Victoria Rosa Real Life Mission Team - Serving The Kingdom

New Blog

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello people!

I got a new blog since I am not with AIM anymore. Here is goes:

Check it out! <3

Jyoti Update

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey all! I just received an update message about our little Jyoti. Seems that she had a parasite or worm infection in her brain. I have no idea what that means, but it seems that God really touched her and she regained consciousness. Thanks so much to all those who took a moment to pray for her! God is so good.

Here's a message Laura (one girl from my India team) sent me as an update:

hey girls
i don't know if you've been getting the updates from wilson and caleb, but little jyoti has been in the hospital
saturday night she started vomiting and having seizures and they sent her to a hospital in hariyana
unable to stabilize her, she was sent to ayushman where she lost consciousness and no one was able to do any tests on her
terrified, the staff at asha began to fast and pray
wilson sent out emails to everyone asking for prayer
jyoti, as you know, is a true orphan, and has no parents or family outside of asha house
by the grace of God, the doctors over at good 'ole ayushman let the asha staff and wilson and paru stay with her (because of the incredible relationships built on trips like ours) and they even let simini stay in her bed with her for the last three days
almost 48hrs after she went unconscious,
she regained consciousness and they were able to run a CT scan and instead of finding TB (which they feared she had) they found parasites, or a worm infection in her brain
most likely she had picked up parasites from the rural village she was born in, and because when she came to asha house almost a year ago, she had a habit of eating dirt and mud, she got a worm infection
she's been on a lot of medication to detoxify her brain and it will take nearly six months to completely rid her of the worms
but she is stabalized (and after two days of not eating, she is feasting) and wilson says she was smiling and kissed him on the cheek when he came to visit her
by the grace of God she'll be heading home either tomorrow or the next day
PRAISE GOD FOR HER HEALING!!
but please keep that cute little baby in prayer as well as all of the asha babies, emmanuel babies, asha mission babies, leper colony babies...well, all of the babies
tk?
love you all, laura

Prayer for Jyoti

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My good friend Ericka Bennett (some know her because she went on my India trip with me for a few weeks and took awesome videos of the team!! plus she works at AIM) just posted a blog about one of the orphans we loved in India while we were there. Although this orphan was not at the orphanage I frequently went to, I was able to see her a few times because she lived at Asha House and we would go there for dinner or church on Sundays. I know I've got some awesome prayer warriors so I have to pass this around.

See Erick's Page: http://erickabennett.myadventures.org/?filename=urgrent-prayer-request-for-jyoti1

See Ericka's post below:

This morning I got an early morning phone call from my friend Wilson in India. I knew in an instant something was wrong. I flipped open my computer to skype him back and found this email:

I am writing everyone an urgent prayer need.

Jyoti, who has been at Hope House for about 9 months now, is in critical condition at a nearby hospital. This morning, she vomited and went into seizures. The staff immediately took her to the local hospital who said they could do nothing for her but that she was in a serious condition. She was rushed to a hospital near my apartment and immediately taken into ICU. She was seen by a child specialist who is attempting now to stabilize her. She never regained consciousness after her seizure and has been unconscious now for several hours. The specialist is trying to stabilize her enough to give her a CT scan and x-rays. She has a low heart rate and low body temperature.

Jyoti is one of the true orphans who has neither of her parents and no one outside of her family at Hope House.

Please pray as He leads you to and I will keep you updated. -Wilson

It took all of 3 seconds for me to burst into tears. This little girl has already been through SO much! He father abandoned her and her mother was murdered - stabbed to death - when she was just a baby. Now she's almost 3 years old (as best we can tell with no birth certificate) and has finally come to a place where she is loved and cared for.

Her name means "light", and that's what she is at the orphanage. Breathtakingly beautiful, she catches your eye the second you walk in. She'll steal your heart with her big brown eyes and sweet little rosebud lips - blowing kisses and giggling (the most beautiful sound!)

The children love her as their baby sister, and the house Mom and Dad have taken her as their own. She even calls them Papa and Mama (since she has neither anymore). I feel in love with her instantly, and committed to sponsoring her monthly - dreaming of coming back to see her as years passed - watching her grow up into a woman of God.

PLEASE PRAY for this beautiful little girl!!! Please pray for health and healing! Pray she will stabilize, regain consciousness, and be able to go home soon. Pray for the doctors - that they will be able to figure out quickly what caused the seizure and know how to treat her. Pray for divine intervention!!!

Please also pray for the house Mom and Dad. They are unable to have children, and they truly love all the kids as if they were their own children. If anything happened to any of them, it would be devastating. I know Jyoti holds a special place in their hearts.

If you want to do more - GIVE. In between my bouts of crying, Wilson and I were already talking about how to raise the funds she needs. In India - they have no medical insurance. So, already, best case scenario - they'll be in debt from this one day stay in ICU. The orphanage is already in need of funds (they were several hundred dollars short last month) and the house Dad is in need of back surgery this fall. We have no way of knowing how long Jyoti will be in the hospital, or how much money we need to raise. So please, if God burdens your heart, give generously. This little girl deserves the best.

Don't they all?

To give, click here.

*Be sure to choose India Orphanage from the drop down menu!

Thailand Presentation

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Enjoy!

I'm Alive

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I'M ALIVE!!!

This is the first time I'm communicating online because our team has been on the go since the moment we got here. Two days after we got in-country, we headed streaight up to the mountain with no internet or cell phone service. SORRY! Now that my mother has called everyone including the President of the United States to find out where I am, I am here to calm you all and let you know that I am safe in PakChong, Thailand. I have a lot of updating to do so please sit tight. This is going to be another one of my chaotic blogs. If you would like to see the Thailand team blog: http://08th0515rl1.myadventures.org/.

India updates:

Laura, one of the girls on my team, went back to India last week. She been to India two other times and going with our team was her 3rd India team trip with AIM. Needless to say she had made many great relationships there and went back last week for a wedding that was taking place there. If you guys remember, Wilson, one of the team leaders from past India teams, felt called to marry a woman named Paro who worked in one of the orphanages that we ministered at. They got married on May 26th, and Alli (my boss) was in India along with a lof of other people.

Upon opening my e-mail I see that Laura had sent the India team updates on India. These communication days are difficult for teams because you either get good news or bad news. Anyway, her update message on India has me feeling a mixture of feelings. Here are some updates:

1. OUR PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED. We have been breaking our heads trying to find out what we were going to do about the children at Emmanuel orphanage (the orphanage I was at) because the administration was beating and abusing the children there and we had no idea what we could do to help the situation. It was so bad that I heard they weren't even going to let the children that DID have parents go home for the summer and visit their families. Well Laura informed us that both heads, Morrison and Anita are leaving (more like got kicked out) Emmanuel. I don't have any details why other than my team were prayer warriors and we prayed those suckers right out of there. Praise the LORD! Ugh, It feels so good to know how faithful God is. I can sleep a little better knowing that my babies aren't getting beat by them. They are bringin in this new guy, named JP (who happens to be a friend of Alli's, which makes me feel better). The word is that he was an orphan too and he will take good care of the kids. No one understands what an awesome answered prayer this is. We were about to take the case to the Internation Justice Mission because we didn't know what else to do. I had even mentioned it in my presentations at churches. Prayer works! God took care of it himself. You are amazing Lord!

On to the bad news...

2. I guess this is bittersweet news, but our team made so many relationships in our neighborhood that our landlord got upset and he kicked AIM out of the house that we were staying in. He didn't like that we were out in the neighborhood making connections with people so now Alli is looking for another place for our AIM teams to go. Our Host had told us not to be so friendly with our neighbors, but we felt the need to prayer walk and make conncetions with our neighborhood. Well you have to understand that India is spiritually oppressed with all of their false religion and lies of the enemy, he is trying to kick us out of there. Please keep this in your prayers because as of right now we do not have a house in India to stay when we go. This also happened to us at the previous apartment we were at. It's really unfair because it was a great house. I hate how the enemy sticks his nose into everything, but I know something better is in store for our teams in India. It kind of makes me laugh inside because if they are kicking us out it means we did something right. We stirred a movement in that neighborhood and it makes me feel like we got them all shaken up. God is powerful! I'm so happy that we allowed Him to work through us in such a powerful way. To Him be all the Glory!

3. One of the parents of the other orphanage we were working with (Baby Asha's orphanage) got into a bad scooter accident with one of the workers and he broke his arm and had to have surgery and it will take 3 months to heal. The worker, Oba, got scratched up but she is ok. Keep them in prayer (this is why I stopped using scooty after I almost died).

4. Sunita is my BFF in India. I wrote a blog about her. Well we met Sunita because of her father-in-law Sidappa. He was a leper that one of the guys from the past team had really made connections with. His name is Don. Don went to the wedding and made a special trip to the leper colony I ministered at called Lajpat Nagar. Come to find out that when he got there, he found Sidappa's box empty. Sidappa passed away May 6th, a few days after my team left. Sunita showed Laura and Don pictures of the funeral. I'm so UPSET that I wasn't there for Sunita! Ugh. Anyway, I had left the cookbook present Sunita had gotten me and Laura is going to send it to me. :::sigh::: This news broke my heart because one of our girls, Sarah Fletcher, was really close to Sidappa. She would sit there and read the Bible to him and pray with him even though he was deaf. Everythign works out for the best, but even though he died, Sunita will never be able to move out of that leper colony. She was married into that colony and because of status reasons, she can never leave, but I am going to pray that God moves in a great way. I really need to go back in Decemeber and see her. I miss her so much. This was very hard news for me to hear while being in Thailand. It seems that everytime I go somewhere, something happens somewhere else and I feel helpless. Thank God prayer is so powerful because otherwise I would feel helpless.

On to Thailand updates:

So we got here. It took 3 planes and 24 hours to get here. I was sort of in a daze for a while. It hard going in and out of countries, but once I felt like I wasn't sleep walking anymore, I got to enjoy the beauty of Thailand. I feel like I'm in Puerto Rico. This place is so tropical.

We stayed in Mae Tan, Thailand which is about a half a mile away from the Burmese (Myanmar) boarder. There are tons of boarder control police around there, it's almost scary. The mountains look like El Yunque and reminded me of the time I learned I get motion sick in cars on a mountain in Puerto Rico. It was nice. We were able to minister to Karen people who are a mix of Thai and Burmese and neither government wants anything to do with them so they live in this "no mans land" without any citizenship to either place. They live in these bamboo huts very primitive (and yes we spent two nights in these huts...it was fun!). Well we went and played with their kids and did door to door evangelism which was a really big challenge for me because I'm so used to relational evangelism like we did in India, but God is preparing us to be head on, so we went and witnessed to people. Most of them are Buddists, although some are Christians, but not very strong in their faith.

I went a whole 5 days without take a shower guys! That is a record! I didn't even go that long without one in India. Thank God for wipies. The only thing is it's way more gross to be without a shower here because the humidity is 100%. You just constantly sweat and you're never dry. God is teaching me so much about dying to self. This is a totally different level of surrender and dying to self than India was. CRAZY but good.

We were able to pray for a lot of people. The people here are very spiritual and they recognize demons. They are very aware of the spritual realm and they have little houses on their property that they openly invite demons and sprits to protect their houses. It's illegal to get rid of these houses so our host has to go at night and get rid of these houses on new believer's property. That's why it's so important to do prayer walks and come against those demonic forces here. At one service that we held at the mountains, one mother brought her baby up to the front and asked us to cut off these black strings that were tied like bracelets on both ankles and wrists and around his neck. They were so tight on him but according to the pastor of the church we were staying with up on the mountains, those strings represent something. They hold a spirit inside of the child, which protects the child. Let me tell you guys that I was rebuking the enemy the moment they started cutting those things off of that baby. He had to be no more than three years old. There is a lot of spritual warfare that we are coming against here because they are so open to praying to spirits and believing in them.

Our Hosts have been in Thailand for about 12 years. The Lord called them here and they sold everything back in the states, picked up and came to live here. They told us that this method doesn't work for everyone, you have to know you are called to it. I hear that! They have been here and lived up in the mountains for a while with no electricity or running water. It's crazy, but it's true. They moved to PakChong a few years back and now they have a house and cars. They have been here for so long and they are just now seeing the fruits of their labor. I have been blessed by their persistent faithfulness to their ministry. It's amazing to see them. They are such a blessing to me. They have a church with a few faithful members here in PakChong. They are such servents, what great role models of the faith they have been for me.

For the rest of the time here, we are going to be ministering to children in schools. This is really important because a lot of these kids need love. They come from broken homes.

I have so much more to tell you guys but I'm running out of time. Please pray for us and check out the Thailand blog because I'm sure more of my teammates went into detail about things that I'm missing. It's hard trying to update you guys with everything, but know that I'm the happiest person on earth. I am fulfilling God's purpose in my life and I can't see myself being anywhere else.

O yea so funny story:

Our bathtub in the mountain was a river. Yes a river. So I'm bathing in the river (mind you I left my bathing suit in PakChong so I bathed in a skirt) and I DROP MY SOAP. That sounds so bad, but it's true! My soap goes floating down the river and I was so ANGRY! Only me...So the Lord has been teaching me how to go without things and how I need to learn how to depend on others and learn to ask for things that I don't have. This is really hard for me. Well thank God I didn't have to shower for a while anyway because the truth is I lost my soap....And one of the boys on my team got a leach from the river! I got flashbacks from the movie Stand By Me. I was NOT happy about leaches. I didn't get any. That would've been the icing on the cake. No soap and leaches is not a good combination. Well now that I'm in PakChong I have other soap and stuff, so I'm happy, but I had to let you know about my experience. I have many more to fill you in on. Can't wait to see you guys. Two weeks!

Deployed...

Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the first things I notice about Atlanta airport on my first visit to Georgia was that it was filled with soldiers in uniform. Inside of the airport atrium, which has a food court and nice sitting area, there is a hotel and when you look up on the balconies all you see are soldiers lined up against the railings, waiting for someone to give them a command. Every half an hour or so you would see the line move and all the soldiers would disappear. Only moments later, someone announces their presence and the soldiers begin marching through the atrium. Everyone in the whole airport stops what they are doing and stands up, claps, whistles and acknowledges their presence.

Being in the airport for hours waiting for rides from my boss or participants to arrive I have seen this scenario a few times already; and every time is as powerful as the first. I literally get goose bumps standing there and applauding the men and women who fight for our country. A part of me is sad because I know where they are headed. A part of me is proud of them that they are doing such a great task and fighting for my freedom, for my comfort and my country. Time after time, I would stand up and everything in the atrium would stop; every conversation, every meal, every person hurrying to catch a flight---everyone stops to acknowledge the troops. I have to say that I saw about a hundred troops being sent out a few hours. It was shocking.

I had forgotten about this until I got to Atlanta airport again last week and was waiting for my team members to get there. As I watched this troops march through, heads high, eyes with pride, I saw so much more than just soldiers. I saw mothers carrying their babies, daughters that missed their daddy's and husbands who haven't held their wives in months. I applauded them in a different way this time and realized that they were about to leave everything they knew to go to a place they've never been before to fight for a cause. I could never do something like that.

The truth is, I am. I'm a different kind of soldier. I fight a different kind of battle. It hit me as I was applauding that last troop going to war that when we leave to go on the field, we are just like our troops in a way. We are leaving everything and everyone we know. We are apart of an army and we are going to war. That thought overwhelmed me.

As we get ready to depart for Thailand tomorrow, I envision my team walking through the atrium just like the soldiers, and all of heaven stops, looks at us and starts applauding.

India Bombings

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Please keep India in prayer. It has just come to my attention that there have been bombings over there. It's disturbing because the bombings took place in areas where our team was present. Many believe these bombings were terrorist attacks from Pakistan; but it is not certain. Please keep our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in prayer because even though I may not be there, there are tons of missionaries who are out there spreading the Word that need our prayers for protections.

A series of powerful explosions occurred in Jaipur, Rajasthan including
Sangener Gate, Subhash Chowk, Hanuman Temple in Tripolia Bazaar,
Chandpol, Bari Choupad, Manak Chowk, Johri Bazaar, and Hawa Mahal at
7:30 p.m. local time, May 13th.  

Visitors and residents of Jaipur should avoid the areas affected by the
blasts. Americans traveling in India should maintain a low profile, and
avoid crowded areas and other public places.    

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should
regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at
http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Public
Announcement, Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts can be found.  Up to
date information on security can also be obtained by calling
1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers outside
the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328.
These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time,
Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

U.S. citizens may contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the
Embassy or the Consulates General for further information:
--  The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi <http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov>  is
located at Shanti Path, Chanakya Puri 110021; telephone
+91-11-2419-8000; fax +91-11-2419-8407. The Embassy's Internet home
 page address is http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov. 
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay)
<http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov>  is located at Lincoln House, 78
Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax
+91-22-2363-0350. Internet home page address is
http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.

Thailand Team Member

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the girls on my Thailand team will not be coming on the trip any longer. Her parents called in today and told us they were waiting on the Doctor's response, but were certain she would not be able to go. Unfortunately, the doctor called in and said that her physical condition was severe and she would not be allowed to pursue the trip. All of her support is raised and she had everything she needed for Thailand. We are picking up the rest of the team from the airport tomorrow morning.

Please keep this young lady in prayer. The enemy has her believing lies about herself to begin with and I can only pray that this situation doesn't worsen her condition.

As for the rest of our team, we will soon meet them and go through a few days of training camp. I'm excited! It's always fun to see how awkward everyone is acting during the first few days together, but I anticipate a great trip.

Gainesville has been a refreshing experience for me. It's nice to be around people who are constantly uplifting you in prayer and pouring truth into you. I struggle a little because I truly miss my India team a lot and I catch myself talking about them and the experience a bunch. I'm going to have to be more conscious of trying to contain that. It's terribly difficult when the India team was truly the "dream team," on top of the fact that I miss them and love them dearly I just feel like I could be myself around them. It's hard starting from scratch all over again, but it is pretty exciting too.

The weather is beautiful in Georgia; so warm and sunny! I'm really enjoying it. Today we went out with a whole bunch of people and fellowshipped at Chili's and Starbucks. Then we went to a couple's house from AIM and everyone prayed for Teresa and I. It was amazing! I must say that it's exactly what I needed and it was great having people lift me and problems up in prayer. I feel like I'm home.

Hope all is well in Bridgeport. Love to my supporters and prayer warriors!

Thailand

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am getting ready for Thailand. I cannot believe that I leave tomorrow morning to Gainesville and I have been home from India for three weeks. The time has come to embark on a new journey. How exciting! To be honest, I feel an array of emotions. A little nervous mixed with excitement and nausea. I'm almost all packed. Everything I need is around my luggage instead of inside of it. I guess you can call it procrastinating.

I have some prayer requests:

There have been two natural disasters around Thailand in the past few weeks. One is the cyclone that his Myanmar and the other is the earthquake in China. These two countries are very close to where I will be. In fact, the earthquake was so strong (7.9) that its effects were felt all the way in Bangkok (and Vietnam). I ask you to pray for my safety as well as the safety of our team. The reality is, as we have already seen, that natural disasters are real and can happen while I'm on the field. I feel at peace with the journey that is ahead of me, but I would really appreciate everyone's prayers

Please pray for my health. Going in and out of countries like I have been, my system is going through a lot of shock. Please pray for my stomach! Also, my sinuses because I get really congested in hot weather (all the plants and dust). I am bringing lice killing shampoo this time just in case and I have the tea tree oil as a repellent, but STILL! I need all the prayer I can get.

Traveling mercies! We will be flying out May 19 and will not reach Thailand until the 20th. I ask that you would be praying for me at this time while I am traveling. The travel time is an estimated 22 hours. I will be flying from Atlanta to Detroit, Detroit to Tokyo and Tokyo to Bangkok. Once arriving to Bangkok, we have a two-and-a-half hour drive to our host site. Needless to say, we have a long journey in front of us. Please keep me and the team in prayer. I understand that things like lost luggage or missed flights happen, but it's great to have prayer warriors standing by praying for our protection.

While there are a bunch of other things I can ask for prayer for, these are the ones that stand out in my mind the most. I am so excited to be going on another journey for the Lord. He has been teaching me so much about being a leader and yet being humble. It's hard, but I feel like I was born to do this. It comes so natural to me, ahh. It's crazy how God prepares us to do His work. It's amazing how natural it feels to pursue His calling. I can't see myself doing anything else and as dangerous as it all seems, "There's no safer place to be than in God's will."

I went to my grandmother's grave the other day. My aunt had bought some flowers and we wanted to dress up the plot for Mother's Day. I couldn't help to visit the plot of Mykey Santiago, which is only three spots down from Nana's. He was 23 years old when he passed away and I was a senior in High School at the time. He died in a motorcycle accident about two blocks from our church, the church he grew up in. I couldn't help to think about his age. I am 23 now. I didn't know that much about him. I know he had a family, a daughter. I know he worked and was saving up money to go to Disney World right before he died. I know he left the Lord when he was younger and was rebellious for most of his youth (who isn't?) and I know he was my age when he died. Many thoughts and questions ran through my mind as I stood there, but what impressed my heart the most is the reality of death. We live our lives as if they are owed to us. In reality life is a blessing. Every moment that we are still alive is a miracle. I can't imagine dying at 23, but the reality is that it can happen; at anytime. I'm glad that the little moment Mykey and I spent with each other last week made me realize just how precious every moment in my life is and how being 23 doesn't make me immortal. It doesn't make me more secure than say if I were 80 years old. I realize death can come at any time, but I also know that I serve the one who defeated death. I'm learning to come to terms with death. It used to be such a hard topic for me, but the more I yearn for heaven and eternal life with my savior, the more I realize I have nothing to fear.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
1 John 4:18

Ponderings

Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A lot is going on right now.

I feel so disconnected from this place. Although I've lived here my whole life, it's like a totally new experience to me. People have changed, situations have changed and I have changed. That pretty much sums up how different everything is. It's hard because I'm leaving in eleven days on another journey when I still feel like I haven't recuperated from my last journey. God's going to give me the strength, but after this trip I think I'm going to have to take a break so that I don't get burned out. I'm planning to spend the summer in Florida with my family down there. We will see how that pans out. I'm praying that the Lord leads me. I really want to be guided as to where I should be. My heart is all over the place. I want to be stable here, but I also love being a missionary. Please help me pray and ask God to show me where He needs me to be.

I've got all the things I need for Thailand except I still need a little more support to reach my goal. I'm not worried about the support because I worship the King who owns all of the money in the world. Plus it's such a small detail in the scheme of things. I honestly believe that God will provide. The enemy tries to put our minds on support so that we don't get packing and start doubting whether or not we are really called to go on the field. My bags are getting packed whether I have all the money in my account or not. My plane ticket to Gainesville is already bought and Lord willing I will be on a plane May 13th to Georgia. That said, if you feel touched to give please do. If you don't, the least you can do is pray for a sister; that'll take like five minutes of your time.

Speaking of support, I got an anonymous donation to my account. I just want to take the time out to say thank you to whoever that was. I usually send out pictures and thank you cards to my supporters, but since I do not have that information, I wanted to publicly recognize that I appreciate your contribution and will be praying for you. God knows and that's all that matters.

I'm reading the book Lies that women believe: and the truth that sets them free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. It's such a great book. It's so deep because it talks about how Satan strategically went to Eve first and fed her deception; never did he speak to Adam. She talks about how all bondage and strongholds can be traced back to lies that we have been fed and eventually believe and act on. God is really using this book to speak to me.

I'm really trying to push India, December 2008 in my youth group. I've got a few people interested, but I think I'm going to start sending out e-mails those that are interested in going and coach them on what to do to get there such as the passport application process and strategies on support fund raising. I think this is really important to start now since I will be away for most of the year. I don't know where God will be taking me next after my summer in Florida, but I'm really going to use my summer to relax and focus on family and support fund raising for the rest of the year.

What can I say? God has been good and faithful to me. The least I can do is His will.

Life at home

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Everything is going well, thank God.

The presentations went well on Friday and Sunday. I still have to bring it to a few other places, but the stress that I was feeling so heavily last week has been lifted. Thank you all for your prayers and support. They were most definitely needed.

I am getting ready for Thailand in all ways. I thank God for giving me this opportunity and giving me the support that I need to go. I cannot tell you how overwhelmed I feel by the tremendous feedback I am getting from all of my friends and family. I think God has used me to stir a movement in the youth in my church and the youth in my city. I just can't stop talking about India and the awesome things God was doing there. I have also been telling people about the trip to India in December. Before I left, a lot of people were skeptical about what I was doing and had a lot of negative things to say, but now that I've come back with stories and pictures, everyone is curious. I like that. I see how God is using me to touch those around me. It's great and I hope it doesn't stop.

I am holding an India party at my house this Saturday so I can share my experiences with friends and family all at once. I ordered some Indian food, got the Hindi music ready, movies and Henna. I can't wait! It's going to be a good time.

God is so good and faithful. Even through the midst of the storm I feel his presence so strong. He has given me the strength to keep all of the goals I had wanted to reach during my short time at home. I'm glad I got to debrief my three months and really think about what kind of things I wanted to bring back home and use here to bless my friends and family. I'm being way more intentional about relationships and I am more on top of responsibilities. I'm glad he has made the way for me in all of my goals. All the glory goes to him.

Home sweet Home

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey all!

It's good to be home. I'm finally back from India and I have gone non-stop all week and I'm still on the go. Three weeks until training camp for Thailand, wooo hoo!

So today was my first emotional break down since I've been home. It seems like everyone is fighting for a moment with me and I don't feel like there's enough time in a day to get it all done. I'm only here for a short time and I'm trying to get an India presentation done for Sunday. I've done pretty well with seeing as many people as possible, but I heard one too many times this week that people are upset with me because I haven't contacted them yet or I didn't set a date with them. On top of that my presentation was giving me trouble, so I just sat in front of my laptop and balled my eyes out. Apart of me felt like I was crying for more than the latter. Perhaps it was also for the kids at Emmanuel Orphanage who I really want to help but I don't know how. Maybe it was because I left the gift Sunita gave me at the leper colony by accident. It could be because I miss my team already. Who knows? I just felt overwhelmed and so I cried, and you know what? It felt good.

On a better note, I got an accountability partner keeping me honest for my daily quiet times. I got in such a routine, that I don't want to slack off just because I'm home and the distractions are never ending. It's been working!

Also, another goal to have intentional relationships at home was met. I really want to get into a deeper relationship with my brother. I just wish we were friends. It's not like we are enemies, but it's more like we are acquaintances and I would like to have a better friendship with him. Anyway, I got this good idea (during ATL) of visiting him at his job. He is a doctor and works the 3rd shift in the emergency room. I went and bought him some sushi and brought it over to him at about midnight (Yesterday). He was really surprised to see me (because I've been away for 3 months). It was nice to bless him in that way and I could tell he appreciated it. Please help me pray for my relationship with my brother, it's really important to me.

Other than that, I've seen a lot of friends, fam and church fam these past days. It's nice to be home and see that you were loved and missed. I'm attributing people's frustrations toward me to the fact that they love and miss me because otherwise I would have to punch somebody. Just joking guys...hehe. Never punch. I learned that from Alli.

Well it's good to hear from you all and I promise I will be as regular with these e-mails as I can. It's so good to not have to write in code anymore, but I'm so used to it I have to force myself from adding stars and dashes in words like pray and God. It was so fun! Oh well...

Talk to you guys soon. Love ya!

India Presentation

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here's my India Presentation for all who will not be there to see it. Enjoy!

Hit and run

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I will be home in eight days. I cannot believe that. I don't have time to write anything deep, but I will post some things when I get a chance.

Last week was our last week of ministry. We said our goodbyes and it was sad, many tears. I received so many cards from the children at the orphanage it was overwhelming. I also got a few bracelets that the girls made me. I'm not going to take them off for a long time. I cannot wait to show you guys when I go home.

I cut my toe because I fell up the stairs (lol) and it was bleeding like crazy. It made me miserable yesterday because we went to the market and I had to walk on it all day. I'm always falling and hurting myself. G help me.

I finished my shopping for family and friends. I'm going to see the Taj Mahal on Wednesday. The rest of the week is debrief. We are winding down and having goodbye parties with our neighbors and friends. It's really sad. I cannot believe that I've been here fore three months already. It hasn't hit me yet. Perhaps the 15 hour plane ride will make it clear to me...

I wish I could explain a lot of things that G is showing me, but it'll have to wait.

Besides my toe, I'm doing great; no more stomach aches or fever and from what I know, I still don't have lice. The team is doing well. We are all sad that we have to leave each other soon, but we realize that G put us together for this season in our lives for a purpose and we have all been able to help each other grow. I'm glad that G knows what he's doing and he does it well.

Thailand is coming soon. Please help me pr-y for that team that I will be leading and my fellow co-leader Teresa. Ask G to give me strength and good health.

I cannot wait to see all of you back home. I am excited and sad; mixed emotions! My heart is on a roller coaster. I know that G knows everything and I know that He has everything under control. I will be getting home late Monday (April 21) night, my plane arrives in NY at about 10:30 p.m.

I think that's all for now. Catch you later!
Fur mi lenge!

On the go

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I only have a little bit of time to write, so here it goes...

I've been sick ever since I wrote my last entry. I gave in and called my brother and my mom and with their encouragement (and Brian's instruction) I'm feeling much better today. All I've been eating is toast, but I'm feeling like I can actually live. Thanks to those of you who are pr-ying specifically for my health.

We are getting ready to leave India. This is our last week at our ministry sites. I'm really sad but I think after being sick, I'm starting to feel ready to head back home (although I'll only be there for 3 weeks). I'm excited to see my family and friends. I'm also excited to bring a presentation to my ch--ch family at home. From what it looks, I'm going to be presenting on the Sunday after I get back (really soon, but I only have 3 weeks to work with). Anyone interested in the presentation, let me know and I will bring it to your ch--ch.

I'm getting ready for Thailand. I have a lot of things on my list to get, but I know that I will be able to get everything that I need. I've been feeling drained, but after speaking to my family (including Lucas) on the phone, I felt a little revived. I'm so ready to eat beef, no one even uderstands. I'm bracing myself for the culture shock I'm going to get when I go back home. After being here for 3 months, I imagine everything back home is going to shock me---even the food! I've been on an all-carb diet here. I'm dying for meat, but I know I have to be careful about taking it all in when I go home.

Some things that I miss about home [that I took for granted] and I look forward to doing when I get back:

-driving my car
-Eating Meat
-Lettuce!
-hot showers
-my laptop
-My BED
-Electricity
-Air conditioners
-Washing Machines and Dryers
-Eating Hamburgers
-Famous Pizza
-Mexican Food
-Sushi
-Privacy
-Good Health
-MOMMY!
-Olive Garden
-Salad
-Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard
-Pork
-My family
-New England Clam Chowder
-ALL Puerto Rican food (Meat and Cheese pastelillo, mofongo with shrimp and red sauce, pasteles, tostones, anything but RICE)
-Dessert (Flan, Termasu, Apple pie a la mode, CHEESE CAKE)
-Buffalo wings!!
-Steak

I could go on and on with the food! (Mom this is a big hint that I would like some of these things when I go home.. o yeah and guava paste with queso tropical) I just totally ignored the idea of gradually bringing foods into my diet again, but seriously, I only have 3 weeks! :::sigh:::

I'm actually excited about going home. These 3 months went by so fast I cannot even begin to explain. I truly see how blessed I am at home and how G has given me so much to give to others. He gives us and provides for us and wants us to give what we have and bl-ss others. Living in a community with these girls for 3 months has shown me a glimpse of what the first ch--ch in Acts looked like, everyone sharing with everyone. It has given me a different perspective on how our weaknesses are made up by someone else's strengths and how our strengths cover up others' weaknesses. It's beautiful to see how G makes us all weak in some area to force us to work as a body. I love it! I have been able to feel stronger in my weaknesses because I have 12 other amazing sisters who make up where I lack in some way. I'm really grateful for that.

Soaring, Flying...

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hello friends!

So basically I only have 20 more days for my journey. It's still a pretty good amount of time to make a difference though!

Good news is that my letters and pictures reached America! Yay! It only took 2 weeks to get from India to all of you back home! How exciting.

My support raising for Thailand is looking good. I will be leaving home on May 13^th back to the field, so that means I'll only be in Bridgeport for 3 weeks once I get home from India. It seems like a little bit of time, but I think it'll be good. I will be putting together a presentation to show at chch when I go home. I will post that date so everyone will be aware of when I will be giving the presentation and can join us at Good Shepherd to celebrate the wonderful things our father is doing in India together. If anyone is interested in having me bring the presentation to your house of praise, or chch, just let me know in advanced so I can put you down. I don't want to forget about anyone who is interested.

I'm excited about the Thailand trip. I've been speaking to my co-leader and she seems really nice. She is from Philly. That makes three people I know in Philly already. I guess I'm going to have to make an appearance in that city one of these days. Her name is Teresa, so remember to lift her up to our father when you get the chance. We are going to be leading the team together and we really need all of your pr-yers.

So while the rest of my team is slowing getting lice, I still have been lice-free! Can you believe that?! I definitely can because I know Mama Emma is pr-ying for my hair. Our father gave her a vision of my hair and she started lifting it up to him and let me tell you something, it's working! Just the other day, while doing our routine lice checks, Cassie said, "It's a miracle you do not have lice in this hair." All of the kids we work with have it. They have used their combs in my hair. They have played with it and have put their heads against mine. It really IS a miracle. I've also raised a theory that maybe they don't like my gel. Whatever it is, I'm grateful.

The bugs have died down though. I had about 35 bites on my one leg alone, but after fumigating and washing my sheets, I haven't gotten bitten. I've been killing mosquitos like crazy too.

It's getting HOTT here. Ugh. It feels like a hundred degrees right now and all I do is sweat. It's so hot some nights I can't sleep. I guess it sort of feels like Puerto Rico because of the humidity. There was a sand storm the other day. The sand filled the sky and you couldn't see anything. At first when I looked into the distance I thought it could have been a tsunami because it felt kind of misty. Imagine that? My extremist mind cracks me up, but tsunamis happen in Asia guys so stop looking at me like I'm crazy. Then one night there was a thunderstorm and it woke all of us up. It sounded like it was right in our house. That's all the exciting news I have about the weather though. It's only rained about 3 times since we've been here. I'm glad we didn't come in the rainy monsoon season. I hate rain, unless I'm sleeping.

I keep bringing this up, but we want to come back to India in December. Those of you who are interested, please let me know. I can help you with support fund raising. We will be coming the first two weeks in December. If you are interested, e-mail me. My plan is to bring as many people back with me as I can.

Our water came back on a while ago, sorry for not updating you with that. Thank you for your prayers with that. Anna's dad is doing well. She has been able to speak to him and his heart surgery went well. Cassie is feeling better and her eyes aren't yellow anymore. Some girls were feeling a little sick this morning, but because we only have a few more times to see those at our sites, no one stayed home today. We want to spend as much time with the people as possible. Unfortunately, I just think that each week someone is going to get sick until we get back home. Our bodies are still adjusting.

Great news! Medicine in India is cheap. I was wondering how I was going to get medicine for the Thailand trip when I don't have insurance at home anymore. Well as we were talking about this, we realized that medicine here is cheap and you don't need prescription, all you do is tell them what you need at the pharmacy and they give it to you (that's just India). I was able to buy Cipro. Also, I think I need to get a yellow fever shot for Thailand and I just went to the Pharmacy and they sell it, so I'm going to buy it and have the hospital give it to me J and it's only going to cost me 30 American dollars. And I'm only going to be paying about 20 American dollars for malaria medicine here as opposed to the 200 I spent for malaria pills back in the States for this trip. You do the math. But wait, there's more. I'm going to go to the dentist too because it's really cheap and I don't have insurance for that either. Now if I were in some other country, I would never do this. However, having gone to my brother's Medical School graduation, I know from common knowledge that there are more doctors with the last name Patel than there are Puerto Ricans named Jesus. Indians are smart and they are good doctors, so don't worry, I'll be fine. Ha!

We went on a tour of Delhi last weekend. Some things that we saw: India Gate, The place Gandhi was cremated, Lotus Temple, Red Fort- which was built by Shah Jahan- the same guy who built the Taj Mahal and he also build the Jama Masjid, which is a mosque that we also were able to see on our tour. We saw some other stuff too, but those were the key places we went. It was nice to finally get a little break and see some of the Indian history. We will be going to see the Taj Mahal the last week we are here (the week of April 17^th). It's really exciting. The only other exciting thing that happened that I can think of is that I was able to try on a Sari (an Indian dress) at a little shop that we went to in front of the team and some girls were able to get it on tape. It was black, chiffon and sequenced. Very nice if I do say so myself, and I was able to try on all of this expensive jewelry that was really cheap in comparison to what it WOULD be in the States. I was wearing Rubies, Emeralds and Turquoise. I figured that that was the closest I would get to owning anything as stunning as that, so I put it on and savored the moment. I figure I serve the master who owns all the money in the world. I'll get my crown one day, but it was a nice preview.

Our ministry sites are great. Our neighborhood loves us. Life is good.

Sunita

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We do not come in and try to save everybody, we can't. No everybody wants to be saved. We don't come in with cr*sses and big B*bles. We don't set up and prch on the side of the road. We don't pass out tracks; no. We use a different strategy. Not one that condemns or passes judgment. It is a strategy that works on any personno matter what religion, race, age or sex. It reaches the person's heart and that strategy is love.

Sunita is a lady I have become very good friends with at my leper colony. Her father-in law is Satapa, a leper in our colony who lives in a box right outside of his home because he is too heavy for his wife to keep carrying him in and out. Sunita lives with her in-laws and stays at the colony as a housewife while her husband works daily. She is about 25 years old and she has a son.

Past teams have built a relationship with Satapa, so in our return, we have followed-up with their ministry and have extended it to his family. Sunita knows English, which makes it easier for us to communicate. I have been bringing her my Hindi book to learn more English from, too. In return, she cooks for me and teaches me how to make Indian dishes.

One day while I was watching a Hindi movie with her, she turned to me and said, "I always thought Americans were very proud and stuck uponly caring about their make-up and hair, but you have changed my mind. Because of you, I don't think that anymore."

This comment caught me by surprise. "Not all Americans are like that Sunita. Some are, but not all," I said.

It was a compliment, but little did she know the love she sees in us is not one that comes from our own doing. It is the love of G in us that she sees. It makes us so different from the Americans who come into the leper colonies to take pictures and exploit these people back in the stateson the covers of books and pamphlets.

During my fast, I presented Sunita's salvation to G and that he would provide an opening for us to specifically tell her what this love is about. I didn't tell the rest of my ministry team about this. On one of my off-days, which happened to be a day our ministry team was at the leper colony, the girls on my team spoke to Sunita about J. They asked her about The J Movie and she seemed very open and willing to see it. The girls thought of asking our host if we could get the movie in Hindi for her to see. We would like to give her a Hindi B*ble, but since her husband and the rest of the family are Hindu, we could be putting her in a dangerous position.

Therefore, the same spirit works toward the same purpose: as I was pr-ying about Sunita's salvation, my team members were planting and cultivating the seed. How awesome is that? When G is in control, the body works together so perfectly.

Another Day

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Sometimes we speak out to try and change the world, and other times we speak to try to keep the world from changing us." Elie Weisel

I got this quote from a book that I'm reading right now called, Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. It really is challenging my school of thought on so many issues it's crazy, but I don't know exactly how I feel about it yet. I'm just putting it out there so maybe some of my friends at home will pick up and read this book so we can share our thoughts on it. I think it would be interesting to exchange thoughts.

This past weekend was Holi here in India. It is a holiday in the Hindu religion that celebrates the coming of Spring: Holi, Needless to say, our host told us that it would not be wise to go out at all during this celebration, so we were locked in the house from Friday to Sunday. We were, however, able to escape two times to visit one of the orphanage sites and take part with the kids in a talent show and on Easter morning. Other than that, we had stocked up on junk food, water and television! Yes, television. One of the American girls that works at the orphanage lent us the Fifth season of the Cosby Show and all the seasons of The Office (I heart Jim) on DVD. It was refreshing to feel like we were watching Television again. One of the girls brought her laptop so we were able to watch it on the 13 inch screen. Imagine that. Fourteen girls plus one room minus couches and a 13 inch screen equals lots of laughs. Although we went through our water supply toward the end, we survived and were let out yesterday for shopping at one of the markets. Good times.

We also borrowed a movie from her called Water. It's a Hindi film about a little girl whose husband dies (yes, I said husband) and she is sent to a house for widows. The movie is really good and I'm thinking of buying it when I get home. I also suggest that you watch it.

Speaking of water, we have not had water since Sunday night. Something to do with a pipe that burst (not in our house but somewhere in Delhi), I don't know. All I know is that things have started to look like primitive culture in our house. You never realize how much you use water until it's gone: dishes, toilets, baths, etc. It's crazy I tell you, but things could be worse. We were told that we should be getting our water back soon, but who knows. We might just be waterless for the remainder of the trip. Thank G I brought baby wipes.

I have a million bites on my legs. I'm not sure where they are from, some seem like mosquito bites and others seem like bed bugs. Whatever it is, they TORE me up. I have my mosquito net up and tucked in nicely, so I'm thinking it must be bed bugs. Ha! I'll take them over lice any day though. I still count that as a blessing.

All else is well here guys. One of the girls on the team who had the amoeba took her meds and is feeling much better now. The other girl who had abdominal pain is doing better also and I probably just had a bad coconut after all. I'm sorry, but the Puerto Rican in me cannot resist eating coconut! I love it!

Let me know what's going on at home. I know you guys are in your own world and life goes on without me there (although it's difficult to acceptlol), but remember that I love to hear from you guys, even if it's just a little sentence or two. What's going on with the presidential campaign? Who is in the lead? Does the war on Terror look like it's ending soon? Who won Project Runway? Are the American Idol contestants good, bad or mediocre? What new movies are coming out and who is in them? Is Brittany Spears still in court? Is Rent really going off-Broadway? What new Broadway shows are out? Any new interesting T.V. shows come out? New actresses or musical artists? How does the Yankee line up look this year? How is chch? Any new members? I don't know, those are a few questions you can fill me in on because maybe that will spark some conversational e-mails worth writing (and reading).

Talk to you guys soon.

Hope

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Baby Asha appeared at the orphanage three days after her birth. I heard so much about her from my team members, but I hadn't gotten to meet her personally. I visited the orphanage for worship on Sunday and I was finally able to meet her. She is beautiful, but that's not the only thing that is special about her.

As I held her, I felt compelled to ask how old she was. "Sixty nine days old," was the response I got; and she was born around the same time the team had arrived in India. That's funny because we got to India around MY birthday! So you must know how this story ends. Baby Asha shares her birthday with Vikki-Aunti. How special is that?

Asha means hope in Hindiso true. Holding Asha in my arms last Sunday made me realize how much hope is in her. To some she may be considered an untouchable and illegitimate child, but G has his favor over baby Asha. He has brought her to a place that will instill in her the spirit of life. Her name truly fits her because she is hope; hope for the salvation of many more Indians who will be touched and changed by the seed she will plant in them. So you see my friends, this is where all of your financial and prayerful support has gone. It has allowed me to touch the hope of the salvation for the generation to come.

Aren't you glad you have allowed G to use you in such a powerful way? I sure am.

Check out this Video

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey guys! Ericka Bennett, who was with us in India for the first few weeks we were here, took a video of us greeting our families back home. Check out the video. I'm in it acting a fool! It's funny though, so click on the link below. It should take you to it:

http://erickabennett.myadventures.org/index.asp?filename=india-team-video-home

or if that doesn't work, you can copy and paste this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9DrbhlgVow&feature=related

Enjoy!

O yea and this is a video of one of our cars stranded. Enjoy!
Copy and paste this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwmL-HYecRI&feature=related

An exchange

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our team splits up and goes to different ministry sites during the week. On Sundays for worship, we are given the opportunity to visit the sites we are not able to visit during the week. I was able to visit another orphanage one worship day that is smaller than my usual site and found ministries there that were very different from my normal orphanage site.

The orphanage is smaller in size than my usual sitephysically and in the amount of children. It actually feels more like a family-setting; which is what the parents of the orphanage work to build. The parents of this orphanage are married and have a daughter, who lives at the orphanage with the other children. They are so loving and accepting. G knows who he calls. In this smaller setting, the children are able to get to know everyone more easily.

There are a few Americans on staff with this orphanage. One is a boy who was on the Fall India team with our organization, but felt G call him to stay. There are two other girls, who may have some association with our organization in the past, but I am not sure. Coming in and serving at this orphanage is important because we are able to pour into these workers, who are just about our age. They are doing what we are doing, but more intense. They live with these kids and have limited contact with Americans or people who speak English. When our team goes there during the week, we are able to give them a break from teaching, etc. They need this; the first day I saw them I could tell by the expression on their faces that they were feeling wiped out. Our father showed me how big a ministry it is to pour into believers here just as it is important to win souls. My eyes are constantly being opened.

I have not been able to speak to the American girls who work there much, but I have been able to speak to Michael. I learned a lot about him in our conversation. He was born in Panama and lived in Puerto Rico for a few years when he was young, though he is not Hispanic. I believe he is part Canadian and part American. Anyway, he is the closest to Puerto Rican that I have found in India thus far. We were speaking a little in Spanish, which was nice.

Michael was enrolled at WestPoint when he heard G's call to the field. After a long extensive process, he was released and was able to come to the field last fall with our organization. He then felt G was calling him to stay here, although his parents were/are not supportive of itthey are not believers. Michael is only 19.

In America, there seems to be a shortage of men who step up to ministry positions because they are still immature boys, not mature men. After all this talk about the lack of men in America, Michaelas well as others like Chris, Tom and Frankie to name a fewhave renewed my faith in the idea of men pursuing the call of our father. It's important for Chrstan woman like myself to see that there still are men out there willing to pursue the call of the father. Why is that? Because of compromise. G-dly women are compromising their standards because they do not believe that G-dly men exist; but they do. As I exchanged with Michael, he helped me also. That's what the Body of C is about. That is why we are here.

Discoveries

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So let me start off by saying HAPPY EASTER!! I'm not going to be able to tell you on that day, so better early than never??! Yeah.

So many exciting things to share! Let's seelet's see.

First I'll start off by sharing how I've found P-nt-costals in India! How exciting is that!!??? I'm so excited no one even understands. Well the parents of Baby Asha's orphanage are from a P-nt-costal background. I called it! That's all I've got to say is that I knew it the moment he was praising our father and just kept saying H-ll-l-j-h and Praise the L over and over again, I thought to myself, "Man, this brother could get down in my chch." Then after service when I brought the message (which happened to be the same message that Michael spoke on that day) he tells me, "Victoria, the reason why you and Michael had the same message is because it is the same spirit working together." And in my mind I was like, "Man, that is something a P-nt-costal would say." I felt it so strongly, but I didn't dare to ask because most of the C's we work with here are Baptists and lower key and I didn't want to offend him; but I knew it!!

And as if that wasn't enough, the lady in our neighborhood who is a C is ALSO P-nt-costal. I was flipping out! She showed me and Mary pictures of her b-pti-m and it was really cool to see that. We asked her if we could go to chch with her, not this Sunday because it is Easter, but the Sunday after and she said yes! I cannot wait! I have been yearning to go to a P-nt-costal service. As much as I don't want to make it seem like there is a division in the body, our services are a bit different. People are raising their hands and praising out loud much more and I miss that. Believe it or not, it was an answered pr-y-r. I was feeling kind of dry lately and I didn't understand why and it's because I need a spirit-filled service in my life. I don't want to get into that much, but those who understand it will get it and those who don't, won't.

I have sent out support letters and e-mails for Thailand. Please, if you are interested, send in the support because I will be leaving for Thailand May 15^th and that is right around the corner. I need to raise $2,500 for this trip.

The neighbors have been teaching me Indian dance. They are like Shakira dances, so it's easy for me to pick it up. Lol. The style of dance they were teaching me is called Punjabi dance. I love it.

I also saw a Hindi movie called Om Shanti Om at the leper colony the other day. It was really interesting and it was about 3 hours long, which is the length of any Bollywood movie. There's music, singing and dancingso you already know I'm all about Bollywood. Just up my alley.

Can I just say that Indian people absolutely love my hair. Especially since I cut it and it springs up like a poof even more; they can't get enough. Where ever I go I have people complimenting me on my hair. They also like that it is dark. Little do they know I'm actually a blond at heart, but we don't have to tell them that.

So let me tell you a little story. I gave away my favorite earrings to a girl in Ajmer, India. They weren't very fancy, but they were small, silver hoops that I always wear. Anyway, I felt moved to give them to her because she really liked them and it was the least I could do. Yesterday, while visiting one of my many Indian mothers with Mary, she comes into the room with a little box. She gives a pair of earrings to Mary and then a pair to me. I think they are really beautiful, just my style of earrings: flashy! I love them. I was suddenly reminded of the earrings I had given away. Because my mind runs in tangents, I was reminded of another story that P-st-r Higgins told when he came to our chch not too long ago. He had said that he once gave his watch away (the same way I gave away my earrings). It was his favorite watch, but for reasons that I don't remember, he had given it away. The same way I received a pair of earrings back, he too received a watch from someone else. I just find this trend sort of funny, because our father is showing me what a heart of service looks like and the joys of giving. So many times we hold on to things; things of this earth that are temporary and will fade away. I never expected anything in return for the earrings I gave away, but because I gave, I also received. I'm wearing my new earrings right now. I love them even more than my silver ones. I love them because they fit me perfectly. I love them because they came to me out of love. The more love I give away, the more love I receive.

Mice, Lice and Other things....

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As if we didn't have enough friends already with the mice, we officially have befriended another type of pest that I have been dreading to meet; lice!

Last night during our routine lice checks, I officially found lice in 3 girls' hair. I must say that I was disappointed to find them, but I can also say that it was fun and a good bonding experience. Wow; I can't believe I just said that, but it's true. What else are we going to do? NOT love on these children that we are ministering to? Not hug or hold them? No way! That's not what our father has called us to do. He has called us to love. Anyone can come to India and visit orphans and lepers. Anyone can come here and take pictures of them and exploit them in America; but what would J do?
I sat there for a good three hours picking lice out of some of the girls' hair. I first noticed it in Sarah's hair. I usually give her head a good look now and then. Last time we did a check; there were some questionable, egg-like substances in her head. Well the cats out of the bad, or more like the lice is out of the knit, and they were crawling all in her head. Hahaha, you must be scratching your head just reading this. I think that's funny because the Victoria prior to India would drop dead reading this blog. Ultimately, I picked as many lice and knits out of their hair as I could. I've become a lice killing machine---I even rebuked those suckers. I'm sorry, but lice are NOT from our father. I don't care how you put it. They are nasty.
Mary went through my head twice last night. We are pretty good at spotting them at this point and she claimed not so see anything, which means absolutely nothing1) because if you know me and my hair, it's a jungle that anything can get lost in 2) because I had a bunch of gel in my hair 3) I'm so exposed to it that I may get it in the next five weeks. So I can honestly say that my fear of getting lice still exists, but I am emotionally prepared to get it and deal with it because I think it is worth it. I love my children here. I also have a lot of faith that I may not get it and see it as a blessing that I have not gotten it so far. My biggest fear is getting it in my Diana Ross afro and then I'll have to shave my head or something. I'm sorry, this is the extremist in me talking---moving on!

We are holding a bridal shower at our house for a 17-year-old girl down the street that Anna and Cassie have become really good friends with. It's sad because she had a boyfriend that she really liked, but her father arranged her marriage with some random guy and she has to marry him. Because they have gotten so close to her, they are doing a bridal shower for her at the house today. We are trying to show them what we do in America. They think it's great. Three girls from our team will also be going to the wedding; fun times! Not all marriages in India are randomly arranged. There is a movement of what they call "love" marriages. This is the type of marriages we "try" to have in the United States. I'm not even going to get into the discussion marriage in America (especially marriage in the church) because we will be here all day.
I got my hair cut at a salon here. I cut it a little bit and got some layers. Surprisingly, it came out really cute and I love it. I also got a nice pedicure, which included this massage and was absolutely wonderful. I definitely needed the pampering after all of the conditions my feet have been in. They look so cute!
I was invited to dinner over our neighbor's house. They fed us so much food. There was a really big misconception about being on the field and going hungry. We are always hungry because we eat a lot of carbs, but we are always eating too. They feed us biscuits, chi, nes-caf, TONS of rice, beans, somosa, chapatti. We are going to go back to debrief fatter than when we left and our fellow team in Swaziland is going to come back skinny. I got an e-mail from their leaders and I heard that they are losing a lot of weight over there. If they only knew how much food we are eating. I've been trying to stick in some exercise in my daily routine. So have some of the other girls, but I need to be better about this because I have the world's slowest metabolism and all the carbs aren't helping.

Our neighbors love us! We have been going into so many peoples' houses and they are really hospitable to us. I'm glad that our father is using us in so many great ways in our neighborhood. Just the other day, I was teaching a little girl a Hindi song my orphans taught me. I realized that the song had J's name in it, but I felt moved to teach her anyway. As we were singing, another girl heard the song and asked me if I was a C. I said yes I was. I was at complete peace when I told her this; otherwise I wouldn't have. Plus I didn't want to lie to her. Cassie had said that these neighbors straight up asked her if she was a C too and she said yes. None of us felt uneasy about telling our neighbors this. In fact, we learned of others that are C's too around us. Most of them are Hindu or Muslim, but they automatically associate us with being a C because we are white. Nevertheless, the girl I taught the song to was wearing a cross. She said look Didi, which means sister in Hindi. I said yes that is a cross and that represents J. She said yes; and then I said, "Yes, and J loves you." She said yes Didi, he does. "Praise the L Didi." I could NOT believe she said this to me, I was in shock and taken aback a little bit, but then laughed with her and told her GBU. She is Muslim.
I'm so happy that G is constantly opening doors for our team to bring the message to our neighbors. We may not come in with clashing symbols and horns proclaiming that we are here trying to save the country; no. Instead we are building relationships and making friends. I truly feel like pouring love out on these people make them so much more open to receiving us into their lives and allows us an opening to share the ultimate purpose why we are here. I now see why our father brought me here. He wanted to show me how to love; he has shown me that he has called us as C's to love peopleall people! Not just the ones that speak Spanish or understand our culture. Not just the people that are nice to us and love us all the time, but all people: difficult people, angry people, poor people, rude people, unjust people, white people, black people, skinny people, fat people, etc. I have been challenged to love people that I never had a desire to reach out to. Our father's love is crazy. It crosses a million boundaries and unifies us all under one solid truth. I'm so glad that my eyes have been opened in such a way. Ignorance can kill our message if we let it. Truth can set us free.

The Saga Continues

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It's update time

We found out the results of Cassie's blood test. She had Anemia and they had to give her iron pills and such to help her out. That was a big relief because I was stressed out that she might have had something more serious. Thank the good L she did not. Anna's father is doing better. She was able to talk to him the other day on the phone. She was a little shaken up because he sounded weak, but he is doing better each day. Thank you for your p-ers.

After writing last week, I started getting a pain in my back. It almost felt as though it was my kidneys that were hurting me. I got a little nervous because I didn't want to get a kidney infection and my mind starting racing about all the possible things that could be wrong with me (I was doing that THING I doparanoya!). Anyway, I stayed home from ministry on Friday to rest because I had gotten a fever, took some Aleve and began to sweat it off. The pain moved from my back to my stomach and I didn't eat much Friday because my stomach felt like a science experiment. Thankfully by Saturday I was feeling better. Not sure exactly what was happening, but all I know is that I asked our father to heal me and he did. Also big thanks and shout out to my Doctor in Fairfield Joanne who told me to take Ciproit works!

I was kind of down because I got sick. It was like right when I was fasting I got sick and I started thinking that I shoudn't have fasted because had I not, I wouldn't have gotten sick. I had to start focusing my thoughts on our father because I knew that all of these thoughts were lies that the enemy was trying to put in my mind to make me feel bad about a good thing. The accuser likes to do that. Last week was a very emotional week for me. After going through it, it made me realize just how much we need your p-ers at home. Even though I'm becoming very comfortable here in India and I feel like it's my home, I still need to remember that I am in a battlefield in constant battle.

Saturday we went back to the market place and were able to do some souvenir shopping for our family and friends. I made a dent in my list, but I still have a lot more to go. We met these guys at the market last time. They have a shop in a sketchy looking area, but they hire men who speak English to scope out the market for American/white people to bring into the shop. Anyway, they got me and Cassie and one of our girls to go in and it's a beautiful shop. We went back to visit them again. Last time we went one of the guys sang us a song in Hindi with a drum. It was memorizing. Lol. That's aside from the fact that he is handsome. We went back and this time I sang for them in Spanish. They really liked it. It was fun and I felt like it was one of the first times I was able to be myself and not so on guard here. I have a video of him singing and also a video of me teaching him how to dance. It was hilarious. I will post them when I can. They have a travel agency in their shop and they set up a tour of New Delhi for the whole team. I'm excited. We will be going in two weeks.

As the temperature rises, we are now seeing new additions to our family. First mice, now we have lizards. They are geckoes, not to be confused with Geicothe worst car insurance ever. They are ugly and green and I don't like them either, but I think their appeal may be growing on me because I thought one was cute last night.

Our team has been invited to a wedding of one of our neighbors. Our neighborhood is full of life and excitement. Many of the girls feel called to our neighborhood more than their ministry sites. It's exciting to see how much we are connecting with the people around us. They love having us in their homes serving us chi tea. They love giving us village food, which taste and looks like village poop but we eat it with smiles on our faces. Some of us were able to buy Hindi music and I was rocking out to some in my room the other night. I almost broke my leg because I slipped on Julie's notebook that was on the floor and I didn't see it, but I'm ok. Actually I was trying to do the Sponge Bob to Hindi music and then I fell. It was funny, but thank G that I didn't break my leg. Cassie was laughing at me.

Our rickshaw drivers are getting better. They began to unionize and strike against the Americans. We pay them the same or a little bit more than our neigbors and they still try to get us to pay higher prices. We do not give into that because once we give them a higher price, we will NEVER be able to ride at the lower price again. That's just the way it is. We have to be firm with them. One day I walked about a mile before I got a decent price. It was getting ridiculous. We had to ask our father to give us patience and soften the hearts of these drivers. I wouldn't mind giving them more money because we weren't giving them a fair price, but they were just trying to rip us off because we are white, and that isn't fair. We were able to present this to our father and we have been getting a better response with them. We have also been trying new bartering tactics that seems to be working.

I love Sector 8 Dwarka! This is my HOOD! I definitely know why I was raised in the ghetto because our father knew he would bring me to the ghetto of India. It's funny because it's no different than the one I'm from. People in the ghetto are poor and sometimes hungry, but they are full of life. These are the people J came to save. I see him so clearly in the lives of my neighbors. Sometimes I just stand up on the roof and look down and ask our father to be with each and every person I see. I hear His voice so clearly tell me, "This is life." And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Sonya

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of my favorite girls at the orphanage I am at is named Sonya. She has touched my heart in countless ways.

My first encounter with Sonya was the initial time we went to the orphanage. She gave her testimony, which was full of events and experiences that I myself could never imagine going through. She is originally from Nepalthat is why she is so light skinned in comparison to her darker-skinned friends, and her eyes give away more of an Asian slant. I learned that her mother died giving birth to her younger sister, who is also at the orphanage. Her father moved her and her family to India where they encountered many difficult times, more specifically they were poor. They were so poor that her father almost sold her into prostitution in return for a chicken once. Thank G he didn't. That is the way life isdesperate times, desperate measures; but our father had a plan for Sonya. The original founder of this orphanage found Sonya and brought her and her sister into a safer place. This is also where she learned about our father.

The other day I taught Sonya's class. She is in first grade and is no older than 10. I usually teach the 7^th grade boys, but this day our father led me to teach the 1^st class. At the end of our session, Sonya gives me a card that she's made. It's on orange construction paper and the front says: "To Vikki Aunti." Inside the card it reads: "I love you so much. You are so beautful [beautiful]. I Rray [P] for you. G Love You. I den [don't] hive [have] any thing to give you soory [sorry] Vikki Aunti. From Sonya. J loves you." On the back is an intricate drawing of a red flower.

I kept reading the line, "I don't have anything to give you sorry." As if I need anything; but such a willing and giving heart. Here is a child who doesn't have yet desires to give. This really hit me because I have more than enough in my life and I don't have a desire like that to want to give.

I think we can learn a lot from Sonya's heart of service. I know our father is going to do mighty things in her. With a heart like that, she is going to reach tons of people for J.

Love Letter to G

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I wrote this love letter to our father on Valentines Day. The exercise for worship that week was to write a love letter to G. I wanted to share it with you all.

Dear G,

How are you? I haven't spoken to you since this morning, but here I am again. I love you G. I absolutely do. You do so many things that surprise me. I think that what I love about you. There's never a dull moment. You have transformed my life. Every time I try to run from you, you never let me. You always draw me back to you. When I'm away from you I miss your warmth. I miss the comfort I feel in your arms when I'm not in them; I long to be saturated by your presence. Your revelations give me hope. I find peace and rest in doing your work. I am never distressed knowing you carry me always.

Wonderful savior, I'm passionately in love with your ways. Your justice carries me. Your righteousness teaches me. Your abundance sustains me. Your love fills me. Your peace calms me. Your grace humbles me; your spirit councils me. Your mercy breaks me. Your strength supplies me. How perfect you are. I love how you are such a winner! I love how you are perfect though I am not; I long to be like you. You are everything I wish I could be.

Sometimes I wonder, "How could you choose me? Why? Out of so many people you chose me?!" I feel unworthy yet privileged. Thank you so much G. I can only repay all of your blessings by giving you my life and winning as many lives for your kingdom as possible. Your son J is amazing. His example on my life is unreal. Sometimes I wish I could touch you. G, I just want to see your splendors. I cannot wait to see where else you are going to take us. I'm excited to see what's next and I'm excited to live my life totally for you! How awesome you are. I can't ever see myself with you!

L, I hope you love this letter. I also hope that you love me. I mean, I know you do, but I hope I make you happy. I hope that you can forgive me when I mess up. I truly don't want to hurt you. I want to make you proud of me. I hope you are proud of me and I can't wait to see you G. I want to see you soon! I promise I will call tomorrow. I love you.

Love,

Victoria

Sickness, etc.

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Soooooo many things to say. Let's see, where do I begin? This is going to be another chaotic blogbut bear with me!

So last night I was woken up by my co-leader. She's telling Anna (my other co-leader) on our team that her mother called. Her mother called our organization to tell that Anna's father had a heart-attack and he was rushed to the hospital for emergency open heart surgery. He got a triple bi-pass, which I'm familiar with because my father got this done when I was in the 6^th grade. We immediately began to ask our father to protect him and bring healing on his life. We got good news this morn that surgery went well and he will be in ICU for a few days and then in the hospital for another few days and then sent home. Please do not forget him in your p's. This reminded me of a story that Aileen told me once about being at a retreat at majanaim and they were awoken in the middle of the night to the news that Daisy's father had past away. I was taken aback and began ping immediately.

Also, our leader Cassie was very sick this weekend and was vomiting violently. She is feeling better now and able to keep food down, but her eyes starting turning yellow. We took her to the hospital this morn and they took a blood test for Hepatitis. We get the results tonight. I honestly do not think it's anything wrong, but we just want to be safe. She has not been vomiting or anything. I just think the discoloration is because she was heaving so much, some of her blood vessels in her eyes are red too. IDK, I'm not physician---So that's another thing you can p about.

I'm getting bit by mosquitoes like crazy. I'm up to five bites now, but I'm taking my malaria medicine and doing the best I can to stay covered, so I think five isn't that bad for a month.

The mouse made another appearance yesterday. I really would love to kill him but I'm too scared of him to get close enough to kill him. Lol. Every time I enter a room in the house I yell, "Mickey Mouse don't come out!" He never comes out. Yesterday I forgot and what does he do? He walks right near my foot. That mouse is becoming social. He has a death wish though.

More important things: The kids at my orphanage are really coming a long way. They act like kids the more we are there with them. They are more expressive about their emotions and they told me yesterday that they loved me! I almost cried. These kids would have never said that a month ago. I'm so thankful.

I've been fasting yesterday and today. I haven't fasted in forever! Our father is revealing so much to me. I have a whole list of things to pray for. I know that when you fast you're not really suppose to make a public display of it, but I'm writing it as an encouragement to everyone that it works! Already one really big thing on my list has been answered. I just want to encourage everyone at home that if you haven't fasted in a while, you should think of doing so. I feel so close to our father right now, it's amazing. I hear his voice so clearly. I'm having dreams and visions. I have so much more faith. Our father answers ps, we just need to make ourselves available for his answers. Sometimes at home in America it's so easy to get distracted and miss the signs that our father is sending as answers to prayers. Fasting has helped me focus on him and makes me realize how much He speaks to us through the little things.

Christina's mother and sister have graced us with their presence here in India. I can't tell you what a bl*ssing it has been to have them here with us. They have been able to pour into us so much. Christina's mother is diabetic, so our diet over here for her is terrible. If you didn't know, all we eat is CARBS!! Ugh. Killing me because I am getting FAT! That's beside the point. She has one of those blood sugar counter thingies, and she checks her blood all the time. One of the girls on my ministry team, Mary, was having really bad headaches. We checked her blood sugar level and it was really high! I then decided to check mine. I let them prick my finger and checked my blood sugar level. It was normal, thank our good father. Please keep Mary in p-er. She has been having really bad headaches and our poor diet here is not helping her sugar level at all.

I have to testify that my health has been amazing here. Thank our good father. All of your p-ers are appreciated and I know my peeps at GS are on their knees constantly, so I'm grateful for that!

I have told you in my other blog that our father has opened a door for me to go to Thailand. I'm having issues with the June 3 to Aug 3trip because my cousins Sweet 15 is in June and I really would want to be there. There is a trip available for Thailand from May 15 to June 15. This would really work for me. I know it is a shorter notice and it gives me very little time in between me getting back from India, but if I can raise the support I need while I'm here in India, it would work. I need to raise $3,000 by May 15. Please let me know if you are interested in supporting me. You can mail a check to my church: Good Shepherd, 725 Hancock Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605 or give it to my mother. Please include in the envelope that the donation is going toward Victoria's Thailand trip. We will see how this pans out. Another reason why I'm fasting.

Our father has made it clear to me that he wants me to go on trip this summer. I don't know how or when, but I'm just ping for everything to work itself out. Living by faith isn't easy, but it's what I'm called to do.

Remember----e-mails and comments are appreciative and necessary. I love getting stuff from you guys. You crack me UP!

Thoughts

Sat, 1 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Namaste! Yes, Namaste is hello and goodbye in Hindi!

Ap kay say hey? How are you? Acha? Good? I am doing Bo hut Acha! VERY GOOD! Muy bien!

Just stopping by and saying hello to family, friends and loved ones to give you a little update.

Spoke to mom and she said she would try to start support fund raising for my summer trip while I'm still in India. If you feel moved to support me for the summer, please make check out to me and give it to my mother or you can mail it to my church: Good Shepherd Christian Church, 725 Hancock Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605. Make sure you include that this donation is for ninja work for Victoria Rosa. So I am taking the step of faith of going to Thailand for the summer, June 3 to August 3. I pray that God opens the door and provides the funds that will allow me to go. If not, I just take it as a closed door.

Onto other things: Our team could not visit a leper colony yesterday because this group from Asia (Asia for Gospel?? Something like that) came in and started giving out B*bles and cr*sses and going in attempting to save everyone! Ugh. All the work we do trying to build relationships with these people, it upsets me that other people come in and use a different tactic that starts riots! So for our safety, we did not go to that site because we were worried that they would associate us with that organization because we are white. Please ask our father to protect us. We have not got the word from our hosts whether or not we are allowed to go back to these sites again, but this is difficult because we have built relationships with people there and it would be devastating if we would never be able to go back there, at least for the rest of this trip. I will keep you updated with that.

Yesterday I felt like I really had a breakthrough at the orphanage that I go to. These kids have been really cold since we have gotten there because they had a change in administration and they are not treated very nicely. We have been praying against these things and the more our team is present there, the more I see life in these kids. They are transforming into kids. Some days they digress and the air is really thick and dark in that place, but there was a big change this week. They actually laughed! We were cracking up because I was teaching them this Hindi song I learned in Ajmer and I guess I was saying it completely wrong. Well they thought it was the funniest thing ever. This was great. I felt warmth and I felt like I was in the right place. It's almost like when you fall in love with someone you don't want to leave them because you feel a sort of warmth with them, well it was sort of the same feeling. That's the best way I can explain it to you. They also wrote my name in Hindi and I made them write my mom's name in Hindi too because I missed her and writing her name in Hindi made me feel good. That was a fun time.

I've used a different tactic in the orphanage. I've been bringing books and reading to the kids. I love reading to my nephews at home. It is like our special bonding time together and I felt like the Lord was leading me to the same thing with the kids. These children LOVE being read to. I love reading to them! It sort of eases my longing to want to do it with my nephews also. We are helping each other. The kids are so smart. They started memorizing the books I read to them. I test them to see if they remember what's said on the next page. It's just so much fun. I can't imagine myself doing anything else! I love them.

Alli also told us that she will be bringing a team back to India for two weeks in December to have Christmas parties with the children we are ministering to now. I would love to come back in December to see the children. I will also put this in prayer. What I would really like is if I could bring a friend from home. I want someone from home to see the beauty I have been seeing here. Think about it. If anyone is interested let me know. It is very possible for you to come if you have the yearning in your heart.

I hear it is snowing back at home. Yuck! I don't miss that. It's starting to get hot over here. Mosquito nets have gone up and I've only gotten one bite so far, but they are coming in armies so pray they stay away from me. I went into the bathroom today and there were a million!

I hear the pantomime team is going well at home. Good job guys. I've been praying for you. Also, I will not be brining lice home in the name of J***s so you guys keep the jokes to a minimum or I'll have to rebuke you. The new Chris Brown/Jordin Sparks song is amazing. I heard it on Ek's myspace page and I'm so hooked! I knew Jordin was my girl. She is such a good singer. Umm, let's see what else? I am not actively looking for a husband until the end of this year. I claim that by the end of this year I will be on my way to marriage shortly thereafter. This year is dedicated to my relationship with God. Next year is my year for love and marriage. Someone's gotta believe it, might as well be me! If you are interested please see my mother for a full interview. She has my list of expectations in her pocketbook at all times.

I'm reading Mere Christianity right now, WOW! Let me tell you how in love I am with C.S. Lewis. So in love with him that I read the first book of Chronicles, The Magicians Nephew and now I'm reading another one of his works of art. He is a genius. I definitely advise this book to all of my friends (Dad especially you because I see you enjoying this book very much). I have a lot of books on my list. Also I have a goal of reading the whole New Testament while I'm here. Have read Acts, Roman and am on 1 Corinthians. WOW! So much is said in those books. I love just reading them straight through and really studying. Our father is showing me a lot in His Word.

I have been looking at different schools of thought while I am here. Questions like, Do you believe in the death penalty or in war. I have been challenged with these questions because I have heard arguments on this trip that I have never considered or heard before. I think my thoughts are being changed slowly to understanding the other side that I used to say I didn't agree with at all. I'm not so quick to say that I don't agree anymore. I have a lot of questions to ask my father when I get home, because he is the wisest person I know and he judges things according to God's Word, but our Father has been showing me certain things directly through his Word. All in all, I'm still very opinionated and strong-willed, but I'm learning how to act in love. I needed help with that and I'm glad that our father loves me so much he brought me to a totally different country to teach me one-on-one. He did it with Paul---he took him to a desert and taught him (read Galations)---this is my desert.

I have so much to tell you guys! I will have to save it for when I get home though. Don't worry; I have things written down in my journal so I won't forget.

<3 you all very much. Keep the comments and e-mails coming. I love to hear from my friends and family!

P.S. Please keep our fellow team in prayer. They are in Swaziland, Africa while we are here in India and we were at training camp with them and will be with them when we go back to Atlanta, GA for a few days. They are having a few issues on their team so please remember them. Thank you!

Check out the blog updates:

http://victoriarosa.myadventures.org/

http://08in0121rl3.myadventures.org/

Hope all is well at home. Love you guys!

Email Update

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hi guys!!!

I'm so excited that you guys have been e-mailing and messaging me! I can only get on here a little bit, so that is why i can't message everyone back individually. Hope everything at home is going great in Bridgeport and those of my friends and fam that are in other places like Florida, etc., hope all is well.

so pretty much this e-mail is going to be a bunch of stuff that is not in any particular order, I'm free writing right now.

India has been full of surprises. The driving here is CRAZY! and let's talk about how i have to ride a "scooty pep" which is a scooter (my mother is going to have a fit about this, kind of like the one you took a picture on in Hawaii mom) and I have to ride in this crazy traffic in it. Well it's crazy. I live on Dramamine because I get motion sickness lol.

We have been able to go to orphanages and I have made really good relationships already. These children have my heart and I wish I could adopt them all. I did lice treatment on them the other day. Yea, that was kinda crazy because I have never seen lice before and suddenly I'm scrubbing an orphans head full of lice. there were dead lice on my hand and I was like I cannot believe I'm doing this, but it was the most awesome experience ever. I will probably catch it, I'm with them so much, but I don't even care guys, seriously. They also do not sell the lice shampoo here because the religion believes in reincarnation so they don't sell stuff that kills them. I have been combing out my hair, and the girls go nuts because I have this afro all the time doing lice checks. It's fun and crazy and I never thought I would ever be doing this. I've asked my father to break me in many ways, I want to die to self, and he sure has been doing that. Especially since I'm terrified to get lice, but the reality is that I can go home and treat it and never have it again. these kids live with it everyday. I still have it better.

The leper colony has been intersting. I brought crayons and paper the other day and I gave a man a crayon so he could draw. He didn't have any fingers and was sort of distressed because he couldn't color. I showed him a way to color using both of this hands and when he mmicked me and saw that he was able to color he just started laughing like crazy. It was the best feeling because I saw that Our Father was really using me to be a light to this man who has been shunned by his society. I love that. I love how HE uses us in the littlest things.

The house we are staying in is awesome. I've taken a lot of pics but won't be able to post any until I get back I think. I'm looking forward to going to the Taj. Already some girls that stayed with us went and the pictures were awesome. I'll be going in April.

I've gotten fabric for my Punjabis, or Indian suits. I'm really excited to get fitted for that. I got my eyebrows threaded yesterday and I must admit, they do look on POINT! and it was Extra cheap. I never want to get them waxed again. This technique has revolutionized my life.

Hmmm. What else? We will be leaving for 10 days to an orphanage and will be doing VBS for the kids there. I can't wait. I LOVE VBS!

Oh, by the way, Happy Valentines day to all! Hope you all have Valentines. I have not found an Indian valentine yet, although many of these Indian men are handsome I cannot betray my love for Puerto Ricans. lol

I have many kid crushes here. One girl named Hamanshi and then there Suraj, which means sun in Hindi. I'm in love with both of them.

I bought a Hindi book and have learned a lot of this language. Namaste is Hello. Ap que nom qui a hey is what is your name? I'm obsessed with it and speak it and everyone here thinks I'm Indian already so I'm in love.

Well I can go on forever, but I've got to go. I'll leave you with links to our trip pages again and my myspace. Love comments and e-mails. Keep sending them to me. Love you all!!!

P.S. BRIAN I have not gotten the plague!!! In fact I have been in great health. A lot of girls have been getting sick and throwing up and number 3 but I got a stomach of steel it seems and I've been eating the food and drinking the chi so whoever has been asking our father to keep me in good health, keep it up. I told the girls here that my tongue speaking people at home are in communion with our father. They're shocked cuz most of them are baptists and they don't even believe in tongues. hahaha. it's hillarious. Well keep it up y'all!

New India Blog
Current mood: blessed
Category: Blogging

So between the latter link I gave you for my India blog and This new link: India Blog, You should be able to keep up with my blogging in India and see the great exciting things I'm going to be doing.

I'm bascially putting these links up for simplicity for my mother who needs to be in contact with me at all times. (love you mom!) I'm teasing her, but I'm serious all at the same time.

India Trip Information: if you're interested in looking into what my trip is about and what organization I'm going with.

If you'd like to support my trip financially, click here.

My myspace: myspace.com/vikki12985

E-mail Update...again

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey guys!

This is the last time I'll be able to e-mail in a while. We are going to be going on a 10 day journey to Asmir. There is an orphanage there that we are going to do VBS at.

Everything is going well still. My hair is still lice free, which is a blessing. I hear people are asking our father about that and I'm very thankful.

This week was a good week, but many girls are starting to get sick. I think it might just be a bug that we are passing to each other more than the food or water. We've been good with that, so it probably is just a bug. I have been in good health besides the fact that my sinuses act up and I get a stuffy nose or that i get car sick all the time.

At the orphanage I'm at, I teach 7th grade. The boys range in age and their exams are coming up soon. I'm trying to prepare them for that. I'm so glad that i took calculus cuz this math I have to teach them is hard. I've been teaching myself out of the book first then I teach them. I also teach them science, which isn't as bad. They are really cute and none of them want to get married. I find that funny. We asked them why they don't want to get married and they told us it is because they are sons of the generation of Mother Teresa. That had me cracking up. These boys have my heart. there is a lot of drama going on at the orphanage I'm at. A lot of spiritual warfare, if you will...I can't really go into detail about the drama that's happening there, but I can say that there is a lot of physical abuse to the kids. THere is a whole story that goes along with it that I"m going to have to tell people when I get back. It willl definitely be a chapter in my book one day.

The leper colony went well this week too. We taught girls there how to make friendship bracelets. they liked that a lot. they say I look like a punjabi girl, which is a girl from another state in india. They put a bindi on my and everything. A bindi is the red dot on their foreheads. I learned this week that woman usually put it on their heads to show that they are married. I also learned that they have toe rings for marriage instead of rings on their hand.

I haven't been able to update my personal blog. I think I'm going to start doing that instead of these e-mails so keep checking the links of the blogs I send you and look for updates. I know that one of the girls posted a video of the house we are staying at. My mother says it looks like a ghetto. lol. TO be honest with you, even the Indians think it's a rough area, but I love our neighborhood. it's so full of interesting things. Make sure you go on the blog and check the video out.

My father has been teaching me a lot here. I knew he would, but I didn't realize what a hard place this is to be a ninja. There is so much warfare here. we are constantly being attacked. Just yesterday our van would not start and we had to push it. It was pretty funny, but it was also very scary.

I almost died on scooty pep the other day and we have decided not to use it. The boys were teaching us how to ride it and I was making a turn and I almost drove the scooty into the sewer full of poop. I hopped off the scooter and dragged it over before I drove into it thank goodness. SO mom, your prayers are answered. No more scooter for me. It was fun while it lasted.

Keep lifting us up when you remember. We are barely half way through our journey here and there's a lot more time left.

O yeah, and somebody write me a long, detailed e-mail a bout something. I want to hear about what's going on at home! haha. Blog comments and e-mails are always appreciated.

Here are all the links again. Keep them and check them when you remember:

So between the latter link I gave you for my India blog and This new link: India Blog, You should be able to keep up with my blogging in India and see the great exciting things I'm going to be doing.

I'm bascially putting these links up for simplicity for my mother who needs to be in contact with me at all times. (love you mom!) I'm teasing her, but I'm serious all at the same time.

India Trip Information: if you're interested in looking into what my trip is about and what organization I'm going with.

If you'd like to support my trip financially, click here.

Love you guys a lot!!!