Finding out who belongs to who!

On Sundays we go to two services. One of them is in the village of Kalapani. There are usually quite a number of people there. It is interesting that often you can't figure out who are husband and wife and which children belong to which parents. At Kalapani at the Bread of Life Institute and the Bread of Life Academy there are quite a number of workers with families. Most of them come to church. This past Sunday I decided to figure this out. I started with a lady I knew who spoke some English and enlisted her help. They were quite shy but were kind and humored me as I managed to get the couples to kind of stand together so I could remember them. They actually thought it was kind of funny and smiled shyly. I didn't quite get all the children sorted out but that will come when I go next week and try to learn the names. There are some very cute little children and at least one baby about 9 months. There is also a new baby arriving in a couple months. I am excited about the possibility of showering this new one with all kinds of gifts! Won't that be fun?

Shopping with Autumn in Guwahati

Autumn likes to shop almost as much as her Grandma does so on Saturday Raysha and Pamela decided to venture out on their own, Ray and Andrew did likewise, and Autumn and I decided to go shopping. I think Autumn saw a slightly crazy side of her Grandma! (oh, no is that were my daughters get it from?) We did have fun. First of all when we go shopping we walk for about 5 minutes to where the auto taxi (3 wheelers) are all lined up. When they see us coming they literally jump out of their autos to see where we want to go and if he can wait while we shop and then we bargain a price which in his mind is already about 30 rupees too much. However, I am a softy so whatever, within reason is fine! So off we go to the Hub which is a rather modern department store and quite fun to look in but somewhat expensive. They do have imported things as well as lots of very nice Indian clothes. They also have a nice grocery section which has some imported food and packaged fruits transported from Delhi or Bombay. We got strawberries on Saturday and one day I got Kiwi fruit and yellow peppers. Autumn thought it would be fun to cross the street and just look in some of the hundreds of shops lining the streets. Crossing the street is somewhat hilarious!! Well, after starting and going back a few times and getting to the middle and stopping a kind policeman came and escorted us across. Autumn was about to roll on the street in laughter!! She was actually the scared one!! We began to look for a salwar for her. She loves them. We found a section of the shopping area where there were many stores with salwars in them and we had fun looking at piles of them and really not being satisfied. Finally she did find one that she liked. The man's first price was 520Rs. I thought it was a little much so then he said 20% off-he finally gave it to us for 400RS. It fits her perfectly and looks very cute. Then we decided to walk to get a few veggies and on the way found two baby Khasi stools as we call them. They are made from bamboo. One for Michael and one for Jesse. By this time it was about 5PM and time to head home but we were going the wrong direction so Autumn says, Grandma we need to go the other way but I said that the other day I got one there and he just went strait across the road and went the right way. She wasn't sure about that but we did get one. This one, unfortunately, went all the way around! We did make it home by the time darkness hit, paying a little more than necessary to the nice auto driver. Autumn was very happy with the afternoon. Ray and Andrew went to look at vehicles, got hair cuts and went to a new complex that has bumper cars and a bowling alley so of course Andrew went on the bumper cars. They had a good afternoon. Raysha and Pamela had a wonderful afternoon of shopping and found a nice little coffee shop to have coffee and cake. A great way to spend Saturday afternoon!

Pizza Hut

On Valentines Day Ray decided that we should all go out for supper to Pizza Hut!! This was my first time to Pizza Hut in Guwahati. I was excited. In Delhi, we went to Pizza Hut and it was a wonderful meal and just like walking into Pizza Hut in a city in Canada. I was not diappointed in this Pizza Hut. Ray, Andrew and I went in one Auto and the girls went in another. They got stopped by a police check so Andrew and I went in and reserved our table and ordered our pizza. It was just so interesting to be in India and have all the waitresss and waiters dressed in black and red uniforms and all the tablewear to say Pizza Hut on it etc. There were also lots of red heartshaped balloons on the windows. It was very much like walking into the same restaurant in Canada. Did the pizza taste the way it is supposed to at Pizza Hut? Yes, it did!! We all enjoyed it very much. And in case you are wondering, it did cost about the same as in Canada. After our meal we walked down GS Road and shopped along the way, finding a flower shop, and a different supermarket that we hadn't been to yet. At home we shared some valentine cookies and mango ice cream for dessert with tea. How did you celebrate valentines day?

At Home in India

It is over a month since we left Canada and headed over to India to live in the city of Guwahati. We have settled into our home and gradually we are getting it in order and cleaned! We are learning where to go for what and we are getting to know a few people. As the opportunities surface and as the events unfold we realize more and more God's leading in our being here. It is certainly a different place than we have been for the last three years. One difference is that we have two young ladies with us. They are mostly working with Autumn and Andrew but are already involved with the children out at a small village school. Kalapani is where the Bread of Life Academy is and now has a small permanent structure with another part being added. The Bread of Life Centre is here in Guwahati and houses all the printing for the Book of Life Bible courses. Thousands of people are enrolled in several language groups throughout Northeast India. Shyam, the man in charge of all of these works, has gone home to Imphal for a couple months. Ray and Samuel, (Shyams son) are now looking after everything! Ray has started Bible classes with 8 students and two more on the way. I think he will be happy when things get a little more into routine!!

Today I am venturing out again to look for some material to make some cushion covers for our living room. I also heard about a store where they have some foreign foods so would like to check that out! But first there is a pile fo ironing to do so will get that done! Hope you are having a good day. Ellen