tue • mar 8

Today we got to love on kids from a village that is desperately seeking hope. This village's history is mind blowing and breath taking. Originally this village was in a city where there were many palaces of Kings. Many women earned their money by dancing for the king. As the king's reign faded out, the women no longer had jobs and were economically forced into prostitution to make money for the family; the eventually turned into selling their daughters into prostitution instead to earn their money that way.

They would have as many children as possible and sell their daughters from the ages 11-15, shipping them off to Mumbai. These girls see 5-10 customers a day. The girls grow up believing that their sole ambition in life is to go to Mumbai to honor the family. So when the girls go, they are so excited because they have no idea what they are being forced into. Some of the girls come back and continue prostitution because it is the only thing they know.

The goal of what the missionaries are doing here is to teach the girls different trades such as jewelry making so that they can find another means of making money instead of prostitution. It's hard because the missionaries have to have good relationships with the very men that send their daughters into prostitution in order to become friends with them in hopes of changing their life in order to change the village.

They are not only trying to teach the women a different means of income but they are also teaching the young boys English and about Jesus in hopes that they will become a strong leader within the village. The men's hearts have to be changed in order for the whole village to change.

Today Destiny, Dani and I (Shanea) got to go and visit the village where the women who have come back from Mumbai live and continue in prostitution. So as were up on the roof of one of the buildings with the kids, prostitution is going on everywhere. When you walk in, you can see the men walking into the rooms with the women.

It is going to take years for change to happen here in these villages, but you cannot deny for one second that God isn't moving. While prostitution is strong here, OUR GOD IS STRONGER. Pray for the missionaries that are here long term. They need grace and wisdom in order to deal delicately with the men here as well as making an impact on the children.

All in all the team is doing great. Everyone is stepping out of their comfort zones whether it's through language barriers or trying the Indian food (Beano is our friend). Tomorrow is our last day of planned ministry with the college. A few of us will get to go with some Indian families tomorrow night for dinner. Thursday we get to do more historical exploring through the market, the old city of Jaipur and even go to a palace.

Friday morning we leave and head back home. I can't believe how fast this trip is going. God is birthing so much in me and even the rest of the team. I know that India is my home away from America and a piece of my heart will forever be here. We love our SCSL family and all those who are praying for us!!

SUBMITTED BY SHANEA WISLER - 8 MAR 2011

mon • mar 7

This is our third day in Jaipur. Today was our first day in the bible school.We started the day by joining the college students in morning chapel. They sang a few Hindi songs. Their worship is so passionate here. Even though we couldn't understand the words said we could hear the inflection and boldness in they way they worship and the things they sang. They are not ashamed. After worship Shanea brought the morning devotion. The students surrounded us and prayed blessings over us as we went out to the streets and do ministry.

We also did some ministry with the children, teaching the kids English and playing games with them. The kids' favorite thing was when we took out our digital cameras. They absolutley loved it! All they wanted to do was have their picture taken and to actually take pictures themselves. They were so full of joy and brought us alot of joy as well. We learned some basic Hindi phrases this morning to help us communicate throughout the week. Things like "Aap ka naam kya hai" which is  "What is your name?" 

After a very good Indian lunch we split up into a couple different groups. Some of us went back to the college and made jewlery with some of the girls from the school. Others of us went out into the villages and ministered to the kids with some of the other bible students. I personally went to the villages. There my eyes were open to see the very very poor living conditions and the many families that live in these tiny concrete rooms they call home. We told bible stories,played games and simply loved on them.

The girls found it very entertaining that I couldnt speak much Hindi, and they followed me everywhere I went. Their faces will always be painted on my heart and in my mind. What an amazing way to start our week.

SUBMITTED BY KELLY RANDLEMAN - 7 MAR 2011

sun • mar 6

While some of us needed sleeping pills to get us through our first night in India, others were out cold only to be waken by Mama Faith's wake-up call. The day started off swell with oatmeal and fruit provided by our hosts here in India. We are finding a lot of favor in India - mostly because of being foreigners - but also because God is watching over us.

Alex brought the heat this morning in the Hindi and American services talking about how, as believers, we need to be the Light. Our human video went pretty well. All in all, the church service was a very refreshing way to start off our work here in India.

After service, I found myself popping Beano pills before our first official Indian meal at Chhaabra's. We enjoyed a complete vegitarian meal of Mushroom Masala, Palak Paneer, and Naan - there was much more, but I'll leave it out due to my lack of knowledge in the Hindi language. We finished it off with - of course - the American dessert strawberry ice cream.

Later in the evening we went to the Youth Service at the RIT campus which we'll be working with for most of the week. Seth and Seth brought on the devotional and talked about accountability. It was a very exciting first night meeting all of the kids, learning some Hindi, and eating Domino's pizza – we can never get away! Now we are headed to bed to the soothing sounds of the wedding fireworks of India.

SUBMITTED BY ASHLEY BECK - 6 MAR 2011

sat • mar 5

I guess you could break our initial travel to India into four stages. Stage One: An eight hour flight that I have no recognition of whatsoever (thank you very much Tylenol PM). Stage Two: A five hour delay in the Amsterdam airport where supposedly 1 muffin + 1 cup of coffee = $10. Stage Three: Another eight hour flight where I sat next to an elderly Indian woman who referred to me as her son as she would order me food from the Dutch flight attendants. Stage Four: A mini-bus ride that was supposed to only take 5 hours but instead ended up being 8 hours as we experienced first hand what real life non-South Carolinian driver traffic looked like.

All this to say, we made it safe and sound. Our hearts are filled with a healthy expectancy as we had the chance to look over the whole city of Jaipur and pray over it. One of the missionaries we're staying with said something that has stuck with me all day, "Don't look over the city and see how big the obstacles are, but instead look at the city and see how big of an opportunity lies before us to be a part of what God is going to do."

It was simple way of starting off our time here in the Pink City of India. Please keep us in your prayers as we adjust to the time change and sleep deprivation we experienced in the past two days. We are believing for a move of God in our lives this week and will continue to keep you all posted on what is going down here on the other side of the world!

SUBMITTED BY SETH BUMGARNER - 5 MAR 2011

why fly in a curve?

As you track the India team's flight across the Atlantic to Amsterdam, you may notice on the map that the plane seems to go out of its way to head north and come into the Netherlands from above. Why would they create such a curved flight path? Well, for trivia's sake... here's your answer!

The Great Circle is a mathematical concept used to measure out the shortest distance between two points on a 3D sphere. Because a map is a flat, 2D representation of a round, 3D object, the "real-life" straight line on the globe becomes a curve when displayed on the map.

     

You may click to enlarge the images above. There's your geography trivia for the day!

SUBMITTED BY DUSTIN SILBEREISEN - 3 MAR 2011