And so it ends

Monday during CDC Regina, the teacher that I work with told me she admires me because I never scold the children, I always just smile... while this was very kind of her, it’s not for lack of desire to scold that I don’t, it’s just that I don’t know the words. I tried to tell a boy he was naughty once, and instead called him a monkey, so I think I’ll just stick to the smiling. Monday night after CDC Deepa, one of the teachers who really doesn’t speak much English, insisted that I come to her house, which Kingsley surprisingly gave in to, perhaps because it was a “walkable distance” means like 12 feet. He gave us half an hour, but after visiting every person she’s ever known and eating the strangest assortments of food ever, I came back about 2 hours later. That man didn’t even care.
Tuesday was a big Hindu holiday, so the kids didn’t have CDC, and Kingsley, for some reason I cannot understand at all, decided I should go nose ring shopping with Deepa and Regina!! By foot!! However, due to the fact that I was wearing a shin length skirt and t-shirt, I had to change... inappropriate you know. This will always be one of my favourite memories of India, the “pillar of Aubrey”, each girl (they’re the same age as I am so I don’t really know what to call them) on either side of me, holding my hide, and continually telling me how “jolly” they are... happiness is so simple here. After buying my new nose ring, they had a series of whispering conferences, and took me to this shop to buy me SO much jewelry that I never would have picked for myself but really is beautiful... I should be giving them things, but here they are, buying me anything they think I could possibly want! We went to have tea afterwards, because that’s just what you do, and I swear they asked me if I wanted every single thing in the little stall. When I would say no thanks, Deepa would get very angry looking and tell me she hated my words. Oh goodness I will miss those 2!
Wednesday I finished my last book due to the fact that the power was out all day, and prayed that Mumbai would be full of things to do, because as much as I’ve come to appreciate relaxing, having nothing to occupy my interest still scares me, I think lonliness itself scares me. But I think God heard my prayers in a different way than I meant to pray them, because during CDC Kingsley called me to the window to tell me that Raj will be busy this week and I can no longer go to Mumbai. Which means I basically forfeit almost all of the money I paid for the tickets, and go with him to Kotagiri, but really I don’t care, in fact I can really see a lot of good in it. God is in control, and I have no doubt that He has my best interest in mind, so it’s actually better than ok! In Kotagiri I’ll get to help Kings finish painting his church, help him pick out some new sound equipment, visit that CDC again, and attend a wedding of one of his friends! And when I’m leaving I’ll only have to wait in the airport alone 2 hours instead of the 6 I would have had to had I gone to Mumbai!
I also got to chase chickens with an old woman today... just delightful really.
Thursday, today, I was just overwhelmed by the way God has worked here, by the certainty that I have regarding the fact that I really was called to India for the last 3 weeks, for SO many reasons... But blessings tend to be forgotten if they’re not shared, and I think that’s something else I’ve been increasingly aware of while I was here... accountability isn’t just about keeping one another doing the right things morally, it’s also simply about sharing in the ONLY things that REALLY matter in this life...I read today in “Follow Me to Freedom”, a book I would recommend to anyone, “we begin to heal when we share in one another’s pain...”. So so true.
As I said goodbye to the kids tonight I thought it would probably be easier this time, because they didn’t throw a big celebration like last year, it was just another night at CDC, but really it was harder, because the kids just kept coming back to kiss me and tell me goodbye one more time, to hold my hand, and to tell me they love me through tear filled eyes. One girl told me I should come back next year, and my reply was something along the lines of lots of money. She thought for a second, and her eyes lit up as she told me “Jesus will help you!” Just beautiful.
But I can’t wait to be home, I can’t wait to share with each one of you in this journey we’re on! I love you all so much!