One Week Down

So Today marks of the day of a full week in Chennai.

I have already (almost ) conquered the world. You feel like that after surviving a week in India. Joke.
My first morning in Chennai, I woke up and went to the school with everyone. I arrived, and saw a few familiar students from last year. I was so excited to see them, and notice how much work they are doing. Judith and David have students from last year trained, and working for the school. They are on laptops, and counting money, and organizing things left and right. I watched the students as they were setting up and preparing the school for the week ahead. Its amazing to see how much they have learned in just a year, from the last time I saw them. Many of the students know so much more english, and also know so much more about God, you can see it in there eyes.


So far I have changed quite a few Diapers, and helped around. See what happened this past week is, I would wake up, and then feel like falling back asleep around 10am. When its 10 am here, its 10pm at home, aka my bed time. So I would wake up and get excited to help with Hannah, or go to the school, then all of sudden I'd hit this wall of tired, and literally I could fall asleep standing up anywhere...ha. So I was doing lots of exciting things this week, half awake...ha.

So the next day we all meet again at the school for a little while, and I got to see even more friends!!! It was like a day hadn't gone by, but so much had gone on. One student came into the room, and shouted my name..LAURA!!! It was so funny, cause Indians for the most part are pretty quite. I was really happy to be around all the students again.



This past week while I have been here, a lovely man named Will Graham was sharing the house with all of us. He is Andrew Wommacks CEO for his international ministries. So Will travels all over, and checks up on the ministries abroad, and helps out. More then that he is such an encourager, he came and took all the staff ( 3rd year students ) to lunch, and just loved on them, and told them what a blessing they have been the CBC India. Also he sat with our IT team, and board and helped out so much. When ever he spoke to the students, it was just words of life, and made even me feel like anything is possible with God on our side. I loved getting to know him better while he was here.


The third day here we had an Alumni day for all the past students to get together! I loved that day, cause I saw so many people I hadn't seen since last year. They each shared a bit of there story, and what they had been doing since school. Will Graham had us by a map of the world and of India. We had all the students share where their home was, and put a pin in. Then we could see how far people have come to hear the word. Its amazing to hear the stories of the students. Last year one student named Sanjit came 3 days by train to come to Chennai, with 18 dollars in his pocket. He didn't know where the school was, or where to live. Once he got here, by God he found the school, and that day was the opening rally. At the rally there were a group of guys that befriend him, and they all shared a house, and invited him to stay with them! That is just part of his awesome story!

The forth day in Chennai, we had the Opening Rally, and all the new faces popped in. The school was packed full of fun, and noise. I loved it. Judith and David had the Alumni return back for the opening rally, to encourage the new students that are coming. We also had all the new students share a bit, and put a pin the place where their home town is too. Then me and some other students, went up and shared a bit as well. It ended up being a really nice day. Afterwards we went out to this AWESOME restaurant called " THE ROCK", we all packed in around a table, and were enjoying our dinner, when... BAM all the power went out. It was pitch black, and the restaurant was full, and the music cut out. I started laughing out loud, I couldn't see a thing, and found it HILARIOUS. I was just like, well what can you do. I was just picturing everyone sitting there, and the servers just like...ahhhh. Then all of a sudden, BAM... they had back up, a little light came on, and we all continued our eating. oh India.


After a busy week at the school, we spent the weekend relaxing at home, and hanging out. On Sunday we all took a trip to the beach, it was Judith's birthday, so she requested a trip to the ocean. It was raining on the way there, but once we arrived, the rest of the day was beautiful...really sunny and warm. We sat under this little hut, and had hammocks to lay in. Wonderful.


Final update: Yesterday was the first day of school so I came to the school in the morning, and did worship with Judith, and loved seeing the new students in front of us. I could remember the feeling of doing worship last year, the students were a bit shy, but after a few weeks, they were dancing and singing loud. I can't wait to see them all grow and starting really enjoying God! I ended up leaving the school early and went home and spent the day with Hannah, so Judith and David could spend the day at the school. Hannah napped while I cleaned and organized...hooray! Found out I'll be teaching some classes, so I've been spending some time reading a bit more...ha.

Since then,...I am at the school right now, with all the 3rd years typing around me, doing important things. They keep telling me that my typing is like " a butterfly" which means fast...haha. They are so fun to be around, wish you all could be here to get an idea of how wonderful everyone is.


Once again I wrote a short novel...hope you had a cup of tea while you read.
love you all!
Laura