It's week number two in India and everything is going well! My team has begun our coffee shop EV interactions and have met quite a few nationals! We have set up appointments to meet with them again this week and are so excited to know them better! One girl has been very enthusiastic and cannot wait to share more and more of her culture with us.  English classes have been going well also! We have had eight students and they are as eager to learn from us as we are to teach!
    Also, the team visited the historic William Carey's church last week! The current pastor there told us the story of William Carey's life and some of his personal struggles. It was truly a tremendous encouragement. We also learned that J. Adoniram Judson was baptized there!

 This week the girls on the team earned to do Mahendi or henna. This is an ancient Indian decorative body art for the hands or feet It will be used to tell stories to nationals! This week we taught them  to tell the story of Creation and the fall of man through henna!

We also were able to work at a couple of pilot schools here in Kolkata. We were picked up by bus at around 8 am. We entered the bus welcomed with screams of "Auntie!" and "Uncle!" from almost every child on there! They were so excited to see us! On the way to the schools, we learned that there were actually two schools we would be working in. One was for older children and the other for babies and toddlers. The older children were taught elementary English and some basic math before ending the day. They were ecstatic to see foreigners and loved playing with us.At the babycare center, we helped bathe, clothe and feed them before showering them with love as we played with them. I can't wait to go back!!

Nomoskar!

Greetings from Kolkata! My team has successfully landed in India and we are off to a glorious start! We visited the local marketplace where we learned a great deal about the vibrant and diverse culture of the people here. It is amazing how wide of a spectrum exists between the extremely wealthy and the desperately poor. Despite all of the differences between these groups they share the common thread of unbelief.  Already we have visited two Hindu temple and Muslim mosque where we witnessed the enormous need for the saving grace of our Lord. We were so excited to pass out registration flyers for the English classes we will be teaching and finally make some connections! The classes begin this week, please pray for an abundant number of pupils and close relationships with each one!!

More to come!