It's a great thing to praise the Lord

Tuesday 23^rd October

Namaste! So it’s day 18 here, part of me is like “wow that’s loads”, the other part is like “grr 6 million days to go!” It’s going ok here, we’ve established a routine which is good and we’re starting to do more after work meaning time goes quicker. We’ve been buying toys for the children too, which has made entertaining them easier and I’m having a fair bit of fun doing colouring and play doh too!

I’ve been reading “living the cross centred life” (a baptism present from Sarah) loads this week and it has really helped me. People have always talked about “quiet time” and how it is important to have it, and people have always mentioned how they struggle with it etc , and yet I’ve always sat there thinking “it’s fine, I read my bible and pray every day”. BUT, I now realise the importance of putting it in your routine, especially at the beginning of the day. Starting the day off this week with a few psalms, a bible study question and prayer has given me much more strength to get through the days as God is already on my mind, rather than just being that secret weapon I try to summon up when I’m feeling drained. The book also reminded me that God has suffered so much more than I ever will (and I’m hardly “suffering” really at the moment, I’m just a bit low and homesick), He sacrificed His son so that I can be forgiven of the ridiculous amount of sins I have committed. And yet instead of thanking God for that, I moan to Him about how my wisdom tooth has started coming through and I’m stuck in India with no dental treatment or antibiotics for if it gets infected - I need to get over myself and pray the words of psalm 51:10 “create in me a pure heart, O Lord”.

We’ve had great encouragement from some of the children this week already. We did play doh with a 3 year old with cerebral palsy, it was great to see how she managed to mimic what I was doing even though she doesn’t have great control of her hands. Then there is a blind girl called Raji who is staying at the orphanage whilst her blind school is on half term and she is usually just told “raji sit” or “raji go away” and she lays in a room repeating those things over and over to herself all day. And yet today we had her giggling so much by tickling her every time it was the animal sounds in the song “Old Macdonald”. I also felt so happy today when 5 year old Ramea, a girl we have struggled to like, sat so nicely with me, played with me and talked to me for ages without playing up. Finally we taught two year old Keetana, who has no use of her arms and can’t walk, how to kick a ball to us today, something she found very funny. I thank God so much for all these precious moments because they encourage us to keep going.

I can’t tell you guys enough how grateful I am for your support and prayers, they mean so much to me and have been such an encouragement to me to stay here longer. I am really starting to miss England and my life there but God has given me this opportunity out here to serve Him, and “therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God” (Romans 15:17).

Lots of love,

Charlotte xxx