Dear friends-
Last week we had our first retreat together with all four YAVs and with Achen, Betty Kochamma, and Achen's friend Joy Joseph. Binu joined us on Friday. We met at CMS College on Thursday, September 29th, and stayed for three nights at the nearby Sophia Centre, part of the Old Seminary in Kottayam. We spent the weekend fellowshipping together and sharing about our own and one another's challenges and experiences, spending time in Bible study and prayer, and enjoying being with one another. On Friday, we were invited into Korah Sir, the principal's office, where a welcome reception was held for us and we had a chance to introduce ourselves to the faculty.
One of the very important things that came out of this past weekend was a GREAT appreciation of my site, CMS College. As we walked around the college and around town, I recognized and said hello to many people, and it began to hit me, "Wow, this is really my new home! I'm no longer a stranger here." With each passing day I am gaining a great appreciation of where I am placed-I could not have asked for a better placement. I live at a terrific hostel where I am very comfortable and get to hang out with 140 fun and wonderful girls, I have the friendship and support of many wonderful faculty, I have two incredibly selfless and wonderful supervisors...I can speak English most of the time and be understood by people. I have a variety of activities to engage in and many places in which to use my gifts. I have activity, variety, friendship, deep and open communication, and I am completely open and genuine with my supervisors and new friends. I really couldn't ask for more. I am so thankful for where I am placed.
Let me tell you a little bit about what we did. In the afternoon, we had a YAV excursion with all four of us that involved 4 different rickshaw rides with all 4 of us crammed into one rickshaw. It was hilarious! We got lost, went to a bakery, asked for directions, and bought Nicole a guitar from the same store I bought my violin from. (I forgot to mention earlier that Gigi Sir was very kind shortly after I arrived at CMS to take me violin shopping! I am so continually blessed by his great kindness to me and have been using my new violin frequently!) We also had the opportunity to visit the home of the Bishop of the Central Kerala Diocese later that evening, and to share a song on Sunday morning at the CSI Ascension Church. All four of us and Binu sang an Enligh translation of the Malayalam hymn, "Ninte Hitham." What a blessing it was to share this song with the congregation!
On Saturday we were blessed to have a wonderful session on teaching Communicative English presented to us by one of the English faculty, Jecko, and his wife, Ann. In the evening all of us enjoyed an incredibly beautiful ride on the backwaters of Kerala in Kumarakom, a famous place. It was a breathtaking experience...
It took awhile for us to get to the actual backwaters; before we reached them we floated through the canals. What incredible glimpses of life! We saw the people living along the canal in and out of the water, washing their clothes, swimming, smiling children waving to us as we drifted by...We stopped for a coconut break where we drank and ate fresh coconuts. And then we passed rice paddies and entered into the open backwaters-glorious, open water beneath a dazzling sunset. We sat on top of the boat the entire time in the sunshine, talking and laughing, watching the houseboats in the distance.
After some time in out in the open, palm trees silhouetted by the sunset all round us, we turned back into the canals, and this time the sky was filled with bright pink and golden hues. The bright, vibrant colors, the children splashing in the water, the old women doing their laundry, dipping reds and yellows into the glimmering waters...it was stunning. We passed under many low bridges, having to duck each time we passed underneath.
This was one of my favorite moments so far in India. I was so in awe of this, the Lord's creation. At one point, I was standing on top of the boat with my arms up and the breeze in my hair, and I felt the peace of the Lord settle on me deeply. He has brought me here to this beautiful land, Kerala, God's Own Country, that I may grow in knowledge of Him, that I might abound in depth and insight into His love for me and for His people. It has been a challenge to come so far away and a challenge to adjust. Moments like this I hold onto tightly, knowing that I am here by the Lord's hand and He alone steadies me.
Sophia Centre, where we stayed for the retreat for three nights
Views of the backwaters of Kerala
English professor Jecko with son, Steve
Enjoying the sunshine!
Achen and Kochamma
Fresh coconut!
We even towed a fishing boat behind us for awhile!
The crew-all hands on deck.
To see more of my photos, click on this link to my Facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.549195770720.2040020.60901842&type=3
Last week we had our first retreat together with all four YAVs and with Achen, Betty Kochamma, and Achen's friend Joy Joseph. Binu joined us on Friday. We met at CMS College on Thursday, September 29th, and stayed for three nights at the nearby Sophia Centre, part of the Old Seminary in Kottayam. We spent the weekend fellowshipping together and sharing about our own and one another's challenges and experiences, spending time in Bible study and prayer, and enjoying being with one another. On Friday, we were invited into Korah Sir, the principal's office, where a welcome reception was held for us and we had a chance to introduce ourselves to the faculty.
One of the very important things that came out of this past weekend was a GREAT appreciation of my site, CMS College. As we walked around the college and around town, I recognized and said hello to many people, and it began to hit me, "Wow, this is really my new home! I'm no longer a stranger here." With each passing day I am gaining a great appreciation of where I am placed-I could not have asked for a better placement. I live at a terrific hostel where I am very comfortable and get to hang out with 140 fun and wonderful girls, I have the friendship and support of many wonderful faculty, I have two incredibly selfless and wonderful supervisors...I can speak English most of the time and be understood by people. I have a variety of activities to engage in and many places in which to use my gifts. I have activity, variety, friendship, deep and open communication, and I am completely open and genuine with my supervisors and new friends. I really couldn't ask for more. I am so thankful for where I am placed.
Let me tell you a little bit about what we did. In the afternoon, we had a YAV excursion with all four of us that involved 4 different rickshaw rides with all 4 of us crammed into one rickshaw. It was hilarious! We got lost, went to a bakery, asked for directions, and bought Nicole a guitar from the same store I bought my violin from. (I forgot to mention earlier that Gigi Sir was very kind shortly after I arrived at CMS to take me violin shopping! I am so continually blessed by his great kindness to me and have been using my new violin frequently!) We also had the opportunity to visit the home of the Bishop of the Central Kerala Diocese later that evening, and to share a song on Sunday morning at the CSI Ascension Church. All four of us and Binu sang an Enligh translation of the Malayalam hymn, "Ninte Hitham." What a blessing it was to share this song with the congregation!
On Saturday we were blessed to have a wonderful session on teaching Communicative English presented to us by one of the English faculty, Jecko, and his wife, Ann. In the evening all of us enjoyed an incredibly beautiful ride on the backwaters of Kerala in Kumarakom, a famous place. It was a breathtaking experience...
It took awhile for us to get to the actual backwaters; before we reached them we floated through the canals. What incredible glimpses of life! We saw the people living along the canal in and out of the water, washing their clothes, swimming, smiling children waving to us as we drifted by...We stopped for a coconut break where we drank and ate fresh coconuts. And then we passed rice paddies and entered into the open backwaters-glorious, open water beneath a dazzling sunset. We sat on top of the boat the entire time in the sunshine, talking and laughing, watching the houseboats in the distance.
After some time in out in the open, palm trees silhouetted by the sunset all round us, we turned back into the canals, and this time the sky was filled with bright pink and golden hues. The bright, vibrant colors, the children splashing in the water, the old women doing their laundry, dipping reds and yellows into the glimmering waters...it was stunning. We passed under many low bridges, having to duck each time we passed underneath.
This was one of my favorite moments so far in India. I was so in awe of this, the Lord's creation. At one point, I was standing on top of the boat with my arms up and the breeze in my hair, and I felt the peace of the Lord settle on me deeply. He has brought me here to this beautiful land, Kerala, God's Own Country, that I may grow in knowledge of Him, that I might abound in depth and insight into His love for me and for His people. It has been a challenge to come so far away and a challenge to adjust. Moments like this I hold onto tightly, knowing that I am here by the Lord's hand and He alone steadies me.
To see more of my photos, click on this link to my Facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.549195770720.2040020.60901842&type=3
So glad to hear that you got a violin! Hope you can bring it to the transition retreat next year.
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