LIVE FROM INDIA!

We arrived in amazing India! The 15 hour flight from NY to India was nice, broken only by a few meals, sleeping and watching the movies or TV shows offered. We had a total of 4 flights in 2 days and all were very uneventful (which is a good thing), getting us to a tiny airport in a city called Vijayawada in eastern India. It's hot here, but not unbearable. Our friends from India Crusade met us, driving us in air conditioned vehicles for several hours before arriving at Jothi Nivas Children's home. We are joined on this trip by 6 other people who are part of Lifesong" (lifesongfororphans.org). As the leader of India Crusade (Bob Stoll) retires, Lifesong will take over the support and development of the ministry in India. The transition from India Crusade to Lifesong has been stressful for the folks here. They don't know what to expecct and their whole future depends on what happens next. Please keep them in your prayers. There is great potential for growth.

Our quarters are brand new, very comfortably furnished, with air conditioning and lovely Indian food (but not too spicy). There are 6 new guest rooms with bathrooms attached on the 3rd floor of the children's home. They include a dining room, and large living/meeting room. We've enjoyed getting to know the Lifesong people and interacting with the workers and children at this home.

Monday, we visited another children's home - Bethel Nivas. You should soon be able to see some film footage of this on the Lifesong website (as soon as those people get home). Bethel is a smaller home, with well groomed young boys and girls, smiling, wanting a handshake and eager to sing for us. We toured the home, seeing their "dorm" rooms - no beds or sheets, just pewter colored small trunks lining the walls (this holds their belongings). They sleep on mats which are unrolled on the floor at night. There is one room for the boys and one for the girls.

Today, the 6 Lifesong people left. It has been an amazing week so far and we've only just begun!

We have to think about the computer set up here before we can post pictures, but trust me, WE GOT PICTURES! Thank you for your continued prayers.

In His Service, Rick and Karen