “Port House” to purchase some gum and candy. Our Toblerone bar was delicious. But our Batook Mustaka gum tasted like bathroom cleaner. Seriously.