India '14 Update 4 : 70,000 Words

I sincerely started this post by trying to select 10 photos that would encapsulate our entire India trip. I tried, really. But when you are a photographer who happens to love missions... and travel... and experiencing completely different things... and has over 1000 photos from India... it's REALLY difficult.

Then I had an epiphany. If you don't want to look at all 70 of my photos... you don't have to! The wonderful (and sometimes difficult) thing about blogging is that I don't have a captive audience. So I decided to share my 70 favorite photos and if you don't want to see them... that's okay. We can still be friends.

We made it back Sunday evening and travel wasn't super to Zac and I so we've been recovering. Even though we're back there are still things we want to share about the trip, so I'll have a story or two from India yet. But for now... here are lots of images.

Sunday Morning we worshiped with the believers at Mizpah Christian Fellowship.

Sunday Evening was Night #2 of the Youth Ministry. Side Note: The Blindfold Baby Food Feeding game works well with India Girls... not so well with India boys. We almost had a fight on our hands! LOL!

We made rubber band airplanes to remind us to listen for God's voice. Especially when we are going through a storm.

Monday Morning was Day 1 of the Women's Ministry.

Justin, Zac and some of the young men from the church played with the kiddos that came along with the moms.

So that the mom's were free to focus on the teaching.

Day #1's craft was bead making.

Day #2's was cute encouragement sign making.

Fruit Stand.

Typical sight in India. "Family of four? Yes, we all ride one motorcycle together."

Bananas anyone?

There is a Hindu custom that practices shaving one's head as a sacrifice to one of the gods. I'd bet money this little kiddo has been sick recently so mom and dad sacrificed her hair in hopes of receiving a blessing of good health.

Hindu Shrine on a holy day. All that colorful artwork is made of flowers that have been placed in a screen. Similar to greek life's pomping at homecoming.

The Shrine as crowds wait their turn to bow and say a prayer to the concrete idle set up inside.

If I hadn't been snipeing photos out the car window I would have loved to walk up to this guy and say, "No more rhymes. I mean it." (200 points to whoever can comment with the correct response.)

This is where the street sweepers live. Yes. I said, LIVE. These are homes in the middle of a highway median.

Selling motorcycle helmets. Note he is missing a hand.

Another Hindi Shrine, or maybe temple. Not sure if this one is big enough to be a temple of not.

At the Leper Colony we did a single day VBS. Some of the adults came and sat at the back to watch. 

Kiddos listening to the story of Jonah and the great fish.

Dad and a beautiful young lady who is interested in ministry and has a heart for the kiddos in the Leper Colony telling the bible story.

The great fish is feeling sick...

Oh! And it just puked Jonah up onto the shore. Funny stuff... especially the way Dad tells it.

More adults watching what we're up to with the kids.

We've learned from past years that the adults will come and want to take part in the craft. So this year we came prepared. Mom is tying on a bracelet of color-changing beads to this older woman sitting in the back.

Look at this face!! :-)

Handing out plates of rice to the kids. These people have the assembly line down to an exact science!

My grandmother makes bags to send with us. We loaded the Leper Kid's bags up with some candy, string for a game, a balloon and a glow stick.

We were also able to purchase and pass out a toothbrush and tube of toothpaste to all the kiddos that came that day. :-) Yeah for hygiene!

This kiddo remember my parent's from last year. One of the reasons I am an advocate for short term missions to the same place over and over again. It lets the people you see know they are important enough to see again and again.

The woman who was getting her bracelet tied on earlier asked me to take her photo in front of her home. The room behind her is about a 12x12 space. and she lives there with at least 2 other adults and 1 or 2 children from what I could tell. Hauntingly beautiful.

Hindu Temple.

The Leper Hospital.

Dr. Suji in the Medical Clinic. :-) Even though we didn't do anything medically related, it was cool to get to visit again.

VBS! Noel (Pastor Babu's oldest son) is enjoying dad's re-enactment of Joshua going out to meet the Angel of the Lord.

Zac says, "Stir that Gak!"

So Fun!

We gave the children "horns" for marching around the walls of Jerico. They were supposed to be handed out as they left the church, but that got lost in translation. So... we got to hear Jerico being blown down for the ENTIRE last 45 mins of Bible School. Kids are fun! Loud... but also fun.

Two amazing women. If I can be even a little bit like either of them as I grow up... I will have lived a meaningful life for Christ's Kingdom.

The teachers always had a special song prepared to preform for the kids that recapped what was taught the day before. Very neat idea!

Suji is laughing because dad wanted her to translate the sound effects. :-)

I think Peter is about to step out of the boat... the suspense is killing us!

I don't think it is theologically sound to have VBS without this game. ;-)

The "fishes" were having almost as much fun as the "fishers."

Even the littles got a turn!

Jesus walks on water puppets.

I'm not sure what is going on here, but I promise, my husband never punched anyone in the face.

Joining the assembly line.

A lot of signs and advertisements in Bangalore are in English. I thought this one was funny because I would have chosen a bit harsher of a word than "resist." To their credit, we saw another on later on that said, "Stop crimes on women."

 Don't mess with India women... they are tough!

Sometimes dad took a nap during the teaching time. ;-)

Or maybe he just told the story of Samuel hearing his name called while he was sleeping.

VBS worker group picture! :-) I love these people!

So I guess the "concentration tounge" is an international thing. I thought it was just my mother and husband.

Coffee filter butterflies!

Our "Goliath" tying on bead bracelets. 

The ladies at the church brought henna to do my hands for me. :-) I really enjoy this custom! And have some ideas for next time I get to go back!

At a good bye ceremony for the team. The women all wore their traditional South India Sarees. They were beautiful!

Look at my shy, reserved, doesn't speak much husband speaking to the entire group! We know for sure, for sure, for sure that Zac was supposed to be on this trip.  (A "confessions" post will be coming soon on why we know for sure, for sure, for sure.) I watched him step up into a new leader role that I've never seen him take on before while we were in India. Everyone noticed. Mom asked me, "Are you a little surprised by your husband this week?" Babu said to me, "Zac is really taking charge. He is very good at leading." Dad said, "Your husband is leading songs!" :-) 

I couldn't be more proud of this man, or more grateful that he has such a servant's heart, or more happy that I get to spend the rest of my days with him! I am one lucky girl!