culture shock in southern illinois

okay yesterday on our road trip to st louis we went though some really small towns and it weird to realize that i felt as much an outsider there as i sometimes feel in kolkata. we stopped in one place and they had built in ashtray right above the toliet paper holder...who sits on the toilet and smokes...i think i am missing something. also we went past this little resturant called LU-BOB's....i just pictured some good old boys hanging out for a drink in a movie like Fargo. anyway, weird to be back in my own country and feel like an outsider in small town america...definitely a city girl.

i am thankful for...

the ability to make and eat pumpkin pie and be with my family. i am thankful for my brother and my sister in law. i am thankful for gracie , landon and elisabth. I am thankful for kristin keen and hard roads that lead to new life. i am thankful for upendra, gita and kiran. i am thankful for aroti, champa and basanti. i am thankful for all the ladies working for sari bari at deepika esp thumpa, aduri and sikina who are so close to having freedom. i am thankful for new life in dying places. i am thankful for pilates and yoga and no lower back pain. i am thankful for my education and the life i get to lead. i am thankful for jesus and the new things i learn every day. i am thankful to have so many friends who i love so much....kim, amy, daphne, minde, sonya, julie m and julie l to name a few.

thankful to be here.

the journey begins....

so i have been back in the states for 2 days...resting mostly. enjoying some chips and salsa and as much diet soda as i can drink. went to old navy and gap but did not buy anything....nothing original or really cool....no offense to anyone....it just that my slightly hippy edge seems to have been pushed out this season.

I am heading for st louis today to spend time with my sister and her family and hopeful get in some coffee or something with ange and court (previous wmf kolakta peeps). I am loaded down with sari blankets for gifts and for selling in omaha....be happy omaha people there are some good ones. after st. louis i will be in omaha for a week and then with jared and julie in the fearfully cold fargo....i am happy to stopping in INDY today to see my brother and get my warm warm winter coat. and after that speaking at the beggars society on the 10th before heading to what i hope will be sunny CA on the 11th for a week. i am hopeful that my luggage will get lighter and lighter at each stop.

time in kolkata ended at a high point...things really came together on so many levels before we left. kristin and i are in a really good place relationally and sari bari is doing so well...upendra is in charge and has already sent me 2 emails telling how things are going...i taught him how to do email last week before i left and i think he is having fun emailing....just wait until he has to email 25 people back then we will see how he feels :)

i am so happy to be with and see my family. i love free refills and long sleeve t shirts. i love that i am going on a little road trip with my mom and dad today. i love that i will have a whole week with my neice and my sister. i love that i get to have thanksgiving with my family. i love that i am eating at bahama breeze today. i love that kristin, bethie, melinda and i will have time together in omaha. i love that i can be confident to leave sari bari in upendra's hands so that i am free to be present here.

Kristin lookin good in thailand

 

What a cute little lady...

 

Finally at home with Mom!!

 

Love this one...

 

Some of Diwali in Kolkata

 

Just got these back....more thailand

 

the amazing life i get to lead

so things here crazy busy in an amazing in and miraculous way. last week we signed the contract for a new place for sari bari--we will now have our own place and room enough for up to 15 women....so we will start with 5 new ladies in january when we return from the states.

a week ago friday we dressed up in sari's and went to the gach...it was so cool. gave out jolly ranchers which everyone seemed to love...we spent most our time in the brothel of the women who are working for sari bari on subcontracting partnership with an orgazniation called deepika. it was really an amazing and encouraging night to be with the ladies and to have silas--our regional coordinator visting us.

kristin and i have been continuing to work out the kinks in our relationship....in way i think we are both being slam dunked and we going to come out cleaner, purer and better on the other side....pray for that! god is working good things in both out hearts and teaching us much through each other.

i cried on friday as i realized that i am leaving for the states in a week and have been so busy and sick that i have not had the time with the ladies at sari bari that i would like...i have been in songacchi doing brothel visits three days a week and my time at sari bari has been very task driven....i just realized how much i love the ladies and i really miss them when i do not have regular time to invest in their lives and honestly i miss the challenge and investment that they bring in mine.

this week in gonna be crazy but we make out move into the new place tomorrow and then have fun day planned on tuesday with the ladies--making an outing to the movies and having lunch....we also have lots of visitors so that will make it even more interesting....

i will try to do better...i know that there has been a huge hole in my blog world and i have not been filling it!!