WE Conference #2 and Mini-medical camp #2

Yesterday was womens empowerment conference #2 and mini-medical camp #2. This conference and camp took place in a little village not far from where we were staying....not far meaning it really only took us about an hour to get there! Let me tell ya, we have lots and lots of team bonding time on that bus!! :)

I would say the village was a little less like a village and more like a "neighborhood" in the big city. As we pulled onto the single lane dirt road, I noticed so much more poverty, so much more devastation, than the place we went the few days before....this was definitely a bit more bleak than the couple days prior....their were women washing their clothes outside, banging their clothes against the rocks to get the soap out, scrubbing like crazy to get the dirt out....can you imagine? And I have sent my clothes to get laundered here....I wonder if I am making those same women do my laundry?

As bleak as it may have been when we got out of the van, there were still people so interested to see why were there....then, we walked closer to the conference hall and all we could here was glorious music pouring out. It was so amazing to hear people so passionate and so grateful to be able to serve....and to just be alive.

Throughout the day, the bleakness continued to subside through all the women at the conference who so intently hung on to every word we said and to all of the women and men we had the opportunity to touch through our medical camp. Even though we treated a lot of kids the day before at the DEC, the kids we treated yesterday seemed so much more run down, sick, and weak. Many of them clung to their mothers....some just laid limp in their mothers arms....and others just slept on the floor as hundreds of people passed by them each second.... It just goes to show all the good coming out of what our Indian brothers and sisters are doing in these villages in communities by starting these schools....hopefully, one day soon, the village we went to yesterday will be afforded these same opportunities.

The days have been long, but the team is doing well. It seems like each night we arrive home around 7:30 and then meet for a debrief and some food. Most have said how incredibly exhausting this all is, but how honored and privileged they feel to be here and to be serving the one we love the most. Each has said how humbled we are by our Indian brothers and sisters who make US...make US feel so special for being here and take no credit at all. If you want to learn how to be the hostest with the mostest....you should come to India....now they know how to host!

It's been an incredible experience....we are half-way through after today....I can't believe it's going so fast....but we are trying to soak up each minute to learn and help as much as we can!!!

Casey, Pat, Stan, and Alicia all went to another city yesterday to get a better understanding of what and how TEAM India can help in the future....Casey and Alicia are checking out new opportunities for longer term possibilities in India. They will meet up with us again tomorrow and we will be excited to have them back...

Oh yes, I can't forget to tell you about our dinner experience last night. We were having a meeting up in the restaurant of our hotel (which was on the top floor, has a roof, but is kind of open air...if you know what I mean). So, we are sitting there talking and discussing our day and out of the corner of my eye, I notice a furry animal scurrying up the side of the wall....being from Nebraska, I didn't think it was any big deal....just thought it was a squirrel. Suzie was sitting right across from me and I think my head spun around about six times and I looked to her and her eyes were as big as saucers too! Yep....it had a long tail.....yes, it was a rat! I'm not sure I can really write anything other than that, because well, I had a few nightmares about it last night during my sleep! It was definitely not the highlight of my trip so far....gross!

Well, I must close. We are getting ready to head to breakfast and then to the base to hang out with our Indian brothers and sisters.

Hope all is well in Nebraska....thanks again for all of your support and prayers.