first fotos

Like I said, everything jingles, even ankles.


The kid on the bike is funnier looking than me, actually. Safe to say, neither of us know what’s going on.


Sunffeluffogus balloon kid.


And, explain to me why we can’t touch these children?


Boo! Ahahahahahahah!!!


Life goal, check. Blowing bubbles with Indian Dalit children. These kiddos go to school at Good Shepherd School, Antejar, India. I hope you can zoom in on the attack-bubble, about to pop on my face.


I hear ya, kiddo. India is a strange, strange place.


Dalit kids at Good Shepherd school. I spy, with my little eye, a cheater!


I can’t get over how cute a kid can be if you just put a bonnet on her. But actually it didn’t take much for me to come to the conclusion that these kids were absolutely beautiful.


The girl in the orange was just married. Or, maybe it was the girl in the maroon, I can’t really remember. They both had henna all over their hands. I think this picture sort of looks like we ran into a hot dog stand together.


India mullet, sporting khaki vest and trash stash. Yes, please.


Another cutie-patootie, but not sure what he’s chewing on…


My future mother-in-law…apparently.


…because she let me wear her wedding dress, which would be passed on to her son’s new bride. Didn’t know that part until later…


The children at the schools LOVED the parachute. Who doesn’t love the parachute, come to think of it?


Orange-shirt kid was dominating this game.


Woo-hoo! Cow crossing!


This lady is weaving a massive tapestry. She somehow threads one strand through each of those white strands, and the stick helps… The artisans we have been meeting are incredible talented, and this lady is just one of the many we have met.


When we tour the villages, people come out to show us their wears. This lady, a Dalit, is making quilts at home. Hopefully, we can help her village by creating projects for the ladies to work on, such as embroidery and quilting.


This man is dressed in traditional Rabari clothing. The Rabari are nomadic shepherds. Older Rabari wear all white, but the younger shepherds wear very brightly colored turbans and outfits.


Our team with one of the local Brothers and his family.


Basically what I’m eating these days (give or take a milkshake every now and again…)--rice, pita-ish bread, some greasy soup, usually with cilantro and an egg, and a hash-like food, for color. All of this is shoveled into my mouth with my right hand, of course.


Trucking makes up quite a bit of the industry in this area of Gujarat.


I gave the woman on the left my ring after she complimented me on it. Maybe one day I’ll get to come back and visit her, and tell her about my Savior. For now, I was just able to bless her with a new piece of jewelry.


My sari fitting. I purchased a sari that is almost this same color. Haven’t had the opportunity to wear it yet. Apparently, only married women wear saris, unless it is a very special occasion. Maybe I’ll wear mine for breakfast tomorrow….


This baby was not happy to be taken from his mama by a white woman that didn’t speak his language.


Snake Tag is a hit. In this particular game, I was on the weak end. I pretty much had to whip-lash the kids around to get anybody tagged.

One of my favorite kids. He was so, so, so tiny! I called him "Tall Socks" you'll see why...


...these were his little legs and shoes and tall socks. Ohmygoodness. He would totally fit in my carry-on…


me and the gals on a stroll


on her way to the well


Maybe she’s not happy with her work, but I think it is amazing. This is a dowry purse, used to put the bride’s dowry in for her husband.


Ladies Of The Wall. When I asked them if they spoke English they said, "No English." I got a laugh out of this because, well, their response meant they knew at least a little English...oh...phew...guess you would have had to been there...


The traditional Indian welcome includes bejeweling the guests with carnations and roses. However, this is how Indian H’s also honor their idols. So, for Xn's, the tradition has evolved so that the honoree accepts the necklace, but then immediately removes it and gives it to someone who has been a servant to the honoree that day. I received this necklace at the beginning of the conference, and also as we finally arrived in India
.

Women at the well

Namaste

We arrived safely to India! Thank you for your continued prayers.

Time flies when you’re…flying. It seems like no time at all passed between when I left XNA and arrived in India. Ha. Definitely racking up the frequent flyer miles. I seem to be adjusting to the time change well (the mandatory afternoon tea times sure are helping!) We arrived in Mumbai around 1:30am on Monday. We were blessed with a 5-star hotel room that night, for a brief rest and warm shower. We had been traveling since Saturday night, and I, for one, needed that shower! The next morning, Monday, we flew from Mumbai to Bhuj, the capital city of Gujarat. Gujarat is north of Mumbai, on the west coast of India. From Bhuj, we were transported by SUV through villages and tiny towns to our final destination— Ghandidam. Phew. Monday night we settled into our hotel, met with the leaders of the Kutchi Development Project (KDP), and began to plan and organize for the celebration conference this week.

The sights and sounds of India are out of this world. I feel like I’m on a movie set…the wrong movie set. Any moment now, I keep telling myself, someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “psst…Jenn, we need you over here, you’re about to go on…” and then I would return to reality. But, for the next several weeks, this IS reality.

…elephants and camels in the road, and cows everywhere, and beautiful, tiny women in colorful garments, with silver urns precariously balanced atop their heads, flowing down the road from the well, giggling children, and children with dark, blank stares, car horns (oh my, the horns!), dusty, dirty, filthy feet, decorated with jewels and bracelets, tarnished silver and gold, jingling…lots of jingling…chai, creamy and sweet, incense and smog, overpowering moth ball scent, curry-stained fingertips, bobbling heads signifying ‘yes,’ and nods I once understood as ‘yes,’ now signifying ‘no,’ muggy, sticky-back-of-neck hot, impeccable service, trains of tiny men following me everywhere, sweeping up after me, straightening things I wanted off-centered, calling me ‘madam’ and blinking a lot…

I had some traditional clothing made last night. Three tiny ladies and one man who knew the words “Fantastic!” “Classy!” and “Very Fashionable!” helped me sort through piles upon piles of fabric. I went in thinking I knew what I wanted, quickly became overwhelmed by the limitless choices, and settled on some drab colors with exciting trim, when I originally was looking for some fabric in the neon genre. “Don’t want to cause any more of a scene that I already am,” I said to console the part in me wanting the magenta and tennis-ball-yellow colored scarf.

Still not certain of my role here, or the purpose I am/will be serving. Just learning, a lot. I did think there would be more people here. I was prepared to not be able to move because of all the people. So far, things seem pretty normal, density-wise. But, I am in a more remote area… Mumbai will be a doozy.

I don’t think I have malaria, yet.

Chai time. Namaste.

an update, of sorts

T minus 19 hours.

We leave Orlando tomorrow night, headed to India. Wow, I never thought I'd say that. Finally, finally, I'm on my way.

...in the meantime...

I've been in Orlando for the past few days, preparing as a team for our trip. We've also been recruiting and sharing the vision of Bajalia at a young adult conference. The conference speakers have been quite enlightening/thought-provoking/radical. Donald Miller is here, along with Todd Phillips. Phillips is new to me, but he's speaking some hard-to-swallow truth about the sad and heretical divorce of social action and evglsm. Miller's stream-of-consciousness speaking and writing is very powerful. Though, he's not "usual" at all... Sometimes I have to stop and think, re-assess, pull back, because I wonder why and how I'm agreeing so well with what these guys are telling me. Am I easily swayed by smooth talkers? Or, is it that I'm drawn to the Truth of it all. Are they exposing Truth? 'Prove it,' I say to myself. They have been, and I'm encouraged. I'm encouraged because my desire to take care of the widows and children, clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, is validated by my Father's Word. I want to stay challenged by J's words, though. He was constantly saying to the people in his day, "you thought this way, now I'm telling you to think this way." And I want to be listen and obey that radical thinker, above all.

As far as being ready to fly to the other side of the globe...yeah. I'm ready. Totally. Bags are packed, with everything possibly needed for the next 6 or so weeks. I thought I forgot floss, which would have been the only thing I forgot. But, it surfaced from the bottom of my cosmetic bag tonight. I've been on a steady diet of AirBorne/Vit C/malaria pill/typhoid pill/multi-vit coctails for the past several days. I'd like to see a parasite infiltrate this immune system. Just try me, microviral scum. Just try me... I tried on some of the c.asian clothing that I'll be wearing and LOVED it. Seriously. I've always dreamed of having clothing that didn't touch anywhere on my body, and just parachuted around my extrimities, and this is it. I can eat as many carbs as I want, and these pants will never get too tight. That's the glory of the drawstring. As I triple-checked my suitcases, I had to wonder what a person like Hudson Taylor or Amy Carmichael might think of my packing. Or, better yet, Paul. They'd definitely question the necessity of 2/3 of this crud I'm hauling overseas and overmountains. I'm pretty sure they'd throw out, right away, my Mr. Potato Head and at least one of my outlet adapters (I have two, just in case...). Alas, my bags are packed. We're off on a grand adventure....to serve and seek.

The Greatest Letdown

Tonight Michael made the ladies Dublin Pancakes, from Bosnia. (don't worry, I don't get it either...) We decided that he should use the infamous and illusive Magic Bullet, as seen on TV. This is all quite funny to us, as attendees of the Fusion conference here in Orlando. See, Donald Miller is the keynote speaker at the conference, and he made reference to the Magic Bullet in a talk yesterday. Something like how we're selling church like Magic Bullet infomercials are selling their product. (more to come on that later, very thought-provoking ideas from Miller). Anywhoo, this video series is a result of a bit of inside-humor and sheer magic...

The Greatest Letdown, con't.

the conclusion to the MB episode.

too far, Bill Gates. too far...

this is completely unnecessary. but, incredible handy. i'm neutral on this issue, as it turns out.

Beatboxing flute inspector gadget remix

because i have so much time on my hands....i found this to share with my readership.

check back here soon for stuff actually worth your time.

ps: i leave for india tomorrow. holy molars, batman!

ready or not...

here i come... more posts about my travels to the other side of the world to come very soon. check back here tomorrow. you might even see some pictures...