June 10th Garden Photos

I'm very excited about my garden. In this photo you can see my banana tree in the left corner. In the center are beans (Then need something to climb - hopefully can take care of that today. Then between the two are cashew plants! (lighter green than the beans)
Bananas! On my property! (I'm from New Jersey) This grows about a foot a day (well, the leaves pop out)

My tomato plants that I separated and transferred to distant locations last night - they seem to be adjusting well so far.

I've been trying to get to the nursery to buy some flowering plants for my garden but it's, well, it's not happening for various reasons. Maybe tomorrow...

The G. Saga Continues

Here is G. this morning, three full days after the "accident." Still hangs out in the family room watching TV.
Yesterday the doctor opened the bandage and checked the wound. A little drop of pus popped out. It's infected because of the haldi (turmeric powder) that someone put in the wound before G.got shown to the doctor that day. Another visit to the doctor tomorrow... More screaming to look forward to...

*Indians put turmeric on all wounds - it's supposed to have antiseptic properties... One Indian thing that really does work - put Colgate toothpaste on burns!

And When G. Got Stitches In Her Foot

O. and I conducted a leadership training seminar this morning for our staff. We also got our first big rain of the monsoon season. During the 2nd break O. said, "Asha (the babysitter) just called, G. got hurt."

Well, I rushed home and found out G. had hurt her foot while playing in the rain and slipped and cut the top of her foot on some tiles. One of our staff members had come to the house at the same time for some other work and rushed her right to the hospital.

I had no idea where they went and I had left my cellphone purse, etc. at the mtg. At last we found them after rushing all over the city in the mud on a motorcycle. G. was already bandaged up and getting her medicine from the shop by the time we got there. She got a little weepy when she saw me but not much. Then she said, "You weren't here." :(

She's been a trooper, hasn't complained, just sits like a little angel with her ankles crossed and watches TV.

God was good to me, he knows I cannot handle the sight of my children's blood, it makes me go a little insane. I haven't even seen the injury - It's all bandaged up til we go back to the Doctor on Wednesday.

Back On

Internet was down for a few days, but it's working now.

Shoulda Known Better

Dark brown hair - premature gray, color often?

I get bad white roots within like - one week after coloring these days. What to do? I decided to try to put henna on my hair in the in-between times.

I went for brown, confirmed that it would not turn my hair orange, then put it on tonight.

Long story short, I had to have O. do an emergency run with me to the store at 8:45 tonight to get hair dye because there is no way I'm going to church tomorrow with this orange head.

Shoulda known better...

I don't know what to do about the roots, probably need to go blond.

Sum It Up

Group photo from the youth camp.
Members of our wonderful team...
Everybody did their part. Sing, dance, teach, lead, lead games, whatever...

Boys!

Girls!

It has taken me two days to download the pictures and get them uploaded here and there but I'm almost finished, which is a good thing since we leave tomorrow morning at 6AM for 3 days in Bombay. The traveling just never never ends.

The following posts are just a little picture of our summer "gospel tour" (more pix on my facebook page). We did end up cutting the tour short due to the intense heat as well as some other local issues, but it's all ok since we're leaving again - tomorrow.

The first set of meetings were in more of a village setting, with larger meetings in the evening and women's meetings in the morning. We enjoyed worshipping God together and learning new songs and worship styles.

The second set of meetings were a three day youth camp. We were in charge of just about everything but the food - which was delicious by the way. There was a beautiful garden and sweet kids, lot's of dancing - my legs still hurt. And most of all it was a great time worshipping and glorifying the Lord.

At both locations O. and I were speakers and even though speaking isn't really my thing, there were definitely some things on my heart to share. I did struggle at the first set of meetings because my translator had never done it before. She was struggling so much I just wrapped up my message and sat down. The second day she was much better!

My favorite part of the gospel tours is the fellowship and time together with God's people. Just like anything of this sort, there is always a little let down when it is over, but it has been nice to just stay home and veg out (read: wash clothes).

Thanks to all who prayed!

Worship During The Meetings

Meeting 1:
Evening Session Morning Session

Lot o' dancing.

Great Smiles and we learned fun new songs too!

Meeting 2:

The boys were, what can I say, well they could DANCE.

Pictures Of The Gatherings

Meeting 1

Meeting 2

What O. Does Best And I Just Do

O. and I were called as the speakers at two separate conferences over the last week. Delivering messages is my man's thing - not really mine. If I do I do, if I don't I don't. I don't sweat it. Generally, when called on to speak, I just talk about what God's been speaking to me about.
Ladies meeting in the mornings.

I give examples...

Pretty Much The Same Everywhere

Some of the young people from the youth meetings last week.


Talking on cellphone - what a surprise...
Very cute.

The girls had to eat these bananas (and open them) without using their hands. All four of the participants ran back to their seats without finishing - way too embarrassing!