Thursday morning we woke up and headed to New Hope School to spend the day there. Can I just say, it felt like I was going home! I was so excited to be headed back to this place that holds such a huge part of my heart!
I remember walking into the village the first time 2 years ago. So many updates have been made since I was last there. There is clean water that is delivered and even electricity now! However, nothing about this view has changed! I had to refrain from running when it came into view!
While the outside hasn't changed much, the inside has a been painted with a lovely mural. They even have the this prayer now painted on the wall! Such a friendly and inviting atmosphere!
Be still my heart! These sweet faces... So many of them were familiar, but there were new ones too. I had hoped to pick my heart up when I visited again, but I pretty sure they just have even more of it now! :)
This guy... how I have missed him! Such a strong mighty man for Father! Soon after we left 2 years ago, his dad died. We all asked Father that he would stay in the faith. And he has... and I think he is more committed now than ever! It was so fun to catch up with him!
And this woman!. She is like a sister to me! Words cannot express how happy I was to see her again!
Once roll had been taken, we started the kids with a craft. We brought stickers for them to place on the craft.
Turns out, the kids all love stickers (apparently that doesn't change with culture!) and therefore most of the crafts ended up looking like this! :)
This is Ritu. She is the little sister to a girl named Beauty. Two years ago Beauty won my heart. I have a picture of me holding her in my office at school. When planning this trip, I learned that Beauty's family had seen the importance in providing her with adequate schooling and that she no longer attended New Hope School, but a school in the city. While I was saddened that I would not get to see her again, I was excited that she was gaining a great education! Imagine my surprise when I walked into the school and saw a girl who looked much like my sweet Beauty. S confirmed that it this was indeed Beauty's sister! I was so grateful that Father gave me a piece of the same family to love on this trip! Now I have two sweet girls to lift up!
Once we cleaned up, we had some time to play! Sned of course was tackled by the kids... and loved it!
Then it was time for chapel. I love watching the kids line up, and recite prayers and songs. Its always so fun! Sned taught a short lesson to help tie in the craft. S, as always, was a great interpreter!
After chapel is snack time. This day they had bread and jam for snack. This is the snack that truly broke me 2 years ago as I realized what luxury we Americans truly live in! While it did not hit me as hard this time (because it is something I have thought about alot over the past 2 years), it was a good reminder to me to be thankful for what I do have and not wish for more.
The rest of the morning was spent with the older classes doing the same craft and reinforcing the lesson Sned taught at chapel time.
It was such a sweet time with my New Hope Family! When I was here 2 years ago, the Pastor said to me "Sister, I believe we will see you here again!" Such prophetic words! At the time he said them, although I was enjoying the trip, I hadn't really felt a tugging to come back. I answered with "Perhaps!" Oh how right he was... and how glad I am that he was! (Could he please speak some prophecy again about me going back!?)
When we finished at the school,we went to see the guest flat that Jenny and I would be staying at and the hotel Lance would be at for the rest of our time in the city. Then after a brief afternoon rest, we loaded back up and headed to help teach an ESL class.
These students proudly sang some songs for us that they had learned in English. Then we went to the rooftop to play some English learning games. The kids had almost as much fun as we did I think!
After the kids left, the owner of the house made us chai and his wife made us some pakora. It was some of the #bestpakoraever! Seriously... it makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
Then we headed back to the BMS for one last night. We spent time with my friend, A, planning the rest of our time in the city (he was going out of town). He also gave great instructions on hailing taxis, rickshaws, places to eat, and payments, etc. While we were nervous to be doing thing "on our own" we knew that with our friends nearby we would ok!
This was also Sned's last day with us. While we planned the rest of our time there, he spent time packing up and getting ready to head back to the states. A taxi took him to the airport and he made the long journey home so he could rest, wash, and repack for a trip to Boston!
Friday morning we packed our stuff up and headed back out to New Hope School. This morning we taught the kids about how their Father knows each of of them by name. We gave them each a name tag with their name written on it in both English and Bengali.
Then it was chapel time again. We shared with the kids about how our Father washes us clean. We used a neat visual to show them this. I'm pretty sure the kids all thought it was magic!
Name tags and chai tea before the older classes. (Side note: last time I was in India I wouldn't drink chai tea. I don't know if it was because it was hot, or because I didn't feel well, or because I didn't like the taste, but I didn't drink it. This trip... bring it on!!! I couldn't get enough of it and I was so thankful to have the opportunity to truly enjoy it when they offered!)
The older kids with their name tags.
The team I came with in 2012 had money left over at the end of the trip and used it to buy backpacks for the students at New Hope School. My friend Ellen was privileged to be on the trip that delivered the bags. I was excited to see that the students were still carrying them!
These are pictures of our team with the teachers at New Hope School. They were good sports and posed for us!
When we finished at the school, Lance, Jenny, and I headed to the mall for some lunch. We ate at this Chinese restaurant. Not gonna lie... it had the #spiciestfoodever for this entire trip... and yet we couldn't stop eating it!
The rest of this day was spent in rest! We met back up with Lance at the mall for dinner, but didn't really do much else. Jenny and I were able to practice our skills at hailing a rickshaw! Other than the guy who told us the wrong team won the World Cup, we did pretty good! :)
Saturday we took the morning easy. Some other friends that I met on my last trip came by the flat to see us. We had loaded our suitcases with gifts from their family to bring to them. It was fun to catch up with them and their youngest son. That afternoon we went shopping at the Dakshinapan Bazaar (market). Jenny and I may or may not have bought too many new outfits while we were there, but since there are no pictures, I guess you'll never know! :)
Saturday evening we went to some friend's house for dinner. It was a sweet time together listening to stories of how Father rescues those who need Him. I am constantly in awe of that what Father can do in one man's heart, life, and family!
M cooked an amazing dinner for us! We all ate until we could eat no more and then we took pictures.
It all started out as simple picture taking
But then the boys got a little bored with it
So we livened it up a little
Which of course evolved into this! Jenny and I successfully corrupting pictures across India!
Sunday we after a short fiasco with our ride, Jenny and I caught a bicycle rickshaw and headed to meet up with Lance. At this point we were able to hail a cab, make some phone calls, and get to our destination, where Lance was teaching the adults and Jenny and I were teaching the children.
The doors are cool!
Song Book
Jenny and I teaching the kids. We taught the lesson again on how Father knows each of us by name. We had them trace their hands and put their names on it.
Funny story: So I knew the entire time this is where we were going to spend time on Sunday morning. Well, to my surprise, we got there and we were working with a couple that we had done a medical clinic for two years ago!! So fun to get to see them again!!
We got to ride on the back of a motorcycle to get back to the main road and hail a cab back to the mall for lunch.
After lunch and short rest, we headed to New Hope Church to spent the evening. Side Story: When we started planning the trip I was insistent that we be able to worship with the folks at New Hope Church while we were there! We ended up staying a full day longer than planned just to accommodate my request! #bestteammatesever
We arrived for the children's portion first. They sang some songs for us, and then they broke into smaller groups for learning.
While the teachers taught, we sat and observed.
This was our driver for a couple of days this trip. He was the driver for the team 2 years ago. To say we felt safe with him as our driver is an understatement. This man knows the city better than anyone I know of!
Between the children's time and the adult's time, it started to rain, so we moved inside the house. Inside the house were goats! I love the goats! :)
My favorite parts of here here are:
1. Listening to everyone lift up words to the Father at the same time in their own language.
2. Singing - I love listening to them sing in Bengali.
These two things make me think of what it will be like when we are all at Home sitting at the Father's feet.
3. The people! Oh how I love these young men and women who love our Father!
Somedays I wish I could bring this guy back here with me! He is like the little brother I never had!
These girls. I think they were as excited to see me again as I was to see them. They kept hugging me and telling me that they were so glad I was there and how much they had missed me. They also wanted to know when we were coming back again!
Of course, we taught them to pose for pictures too! :)
One of the girls (I honestly do not remember which one) had just been accepted into college, so of course there was a small celebration complete with cake, samosas, and gulab jamun! Yum!!
After our time there, we headed to the mall for one last cup of chai and then back to our flat for the night. We spent the time packing up and getting ready to head back to the states on Monday. Bitter sweet!
Monday morning we woke up and headed back to the school one last time. We didn't really have any lessons planned, just wanted to spend some time with the kids, as well as the teachers one more time.
They tried very hard to be sure that the students carried on with their lessons despite us being there this morning
And for a while they succeeded...
But this little girl loved Jenny...
And I had one of the best gifts ever waiting for me at the school. See, they had gone to Beauty and Ritu's parents and asked if Beauty could be permitted to miss a day of school to come back to visit New Hope School because there was an American who wanted to see her. Thankfully her parents agreed! So when we arrived at the school, this precious girl was there waiting to surprise me!
Y'all, these pictures make my heart smile! See, when I was here 2 years ago, Beauty would hardly look at us. She was so shy that she literally hid her face. By the end of our time in the school, she let me pick her up and hold her for a picture, thus stealing my heart. And look at that grin now! This girl climbed all over me! She showed off what she knew by telling me her alphabet, numbers, and colors in English! I was so proud of her!
And then her sister crawled up in my lap too! At first Beauty didn't want to share, but eventually she gave in. My heart overflows!
So finally we helped to get things back under control and chapel carried on like normal. These sweet kids led the singing and prayers that day.
And these sweet kids listened very carefully as they were told of the Father's love for them!
Then it was time for some pictures with the kiddos
And time to hand out a snack to them (these chocolates were actually really yummy!). What a privilege to be able to provide the snack that day!
And then it was time to leave. It rained most of the day our last day there, but it seemed quite fitting. This time it was my turn to try to not cry as we left! Its never truly goodbye, just see ya later... either here on earth or when we all make it Home!
Once we left there we went to lunch at a Chinese restaurant. It was humorous to learn that I was born in the Year of the Goat! I like to think it describes me quite well!
Once we finished lunch, we headed to visit Mother Teresa's one more time. We decided that since it was such a peaceful place, it was worth finishing up the trip there. Our driver took us all through the city. It was fun to see things we hadn't seem previously.
We spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up our packing at the flat and then met Lance at the mall for one last dinner in India.
Then we headed to Lance's hotel to "waste time" until midnight when we needed to head to the airport. We sat in the lobby for a while and played Uno and successfully annoyed the managers of the hotel! :) Finally it was time to load up in the hotel taxi and head to the airport to start the trek back to the States. While we were all tired and ready to be back on American soil, none of us were ready to leave the people we had grown to love!
Until next time Nepal and India... you both will be loved, lifted up, and massively missed!
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