Home!!!

Well we are home, yeah! The travel went very well, even though there must have been a conspiracy going on against Brother Jeff. He had one of his carry-on bags confiscated, sat by screaming children for all 20 hr worth of flight and kept getting checked and rechecked.
I've now been home for about 36 hr and have had 4 baths-long, hot, relaxing baths! It sure beats a bucket and pale with cold water. The Sunday at the Eureka Home I didn't even have water or electricity so that was an adventure. It's so good to see my family and to eat American food. I've posted quite a few pictures and stories so just sit back and enjoy the posts from today and yesterday.

Baptism

Walking to the river for the baptism.
Front side of the river.
Back side of the river.

Beautiful Children

Pictures of some of the kids. Some are orphans and some are members of the churches. Franklin (pronounced Fronk-len, like Fronk on Father of the Bride) is 5 yrs old and is one of the caretaker's sons. He was introduced to me as the naughty boy and he holds on to that title quite well. He was my entertainment while at the Eureka Home.
"My girls" from Shady Grove.



Sathish and Deva from Eureka. Sathish is my mom's sponsored child and Deva is mine. They liked their Christmas presents which were the soccer balls.

Franklin's little sister Shella.

Warm Welcome

A harty welcome from the Shady Grove Home.

Brother Jeff teaching the chilldren a song.
Some of the little boys there.
Welcome dances.
Some of the little girls there.

Little boy welcoming us.
Cutie who quoted Psalm 91:1-10.
Older girl that gave a short explanation of the doctrines of grace.

Country side

In the back field is a man plowing with oxen (taken for my grandfathers).
Behind the Shady Grove Children's Home.
View from the Eureka Children's Home guest house.
Mound of prayer at the Eureka Children's Home, also beside their tapioca garden.
Another view from the Eureka guest house.

Sri Lanka Refugee Camp

Some of the children in the Sri Lanka refugee camp.
Some of the women of the camp.
Inside one of the huts.
Brother Jamey preaching to a room full of children about the miracles of Jesus.
The little beauty that sat at my feet during the church service. It's she just gorgeous!

CMC Hospital

Pictures from the CMC hospital and various satellite clinics.

Free medical clinic for indigents.
Courtyard inside the CMC health department. I could use that view from my office!
One of the education rooms at the hospital.
Lab at the health department.
I just couldn't resist. I had to have a picture of this sign that's posted at one of the hospital clinics.

Church members

Just a few pictures of the church members.

Elder Guna-leader of all the orphanages and a true visionary.
Services at Good Samaritan. Guna's wife Mary is in the yellow-such a great hostess.

Nelson, Grace and baby Jefferson. He is Guna's right-hand man!
Ladies at Good Samaritan church. The lady in the middle is named Esther-what a jewel!
My 2 favorite older ladies. These are ones that gave me the bagel and tried to keep me warm (see earlier post).
Such a sweet family! He is one of the doctors in the clinic (the one that always bought me mango juice). He is also an awesome daddy. The mother, Grace, runs the Eureka Children's home. The little girl is 9 and the little guy (Stephen Timothy) is 5. Little Stephen Timothy is such a cutie! On the day I had to go back to the main orphanage, he put on a pair of blue sunglasses and jumped in the car, "I take you."

Karen Stick

This is a picture of me in a sari which is the traditional Indian dress. I had to wear it while traveling in the villages. It is a long piece of fabric (8 meters) that is wrapped around and then tucked and pinned. I felt like a human burrito! For all that fabric it still does not cover from the rib cage to the top of the hip on the left side. That's why I'm holding my arms that way in the picture. I tried every way possible to get them to pin or tuck or something to cover that up but they just wouldn't have it! I also acquired the name "Karen Stick" because the ladies had to dress me (how embarrassing!) and they nicknamed me this. I came all the way to India for this abuse?! :)

Mobile Clinic

Banner for the clinic This picture was taken with my 7-yr old cousin Clay in mind because it shows a water buffalo. After seeing the finished product, I thought it was a great way to show where exactly I did the nutrition ed classes because I took the picture from the chair I was sitting in while teaching, not exactly like my offices, huh?
This was the "death trap" car I told you about in an earlier post. My legs were just too long for that ride!
This is a poster I used written in Tamil that gives information about fat and water-soluble vitamins.
Clinic's medicine/vitamin cabinet.
The supplies taken to the villages.

Just a few of the people I talked to. I didn't take any pictures of the really sick or malnourished because for those my mind was only on education not picture taking.