Theresa’s Incredible Impressions of !ndia

January 2012

72 hours from now I will be arriving in Chennai for my departure to America, ending my 3 years of service at Sarah’s Covenant Homes in Ongole,India….at least for now. I am feeling a peace as I close this season of my life, yet I still need to carry out the goodbyes to precious children and wonderful Indian woman to whom I have become close.

In the last month and a half, I have had the pleasure of enjoying India and the children at a much slower pace and without the pressures of the Home responsibilities. It’s been wonderful to wake up in the morning and travel downstairs in my pj’s to greet the 9 children in the apartment on the first floor; spend time just playing, teaching, sharing with volunteers of activities to address the needs of the children there and having many good laughs with the caretakers. It’s a time of joy and making memories, and also a prep to be separated from them for a while. I’ve even enjoyed sleepovers with my little princess, Aloe on several occasions. To go to bed at night and see that little bunny peacefully sleeping beside me is heavenly. And then to awake and watch her crawl from under the blanket and stretch and stretch and stretch as she wakes up with a big ole’ smile is just a wonder for my heart.

This month we have two additional volunteers arrive who will be staying 4-5 months helping with various aspects of SCH. And more are on the way as the months pass with a whole boat load of young’ns expected for the summer months. Times will continue to be busy in Ongole as new children are still arriving one by one and everyone is working hard to get them healthy, keep them healthy and prepare the way for them to meet their forever families. The process for children to be adopted has been underway. Additional children’s files will continue to be submitted to the government and some children are in the process already. There are great things happening and I am blessed to have seen it this far and been a part of the ministry.

I expect even greater things to come; More volunteers, healthier children, educated children, expanded housing situations moving towards family-style apartment living and children joining their forever families. There is hope and there is expectation for greatness to be seen through the Lord’s hand on this ministry.

For me, as the next season begins, SCH will not be far from my thoughts. They are family and will continue to be ever present in my heart and probably the first posts I check everyday on Facebook. I will continue to celebrate the progress and grieve the challenges. I will continue to battle for the best through prayer and support. I will continue to speak of the work of the Lord in Ongole as I move on to other areas of ministry. And I will anticipate the time when the Lord directs me to return for another season.

I’m not sure what the future holds but I know who holds my future…I think that’s from an old hymn maybe….And I am certain there is a specific plan for me.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Jeremiah 29:11

My next assignment…. I will press in and focus on renewing an intimate relationship with the Lord. I need to hear His heart on matter I will walk into. I desire to be on the same page with Him in His work. I’m excited about that. I anticipate even greater things coming my way too. I anticipate a season of freshness and excitement. I anticipate learning new things of the Lord and experiencing His Love and Goodness in new and great ways. This is a season of refreshment. This is a season of advancement in the Kingdom. Not sure what that looks like right now but ready for it just the same. 

I will keep you posted! My plane departs at 4:30am on Feb 2 from Chennai and I will be arriving at Dulles at 2:40pm on Feb 2 (no it’s not a 10 hour flight but actually 20 hrs and 40 min from Chennai with 5 hours of travel already under my belt. See many of you soon!

With a blessed and filled heart,

Theresa <><

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiates 3:1

Another quote is: Gee, how time flies… and so true this is as I now realize that my last update to you was for July! I know I had missed a few months but…Seriously? July! That’s just crazy!

Although a lot has been happening, one may say that too much has been happening, along with the fact that I just never got to the place of having the motivation to write it all out. I will spare you the specific details of the last 5 months (OK now, I can hear the sighs of relief all the way fromAmerica) cause if I wrote in the style I typically do, it would be a small novel. I will try to summarize (which is a stretch within itself for me) and share the major concepts of what has transpired over the last several month. Maybe in the next update I can dedicate it to some of my personal stories and of the children at SCH.

In July I returned to India after a much needed 2 month visit to the states for refreshment. I spent the next month and a half running the home in partnership with our long-term volunteers Erin and Cassie until they returned to the states in mid-August after their six months of service was completed. After that time I was pretty much responsible for handling all the day to day needs of the home alone, with support from Sarah by phone, as she was moving into her 7^th month of pregnancy carrying twins. There were 86 children being cared for at SCH and it didn’t take long to again get to the point of being played out, yet I pushed through.

In August, Sarah received a call from the government that they just came into the custody of 19 additional children who were orphaned and with special needs. With facing some financial challenges, Sarah decided to set out to raise the needed funds to pay off all the outstanding bills before receiving the additional children. Her goal was met the end of September and so shortly after that 21 new children were brought home to SCH. Within a week, 2 additional children were received from a government hospital in critical condition and within the next week, 2 more children arrived from another government hospital. Yep, that’s now a total of 111 but each one a precious jewel.

Needless to say, my super-woman powers had all but been depleted by this time and another trip to the states had already been planned for October, to assist in shifting to a new work schedule of 4 months in India and 2 months in the states. Although emotionally it felt too soon to be leaving again, physically I was ready for another break.

When I arrived home to the states this time, I was met with concern from my mission’s director and pastor at the state of my condition in such a short time. I had spent the last year desiring to have the level of responsibility reduced but there was just no one else to pick up those responsibilities. It was a hard place to be; loving the ministry and all the children but realizing that I just could not continue at this pace. I continued to meet with my leadership as I processed my thoughts. Over the next month, God had made it clear that my time at SCH would be coming to a close for now. And I’m thankful that He made it clear, with confirmations and a great amount of peace in the decision-making process for me.

I know my service time ending at SCH will leave a lacking, and that was the hardest thing to come to grips with, but I have to trust and believe that God has a plan and He is in the process of orchestrating it. He is QUITE capable of taking care of His children; in fact He has promised to. I can depend on that! I hope to return next year at some point for a short-term visit.

So I have returned to India for the purpose of closing out my apartment, having some dental work and saying my goodbyes. I am anticipating things will be tied up here by mid-to-end of January and will then be returning to the Winchester area.

As for the next steps of my adventure, I am in process with no clear direction yet. I hope to participate in a two-week intensive-care program designed for missionaries returning from service in cross-cultural situations. A time of debriefing, counseling and help with transition steps will be provided by a ministry facility in PA. This will happen in February and I look forward to this time of reflection and prayer, as well as an anticipated time of fasting during the month.

Please know that this is not the end of the adventure, by any means. I plan to continue to keep you informed, as things are confirmed to me. I thank you all for your much loved words of encouragement and support throughout this past year. Those of you who are currently financially supporting me, expect an email from my mission's director soon.

I pray an abundance of grace and peace over each of you, as you follow the Star on your life’s destiny. Joy to the world, the Savior’s come! Merriest Christmas and a happy, happy New Year!

I’ll be in touch….you also!

Theresa’s Incredible Impressions of !ndia

April, May, June 2011

SORRY! LONG TIME, NO SEE…AGAIN:

Wow! I can not believe 3 months has passed since I updated you about what was going on in my life. I last wrote you about being very tired after an intense 3 month period. Since that time I communicated through Facebook to update people through short posts. Here I will now get you up to date.

GETTING YOU UP TO SPEED:

When Sarah (Director of SCH) was able to return to Ongole at the beginning of April, ending a long series of medical interventions keeping her 7 ½ hours away from the home over a 3 month period, I requested a short break to get away and get refreshed. Sarah did one better and suggested that I come back to the states (3 months early) since there were several other volunteers there at that time and I would be needed later in the year when those volunteers were scheduled to leave, so I jumped on that suggestion and booked a ticket for as soon as possible. On April 11, I left India and headed to Maryland. I had contacted my sister, Cheri, to come get me at the airport in an attempt to surprise my mother with my early return, but my mom surprised me by already being out of the state on a trip so I had to wait another week in the states to surprise her. Trying to keep my return a surprise, I refrained from sharing the news of my return until it all played out. April 17, I was able to walk right into my mom’s house and knock her socks off. I got it on camera as I walked in her office as she was on the computer. She hesitated, gave me a look of shock, stood up and hugged me and then cried. It was worth the wait.

A TIME OF REST:

During the first month of time in the states, I took time to rest and visit with friends. I caught up on American television laughing at all the new commercials (at least to me) and had fabulous times of gatherings with high school and work friends. I also got the chance to pull a few more surprises with unexpected pop up visits to friend’s houses. I began scheduling Sunday presentations with churches I had spoken to before and also spend time sharing within my churches Life Groups structure during the weeks. Speaking about what I do in India and all the miraculous things I get to experience with Sarah and the kids it always something I never tire of, although contact with those in India (those still dealing with the day to day work) was something I had to stop for a while in order to just get some time away and rest, although I never tired of keeping up with things in India through Facebook posts. The first month was definitely the rest month.

A TIME OF REFRESHING:

The next month brought on the recoup and refreshment phase of my time in the states. I began to receive refreshment for my spirit and restoration for my soul through prayer, reading, spending time with the Lord and getting council from others. God was faithful in downloading new perspectives, revelations and encouragements that helped direct me in preparing for my return to India. Having time to process life with my Pastors, Bobby and Wanda, was also a real blessing. Throughout this time I realized what a lacking I felt from missing DOVE’s International Leadership Conference in March. This lack continues to impact me spiritually, socially and also financially.

A TIME OF REVELATION:

The Lord began to speak to me about balance and then started revealing things that needed to be incorporated into my life in India in order to continue the work there for the long-haul. He made me aware of my need for comfort in my home in India. Throughout my last 5 years on the mission field as well as since I sold my house 10 years ago, my home was primarily lived out from my bed. Even when I had nice apartments, I never took time to make things “homie” and decorate the house. Although my home in India is very beautiful, it is not filled with many things of comfort; things that are familiar to me and make me feel all warm and fuzzy. The Lord reminded me of how I get refreshed being around flowers, taking country drives, drinking tea while watching the sunset, watching funny commercials and the need for familiar and soothing things like candles and pictures and doilies and rugs and pillows. These things bring refreshment to my soul and sustain a sense of happiness in
me while living in a tough, cross cultural situations.

I began taking pictures of all the gorgeous flowers blooming around town and in friends gardens. I have them made into 3 poster sized collages to put up in my apartment with the hopes of creating a tea drinking area.

Flowers from my mom's yard and around Winchester

Coni and Ed's herb gardens

 Bob and Ade's home and gardens

I bought packs of herb and perennial seeds to plant in a container garden and I even video-taped my drives to various mountainous locations so that I will be able to refuel myself by “taking a Sunday drive” while in India. I was also reminded of my love for laughing and playing games. I began to collect some fun games to take back with the intention of making time to laugh and play! Experiencing worship in America is always a highlight, so I also invested in a new portable hard-drive and downloaded a whole bunch of worship and music videos from Godtube and Youtube, where I will not only get to hear English music but get the visual component as well. I was able to collect additional spiritual teachings in digital form and am looking forward to taking these all back with me, not only for myself but for other Americans volunteering there. I don’t attend a church in India, as there are no English speaking churches, so these resources will be crucial to a well fed spiritual life there.

SHOP, SHOP, SHOP:

But of course, one of the most exciting things about being in America is the opportunity to find familiar things that are needed in India to make my work a bit easier. I continually made shopping lists of items that the Lord brought to my mind, therefore I was quite a regular at Walmart, Office Max, thrift shops and yard sales and the local family hardware store! I also had a blast shopping for clothes for the kids with my best friend, Ade, who always fills my suitcases with needed items.  My mom’s church (New Hope UMC) donated cute dresses made from pillow cases that they sent abroad in missions. It was so fun when my creative mind began to kick in again and came up with some ideas for vocational projects with the kids that will also be fund-raising items for SCH in the future. My mind has been racing in very creative ways ever since and I’m loving it.

A SHIFT:

Before I left India in April, Sarah threw out a new idea to me. In order to help reduce the stress of India on me (as I am getting older now and the work is pretty demanding physically) as well as to utilize my skills (and love) of speaking, she presented a new schedule for consideration. If I spent 4 months in India and then returned to the US for two month twice a
year on a regular schedule, I could use one month each trip for raising my own funds and maintaining relationships and the other month to begin traveling the US speaking on behalf of Sarah’s Covenant Homes. It sounded like a great idea to me from the start, so I am working into this new schedule to begin officially next year with my return to the US mid-March to mid-May and then also mid-Sept to mid-Oct. This will allow me to participate in the International Leadership Conference each year to stay connected with my international church family along with a big dose of refueling and encouragement that everyone who attends gets.

THE NEW PLAN:

In order to set the new schedule in motion, I will need to leave India one more time between July and March, so I anticipate coming back to the US and beginning to make connections for SCH, as well as bring additional Indian products back for sale to raise funds for my mission work. As with everything world-wide, my donated support has been affected by the recession, so I am thankful the Lord has encouraged me to bring back products from India to sell to cover a lot of the shopping trips I do while in the states. He is making it more and more clear that this endeavor is something that isn’t just a second thought anymore (as in the past as a way to bring a little India back to the US for people) but may be a critical part in supporting my mission work in the future. It seems to be taking on a more formalize shape and I anticipate conducting a venture in the future called “Home Parties” as a way to not only share my mission experiences but also fund them.

This does not in any way diminish the need for ongoing financial support from those called by God to provide. I adamantly believe that for those who sow, you will reap exponentially, so I continue to encourage people called by God to send, to invest in ways that only God can repay. He is a faithful God and investing in missions yields a fantastic return on your dollar, especially in these days. God is blessing the sower and will continue to pour abundance over those who answer the call to send (or to go…whichever one God is calling you to do). Which one is He calling you to do? Send or Go? Just a question to ponder? If you are considering the “going” option, please know that we would love to have you visit us at Sarah’s Covenant Homes and are always looking for Christians who desire to commit to even longer volunteer experiences. Every gifting area you possess can be utilized at the home.

THE COUNTDOWN:

In the last days I am packing the bags, taking inventory of what I’ve left, taking note of where I have left it, and am finishing up a few dangling issues. I am very blessed to have dear friends in the states who allow me to store items in their basements. And I’m even more blessed that these same friends open their doors to me every time I return to the states. My friend Suzie has said again and again that I always have a room at her house when I’m in the states and I call it my “base camp”. I often have friends “fighting” over when I will come stay with them. Do you realize how blessed I am? And to top it off, I have always had use of a vehicle during my stays. Isn’t that remarkable? This trip I was given Suzie’s daughter’s car to use while she was still away at college when I arrived. But when my trip extended into June, due to delays in getting my passport renewed, Chelsea and Suzie let me know that I could use the car as long as I needed it. I just can’t get over the love that is extended to me in such fabulous ways. I really have dear friends.

During the next 3 months in India, I anticipate loads of opportunities to continue to see the Lord work miraculously in my life
and throughout Sarah’s Covenant Homes. Knowing full well that everyone’s hands are full already with 83 current children, 19 additional ones coming soon, a family with 4 children coming in September for a 2 year commitment and Sarah expecting twins later in the year, I know the Lord is ready to knock our socks off by showing us that with Him all things are possible. I am in pursuit of daily ushering in the presence of the Lord and watching to see Holy Spirit showup and guide the way. The Lord has been convincing me that this is an impossible situation and now is my chance to take Him at His word and let Him do the impossible right before my eyes. I am believing not only for the miraculous, but the improbable and especially for theimpossible to be done, in the name of Jesus.

Until next month,

Blessings,

Theresa <><

Donations to support my mission
work can be mailed to Crossroads Community Church PO Box 2798 Winchester VA
22604. On the memo line write: India A

*I request that all contributions
from people I have met through Sarah’s Covenant Homes, continue to be directed
to the needs of the children through paypal at Sarah’s website: www.sarahscovenanthomes.blogspot.com