Travels Tuesdays - Chennai, India

Hi friends!

I am FINALLY getting around to a post about my recent trip to Chennai!  I had such a great time there and I thought I would share a few pictures with you all.  I have also written as briefly as I could (which turned out to be almost four pages) about what I learned and my experiences, but I will save that for a later post.  Hope you enjoy!

 On the way there, at our connecting flight in Quatar! 

  I always tried to sit by the window when we were on the bus.  So much to look at and soak in!

 One of the churches that we partnered with while we were there.

 There were goats everywhere!  Man, I really want goats one day. 

Beautiful sunset on our second night in Chennai, as we played soccer and interacted with people on the beach.

 My pastor (such a goofball!) and our precious bus driver, Sam.  Sam didn't get much rest or sleep either all week, but every morning he would be bright and cheery, singing one of his favorite hymns. 

 Our translator, and now dear friend, Daniel.  And that adorable little girl is his niece, Abijah.

Walking through the streets, seeing the different temples before we headed to the beach.

 The girls praying together before we started our day. 

 My sweet friend Cassie and I trying to cool down in a bakery after prayer walking the streets of Chennai.

 We had the wonderful opportunity to go to a village a few hours out of Chennai.  Many of the people there had never seen white people.  Even more astonishing, they had never heard the name of Jesus.  This precious woman came to know the Lord that night and I was so blessed to be able to pray with her. 

Some of the sweet ladies that we met at the village.

Praying over a precious teenage girl.  And this is when I started weeping...

 LOVED chatting with these young ladies for an hour or so when we visited the day care center. 

 A bunch of the kiddos from the day care.

 More sweet little friends.  I was holding that little girl forever cause she didn't want me to put her down and man, did my arms hurt the next day!  So worth it though. 

We sang and did a Jonah skit for the kids.

 At one of the community centers we visited. 

 Praying with two beautiful eighteen year old girls who go to community college together.  And they also were dancers.  Instant connection. 

 Sweet welcome sign from one of the community centers we visited. 

This sweet energetic little lady took a piece of all of our hearts.

She was quite spunky, but a sweet spirit all the same.  She couldn't tell me enough how much she loved her family and wanted them to all be healthy and happy.

 Our whole team at the ruins we visited on our "tourist" day. 

 The ancient ruins. 

 I life-size elephant! 

 If I lived in India, I would probably live in these ruins.  This one was like a maze.  Pretty cool if you ask me. 

First coconut water of the trip!  Right from the side of the road too.  He chopped the top off for me with his machete.  Nifty.

 Last meal in Chennai! 

Shopping at the Indian mall.  For the record, shopping is NOT my thing.  Thrift shops, bookstores, and Kroger are the exceptions. 












Thanks to everybody once again who supported me through prayer!  I can't wait to continue to tell you about the awesome things that the Lord is doing in India!