Our first four months!!!
Friday, March 2nd, 2012, No Comments »
It is true!! it has been four months since we have come back home. Time has just gone by so quickly the last four months.
Since we arrived on the 29th of Oct, we have been busy with lots of different things. Here is a quick recap... Our plane ride was comfortable apart from the million checks that we had to go through. The kids enjoyed most of it and they loved the surprises that mommy had prepared for them. Little Ayaan enjoyed his first plane ride by sleeping most of the time. [caption id="attachment_52" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Backpacks loaded and ready to go - posing in front of the airplane."]
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November the 1st was Rani's youngest sister's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. We enjoyed meeting all the family and friends. There were lot of family members and relatives whom we had not seen in the last 5 years. This event also helped us meet lot of Hindu relatives and friends and make connection with them.
[caption id="attachment_18" align="aligncenter" width="199" caption="At the reception"]
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Later part of November I got to help baptize two believers. (One had trusted the Lord recently and other believer had trusted since past 41 yrs but was not prepared for baptism). It was such a great time to participate in their baptism.
[caption id="attachment_36" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="41 yrs after trusting the Lord, Kaka was ready to take baptism. He went to be with the Lord a few months after his baptism."]
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[caption id="attachment_35" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mr. Patil took baptism to set an example for his wife who has not yet trusted the Lord"]
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Also later in November we went house hunting to rent and settle down in the 'city of gates'(our city has 52 gates). The city itself has changed so much since we were gone. The most shocking part was the rise in cost of everything.
The first half of December we were moving our things and settling down in our new apartment. After settling down we started preparing and looking forward towards Christmas celebrations. After a long time we got to visit people's houses in the night and sing carols. Our kids enjoyed it so much. Rani got to have ladies from church and other Hindu lady friends over for tea. She also got to make lot of yummy snacks for Christmas!!
[caption id="attachment_28" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Yummy Indian Christmas treats! "]
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[caption id="attachment_37" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Christmas tea - a time of sharing the Christmas story"]
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January began with new resolutions and planning. We started a bible study among 1G believers with lots of excitement and enthusiasm. By the middle of the month we were struck with a grievous blow. One of Rani's younger cousin, who was close to us, went to be with the Lord, while recovering from a serious accident. Our whole family was gripped with shock and overwhelming sadness. It has only been through Lord's consolation through His Spirit and comfort through His Word that the grieving family has been comforted.
February began by seeking comfort and consolation in the Lord. We also started to pray and plan for our first medical camp. Through the middle of the month we got busy preparing for the camp. A week later we got to conduct a day camp in a remote village. With our focus on women and children, Rani and team got to see and check up 160 women and children. The response that we received was overwhelming. There were many other women and children who wanted to be seen and checked up, but we were simply worn out by the end of the day. The people in the village were so much touched by the initiative, that someone would take the effort to come to their village and conduct a day camp for the women and children. We on the other hand were so blessed to witness how the Lord used us for His glory. This camp has gave us a great opportunity to witness about the love of God that drives us to conduct such medical camps in remote villages.
[caption id="attachment_43" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The team !!"]
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Please be looking for the next post about the details of the medical camp!!