Tuni
July 27th, 2009
What can I say about Tuni other than it’s a great place to be, not because there are 300,000 who call this place home but because Dr. Premdas resides here along with 500 really cool children.
About 20 minutes north of Tuni (the time it takes me to drive this) close to a toll booth is New Life Children’s Home. Sunday afternoon I arrived with my 3 companions and after dropping off our luggage at Light of Love we quickly headed for the property recently purchased by Westside Family Church for the kids at New Life.
Driving onto the grounds and seeing again first hand all that has taking place since February was really cool.
Construction on some temporary rooms has started along with the foundation for a permanent dormitory. September 30 is the target date to transfer the children from the rented New Life facility to the newly purchased acreage. Walking the property again and seeing the building progress brought a sense of excitement and anticipation for what is to come. I couldn’t help but feel the peace of God in that place and its natural beauty, the palm trees, hills, mango trees is just serene. I can’t wait to spend a night there, sit out on the veranda, watch the sun go down, listen to the children laugh and play and after there in their rooms, stoke up a fire and talk with the team about the things of God. Soon, very soon.
Today I visited 2 remote interior villages where we dedicated water projects. The drive to these places was long and arduous but I persevered but not without a headache and some car sickness.
The first village I was greeted by a foot washing and kissing and realized how awkward that can be, having someone kneel at your feet and then kiss them, certainly not something I need to get used to and wish it hadn’t been done but I do understand why it was.
Thankfully our 2nd stop was a little more low key and yet at both places the message was the same. God sent us to you to celebrate the gift of life; physical life and the opportunity for spiritual life. It was an honor to deliver these words and to then take time to shake hands and say a prayer for those desiring.
The next couple of days will be filled with bore well dedications, interacting and ministering to those affected by HIV/Aids and leprosy along with a lot of playing with the kids at New Life and Light of Love Children’s Home.
I know there is more I could report but if I did I would miss my dinner, so I’m done, my chicken is calling me!
Foot washing? Oh my. But any firecrackers, drums or run-away goats?
The peace and beauty of the New Life Land is not easily forgotten. So glad the kids will be able to call it home soon.
Kiss ALL of the kids for me. Every last one of them!
I, too, cannot wait to sit under the trees engaging in endless thumb wars with the most precious kids on the planet. Thanks for being there on behalf of all of us who call India our “second home”.