Even as I am posting this message, I am finding it hard to believe that I am back in India. As i recall the the last 24 hours, things are starting to sink in:

- Eating buttered nan :)
- Standing in rediculously long lines that seem to serve no particular purpose
- 3 legged dogs
- Leaving the US with 2 bags and arriving in Mumbai with 1

Just a few things to dispel any romanticism of the trip. Although we are here for a different reason, it is the little things like this that seem to make it 'real'. One thing I have noticed is that I have been able understand the accents and the culture so much better. I miss people here.

We had dinner with one of the pastors tonight and over the course of the hour he started openning up. One thing i should mention is that the pastors are very reluctant to talk about the difficulties. He wouldn't tell us about the persecution he has endured over these past months until i asked him a direct question. The men visiting in the middle of the day and night to cause him and his family trouble. The beatings. Instead, he wanted to tell me of the fact that he now had 33 orphans to care for, and that he had 160 children in his school. He is proud. I am humbled. We also had to pry out of him that he was in debt for buying the orphans clothes and textbooks for school. The bill is 57,000 Rupies (a little over $1000) and a huge debt for him to overcome. I love this about the pastors here. When they know what needs to be done, they do it. They take a step of faith that God will provide, and they do it. In response to this kind of faith, God DOES provide. I cannot tell you how much fun it will be to hand the pastor the 57,000 rupies tomorrow morning...

Thank you so much for your support of i58. It is your money we are giving him tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers. They are being answered.

-eric