Other duties as assigned

I

am

so

excited.

We received our tasks for what we'll be doing while in India (less than 3 weeks away!) Some of my responsibilities include secretarial skill training, teaching basics of photography, praying with residents at an old folks home, playing soccer with the girls on campus (awesome!), and participating in a couple of women's workshops. It's crazy how we get to do things we love and build relationships with the people in India! One of the things I'm most excited about is sitting with the women in one of the workshops and just hearing what is important to them, etc. I strongly feel that in order to truly build relationships, we must understand where these wonderful women are coming from. I look forward to learning more about this amazing, loving culture and how I can incorporate their strong values into my own life as we work together.

Flexibility is a must! Certainly there will be activities that will come up, change, perhaps even be removed. We just need to be available to do as we are asked. I look at it like my job description at work. I have tasks and responsibilities that I am responsible for, but there is a disclaimer at the end. This allows for creativity and unexpected but often amazing possibilities. I am looking forward to this in India because it will be what God inspires us to do or to be assigned. This disclaimer, the exciting unknown, is "other duties as assigned."

Reflections and Advice

I've learned a very important lesson today.

Drinking a grande cup of Pike's Place with cream and sugar at 6:00 pm...

1. makes it difficult to sleep

2. makes you so hungry by 9:45 pm, that Taco Bell sounds amazing

3. gives you the energy and inspiration to blog very late at night

Tonight was the fifth of our training sessions for our trip to India. I look back to the first one and recall that I was quite a mess! As a "leader in training," I am sure I will not only have to complete the weekend training seminar available in the spring, but will have to be a "leader in training" several other trips before I am confident in what I am doing! Then again, I realize that I do not want to be so confident that I am not aware of the teachable moments right in front of me. I am actually amazed at the growth I've experienced. (I'm not bragging here, just stating facts). Before the first training session, all day I was sure I was going to throw up. Tonight, I was easily half way into the session before that dry mouth/nausea arrived. What progress!

Seriously, this has been a great experience and we aren't even there yet. I am one part of an amazing group of women. We are all very different, which makes it even more exciting. I have learned so much from them and look forward to showing them what I've seen and seeing things through their eyes as well.

September 21 is just around the corner! My visa is in my passport, I confirmed that all my vaccinations are up to date, my malarone (medication for malaria) is ready to be picked up from the pharmacy, and I am determined that by Sunday, I will have finished a book that was supposed to have been completed about a month ago!

I am so thankful to those who are keeping me (and the team) in their thoughts and prayers. It really does make a huge difference in my attitude. I feel as if I am taking each of you with me. The support and encouragement are vital and appreciated.

So, I leave you with a few words of advice.

Don't drink a grande cup of Pikes Place with cream and sugar at 6:00 pm unless...

1. you don't want to sleep right away

2. you have a Taco Bell nearby

3. you want to remind people how much you appreciate them

Of India Past and India Present

We were running late for church this morning. Again. We almost always are. It's usually my fault. I love my bed. Sometimes we miss church because I just can't get out of bed. This morning, however, I was meeting my friend Joanne, whom I hadn't seen in awhile. We met last year during training for the trip to India. We bonded during preparations and then as roommates. We were around the same age, had grown children, and shared a passion for photography. We became joined at the hip and were nicknamed "Loanne." Over the past year, we've prayed for each other and experienced many answers. We see each other occasionally, but certainly not enough. This morning, we arranged to attend the first service together, so, at the very last minute, I showered quickly, went au natural with the hair, and texted her with my expected late arrival. As I entered the church, she stood waiting with her beautiful smile and greeted me with that familiar hug. The main floor was pretty full, so we decided to go up to the balcony. Jamie and I (because we're often late) sit in the balcony most of the time, typically on the left. Today, we headed up the stairs on the right. It sometimes feels a little awkward to sit in a less familiar spot. We found a place and joined in the song. Moments later, I noticed my prayer partner for this year's India team sitting a couple of pews in front of us. I smiled inside. I was in the presence of India past and India present. I couldn't wait to introduce them - one with experience and wonderful memories, the other with anticipation and genuine excitement. The sermon, fittingly, talked about serving people of India. When it was over, I wanted to jump over the pews to be sure my friends met. Each of our faces lit up as I introduced them. All of it seemed almost planned. And then I realized that it was. It was God's plan. I am so thankful that God cares even about the smallest of details. He brings people together for a purpose - to share His love with others.

Sweat running down my back - and loving it!

It's July 4, 2012. We went to Ravinia tonight and listened to an amazing concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It was really hot. I mean, REALLY hot. As sweat ran down my back tonight, I thought about being in India last year in July. In India, it was also REALLY hot. Then, I wasn't sitting in assigned seats in a pavilion wearing a linen dress listening to an orchestra being conducted by a very talented conductor (Steven Reineke) as he was accompanied by an amazing vocalist (Ashley Brown). Last year in India, sweat ran down my back while I played soccer with the boys at the boys' home. Or while I made crafts with the 6 year olds. Or while I walked to lunch in the afternoon. It was different. My memories are not of being uncomfortable, but about being comforted by the activities I was doing. My memories of India could have been about the heat, or different smells, or noises, or of so many things which were not reminders of the comforts of home. Instead, they are of smiles of children wanting their picture taken. They are of handing out glue to children as they call out "gum! gum!" (their word for glue.) They are of the smiles of women we saw each day. They are of the relationships we began. They are of the stories they shared. They are of the hug and the kiss on the cheek at the airport as we prepared to depart and at that moment knowing that I would not not return. As the sweat ran down my back this evening at the concert at Ravinia, I was reminded that I am returning to India this September. And I cannot wait.