wow. i'm coming up for a 30 minute breath this evening. its been a steady stream of busy around here. which simply reminds me of the space i have to fight for, guarding what's most important as i seek first christ and watch all other things be added. a poetic and lovely promise but hard as heck to work out in real life many days. but where my flesh falters and fails i again see the power and movement of grace covering and loving and moving me.
and i have so many random stories to tell i'm bursting at the seams. i'm coming to see just how many amazing and random RANDOM people we get to know around here. i'd like to introduce you to a friend in the gach. her life has been hard and continues to get harder she cares for a beautiful little boy who we've all seemingly given our hearts to over the years (and chach if you read this you can affirm that we do indeed have the same hair if you catch me on a good morning...) unfortunately though life has taken a toll on our friend and her mind. her stomache is large and round, and it might appear to a rookie onlooker that there could be a baby inside. she would venture to say (and again affirmed in no uncertain terms last night during our visit) that her bouncing baby boy has been awaiting arrival now for over 30 years...i'm telling you i haven't had such a good hearty laugh in quite a while but last night sitting with her and another room owner and kiran i honestly couldn't breathe i was laughing so hard from our friends comments...by the end of the night she had kiran's ear to her belly listening for the baby/man's next kick. oh boy the unexpected delights of visiting the red light area.
there's also one man in this same brothel, not sure exactly his role but he's an old dude that lives next door to our room owner friend (not the baby/man mama) and runs to get us cha every time we visit, but the best part is he walks around with an unlit bidi (small handrolled indian cigarette) and calls me "south africa". so upon entering, interaction with him would look similar to this...me walking into the brothel room, him walking in and saying "ahh south africa huh?", me looking always confused and amused and saying "ahh yes??". and then i get to drink cha.
and then there were the nepalis yesterday. i brought them a big poster from nepal just a touristy mountain scene and a bunch of nepal flag stickers. how can i explain the sight really?...they unrolled that poster and traced every last path with their fingers pointing out every house every person every bit of mountain, snow, tree and road. i would have died to really know what they were thinking, where they've all come from, and how i can get them back there...but for now i just have to make due with a snapshot moment as they transported from a red lit doorstoop to a homeward bound trail...
also for those of you who've read or know personally our friend imagination...i brought her to SB today for an interview and it was so great! i love the way that our ladies welcome in new women and encourage them towards new life and a real shot at freedom. you sure can't put money value on this life i get to live here...

my time in nepal was quick but enjoyable even in the midst of pouring monsoon rains and soggy evenings...never fails to fill me up, spending time with loved friends and enjoying the scenery that kolkata just can't offer me. (plus of course a good beef steak, i wasn't joking from that last post...) but alas back to the craziness here, and more to write about than i'm sure you all care to read in one setting. so an outline, bulleted points to keep you updated here we go:

-our intern has arrived and been here a week. she's working to get her kolkata legs in place and has reminded me just how far i've come in making my home and my life here. things weren't always familiar and understood. gotta love fresh eyes and new perspectives...but do pray for her as she walks through the harshness of culture shock for the first time...

-kyle comes on weds!! can't wait to recieve our newest kolkata family member and soon to be residential "dance moves instructor". and not long behind him will come chris and the gang from omaha to visit us for a spell. excited to share our life with them for a bit!

-roadtrip 99 is almost upon us as kyle, brooke (the intern), and myself head out east for a 12 hour bus ride and month stay in bangladesh. a month of all bangla all the time, i better be speaking nicely by the end of july, thats all i have to say about that.

-monsooon is heavily upon us. with one umbrella already broke i'm realizing that one just has to submit to the conditions here, there's no ways to fight it just embrace the rain roll up the high water britches and jump in. (well don't literally jump in to this water or you might swallow something you wish you hadn't but whatever you get the point.)

-and last a quick peek into my time in nepal: oh our dear nepal friends. they know my heart so well. in fact they know it so nicely that they met us at the airport wearing the famous south asian mustache...i coudn't hardly look at andrew it was so bad...(i mean that in the nicest way possible andrew...) all i have to say is what a welcome. what a welcome. but to their credit they did take good care of us by renting motorcycles one day and taking sarah and i out for a sweet spin through the hills. exactly what i needed to refresh and be outside the city for a spell: here's a few snaps to get a better idea of motor/stache fest 99:

this will be quick. because my bags are still left unpacked...but today i'm heading to nepal with sarah for a few days of being out of the city, prayer and recharging. be back on monday. i'll enjoy a good view of the mountains for you all and a good rum steak (after the moutains and of course being with my beautiful friends in nepal the beef is the next thing on the list that makes my heart skip a beat!)

more to come from sunny kathmandu.

wow, it started raining this morning at 5 am and i am thinking that monsoon has come upon us here in kolkata. plus today there was a bondh, even the metro was closed so it was really really peaceful outside...i mean if you subtract the cyclonic winds trying to rip open my tied up windows and the rain that kept pouring in on my desperate attempts of sleeping through the plastic bag i had tried to use as a blocker from the broken glass that fell out of my rotting window. it was a fairly nice morning...hmmm, i'm selling our house right now as a great tropical paradise getaway aren't i?

anyways, whatever is happening with the weather and the bondh its been a good day to let down. and just below our flat a full on soccer game has picked up since there's been no vehicles, save the random cycle rickshaw or man on motor scooter. and every other block there's another pick up game of soccer or cricket going on. and i had one of those moments of seeing india and absolutely loving it. in all its foriegness and randomness. as many have said before me, and surely will repeat after...india holds a love hate relationship with me. and it really does soak into one's blood. and today i am so muchly loving this place.

happy monsoon.

wow i am unashamedly drinking in this weather tonight. it has needed to rain now for awhile. and tonight the clouds couldn't hold it any longer. lighting strobing across the sky. and a gorgeously refreshing breeze cooling off our swealtering kolkata. and as i sat in one of my most favoritist places in kolkata...watching the storm roll in from our 5th story perch i realized how a different perspective of the city can change the way you look at everything. i don't look out over kolkata enough these days. maybe i'm looking down too much, instead of out... i love our veranda. and its view over the gach. and seeing life being lived as far as the eye can see. and i certainly don't look for life, like that enough. nothing like a little fresh aired perspective to brighten even the hottest of days.

and now i'm off to chop vegetables and watch the lighting show from our kitchen window. i'll enjoy the show for you all. goodnight.