We're back!

The team got back from our seven-day retreat to Ajmer early Monday morning. We made it back to Delhi safe and sound.

Our trip included many exciting moments. First we were all extra excited about the sleeper bus that we took to get to Ajmer. It is a 10-hour bus ride to Ajmer from Delhi. Our coordinators were very smart to make our ride an over-night ordeal so most of us could sleep the ride away. The sleeper bus had two levels. It looked like a normal coach-style bus but it has a second level above the normal seats that are beds. Each girl partnered up with someone and we went two to a bed. It was a great experience!

Ajmer was full of life! The children there were absolutely loving and beautiful. There were about 24 children that lived at the orphanage, two girls and 22 boys. Most of the orphanages in India have more boys than girls because girls are used to work in houses at a certain age and are therefore pulled out of orphanages whereas boys are left there. During the day, we were able to teach to the children. There were many students at the school that did not live at the orphanage. For some of these children, it was their first interaction with Americans.

The team prepared a week-long VBS program for the children at the orphanage. These children are familiar with Our Father's Word, which made it a little easier to plan. Our theme were the fruits and by the end of our week, the children knew each fruit by heart. It was amazing to see how quickly they picked it up.

The orphanage itself had beautiful scenery. There were wheat fields that surrounded it and the orphanage is just being built so everything seems really new. Unfortunately, this orphanage does not have enough funding to finish the construction yet, so much of it is still undone.

The parents of this orphanage absolutely love these children. There was also another couple there who a lot of the girls on the team were able to pour into. This couple just had a baby named Johnson and we all fell in love with him. This couple was our cooks for the week and they did a fabulous job of spoiling us. We ate so much food and it was very yummy! Plus some of the girls were able to help in the kitchen and a few of us learned how to make Chapattis, which is a sort of flat-bread tortilla.

It was really difficult to say goodbye to these children. For many of us, it was our first goodbye here in India, which foreshadows the goodbye that we will soon be saying to India in April. The children were beautiful and taught us a lot. Their faith was a sight to behold.

We are now back in Delhi and back to our routine for the week. Hope all is well at home. We love and miss our families very much!

P.S. I tried to upload pictures on here and it's not working so I will try again later!

India Team with the children in Ajmer