So THAT’S what my bed feels like!
Wow, in the last 3 weeks we’ve slept in our own bed a total of 4 NIGHTS! Ok so that is a little insane, but now we’re home and reflecting on the incredible experiences!
Our trip to Singapore was cut short by three days when we chose not to go to Japan as “tourists” so soon after the disaster there. As many of you have read, our time in Singapore was very special where we met fantastic people and truly had the time of our lives.
We then flew to Chennai, India and began a two day travel (via sleeper train) to the remote area in Southern India where our Compassion child James (ok he’s 18 now) resides. We spent an amazing two days with James that we will never forget! (A video recap will be coming later this week!!) India is an overwhelming country, we have no other words to describe it other than overwhelming. EVERY one of your senses is overwhelmed while there and as a result we came away very emotionally drained.
We took 4 different flights to get home and right before leaving India came down with a case of “Delhi Belly” which made travel ohhh soo fun! We got home late Sunday night, the kids did a great job of turning around and heading for school Monday morning while mom and dad spent the week recovering from what ever bug we digested in India!
This last Friday and Saturday nights were spent with wonderful people in Eden, NC and Piedmont, OK who hosted us for our Ultimate Date Night! Then Sunday we had a 4:15am wake up call so we could catch a plane for our Grove Park Inn Celebrate Your Marriage Conference. After circling Detroit Airport for an hour then being re-routed to Ft. Wayne for refueling, it became apparent that we were NOT going to make our 4pm show at the conference!
We were fortunate to have our good friend and true professional Ken Davis fill in for us at 4pm and we took his 8pm slot. Ken did a masterful job of challenging the couples to live “Fully Alive” and we shared our new program entitled “A Rock and Roll Guide to Love, Sex and Romance”. The comments and response from the couples was truly a blessing and as always a confirmation that we are changing lives with the message that marriage was meant to be a CELEBRATION!
Until next week~
Jay & Laura
Worth the discomfort!
So we have returned from our travels overseas and what an amazing trip it was! Two very diverse cultures, two inspiring and unforgettable weeks. Singapore was an amazing city with lovely people who care about marriage.
India. A country of 1.2 billion people, 600 million people live in poverty, 200 million live below poverty level- less than a dollar a day. Our minds cannot even imagine! We are spending $4.00 on one gallon of gas!
The sites, the sounds, the colors, the immense amount of people were overwhelming at times. All worth it for the 2 days we got to spend with James, our Compassion child that we have sponsored for 10 years. ( or more accurately, Torrey has sponsored )
We were greeted by his entire family with flowers and smiles as we stepped off the bus. We spent the entire first day in his home, sharing a meal and conversation. He took us to his church, school, the banana grove next to his village. We ate gooseberry and tamarind, tasted coconut milk, all straight off the tree! We had an unforgettable day.
The second day we visited more Compassion projects with James and his sister, Jemi. We walked on a beach- unlike any here in the states- these were filled with fisherman. We visited slums built on the roadside. We conversed about life here in the states and life in Tuticorin, India. We ended our time together treating James and Jemi to somewhat American Pizza! They did not care for it very much!
All good things come to an end and we had to say goodbye. Tears were shed, But we know that God is protecting this precious young man and young woman. They have a hope for a future that they could not imagine without the ministry of Compassion International.
Our trip ended with some travelers illness! But depsite the discomfort of “Dehli Belly”, we would go again! Enjoy the pics of a few of the beautiful faces from India!
