Apparently 11 months and 12 countries wasn’t enough… Apparently God has placed India in the books for me this year. So here I am… I’m writing from Ongole, Andrah Pradash, India. I have the privilege of leading 6 college-aged girls as we play and show love to 100 orphans in a nearby orphanage home.
Home seems like so long ago now and many time zones away… it was just a little touch down with friends and family for 2 weeks, just enough time to unpack, pack up again, and hit the road again.
And then I flew down south (Atlanta, Georgia) for leader training. It was awesome to see 4 other O Squaders (world race teammates), man I love you guys, and to look at an astounding butterfly – wink wink to Jen and Kris.
Then drove 4 hours to, and within Tennessee.
This brings me to the point in the story when I meet my magnificent Real Life India-AP girls. It was love at first sight when I saw them… no wait… they saw me first and called me over to join their organized semi circle on the ground.
We put our team-work skills and ingenuity to the test from the get-go when we built a shelter with just 2 tarps and some ropes – a bunch of hard-core Suzy home-makers at their finest. The 7 of us stayed dry and warm cuddled under the tarp. (It was no butterfly tarping design but that may only happen with you Kimmy).
Meet the team
This team is stacked! My new sisters are the finest, and oh- I get to lead them.
Cori- Miss Georgia, sassy Southerner, you paint smiles on faces all over the place and cause rainstorms of laughter. You’ve won before the green light signals go. Fear is your past, love wins, conquering the unknown.
Bex, your smile is gonna change the world if your big dreams don’t first, plus you win the Ongole’s classiest purchases award. Your life is dynamically building masterpieces out of rubble.
Maddie -Hippie meets Bohemian, most stylish I’m cool without even trying. Your writing will cause tears to fall, pens to drop, and action to ignite. Your love for these beloved ones could make a snail sprint.
Kristi – Your quiet and tireless care for the kids shouts healing. Your insight will teem over. Your constant smile and easy-going nature is an anchor.
Franseca -Perseverance is a weapon you know how to use. Your humility and eagerness to learn places you on rich paths of treasures, which you walk with feet fitted with the gospel of peace.
Carley – You laugh at the days to come as your strength rises. Your faith moves mountains. You’re simple and stately; blessed assurance is yours.
So after training camp, we crammed on a school bus and drove about 2 hours to Atlanta airport….
Brrrmmmmmm (little boy airplane noises) Atlanta – Newark 2.5 hours
Pause for layover.
Brmmmmmmm (more little boy airplane noises) Newark to Mumbai – 14:51 hours
Another Pause and delay for layover.
Again the-afore mentioned noises. Mumbai to Hyderabad (capital of the province of Andrah Pradash).
Rrrmmmmmmrrrrmmrrrrmm (little boy noises for a rental van) all the way to Ongole – 7hours.
Days after embarking on our journey we arrived safely to our new home sweet home.
Pleasant surprise: Although there are a variety of smells here, offensive odors did not assault me when I hit Indian soil like I was warned. Here’s to hoping my olfactory senses stay relatively un-offended.
Indian firsts:
Participated in a yodeling tutorial – yes there is documentation.
I am often referred to as “aca”, meaning sister.
Bobble heads are my favorite! Explanation: Bobbley heads are what Indians do so frequently to indicate affirmative.
Sweltering heat, minus sunny, plus wind.
