new errthang!

Lost of firsts today! So many new things to try and experience— tiring but sooo exciting! Everything’s unpacked in my room, but it’s definitely an adjustment not having a roomie (shout out to ame...I randomly watched some hilarious photo booth vids of ours haha). This morning I went to the market with the missionary family here in Dharwad and I got a pair of Indian shoes! One of the toughest things about going somewhere like that is to not say hi to people that you pass on the road or in the market (especially men). So when I walk from my building to the children’s home in the morning (don’t worry mom— it’s light out when I walk and it’s only about a 3 minute walk straight down the road), I’m mean-muggin’ and looking straight ahead, basically ignoring everyone :/. Shobha told me that if a stranger (man) says hello to her, she sometimes responds with: “Why are you saying hi to me? You don’t know me”, and that’s normal. So it’s a little different than my usual making friends with people in the line at Meijer!! And the grocery has SO many different fruits and veggies and the nice thing is, they’re all seasonal and fresh! At lunch Shobha made a kind of Indian bean and said, “Most Americans don’t like them, but you’re practically Indian” (made my whole day haha) because I’ve liked all the food so far! And wouldn’t you know, they were sooo good! I also tried a little piece of pickled mango (yes, you read that right) but it’s very spicy.  They’ll pickle anything! And I had homemade yogurt, which tastes basically like plain (not vanilla) yogurt would in the states. Then the encore: FRESH INDIAN MANGO. Rocked my world.

I’ve also been teaching/helping the girls with their English in the evenings when they get home from school (and I will also in the morning before they go to school). That has been really challenging because they speak Kannada (similar to Hindi) and the younger girls hardly know any English! Yesterday I worked with the seventh grade girls, which were easier than the 4th graders I taught today. They’re so sweet to teach though and really love learning new words (although their names are SO difficult to remember!!!) That language barrier also spills over into our play time— wouldn’t you know that trying to learn a new game with children who don’t speak much English is quite difficult haha! I just end up laughing a lot :). The jet lag is unfortunately affecting me more than I’d like...as I’m writing this its 11:30 pm and I’m completely awake because it’s 2pm at home haha. HOWEVER, at 3pm today, I crashed because it was 5:30am at home. But guys, one thing I need you to know is this: I just had my first encounter with a cockroach. Oh my gosh. Let me just set the scene for you: alone in my room, using the restroom, when I see a little thing on the pipe below the sink (why do all creepy things end up in the dang restroom?! Better than my bedroom though...please no Jesus haha). Quickened pulse. Two hands armed with hard flat shoes. Talking to myself. I have no shame. After five minutes, I go for it but it falls (precarious position on the pipe) and I freaked out of course. So I see it hiding behind a broom and hit the broom and it quickly crawls back into the hole the pipe comes out of. So, being the resourceful person that I am, I go grab my OFF 40% Deet bug spray and spray that hole A LOT, shut the bathroom door, and shoved towels in the crack between the floor.

The Lord has already taught me so much about relying on him. He is constantly reassuring me that HE is protecting me. Better than any man could. I often pray that the Lord would just make me invisible to evil people and pray Psalm 91:11-12, claiming the promise of his angel armies concerning me (it blows my mind every single time I pray it!) I feel like right now I relate to the Lord as a constant companion and protector. Being back in my room at night I am reminded of the loneliness that so quickly overtakes my heart without a group of people around me. The Lord is my constant strength and encourager. I am confident that He has sooo much to teach me during this time of being with Him and was reminded (in my devo this morning) to let the Lord’s joy bubble out of me and to not try to control the Spirit coming through me. It also makes me so thankful for my godly hosts, Arun, Shobha and Melissa, because I can ask them lots of questions and just sit and talk with them.

PRAY:
-jet lag...still happening :(. Not sleeping well at all, so pray for quick adjustment
-continued safety and for peace for me, especially at night
-JOY like crazy :))))

Love from india,
bethany

(And yes, I did ask the Lord to keep all other cockroaches away haha)