little cultural changes...

August 1-3 

        Every morning the girls sing songs and have devotion, to ever know what it feels like to listen to them you need to experience it for yourself. No words can describe the respect and obedience these girls have for Enoch, Nancy, and the Lord. Their adoration to the Lord through song and their sincere faith through prayer is astounding, especially for their ages! The children of America could learn much from these girls, and I think I am in danger of them teaching me more than I could ever teach them.

      For these three days we spent much time with all the HIM PALS. They are the partners in India that HIM supports. There are about 25 PALS all together, and for them to get the opportunity to all meet in one place with us was a huge blessing for them and for us as well. Their stories and testimonies were amazing to hear, and it was wonderful to just spend time talking with each. God is using each of them, all in different parts of India, to do His work through things like, orphanages, churches, evangelizing, street ministry, bible classes, and SO much more. These are just the PALS in India, HIM ministries has many more all over the world! Please keep them in your prayers!

     It seems like my stomach is ALWAYS grumbling, no matter how much I put in it. The food is definitely different from in America, everything I put in my mouth either seems to be very spicy or very sweet! I have learned by now that if a local says something is not spicy, to stay away from it because it will set my mouth on FIRE! Haha One of our team members saw something that looked like a green bean on his plate so he took a big bite and quickly found out that green beans and chilli peppers look awfully alike!! We all had our laugh of the day as he ran as fast as he could to the nearest water tank, and we made it a point to know the difference so we wouldn't make the same mistake! Some of the locals said that they wouldn't even eat those chilli peppers! Haha

     To say “yes”, instead of shaking their heads up and down like we do they shake them from side to side.....this had me SO confused for the longest time! I eventually just had to ask someone to please explain why people would shake their heads like that at me! Haha

Unfortunately my group found something to tease me about. One night I was walking around outside and almost stepped on the biggest frog I have ever seen, and of course I screamed like anything. So when they found out it was just a frog I was hollering about they made sure I never forgot it -_- haha and God added in His little humor when the next morning we were having devotion on the rooftop and one of the psalms we went through was 105 where in verse 30 it says “their land teems with frogs, which went up to the bedrooms of their rulers...” that got us laughing and had me checking my bed every night juuuuust in case!

    Got to ride in my first rick shaw! The driving here takes getting used to, there are really no rules, but to keep people from speeding there are speed bumps everywhere! To get directions to somewhere drivers will just stick their hands out the window and honk at a passing car, or someone on the street, even if its a car coming the other direction if they see you they will stop just in the middle of traffic to see what you want. So THATS why I haven't seen any road signs!! Its just so much more convenient to drive up along side someone and ask! Haha

    Things here are so very different than in the states. Things which are normal here would be considered extremely rude back home, and I'm seeing that some of the things I thought were normal at home would be considered rude here. Lord give me grace so I won't be offensive to anyone in anyway!

Well everyone, eat a nice big hamburger for me! Thank you again for your continued prayers and support!

In Him -Katie T– The Daughter of a King