Venessa is in India...

Hey Gang some of you may have know but Venessa took off for yet another adventure serving God this summer. Last year it was Africa and this year its Calcutta, India. As I drove her to the airport monday july 6th, we talked about how uncertain this trip was. I could not get over how I was not sure what this trip would do for her...How when I prayed I felt as though something would be different. What I am not sure... So my prayer has been that God would use her and work in her heart for a lesson that is unknown to me and venessa. God knows what is to happen in her heart. I feel like there as you read her words below that you will see his workings already. Check back here for info, and updates.

One thing for sure, She arrived safley in india, with only minor confusion and PRAISE GOD she met up with her team!!

Here are some of her updates so far:

JULY 7th
"i'm paying like a buttload to e-mail for a sceond, but i just wanted to say that i got here. i have never sweat before in my whole life, my clothes are actually soaking. i am in a bit of a shell shock." - venessa

JULY 9th
"this has been a blessing...my crew happened to come in a day early, right when i was signing off gracie was able to get my e-mail and i guess they bumped their flight up...i was able to race down to the airport in what seemed like a bumper card...i actually put my backpack in front of me just in case we got in a wreck and could protect the front of me from being stabbed by some piece of an auto...not joking. the amazing thing was that she e-mailed me before i had even sent her e-mail so i was kinda a surprise at the airport. i waited for like an hour and was just so blessed for the lord's protection. i woke up at 4 am this morning to rinse off outside and before i put my clothes back on i was in a thick layer of sweat. i sorta lost my appetite when i got here yesterday morning, so other than the starburst that melinda bought me that i had this morning...i have had no substance of food since on my plane at 2am. i am hoping to force feed food down my throat tonight. jayne gave me some books for my devo and i have been so blessed....can someone maybe forward this to her.......it is so overwhelming and yet it felt so wonderful to wake up at 3am and here a man outside singing out prayers....it was that wake up call where you realize...im not in kansas anymore.....i literally feel like i am in the jungle book....only the sad version of jungle book, the one that disney would ever put out. anyways, i have to go...must e-mail the madre before time runs out...i may have a chance to sneak in here tomorrow..." - venessa

July 11th, 2009
"sorry i am writing so much hahaha. i never guessed i would hahaha. today was our first day at the mother house volunteering. i couldn't decide if i wantd to be at the house of the dying or with the sick and handicap children....in the end i chose to be with the children...i kinda got a little feverish and almost passed out when we visited a friend who works at kaligaut (the house of the dying) after i saw some leg wounds with maggots crawling in it. i hate that i don't have the stomach for things lke that, i felt like i would be more of a pain walking away every time something made me sick...i was quite disappointed with myself, and had to remind myself that we all have different gifts....working with the kids was way harder than i thought. it is basically the same thing only they are children and i really just didn't know what to do...here we are experienced nannies/teachers/people who love children and we didn't know what to do and just felt so inadequate. i have so much admiration for the sisters and the begali women who work there day in and day out. they give us volunteers a chai and piece of bread break...and yet they don't take a break once. there were two little girls who didn't have eyes...everytime i looked at them my eyes would get watery- ... at mass there is a statue of mother teresa where she always sat in the corner and worshipped....its cheesy i know....but ever time i caught it with my eyes i would swell up again..just seeing the way she sat...how uncomfortable we all are with our bug bites, the heat and position of sitting....and here she/the all are i their suris, washing out of a lil bucket...im a wreck to say the least....but i am so glad i have a community here to experience this with. my emotions have gone down the toilet....so anything gets me now hahah. one of the sisters pulled me to the side and asked to look at the back of my leg...which apparently, got attacked with bites all over it and she was worried about me...i wasn't worried until i was surrounded by sisters gasping at my leg...and how did i not notice or feel them.....we came to the conclsion after they took me to the clinic that i have bed bugs. so gross. the surprisingly hurt so bad...and anytime we are on the streets someone comments on them....so i just have to go to bed again and hope that maybe they will get tired of eating me or eat my other leg to make it even. we will see. hahah so with that i have to go...we ae going around the corner to grab food but i will most likely check in tomorrow after the mother house. love you" - Venessa


So those are the updates as of now...Keep praying for my amazing friend who once was afraid of doing anything like this, who is in the midst of serving in conditions I hate to say I am afraid to walk in. I am proud of her and praying like no other for her.