Ranthambhore, Rajasthan, India

There is a tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan that we went to with Dad and Em while they were here. I just loved it. The following 6 posts are my pictures of that trip.

G. was so cute, somebody gave her this T Shirt for free.

Tigers!

Here comes the 1st tiger we saw. She was trying to make her way to the watering hole.
Whoa! She was coming right towards us!


Can you find all three tigers in this picture? (Mom and cubs)

How The Safari Works

The picture was taken while sitting in our open safari jeep. If you look at the left side of the picture (between Em's right ear and the metal rim of the back of the jeep) you can see the tiger lounging there.
Beautiful, see how close the people in the other jeep were!
Finally drinking water.
Mother and her 2 cubs.
We were in a jeep like the ones in this picture.

It was HOT in June when we went but it was the VERY end of the safari season til October because they close for the rainy season. (July to Sept) We were there at low season (thankfully) but because we were at the very end of the dry season the watering holes in the park had shrunk down to only 3 small ones. Hence, finding even 1 of the 36 tigers in a 500 acre sanctuary became oh, so much easier.

We saw 4 our first morning - Up Close! There was only one long distance sighting in the evening.

Ranthambhore Scenery

The following pictures are of some of the scenery of Ranthambhore's Sanctuary. It was a wonderful place to visit since I got to see much of how India must have been once, long before the 1 Billion population and the advancement of cities and plastics and metals (aka Garbage). Even the villages in India often seem barren to me because most of the trees, etc. have been cut down and taken to use as fuel for the cooking fires.

I got a little chill of excitement every time we drove into the sanctuary. It was spectacularly beautiful - and we were even there at the driest barrenest time!


Fort, from below.

Various Non-Tiger Animals

We saw plenty of other animals than tigers too.

Weird horse/deer type animal.
Deer.
Peacock.
Human Child.
Monkey.

175 Steps

Part of the Tiger Sanctuary was a 1000 year old fort. Very very cool.

However, you had to climb 175 steps to get to it. Some of us were up for it. I did so while carrying G. in a sling.

The Steps.
Me and Em. (and G. - feet visible)
Cool Archaeological stuff for the cool Archaeologist in me.
Ooooow.
OK, in this small format you cannot read this sign, but it basically says that this is a Protected Monument so don't deface it.

The Beginning

While Dad and Em were here we took a 4 day vacation to Ranthambhore, Rajasthan to visit a Tiger Sanctuary. Here are the end of the beginning of the pictures.

G.'s first time swimming.
Having fun in the pool.
Cute Cousins!

Covering

Sometimes there are passages of Scripture that just dwell with me. It doesn't happen all the time but I really do enjoy it when it does.

Over the last few days these two passages have just - covered me.

Psalm 24
7 "Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
Selah"


Zephaniah 3:17
17 "The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

Since the start of school we have had some troubles, normal beginning of the year stuff, but troubling noentheless. God's people are praying, I can feel it.

The School Picture IS UP

This is a picture of our school at present. The rooms on the 3rd Floor right side are currently occupied by students although the electrical work is not done. The rooms on the 3rd floor left are just walls that need a roof before the monsoons start in earnest.

Please pray.

No School

I was supposed to put a current picture of our school up here tonight, but first our electricity went out and now pictures won't attach.

I'll try again tomorrow.

Sorry.

Off To Graduate

The 13 Graduates.


Students, Faculty, Guests.

The Procession.

The Graduation Ceremony

Prayer for anointing
Group shot after all was said and done.

The Man Can't Preach...

...Without the finger.

I take it as a good sign that after 7+ years of marriage I still find O.'s idiosyncrasies highly amusing.

It's That Time Of Year Again

Today was E. & C.'s first day of school. This is exciting for me but nerve racking as well. They've missed about 3 months of school. Not only that, they've missed the 1st 5 weeks of the new year.

Please pray for them to catch up. Thanks!

Cute, first day of school pix:

E. (in the green) started 1st grade today and is in the school with the big kids now (1st to 10th grade). C. remains in the preschool section. She is in Lower Kindergarten.

Dad And Em Have Gone

Dad and Em flew out last night and are in the air as I write. It was a great time with them and now I am finally ready to get back to my routine after 5 months away. E. & C. started school today. - Pictures to come.

*Many pictures of the last week - ready to be posted. Yay Yay!

Back in the saddle again...

It's Hot, It's Really Hot

Our electricity was out yesterday due to rolling brownouts - Thursday was our day. Man, it was hot. Look at the sweat on dad. He did dry off quite a bit after being fanned.
Visited the Slum school last night.
Our house groundbreaking ceremony was today. It was held at about 3PM, I could actually feel the skin on the top of my feet burning.

This is a picture of dad doing his part. (The first 4 people to "dig in" were overweight men over the age of sixty. The temperature was over 100. F. It was just God's grace that they all left there alive.)

Dad And Em With Children

I am having picture loading issues today, but here are Dad and Em during their visit to our Children's Home yesterday. Em brought tattoos to put on the kids.
Being welcomed by the children (yes, this should have come first.)