Bridging the Gap

I love introductions. I always have. I think if I saw people from different plays suddenly ending up on the same stage together, it would make me so happy. I love people meeting people and lives meeting lives. When I was young, I used to write stories about characters from different favorite books meeting one another and what would happen when they did. At my college graduation party, I was overcome with joy at seeing people from the different sets and scenes of my life interact, college, high school, father's side friends and family interacting with mother's side friends and family...It was unbelievable! Do you know what I mean? That very special kind of joy that you feel when you see two people talking together that you never even imagined talking together? I just love that feeling.

Sometimes, I fantasize about heaven being just a huge, never-ending collection of these kinds of thrilling introductions between people. All the people you have known from all the different places you've traveled suddenly being in the same place and talking together. Do you ever fantasize about that? That great meeting-place, heaven, where we'll all get to be together and talk and worship together, forever? I love to think about the girls of the hostel chatting with my high school friends, with all the students I've taught in India hanging out and laughing with the American students I've taught. I think about my family members with the addicts I met in Berlin, talking about God together. With coworkers playing guitar with all of the friends from the German youth group, or the orphans from that orphanage in Mexico meeting the people from my recent trip to Honduras. Does anyone else out there fantasize about these kinds of meetings in heaven?

When two people from entirely different places, both followers of Christ, come together, it is a beautiful thing. It is the bridging of gaps, the closing of chasms, the closer tyeing-up of heartstrings. The culture shock falls away in light of smiles and understanding. Hearts are open and accepting, voices discerned, ideas exchanged. It's a beautiful, godly, thing-godly in the sense that God spans all these barriers and distances. For what do we have in common but Christ? He is the great Connector, drawing believers of all nations into His loving arms.

Since I arrived in India, HERE and HOME have existed as complete opposites in my mind, diametrically spanning the globe as well as the world of my experiences. They were completely separate and neither knew the other. With the visit of my mother and sister to India, I felt like this gap was in some ways bridged. I felt like understanding flowed in large quantities. I felt like all the things that I had told them that sounded so crazy weren't so far-fetched anymore and they tangibly experienced what I had struggled to paint with words. I felt healing in my heart happening. I sank deep into my their openness, their warmth towards all they met, sank deep into their smiles. I felt understood and known both here and there. I felt peace.

I have had the wonderful privilege of having my family visit me the past couple of weeks. I can't believe how blessed I am that I could go halfway around the world and still be visited by my family! I realize what a rare and extraordinary visit this was- I am really really lucky, and so thankful that they were able to make it.

Check out my Facebook album of their trip here.
Check out my sister's album (taken with a really nice camera) here.

My sister, after spending some time visiting my cousin in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, flew to Cochin on December 29th. My mother arrived a day late the next day. The first moment I saw my sister, I absolutely could not stop crying with joy and relief. To be so far away from home for so long, and to suddenly be with family was quite a shock! It took me a few days to get used to being with them again. It also was quite a shock to go from staying in the hostel to staying in hotels, to dressing in Western dress, and to being with other Westerners as a tourist for a little while! After getting over the shock of actually being in the same room as my sister, I promptly took, and enjoyed (understatement) my first shower since August. :)

After the initial delirium and shock of simply being in one another's presence after travelling from three different continents, with all of us actually safely arrived and together, we began some sight-seeing. We stayed in Cochin for a few days where we visited Fort Kochi and other sites around Cochin. We bought churidar material and had churidars made for Joce and my mom-this was a blast. With all three of us wearing churidars, we went to Achen's house in Aluva where we all spent New Year's Eve together-Mom, Joce, and I, Kochamma, Achen, Binu, Rachel, and Ian. After a delicious dinner and some rounds of Catchphrase, we welcomed in the New Year together.

Joce and Mom in their brand-new churidars, stitched that day, on New Year's Eve

The whole group on New Years at Achen's house

On the first day of the year, we left Aluva to travel to Guruvayoor to see the famous temple there, and then went to Cheruthuruthy, where initially we were supposed to see some performances at a renowned arts academy there. Because it was a Sunday, it was closed. Our travel to Cheruthuruthy took three times as long as expected because of many CPI-M rallies going on (CPI-M is Communist Party of India-Marxist: delays due to these rallies were to become a theme for our trip.) We had huge chunks of driving in the car on our trip, but this was good catch-up time. Also, I was on my second round of antibiotics from having a sinus and lung infection so I was thankful for as much rest as possible while family was here.

Santa is a communist?

At the elephant park near Guruvayoor, where keep 40-50 sacred temple elephants live.

We went from Cheruthuruthy to Allepey, where we had an overnight stay on a houseboat that travelled from Allepey to Kumarakam. Kumarakam is one of the most touristy places in Kerala and is filled with stunningly beautiful backwaters. Mom, Joce, and I had a houseboat all to ourselves for the day, where we cruised through the sunlit water and enjoyed wonderful food cooked on the boat. We even stopped at a waterside fish stall where we picked out the prawns for our dinner! Watching the sunset from the boat, and later, the glimmering stars reflected in the water amidst other lantern-lit houseboats, was truly peaceful and memorable. It was a glorious day, sitting and enjoying the beauty of the backwaters with my family.

Dinner!

sunset over the paddy fields

From Kumarakam, we came to Kottayam, where I got to introduce my mother and sister to my new family and friends here. We visited the hostel, college, and local schools where I teach together. It brought me such deep joy to see the girls of the hostel conversing with my mom, or watching Jocie hang her laundry on the line near the girls. Deep within me, some chasms were breached. HERE and HOME had met, and I felt two worlds converge in their meeting.

Joce's time here was very brief, and she left on the night of the 4th/5th early morning. Before she left, we had a big family dinner together with my old and new families, with Gigi Sir, Sunita, Gigi's father Jacob and son Joe. We also were blessed to have dinner another night with the Principal of CMS, Korah Sir, and his wife.

New and old family meeting-with my Indian father, Gigi Sir, his wife Sunita, father Jacob, and son Joe

Joce left to get back to beginning her clinical trial in Malawi, and my mom and I left for Munnar, a mountainous hill station. We enjoyed three days in beautiful Munnar at a home stay overlooking the mountains. We couldn't believe the view right outside our window when we saw it-and spent the first evening there just speechlessly soaking up His presence in such a magnificent display of His handiwork.

home stay

One of the fun things about staying at a home stay instead of a hotel was that we got to meet and eat with the other people staying at the home stay; during our time there we befriended a Canadian couple biking through India and an Australian couple. Our evenings were blessed by reflective conversations with them as well as some much-needed early nights! In Munnar we enjoyed visiting the Tea Museum and learning about the history of tea growth as well as its processing. We visited the tea factory and saw how the tea was made before sampling some. It was also so refreshing to be with other foreigners. I know I'm a dork, but in the museum I was just staring blankly at the exhibits as I enjoyed the mellifluous sounds of French and German being spoke simultaneously all around me.

During our day in the town of Munnar, we also visited a flower garden and a nearby dam. It was much cooler up in the mountains than in Kottayam; we even needed wool blankets at night. That evening, we saw a performance of Kathakali dance, a traditional art form of Kerala. Kathakali is the acting out of Hindu legends from the Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita, incorporating dance, drama, instrumental and vocal music, and highly elaborate makeup and costumes. This was a highly unique experience- I've never seen any art form that even resembled Kathakali.

Leaving our wonderful home stay in Munnar, we stopped at an elephant-riding place! My mom and I rode the same elephant, Lucky, for a half hour through the jungle! We will never forget this amazing experience! Our time in Munnar was especially picturesque, restful, and memorable.

tea plantations

 



My mother and I returned to stay in Kottayam again for a couple of nights. On Sunday we spent a whole day visiting: we had a wonderful spaghetti and pizza lunch (?!?!) made for us by Cinny Miss, a friend and English professor at CMS. Afterwards, we hung out and played and sang worship songs with her son, Nick. From there, we went to Jemima's family's house for a visit, where Mom finally got to meet these wonderful people I had told her so much about! A funny moment was watching mom try to eat with her hands; one didn't work, so she tried both. :) Jemima sang for us all while her brother Jovan played. It was such a treat to sit with my mother and listen to her beautiful voice. This is so much of what this visit was about-the things I have told my mother about actually coming to life for her-the names now have faces, the singer's have songs...This India that I have been struggling so fiercely to relay was suddenly....right there before her. And I could sit back, relax, and watch her soak in all that I have struggled to convey. To sit and watch her listen to Jemima and experience the beauty in these moments. They were all the more beautiful for having her there to witness them.

After Jemima's, we concluded our day of visiting with dinner at Gigi Sir's house. Joe and I played and sang worship music while Mom joined in on harmony. For a long time, we smiled at one another, recognizing the familiar harmonies we used to sing together. It was an incredible privilege to be with her as we ate in their home together, in the home that has become like a home to me as well. Mom was also there for their family prayer, which they have twice a day. We had a truly worship-filled day with much worship music, laughter, and conversation. Getting to introduce my mom to the people I have come to know and love, and mostly be known and loved by, was so beautiful and warmed my heart deeply.

With Cinny Miss and son, Nick

With Jovan, Johnson Sir, Jancy Miss, and Jemima

Mom eats with her hands!

Lunch with Ann, Sheny, and Rinsy

Kovalam Beach

The next day we left Kottayam and travelled all day to Kovalam Beach, near Trivandrum, Kerala's capital, at the southern tip of Kerala. We spent three relaxing days at Kovalam-soaking up the sun and sand and waves, enjoying good food and a live Carnatic music performance each night at the hotel... The day after we arrived, my mom and I even had ayurvedic massages which we really enjoyed. We toured Trivandrum, visiting a temple, two museums, and botanical gardens. Before leaving, we also visited the Trivandrum Zoo, which had a variety of animals, most notably hippos, lions, tigers, and an impressive collection of quirky and vibrant Indian birds.

I have always labeled my mother and I as "beach people," whatever that means. We spent time soaking in the sun, sand, and waves together. We laid on the beach together as she read to me from her devotional and shared with me the truths God has been revealing to her. We spent our sunsets there, and one morning watched the fishermen pull in their catch. We got knocked around by the Arabian Sea and got water up our nose together, all before breakfastime. It was exhilarating. God spoke to me through truths revealed to my mother, and spoke to me of surrender to Him as I stared out into the limitless waves.

She left about a week ago now, and since then I realized more and more what a great trip we had together. It has been such a blessing to introduce her and my sister to my new life here, such a privilege to show them this new world! It shed new light on my perspectives and the judgments I had formed since being here, whether conscious or unconscious. I was pleasantly surprised at realizing what great attachments I have to the people and places here-very deep bonds. I was amazed anew at how abundantly God has provided for me and led me every step of the way, amazed at the many people who take care of me and who have befriended me. Mostly, amazed at the abundance of relationships I have been blessed with here. I got a fresh look at all that I have here and all that He is doing.

Thinking of and praying for you all. Ask my mother about her trip and invite her to share her experiences! Thank you again for your overwhelming support and constant flow of encouragement.

Love & blessings,
Claudia

A Story About Prayer

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16

It was a little over a week ago. I had come to the hostel to unload some dirty clothes and pack some clean clothes for the beach. I was headed out to meet my mom in the car and leave for the beach with her.

As I was leaving, I saw Warden, who had her foot elevated again. She had surgery a few months back and frequently has her sore foot wrapped and elevated.

"Have you seen a physio-therapist?" I asked her.

"Too expensive," she said.

"Amma is a physio-therapist," I said, nodding towards the direction of the car.

"Poa?"

"Yes, we're leaving now. Kovalam Beach."

I walked to the car, and we began to drive away. Something within me was violently struggling, and I said to mom, "Warden had foot surgery a few months back. Her foot is sore again today. She said that physical therapy is too costly."

"Do you think...? Turn the car around," mom told the driver. I knew she would.

I was reminded of the verse in James that so frequently convicts me here: "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

We walked into the hostel. I was nervous. Warden doesn't speak really any English. She was lying down now, trying to nap, and hadn't put her hair up. Would she be embarrassed to see my mom like this? There weren't any girls around to translate. Would warden be okay with this? Could my mom even do anything to help her?

Warden very willingly got up, gave my mom her medical records, and let her examine her foot. Warden is a very respected woman, very matronly. To see her with her hair down, pulling up her pant leg, unwrapping her wrappings in front of my mom with such innocent trust was beautiful. My mom gently examined her foot. She told me she knew only one stretch, really, that might help. With broken English and my attempted Malayalam here and there, my mom successfully taught Warden a very simple stretch for her calf, a super common stretch that you and I probably do every day.

"Can you think of anything else?" I asked my mother.

"No, not really. That's just a basic stretch." Then she laid her hands on Warden's foot again, not to examine it, but to pray over it.

We both talked about this encounter on the way to the beach. I was deeply touched by my mother's immediate willingness to help, and by Warden's eagerness to unwrap her wrappings and sit silently, with childlike faith, submitting her dirty foot to a stranger's hands. I was embarrassed because of my hesitancy and lack of faith. I was curious whether she had understood the instructions about the stretch or not.

I came back to the hostel a few days ago. One of the girls, Peny, was talking with me on my porch, saying how much she'd enjoyed meeting my mom.

"Does your mother have healing powers?" she asked suddenly.

"What? No. Why do you ask?"

"Because Warden's foot is better. She didn't tell you? She says since your mother saw her foot and prayed over it, there is very small pain there now. She is very happy." Then we both wept with joy on my porch.

Sure enough, shortly thereafter, Warden was walking through the yard in circles, very fast, with a new look in her face. I came down to her. She showed me how she's been doing the stretch and said, "Small, small pain" and "when Amma prayed." She took my hand and kissed it. With tears in her eyes, she looked at me and said, "I am very happy. Praise the Lord!" I jumped up and down with joy as we praised Him together.

Since then, there is something special about the relationship I have with Warden. She walks every day now out in the yard, quickly, and stretches. And she smiles. She doesn't know this, but sometimes I watch her from my porch secretly and smile, too.

God, I am so amazed at this healing. Thank You that when my faith is so small, You never change. Thank you for this miracle. Thank you for Your healing touch. May I never doubt the real, tangible power of prayer. 

The Great Adventure

I learned a lot from my time with my mother when she was here, but I expected that as I always learn a lot from her. Our time together was blessed with moments of insight and truths that she shared from God's Word. Here is one such moment.

We were sitting on the steps outside our door at our home stay in Munnar. We had arrived last night to an unbelievable view of the mountains, a view that left us speechless, and had spent a very quiet evening admiring the sunset and our magnificent surroundings.

Today, I was sitting on the steps as Mom read her Bible, overlooking the mountains. After a full day of travelling in the car the day before and a relaxed evening, I was antsy to get going into town and sight-see, antsy to go have adventures. After all, it was getting to be late morning, and there was lots to go see. All the other people at the home stay had left for town hours ago and the manager, Joy, had just checked on us, probably wondering why we were still around. The tea museum, the plantations, the flower garden, the dam, were all waiting for us. We might even ride elephants...The day was bound to hold much adventure and I was ready to move!

But my mom wasn't. She was sitting at the feet of Jesus, simply enjoying His presence in His word and in the surroundings. She was being Mary while I was being Martha.

I had asked Mom if she was ready to go. It was now over an hour later, and the sun was getting hot, but we still hadn't left for Munnar. Mom told me to be patient. She really wanted to keep reading, to spend more time in His word contemplating His handiwork before us. "We have lots of adventures we have to go have!" I protested.

"Claudia," my mom said, putting down her book. "You're missing the point. You're missing out on THE great adventure. The greatest adventure we can possibly have in life is getting to know God and delve deeper into relationship with him. Yes, there are adventures we might go have today, but those are just temporary. I prefer spending time in conversation with God to any other adventures we could have today. That's more exciting to me than anything." And she settled back into her reading.

As usual, Mom was right. Shortly thereafter, I, too, picked up my Bible and joined her at His feet. And we spent a long time there just like that.

I haven't forgotten this gem my mother revealed to me. If we're missing out on being totally centered in God's Word and growing in relationship with Him, and spending quality time with Him each and every day, we're missing out on THE greatest adventure life holds. Sight-seeing, exploring new lands, (even riding elephants,) all pale in comparison with the excitement of getting to know and experience our Creator. If we're running around having other adventures but not growing and talking with God every day, we are really missing out on the best that He has to offer. There's no better conversation partner than Him, no better-selling book out there, no adventure bigger- than HIM!

How often do we run around doing Christian activities, filling our schedules with Christian things, various church choirs, etc etc., while totally forgetting to sit at the feet of Jesus? While forgetting to talk with Him and really read His word? How often are you Martha instead of Mary? I know I am super guilty of this much of the time. "Look at me, I'm in India, I'm here for God, look at all these things I'm doing, blah blah blah!!!" They don't mean anything unless I am spending time with HIM and drawing directly from the Source. If you don't have time to read the Bible or spend time with Him, that means that you (I) are subconsciously putting other things in the place of your time with God, and in the place of God Himself. That's idolatry! Even Christian activities, mission work can be idolatry. What?!? Well, if it's taking the place of your time with Jesus, I guess in some way, it kind of is. (Again, I am more guilty of this than anyone.)

Are you missing out on the greatest adventure out there? Let's not waste another moment craving adventure and meaningless excitement outside of Him. He has something to say to you today, and it's important. Let's, both you and me, try not to miss out on it.

Mom, thanks for not letting me miss it. :)

Tidings of Great Joy

Dear friends-

It has been an absolute whirlwind of activity since I last posted! Christmas was certainly a joy-filled time for me here, (with just a few moments of homesickness thrown in). The other YAVs and I are at currently on retreat at Achen's house in Aluva.

Last Saturday, I got to experience a cultural first in attending an engagement function near Kottayam. This was the engagement of Sneetha and Rijo-Sneetha is a friend from Kottayam Mixed Voices. Here engagingly are a huge and public function with possibly hundreds invited! It was basically a big lunch in a very large hall-probably over 500 were in attendance, with a short service beforehand. A few hymns were sung, then the engaged couple were brought out on to the stage together. Their families joined them and everyone was introduced. There were a few prayers of blessing on the couple and on their impending marriage, and a special song. The service ended with a hymn and then everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch together. It was a beautiful and exuberant function. 

Sunday all day was spent travelling to and from Cochin with Mixed Voices to perform our recital a second time, and launched a week that was to be absolutely packed with a constant stream of rehearsals and performances. As the college and hostel choirs had very limited rehearsal time, we were using every spare moment we had to review parts and run our songs. I feel like for a whole week I ran around with a pitch pipe just tweaking a bunch of things here and there as I went from place to place around college, haha.

On Tuesday I had my usual classes at Baker Vidyapith, where we sang Christmas carols and made Christmas cards. It was such a joy to sit and pick out carols on my guitar as I watched the students happily engaged with their card-making. Many of them gave me their Christmas cards with plenty of sweet messages inside! My room is currently haphazardly littered with remnants of holiday cheer-glitter and Christmas cards everywhere. My favorite Christmas card was from a girl at Baker Memorial who, as I was leaving the classroom, handed me a card with another teacher's name on the front, then grabbed it back, hastily crossed out the name, and wrote GLORIYA on the envelope. (My name is frequently mistook as 'Gloria' here.) The message inside was still to the other teacher. This made me laugh so hard, and though I feel bad that I received a card that was intended for another teacher, it brings me great joy that it was of such utmost importance to this little dear that I receive a card!

On Wednesday I returned to Baker Vidyapith for their Christmas performance. Like Baker Memorial's celebration, this also was filled with songs by a choir, a tableau, dance number, prayer, a message, and much more. There was a skit called "The Legend of the Christmas Tree" which involved kids playing trees on stage with elaborate tree costumes-they were also completely wrapped up in Christmas lights and couldn't walk. It was hilarious. 

I taught the kids' choir the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" complete with motions. Please enjoy this video of our rehearsal:

The minute I could leave Baker, I ran back to the hostel to get ready for our big hostel Christmas celebration that evening. This involved wearing the traditional Kerala sari which a few of the girls helped me put on. (The traditional Kerala sari is white with gold trim.) I should have made sure everything was ready to go BEFORE putting on my sari, because running around trying to get everything ready in a sari included a lot of tripping (it is quite difficult to walk in a sari!) 

Each year the girls of Lea Hostel present a Christmas program for the faculty of the college, and much preparation goes into this performance. Before I knew it, the choir and keyboard were assembled, the crowd was sitting on the other side of the curtain, and it was time for the performance to begin! The program included 5 English songs by the choir which I led (and had spent many painstaking hours working on-all the many many hours spent on just those 5 carols!!) and 4 Malayalam songs. There was a message given and then the second-years performed a wonderful drama. From all that I could gather, it was about how all of history had been yearning for Christ's birth. This was shown through the depiction of many Biblical stories: Cain and Abel, Noah and the ark,  the story of Ruth, and finally, Christ's birth. The performance also included dance. Though the actors were silent, girls on the side of the stage spoke for them. I found it fascinating to watch them, as in giving the lines, they mirrored the emotions of the characters on stage. The drama, complete with music, sound effects, and lighting, must have taken a LOT of preparation. It was so fascinating to watch the girls I know acting as different Biblical characters-their acting was very impassioned and genuine. 

Before the final song, Santa Claus also came to Lea Hostel, and he was sure to invite me up on stage for a dance before he disappeared to go tease the Principal sitting in the front row. We closed with Silent Night (with both alto and tenor parts-I was SO proud of the girls!) and then the program was over.

Or so I thought! I went upstairs to begin undoing my sari when Shalu came and found me and said, "What are you doing? The program's just begun!" The OFFICIAL program was over, and once the faculty left, Lea Hostel turned CRAZY! There was something called Song Fusion, where the 2nd PG students sang literally 100 different favorite film songs one after the other while all the other girls screamed and sang with them. There was a skit that had something to do with medical students and autopsies done by the 1st years (not sure what this had to do with Christmas??) and the girls were SO LOUD! I presented my gift to warden and assistant warden, and gave each of the girls 2 bangles as a little Christmas gift. Then began an EPIC DANCE PARTY complete with a DJ!!!!

What better way is there to celebrate Christ's birth than by dancing?!?! The girls of Lea Hostel certainly know how to dance and how to have fun! I danced with them until about 1:30 am, and it was a wonderful time!!!! (How are they all such great dancers?!?) Then collapsed into bed.... but at 3 am was awakened by 1st year students caroling from door to door!!!!!!!!! This entire evening was ridiculously hot, joyful, and gloriously exhausting. I think when I look back on my time at Lea, I will remember the hours of dancing with especial fondness.

Before anyone had actually had any rest, it was time to be up and rehearsing for the college choir performance on Thursday night! We spent all day rehearsing (the students AND faculty missed class), and once again, I ran back to the hostel to be sari-ed and ran back! So much hard work presented so very quickly! This was the CMS College Carol Service. The Bishop was present to give the message, and in between the lessons, the choir sang English and Malayalam songs. I was really proud of the choir for how well they did on the pieces I had rehearsed with them in so short a time span. I directed three pieces; please enjoy the videos below. The first is "A Shoot Shall Come Forth Out of Jesse," by Richard Horn, the second a traditional African spiritual, "Behold That Star," and finally a Bach chorale, "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star." I also sang a solo of "In the Bleak Midwinter" which has become the carol I will forever associate with Christmas in India.

After the performance, all were invited to the Principal's Quarters for a joyous dinner. It was so wonderful to hang out with all the choir members after a successful performance, our spirits rejoicing together! What a glorious couple of evenings.

The next day I spent resting and packing as the hostel was closing for break. I spent two nights at Gigi Sir's house, including Christmas Eve. Most of Friday and Saturday were spent rehearsing for the Christmas Eve performance at CSI Ascension Church, and the carol service was held on Saturday Evening. Our girls' quartet performed our two pieces well, and at the very end (after an almost 3-hour service), I played violin on Silent Night. This was a feat insomuch as just from Friday to Saturday I had broken my E-string not once, but TWICE, and managed to knock over a music stand which fell on top of my violin and knocked out the bridge. Thanks to Gigi Sir's help and the help of others, by Saturday night I had a working violin. YIKES! 

Christmas Eve was spent at Gigi Sir's. It was truly special to spend time with his daughter Asha and son Joe and to decorate their Christmas tree with them. I felt so loved and cared for as a part of their family for a couple of days. 

On Christmas Day, I took a train from Kottayam to Aluva to join the other YAVs for retreat. We shared Christmas together and have been resting at Achen's house. Yesterday we visited Athirapilly Falls, a park with beautiful waterfalls and forest about an hour from Aluva. (Random tidbit: The park staff are so heavily monitoring litter that two "rangers," I guess they're called, COUNTED and recorded how many pieces of plastic we had in our car before we could enter the forest! How interesting...and effective!) This retreat has also included a trip to the doctor's for me, as I had a cough, sinus infection, and fever. Thanks to drugs and much care, I am feeling much better! Today Rachel and I led a choir retreat for children at CSI Church, Elamkulam.  Tomorrow I will lead a day-long choir retreat for adults (to the best of my ability despite being sick.) 

Aaaand tomorrow MY SISTER ARRIVES IN INDIA!!!! My mother's flight has been delayed a day due to rough weather, but she will join us on the following day, the 30th. I cannot even express in words how excited I am to see them. So this is me singing off of blogging for a couple of weeks while they're here. My old and new families coming together to meet-how thrilling! 

I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you for all of the support during the holiday season in the form of emails, cards, and packages. I am so incredibly blessed. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for thinking of and praying for me during the holidays...and always! I could not do this without your support. Know that I, too, am thinking of and praying for you all.    

Wishing you a very Happy New Year,

Claudia