Bangalore Update

here is a quick update...it's late-ish and the internet cafe will close soon:]

SO! we just got back from hyderabad. we left on tue and returned on saturday. TWO long twelve hour train rides...it was fun, but strange. we were in the "sleeper-class" meaning we had little drop down bed to sleep on...well "sleep on" :] anywho, hyderabad was great, it was a bit newer than bangalore, and thus a tad cleaner. we went to three different ministries with prem which included BMI which was a center run for muslim women. it is very dangerous in this certain area in hyderabad to run a christian organization because muslims, well they don't quite agree with being christian. this married couple had to keep fairly hush hush but ran this awesome center which taught muslim women various different sorts of trade. they were learning everything from henna work (called mehndi here), stitching and computer work, to cloth paining and bead work. they were so happy to share their work with us and it was just such an awesome experience. they even offered to give natalie and i mehndi! which we gladly accepted:] also we went to IMA which is an organization that works with missions ALL over india, it's pretty awesome. and then a smaller organization called TENT. they had various different programs that included training various leaders in the thousands of different people groups in the word to spread the word to all of these numerous people groups that make up india (i hope that made sense:]). being a christian in india is not an easy life. many of these organizations keep sort of under wraps and somewhat quiet about what work they do in order to protect themselves as well as their work. i will admit it is so difficult for me personally to see the lord in india. BUT THEN when i do find Him, He's just so powerful. Christians in india are so devoted and so loving, it is refreshing and such a wonderful example. anyway, we came home, after a long train ride happy to be "home" which is what we've started calling prem and rita's.
SO we have new members to our team! sort of. a lovely German woman came to the house yesterday and today a nice man from northern Ireland. he's about 30 and she's about 50. they seem to be rather nice people...although we've only been around them for a few days, we're doing most of what is left of our traveling with them which should prove to be interesting/exciting. so i'm keeping this short b/c i've had such a busy week w/ traveling and then right back into school, which by the way is going so well! Although we do wish we had more time there i think. we all are enjoying our trips so much but we keep having half weeks (if even that) and it's hard to keep things going relationship and lesson wise with the kids when we're only at school a few days a week! craziness! anywho, we leave for pune on thur. we're going to visit the mukti mission with rita and we're all very excited about it. until we return, love from india!