Happy New Year!

At least it's the new year here!

I know that this is my second post for the day but I felt like I should blog for the new year.

I have been so blessed this past year it is unbelievable. God has taking me so far in directions I never thought I would go. figuratively and literally. ;) 
There are no words to describe or explain how amazing 2011 turned out to be. So, I won't try to capture it all but here are a few things:

• traveled to Florida
• got accepted into U of I
• went to Nashville on a work team
• I turned 20
• I got my wisdom teeth out
• went to the TN sing
• Wyss family vacation
• Metzger reunion
• Ellie got engaged and married
• I moved to Champaign
• I became an aunt
• I was accepted into the India program
• Lastly I am now in India having experiences of a lifetime

Some of my favorite verses this year:
Psalm 48:10 "Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not for I am with thee: be not dismayed for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Philippians 1:6 "Be confident in this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Have a wonderful new year!

In Christ
~Michelle

Day 3 - hospital visit, temple tour, new year's

Day 3

Today was full of ups and downs.

We toured the Meenakshi hospital. We were greeted again with a rose and a yellow dot for our foreheads. Meenakshi Mission Hospital is a non-profit hospital that is hosting us. It was so cool.  We got to see pretty much everything including oncology, surgery, radiation, ICU, ER and even the Smile Train section for clef pallet surgery. The kids were so cute.

In the afternoon we went to the huge and famous Meenakshi temple.  Again there were women walking around the temple presenting us with flowers and red-teardrop dots for our foreheads.  Really, I don't know the significance of the dots and no one I ask seems to know.  They come off easily though. Which is nice.

The architecture was amazing, the colors spectacular and the stonework was beautiful. But, as I watched people crying out and kneeling before stone figures, waving incense, and dedicating babies I could only feel sick.  All of the hundreds of thousands of people I see in the streets here putting their faith in idols and sculptures is just sickening. With all the grandeur they have created in that temple and many others they still have nothing.

On a lighter note there were a few funny things that happened today.  Everyone has to take off their shoes before they can enter the temple.  So, they are left in piles in designated areas. As I walked down the street I saw a little bow leaving one of these shoe areas caring a pair of huge men’s dress shoes. He took off down the street and was soon lost in the crowd. :) hehe.

While riding in the bus or walking down the street people stare at us, especially the men.  It’s not creepy but it is odd. People here in Madurai drive extremely close to each other and this particular time we were probably only two feet from the other vehicle.  A boy, maybe about 16 years old, looked over at us and his face lit up. American girls! He and all the other guys in the car began waving and smiling at us. It made me feel special. At least someone appreciates me. ;)

Street sellers were sort of a new thing for me and today we saw a lot today. They wouldn’t stop bugging us today. Even if you would say no and look away, they would try to explain why you need it.

The saddest thing to see are the beggars; Women missing arms, men who can’t walk, and starving children. We were told not to give to beggars. Saying no is so hard.

Tonight was our New Year’s party.  The Meenakshi Mission Sunshine Hotel put on a concert/party for us. It was extremely cool but awkward all the same. We ate a traditional Indian dinner and watched a traditional Indian dance on the rooftop of the hotel.  The hotel workers showed of their awesome and hilarious Indian dance moves as well all laughed and clapped along. At midnight they set off fireworks and shouted across the road to other Indian partying on their rooftops.

I don’t drink and I don’t dance.  I realized that this is my first time ever spending a long period of time, alone in a group as a Christian. And it hit me hard tonight.  Never did I want to join them but it is hard to have a really truly good time when you are alone but you can’t get away.

Today has been a long day and I finally have some time to myself. I left them all on the roof top and I’m enjoying the quietness of my hotel room.

In Christ

~Michelle

Day 2- Road Trip

Today we got up early and checked out of our rooms at the blossom hotel. Breakfast was at 8:00 and we loaded the buses around 10. 

The sights along the road to Madurai were like nothing I had ever seen.  It was pouring down rain. There were people riding motor cycles holding umbrellas. The streets were deep with water. They walk or ride motor cycles here and most people don’t wear shoes. They wait under over passes and along the road.   Cows are everywhere as well as stray dogs.  The craziest thing to me is the amount of trash along the road.  Everywhere you look there are plies of trash.

We stopped at a restaurant alongside the road.  The food was amazing.  We ate off of banana leaves with our hands.  There was a pile of rice in the middle and a few sauces around the side. It was incredibly messy especially because you can only use your right hand.

I fell asleep after that and I don’t remember much else of the drive.

We made it to our hotel in Madurai around 8:00pm. Here we were greeted by a woman who marked our foreheads with red paint and then we were each presented with a garland around our necks. 

The hospitality and service here is incredible. They do everything for you.  It gets kind of frustrating because I'd rather do it myself.

Its only my second day but it feels like I've been gone a for a week already.

In Christ

~Michelle

India Day 1

The day was spent in Chennai sightseeing and shopping. We started the day out with a traditional Indian breakfast.  There were two different pancake looking dishes one was extremely spicy and the other bland. They had donut shaped things that were also spicy. Since I forgot my water and we aren’t supposed to drink tap water I didn’t eat much. 

We went to a local bazzar shopping center thing and all of the girls bought Saris to where on New Years.

We then went to the St. Thomas church where the bones of the disciple Thomas are supposed to be buried.  It was cool.  We took our shoes off to go in.  It was strange walking around a large cathedral barefoot, but it definitely made the experience really interesting.

From there we drove to the beach. Supposedly there is a cyclone rolling in and the waves were huge. Because of the cyclone, it rained most of the day.   

It’s strange here. Every one stares and the kids beg for pictures. They are so cute.  At the beach there was a man videotaping our group and laughing at us. We must look extremely odd to them.

I got to take a long nap in the afternoon. I feel so much better.

Things I have learned:

• How to tie a sari
• The honking has a purpose- they don’t have lanes so they honk whenever they are going to pass someone or need to merge.
• Indians really don’t follow a time table. The come and go whenever. I’m so not used to it. Everything is a hour later and it’s perfectly normal.

Anyway, things are going fine. I'm not adjusted to the time zone yet but hopefully it will come. The food is good but I can't take much of it at a time. I'm very thankful for the granola bars I brought.

Tomorrow we are traveling to Madurai where we will stay for the rest of the time.

In Christ
~Michelle

I've Arrived

After 24 hours I have safely arrived in Chennai, India.  I am completely exhausted.  The first flight was around 8 hours long and the second almost 10 hours. We had a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt in the early morning. 

We were greeted with flowers at the airport. 

I’ve maybe had 10 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours. :P

A few things about India so far:

Everyone honks like crazy late into the night

They drive on the other side of the road

Its rain y right now

The showers don’t have curtains

The power cuts out

So, far so good. There haven’t been any major problems yet.  But I’m having fun! :)

Thanks for your prayers

In Christ

~Michelle

GLORY!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. Luke 2:14


Christmas is here and once again it has arrived suddenly.  With all the  craziness around buying presents and getting ready for India it kind of snuck up on me.
But, it's here and I'm feeling all giddy :)


I love every thing about Christmas. Especially how the each time I hear the story something else seems to jump out at me. It never changes but its never the same. :)

~~~~~

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
~~~~~

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas! :)

In Christ

~Michelle

Friends and Cousins

Just a bit over due on this one.

The other week I got together with my 'school' friends for Christmas. We exchanged gifts and spent the rest of the evening and into the night just talking. We don't see each other much so we have a lot to catch up on.

All together :) I love these girls.

Since I will be gone for the big Wyss Christmas, I decided to give my gift early.  I had Carli's name and she had asked for a fun day out with her friends. So, I took 7 girls out to each at Avanti's and then ice-skating.  It was a lot of fun. I haven't been ice-skating since last winter.

Well, other then that not much has been going on, except for a few set backs with my India trip. I'm trying to remain calm and patient. Prayers are definitely appreciated.

I  leave in 4 days!

In Christ

~Michelle

Not much

I made it through finals.
Social workers don't really have finals we just have 10-15 pages papers as our finals. This semester I wrote over 80 pages of research papers. I thought I was smart and I used the same topic for all 80 of those. But after writing five different papers on human trafficking, it got extremely depressing.  

I've been off school for almost a week now. I am completely loving it. Its so nice and relaxing to not think about anything...Ha.
So far, I've spent break shopping, trying to figure out what is still wrong with my eyes, Christmas caroling, cleaning, making lists, making plans, packing for India...but other than that I really have had a lot of down time.

India is coming up really fast. I can hardly believe it. Ten days to go!

My rabbit is no more. I've had it for ten years at least. I never named it. It bit me so I never really liked it.  I was not aware of it's demise until I saw the cage was empty. It was not of natural causes.
Needless to say, I shed no tear.

It was Jenny's birthday today so, she and Bob and Cecily came over. Cecily is so funny. Her facial expressions are priceless.

Tomorrow marks a week until Christmas. Six shopping days. Let the people go crazy.

In Christ
~Michelle

Well, that wasn't awkward at all

I just had to give a short persuasive speech in front of class on why I would make a good date.

Needless to say no one was convinced.
Thank goodness :)

Everyone had to do it too, and there were some absolutely hilarious ones.

"It will be a good time with a lot of things we will laugh about later..."
"It's ok though, I live in Kansas you can always avoid me later."
This one must be read in a Chinese accent- "If your tired of seeing Americans I'm the one to date." :)

Oh, my.

In Christ
~Michelle

Group work

I strongly dislike group work.

1. I'm the only one who ever seems to remember when things are due.
2. I'm the only one who ever seems to remember what we are supposed to do.
3. I then somehow become the one they blame for confusing them.
4. I'm the only one who ever initiates a group meeting.
5. I'm one of the 50% that actually shows up.

arg. So, I saw this on facebook and it totally made me laugh:

Yup. This is my life right now.  We social workers are supposed to be people persons ...but these group projects are definitely making me realize how much I enjoy working on my own. :)

In Christ

~Michelle

Making a scene

What have I been up to?

Oh...not much accept having way too much fun with crime scene tape. hehe.

The Upper Room used crime scene tape to create a pretty cool Christmas card. We climbed out on our small roofs and leaned out windows to tape it up. It probably looked quite scary. Not an opportune moment for your landlord to walk by. Well, he did and he laughed. a lot. I think I have a pretty awesome landlord.

Anyway...

The Upper Room Christmas Card Tries:

Smiling

Crazy

 

Final Product :)

So, what do you do with left over crime scene tape when you are a college student and you have reason to believe all members of a certain household will not be home?

Crime scene up their front porch :)

  (too bad it was dark out...the picture doesn't do it justice)

And then...hide in the darkness and wait to see their reaction :)

As we were waiting we decided to add to it. So, Katie and I took up street corners to keep a look out and Laura added a chalk man to the scene. We had to keep it nice because obviously we weren't doing this anonymously and we really don't want any great retribution.


I have successfully pulled my first prank...ever.
fun times


In Christ
~Michelle