Times of Refreshment

Let me begin by telling you that I have not been sick in almost two weeks! How much higher is my quality of life you ask? MUCH higher. I also just came back from a pretty great holiday season that was both restoring and rejuvenating.

Last month was downright exhausting. We had two trainings, one Freedom Training with the 50 we rescued on Thanksgiving and one Leadership Training with a group of 30 that have just finished our two year Aftercare Program. These trainings are so encouraging to see, because I get to see how IJM's work is truly changing lives. I am constantly thanking God for allowing me to do this work that has been a dream for so long...I can't believe HE is allowing me to do it! Leadership Training was awesome because I got to see all the differences between people just entering the program (Freedom Training) and people who are just coming out of the program. The people at Leadership Training were a blast. They are the clients who have been elected within their villages to be the "leaders" and the points of contact for IJM within their villages. It was such a blessing to see the confidence, independence, and better physical health that these clients had after at least two years of freedom. Our Aftercare program is working! The week after Leadership Training, we had Freedom Training, which I have written about before. Freedom Training is the program we put on for our clients within 30 days of their rescue. They learn about their rights as a human being, how to not get rebonded, and many other important skills. This Freedom Training was a blast. We were all still exhausted from the previous week of training, but this group was energized and excited about their 3 week old freedom. This is a group that had been in bonded labour their whole lives, as their parents had and as their grandparents had. This was generational bonded labour. I also liked this group because they found me very entertaining. I've been learning some Tamil, which they loved. I can't imagine why. Apparently I have an accent when I speak or something like that....All this goes to say that I love my job. I love seeing the results of my co-workers hard work and I love seeing people come to freedom and start dreaming of a future. It. Is. Beautiful.
This past month was emotionally exhausting as well. Missing Christmas and Thanksgiving was just rough. I tried to invent some Christmas cheer, but it was a difficult task. It got to the point where I would search for places that I had heard had Christmas decorations. Thankfully, a week before Christmas, the mall met my needs.

Pretty incredible, right? I was very pleased.

Yes, we did ride the train.

A few days after the hunt for Christmas Spirit, I set off to Sri Lanka. I have nothing, but positive feelings for this little country. Sri Lanka offered me endless Christmas cheer (decorations everywhere and they are even a Buddhsit country!!!!), hours on beach, elephants, some of the kindest people around and a time of restoration...not to mention I was surrounded by some pretty stellar people. It was an awesome Christmas vacation. If I couldn't be at home, I might as well be in Sri Lanka.

After Sri Lanka I went back to the office for a few days, then headed off to Goa. Another very fun trip where I had my first opportunity to stay in slum-like conditions. Yes, in Goa, India. We made reservations for this little beach hut, but they happened to give that beach hut away before we got there. Therefore, we stayed in the ghetto. The beach hut we had the opportunity to sleep in was actually tilted. If you have ever been to Grandfathers house at Silver Dollar City, you know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a place where you almost fall off the toilet because the tilt is so severe. The walls didn't completely meet in the corners, there were cockroaches, and you could always see the great outdoors through the cracks in the wall, roof, and floor. We were quite upset by this in the beginning, but waking up in this place the following morning, we could only laugh at our misfortune. 

This picture doesn't really do it justice. It's all I have though.

I can't complain too much, because our little hut the rest of the week was perfect. Also, when you have a view like this, you just aren't allowed to complain. AND I got to kayak on that beautiful water. Yes, I'm bragging. When you are surrounded by trash and dead creatures everyday, you appreciate God's creation a bit more.

These trips were so good for my soul. It was great to just be in fellowship and community with so many wonderful people. I think community is my love language. :-)

I would like to close this blog with the Top 10 things you would not see in Oklahoma, but that have become a regular sight for me to see here in South Asia.



1.) Not only is liquor looked down upon, but it is said to "ruin country, family and life."

2.) Emu happens to be the heart healthy meat. I never knew! I wonder where I could find some emu meat in Tulsa?



3.) I may or may not have been in the entertainment section of the Newspaper. That would definitely not happen in Oklahoma.



4.) This is a man on a bicycle carrying a very large load of popcorn



5.) A family ride on the motorcycle. You can see this sight everyday during rush hour.



6.) Oxen with blue painted horns. Why not?  



7.) I got to pet elephants...and feed them bottles!

8.) Cows roam freely around the city...and spoon on the sidewalks.



9.) It is not strange to see people biking carts of chickens around.



10.) This is an elephant riding in the back of a truck down a main road.

I hope this top 10 list gives you better insight into my life in South Asia...peculiar and entertaining.