Concern and Care's Girl's Children's Home

Hello!!

On Monday we got to visit one of the children homes that Sylvia started. We had to travel 4 1/2 hrs by bus to get there but Gideon did so well!

The home was in a village so we got to see what more common Indian life is like. Sylvia lives in the city so we stay in a nice apartment with 2 bathrooms complete with toilets, sinks, hot water from 7-9am each morning for showers, 2 large bedrooms, a big bed to sleep on and a washing machine to wash our clothes. Most everyone has a cellphone and a car or motorcycle and we also have Internet in our place so life really isn't a whole lot different then what we're used to but a lot different in ways too. The village demonstrated the more common life. The roads were dirt and all the houses very close together. Cows and dogs and goats were everywhere (which you see in the city a lot too) and the people were much more curious about us because most villagers are born and die in the same village without really leaving so we were the first white people they had ever seen...Sylvia said they probably thought we were movie stars, lol. Anyway, no phones or cars really, more carts and cows and such that people traveled on.

There was a public toilet which was just a big tiled hole in the ground...yeah, I got to go first, lol. It was a bit awkward but not as bad as I thought! Everyone laughed at me as I walked to it though...I must have had a funny look on my face! After our fun at the toilet the girls came home from school so we got to visit with them a little. Indian schools are a lot about memorization. The pastor who takes care of the girls says that education is about being able to think on your own not just memorizing but none-the-less it was adorable watching a couple of the smaller girls (six yrs or so) recite "baa baa black sheep" in English and "psalm 23" in Hindi. We did not get to stay long. We ate lunch and waited for the girls to get home then they got home and we waited for them to eat lunch and then we spent about half hour with them (and they were not very interactive), Huda said a prayer for them and then we left. Because the travel time is so long Sylvia is never able to spend very much time with the girls but Pune is so expensive that having the home in a village is the only way for now.

So that was our time at the children home. It took FOREVER to get home!! The windows were all open and so the wind was blowing and I was FREEZING! Gideon slept the whole way so that was good but I was wrapped in a weird position to keep him warm so it was a VERY long ride for me! 5hrs that trip and when we got to Pune it was POURING! I mean gigantic, humongous, HUGE drops of water! It was crazy! We found a rickshaw to take us home but it took a while cuz no one wanted to drive in the rain, they charged us an arm and a leg for it too. BUT, we got home and drank hot chai and finished the Bollywood video we started before

I am bringing home this video! It is a very popular chick flick whose main theme is honoring your parents. Its 3 1/2 hrs long, has several songs and dances and is hilarious!! I can't wait to show it so we can mock it, lol. It is a cute story and is just a blast to watch...very cheesy. Two of the actors are very famous in India. Sylvia has a secret crush on one of them, lol. Anyway, it was very fun. That night I slept with a heavy blanket (which I stripped off in the middle of the night) and it rained all night and part of the next day.

After the rain subsided on Tuesday some visitors came. Some friends of Sylvia's came over from another city to buy new saris and run some other errands. Jose (pronounced: "Joes") works with ywam and his wife Sarah is American; they have three boys that they homeschool. Their youngest son Isaiah came with, but Sarah and the two older boys stayed home. Jose oldest sister and mother came as well so Jose left us to do his errands and we went out to look for saris which are Indian...uh, "dresses". One long piece of fabric that wraps around with a short thin blouse underneath. Very pretty, I really wanted one but all the fabrics I liked were TOO expensive! I loved the elaborate sparkling ones! Anyway, we went to an older part of Pune to shop. It is known as "The heart of Pune" A lot of things such as prostitution and such is done there...a good place to go prayer walking : )

When we finished shopping we went to "Burger King" which is not to be confused with the American burger king...no, this was a INDIAN burger king for sure! One of the first things we have eaten here that we have NOT liked. It is difficult to explain but I had a chicken burger which was a fried chicken patty (bits of chicken mixed with other things and fried) with lots of Indian spice, mayo (also filled with Indian spice), cucumber in between huge hunks of bun...um, not so tasty I'm afraid. Huda had a steak burger and Claudia had a beef burger...none tasted at all what they were supposed to! The fries and the Pepsi were good though, lol. Burger King is one of Sylvia's favorite places to eat so she was sad we did not like it.

That night we played battleship and Gideon discovered belly buttons for the first time. He saw mine and then kept lifting my shirt to stick his fingers in it then when huda lifted his shirt he looked disinterested and then did a double take when he realized DADDY HAD A BELLY BUTTON TOO! When we showed him is belly that really did it! He stared and stared and put his finger in...you could just see the little wheels of curiosity and discovery turning in his little head...it was very cute. At dinner Sylvia showed me around the house to prepare me for her trip.

She and Claudia left that night to do some work in the north. Sylvia's family owns a clothing store and were having troubles with the distributor so she was going to talk to them personally as well as visit the boys children home. Because it is so far it is unlikely Huda and I will be able to visit that home which is sad. Sylvia really wants the Lord to provide one large property for "Concern and Care's" work so that everything can be together and not so spread out.

So Wednesday (today) we have the place to ourselves. Everyone is VERY protective! Sunil calls every little while to make sure we are ok plus they cooked us lunch and are bringing dinner as well. They are very good people. Today at lunch we had a conversation about biblical standards and how it seems Americans are very prone to compromise. As Huda and I shared our convictions as well as our testimony, as far as saving our first kiss and such, I think it encouraged Sunil that there are "real" sold out Christians still in America as he said that we are one of the first he has met that seem to think the way he does. Many compromise a lot which is a human problem not cultural. Even in India there are many who would say "my culture says this is ok so it is ok" even if it goes against the bible. It may look different in different cultures but it is the same human problem. I think that the churches here air a bit on the side of legalistic...a bit old fashioned in a way but just a little. I am impressed by how balanced Sylvia is however...it is nice to see.

Anyway, this blog is VERY long! Tonight we eat dinner with Sunil and his wife and we will have some prayer as well. Tomorrow (Thursday) we are off to the zoo!

Hopefully tomorrow night I can upload some pictures!! (probably on facebpook though!)

Lots of Love.
The Mckay's

p.s. OH! I ALMOST FORGOT! The program Huda is applying for at Intel opened up again so he applyed today and we will heear soon if he gets the job! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!