Feeling Back at Home Again (India journal June 16)

I think I'm finally starting to settle in. I thought I was over the jet lag a couple days ago but I've been hitting a wall after dinner every night. Last night I made it till 10 (a big improvement actually as the night before it was 7:45) so I think I'm just about there. The past couple days I feel like I've been all over the place emotionally. I know this is partly due to my exhaustion, but I've begun to realize just how long 3 years really is, too. The disconnect I feel is so much greater than I'd anticipated. It's like starting all over again, yet everything is so familiar; it's surreal. The fact that we've had 2 1/2 days of down time hasn't helped because we've stayed pretty close to the base ever since we got here. On Sunday I saw some of the kids that were in my class in 2005 and they had no idea who I was. I try very hard not to let too many expectations build when approaching trips like these, but I think I've been anticipating this so much that I'd been doing it without even being aware of it.

Camp started today. I'm helping lead crafts along with my roommate (also named David, who is from Philly and is staying here a few months) and a South African girl named Amy who's family has lived here the past 7 years. Everything went really well, especially for the first day. About two hundred and fifty kids attended today and I was thrilled to see some familiar faces. A lot of the kids I'd connected with in years past actually remembered me too, which made my day. It's amazing how much some of these kids have changed! I had many moments today when I would see someone and think, "Wow, that looks like--waait, is it really?" Although many of the kids attending camp are already Christians, we had 6 children accept Christ today! That alone was so exciting to our whole team. We also recieved a surprise visit after camp from a team member from the 2005-6 London team who is living in Delhi now. This whole day has been such a blessing and I just feel so grateful to be back here among these people I've come to love so much. Thank you for your continued prayers, they are much needed and felt.

In Christ,
David
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