We made it home :)

It is now Tuesday evening, March 31st and we made it home safe and sound. We had great flights but not without it's share of "memories" :) We thank all of you who greeted us at the airport with smiles and hugs. We are tired but we were excited to come home. We will see some of you at our own Churches on Sunday. Thanks for all of your prayers for us while we were in India! It was felt! :)

Love ya,
Eve a & Phyllis

Hello from India :)

Hello everyone :) :) YES ... I am alive ... just very busy! Our schedule here is pretty busy and when we do get to go on-line on the weekends, it is usually for a limited time. However, I am happy to be able to connect with you all today and fill you in on a few things. By the way, this week in was 95 degrees in the shaded classroom! The humidity is VERY high and I am really feeling the heat of India! :)

We have been busy with our ministries on campus and I have enjoyed my time with the kids. This last week there was the graduation for the college students and it was a great joy to be here and be a part of all the festivities. The whole week before graduation, you could see the campus being transformed for graduation and the night of graduation was full of excitement. All the decorative lights were shinning, everyone was dressed in their best, and the campus was full of many visitors and friends. Irene gave Phyllis and I a gift that we wore that night. We were dressed in our finest India saris and I felt so beautiful as we attended the wonderful evening. It was an honor to be there and celebrate with all of the graduates. The rest of the week and into next week, we are saying "good bye" to them all as they head home or head off to their different ministries. They have amazing stories as to how they came to the college and it will be wonderful to hear how God uses them in their own ministries.

We now have two weeks left and it will be difficult to leave all of the kids. They have already asked me to just stay and live here but I have told them I need to go home and for them to pray for God's plan for my life. They are sweet children and they will be missed. It will be hard to leave them here!!!! It has been a great joy to teach them in the evening chapel time and I will miss their smiling faces and eagerness to learn about God!

As I close, I want to ask you to pray for God's direction in my life and missions. It has been a great privaledge to serve Him here but I do not know a clear direction for the future at this point. Right now I am sitting in the Eda's dining room and there is a sign on the wall that is very fitting. It says: "God has a plan for my life and that's all I need to know." Please pray with me for Him to show me in His time where He wants me to serve Him. I also want to ask you to pray for me to sleep at night. It is very hot and I have not slept through the night yet! I sleep but it is not without waking up many times throughout the night. My health is good, I am just not resting as much as I would like. Thank you all for your prayers. Your support for me and this trip has not gone unnoticed and I want to say thank you for being a part of my life and for your love and prayers for me. I look forward to catching up with you all when I get home. My prayers are with you all as well.

From the heat of India with much love,

Eve a :)

Thanks to all!

Hello all! First off, I want to thank all of you who have written and been faithful at checking the blog.....I apologize that it has not been with any regularity that it has been updated. The verse comes to mind that "...man makes his plans, but God directs his steps..." I had good intentions of updating frequently, but time has not afforded that opportunity as readily as I thought it would! Please know that lack of communication has not meant lack of thought or prayer....friends and family alike have been on my mind and heart while I'm in India! We are scheduled to come back on Mar. 31st, and I will do my best to connect with people as time and energy allow...I've heard jetlag coming back is worse than going.....but I don't know for sure. Please continue to pray as we prepare to come home in just a couple of weeks. I am asking the Lord to prepare a job for me when I return as well as help with the transition of coming back to the States and readjusting to culture....I will need patience and help from you all! This last week was graduation at the college, and it was a privilege indeed to be able to attend! What fun! I tried to attach a picture of me wearing a sari (special for the occasion), but I'm afraid when I tried to attach it, it came out a little TOO much like me.....sideways...:0) Ah well, I warned everyone I was not very technologically inclined when the blog first began. This is a great example for everyone to see! hahaha Well, the festivities kept us busy this week and it was a fun time to be able to celebrate. The children that we have been working with in school will be hopefully taking exams soon, and that should take us the next couple weeks to complete.....if it comes to mind, you can pray that we get it done! Thanks again, all, for prayers and care from the States. It has been a gift, indeed! I will look forward to connecting upon returning, and may the Lord bless us and keep us all until then!
Phyllis

My precious time with God!

Here I am on the other side of my sickness and I wanted to share real quick about my week. Saturday afternoon found me with a very sore throat and all I wanted was to feel good! I DID NOT want to be sick. I KNEW God had another plan and so I found myself in bed and "missing out"on fellowship, Church, and time with the kids. I went to the Dr on Monday and YES ... I had strep! So, I got the necessary medicine and off to bed again! I was home alone and not looking forward to it at all! BUT, God meet me where I was and as I was asking Him to meet me there, I found great comfort in my time at home with HIM. Phyllis has ALWAYS been a great encouragement to me and as we talk and share, I am encouraged to ask God to comfort me in this time of physical weakness. A verse was brought to my attention and I want to share it here with you all. Isaiah 30:18 "...the Lord still waits for you to come to Him so he can show you His love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them." Today, I can say that I am thankful for being sick and for His love and compassion that He showed to me. It gave me time alone with Him and time that is now very precious to me.

Thank you all for your prayers and I am asking God to show me His future for me here. No answers yet but someday He will give them to me!

Love to you all,
Eve a

God is doing a work in ME (Phyllis)!

Dearest Loved Ones,
I am able to say with a full assurance that "God is doing a work in me...." My favorite singer/ songwriter, Sara Groves, has penned a song that captures my emotions in THIS moment.
It goes like this, "God is doing a work in me--He's walking through my rooms and halls--checking every corner--tearing down the unsafe walls and letting in the light--and I am working hard--to clean my house and set it straight--not let pride get in the way--to catch an eteranl vision of--what I am to become...." I do not know what He's doing long term, but it is a BEAUTIFUL thing that He's doing now! As I interact with the children, with Pastor Shekar and Irene, with Eve a and EVERYONE else along this journey, I feel as though I am entering new rooms within my very soul. I must confess, they are not all in order, but I am "catching a vision of what I'm to become." I see possibility, opportunity, and my house screams, "Potential!" Whether or not that means ministry here long term, I'm hesitant to say at this point, but ministry for a lifetime? Of THAT, I am sure. I am SO thankful that God USES us.....ANY of us...ALL of us....who are willing. To coin the phrase of a dear friend, "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called..." My, how I see that! I am, by NO means, what I would consider a spiritual "Great," but by GOD'S power working IN me and THROUGH me, I am given the extreme privilege of serving.....WHAT a gift!!!
I am SO grateful for all of you who have posted and been praying..."Thanks," hardly seems adequate, but it will have to suffice for now as words fail me.
I was reading in Jeremiah 31:3b the other day and it reads, "...I [God] have loved you with an everlasing love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.." I KNOW my God as a faithful God. He always has been and He always will be.
In HIS service and by His love,
Phyllis

Kids Galore! :)

Because yesterday, Monday, was Republic Day in India, we were able to meet all of the kids when we went to the campus for the first time. What fun it was to be a part of the day and to be greeted by ALL of the kids! After the flag raising, we had a full day of time with the youth, playing with the kids, eating with our hands, and telling stories at Bible time. Needless to say ... we were tired at the end of the day! But it was not over yet! We still needed to get home, which is about one hour drive ... depending on traffic and who is driving. We got home at 10:40pm! We both slept well and are just waiting now to start our first day of a "regular" scheduled day. We must be off now but will write again when we can. Just wanted to give a quick update and let you know we were alive and well.

Thanks for all of your comments and prayers. We appreciate them all.

Eve a & Phyllis

more details...

As you can see....Pastor Gene's prediction on Sunday before the departure was not entirely accurate...it was NOT Chester puking over the side of the boat, it was EVE A puking while sitting next to me.....ugh. Clearly, I took the opportunity to document the occasion and Eve a, true to her character, took it in stride...with a thumbs up...:0) Little did she know of Pastor Gene's prediction.
We wanted to take the opportunity to thank Eve a's parents who took us to the airport and each of you who came to see us off. We also wanted to give a special thanks to Pastor Gene who arrived with IMPECCABLE timing to unload our luggage....way to go!
Shekar and Irene were very gracious upon our arrival and we were extremely grateful. Thank goodness for brothers and sisters on the "flip" side!
Yesterday, the 21st of January, Eve a and I were able to sleep in and then go shopping! Irene took us on foot to the first shop where we purchased some Indian outfits, and then we traveled by auto-rickshaw to another shop. All I (Phyllis) can say is, "I'm glad I wasn't behind the wheel!" We even encountered a beggar at one of the traffic lights. Eve a was having fun taking a video of the "ride"experience. We hope to post that later, but seeing as I (Phyllis) am not very technological, we will just have to wait and see...speaking of technology, we are hoping to get Eve a set up with her own login so that she can post separately too. Currently, she is at my side and reading every word! (literally)
Ummm...we concluded that we will start in full swing at the children's home next week, and we will be getting things ready this week. It looks like we are going to be commuting back and forth every day which is approximately an hour one way....what a great opportunity to gear up and then to debrief!
The sights, sounds, and smells...believe it or not....have been a welcomed experience, and we are both reveling in the Indian culture--what beautiful people! We have been spoiled by Shekar, Irene, and Shekar's sister, Kala, as we transition into the new schedule and way of life.
We are both feeling and doing well in the new culture and time zone. (It is an 11 1/2 hours difference) You can't see very well, but we are sitting in Irene and Shekar's home at the computer in the photo above. We are off to work now, and we will hopefully post again soon! Thanks to all the words of encouragement and prayers that have been offered on our behalf....what gifts!
Talk to ya later!!!!
Phyllis and Eve a

P.S. Ok, This is Eve a here and I kicked Phyllis off so I could respond to the picture at the top!!! No matter what she says ... I DID NOT "toss my cookies"even though she does have pretty good evidence to say otherwise!! It was a long flight and we were getting a little crazy that's all. So, we will ttyl and thanks for your prayers. :)

We made it!

Well, the title says it all.....we made it! The flight was uneventful and we made it through customs with no problems....thank the Lord! We will try and post some pics tomorrow and give you all more detail, but we are headed to bed for the night! Thanks for all your prayers and care!!! We appreciate it!!!

Eve a and Phyllis

So long for now!

Well, dear family and friends.....the time has come to say "So long for now!" (sniff) I will be missing you all, but I am confident that the good Lord will be doing a work in me and through me which I wouldn't trade for your physical nearness. Afterall, I'll be taking you all with me in heart and mind, so there is NO FEAR that you will miss out on the adventure. I'm going to try and upload a picture of my family farewells, but unfortunately, I forgot my camera this morning before church and was unable to snap some shots of dear friends. I cherish you all and am so grateful for those of you I got to give a hug....I'm dreadfully sorry I wasn't able to see everyone....there were countless "blessings" I wished to see and just didn't get the time to....PLEASE know that it is not due to lack of importance.....just a shortage of time. Thankfully, this "so long for now" is ONLY temporary, and I will look forward to the next "hello" with great excitement and anticipation. The next time I'll talk to you will be from the other side of the world.....I guess I'll be able to coin the phrase, "See you on the 'flip' side," with a greater appreciation than I ever have before.....So long for now!!!!

Love,

Phyllis