Michelle Wegner

Not About Us

Just today Isabelle and I were driving down the road and the road workers were tearing up the road.  “What a mess!”  I said to her.  Without skipping a beat Belle said to me, “I think God told them to do that so they can make our world more beautiful.”

Dumbfounded by her wisdom, I replied, “You are right Belle.  We are so fortunate to live in a place that has clean streets.  Some of the streets in India weren’t so clean, were they?

B:  Nope.  But some were.  What if we had cows here like they do in India?

Me: That would sure be funny, wouldn’t it?  Remember how the cows walked around in the roads in India?

B: That was very funny.  Why did the people let the cows do that?

Me: Because they respect the cows very much, and some people even think they are God.

B: Does Prema think cows are God?

Me: Nope.  She and Raj tell all the people that Jesus is God, and the cows aren’t.  That’s why we went to India, because so many people don’t know about Jesus yet.

B: Yep.  When we went to India it wasn’t our vacation.  We were doing an important job.  It wasn’t a vacation, was it Mom?

Me:  Nope

B:  It wasn’t peace and quiet.  We go to Florida when our family needs peace and quiet.  We went to India to help the people.  It wasn’t for us.

Me:  Yep.

I love that Belle caught on to this perspective at age 5.  I hope she remembers that “It’s not about us” for a long time to come

.

The Joy With The Trouble, The Trouble With The Joy

When we were in India this summer, I had no time for emotion.  It is truly one of the times in my life when I knew I had to shove my emotions aside in order to get myself and the girls through another day.  We faced more challenges as a family in India than we collectively ever have.  There wasn’t a lot of food, the girls got sick, we were far, far from home, everything and everyone was strange and unfamiliar.  I went in to “Mom mode”, trying to mother my girls through their days, helping them cope, giving them strength to be sustained for another day.   They did better than I could have imagined they would, but it was hard.

But now, as i reflect back at our time there, watch videos and see photos, I weep.  I see joy on my girls’ faces that I missed because I was taking care of some need.  I see the smiles in the faces’ of the children we visited, smiles of abundant, eternal joy that made our scarifies seem small in light of the eternal impact of the work God is doing in Tamil Nadu.  Did we come with some great, wonderful message?  No.  We came with our family and we brought our smiles.  Watching my girls on video dance and sing with children from southern India fills me with a measure of joy I never knew imaginable. 

When we give, God gives so much back.  The joy we know as a family from having served this summer in India together is something we will treasure forever…and then some.

Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble. 1 Thessalonians 1:6

Monjue

We visited Kalavai while we were in India this June.  Kalavai is a small village of the Untouchable caste in India.  This visit marked us as a family in ways we will never  forget.  Playing with the kids in this village was a highlight for our girls.  I have treasured this photo of Maddie with girls from Kalavai.  It has been my screen saver for several weeks. 

We had a GCC team go back to Kalavai a few weeks ago, and they brought back very sad news about Monjue, the stunningly beautiful girl in the green and pink sari.  Dan Blacketor wrote a note about her on his Facebook page:

Monjue is a young bright 15-year old girl who lost hope for a better future.

Monjue lives in the small Irala colony located just outside of Kalavai, India. I'm beginning to better understand that my agenda is many times not God's primary purpose. You see, I had the chance to lead a team from Granger Community Church to help build a community center, hold conversational English classes and start a micro business in this village. To ensure everything was in place for the team I arrived a few days early to meet with our Indian ground team on Thursday, July 30th. Our plan was to organize the job site so the team would have a great experience. Because Raj (our Indian director) was having neck problems he decided to go directly to Kalavai instead of making the 6 hour trip to meet me at Bangalore airport.

If Monjue was born in the United States she would probably be strongly considering submitting college applications to places like Notre Dame, Stanford or Columbia University. But on this Thursday morning, Monjue picked some poisonous berries and went back to her family's hut and ate them and waited to die. Her best friend found Monjue and ran to the construction site to see if anyone could help save Monjue's life. Raj was there because he had a stiff neck, was preparing for my early arrival and because of these series of events helped save Monjue's life.

You see, Monjue had given up at the age of 15. Her father had left the family six months prior. Her mother had to sell their family's small goat herd to buy food. Her mom was then "contracted" to watch someone else's herd with compensation coming in the form of a baby goat - but only when it was a twin birth. Monjue left school to watch the goats so her mother could look for day labor (and at best earns 80 cents per day if hired) to buy enough food to feed the family. Goat only gives a single birth, Monjue's mom is frustrated, believes Monjue should have taken the goats to "greener pastures" and takes it out on Monjue by beating her. Monjue gives up and tries to kill herself.

A week to the day that Monjue tried to end her life we were visiting her as she watched over the herd. It was over 100 degrees and only 10:30 in the morning. No shade anywhere and because of the lack of rain it was very dry and not a lot of grass to be found. We ask Monjue what she thinks about on these long hot days while watching over someone else's herd. Monjue sits down and begins to quietly cry. She shares that she thinks about going to school and learning so that she might have a better life but realizes this is not a reality in her world. She must watch the goats so her mom can go to town each day in the hope of making less than a dollar for a day's work.

I’m not sure how to help Monjue from here.  Part of me was so sad to tell this news to Maddie and Whitney, but I am glad I did.  It brought reality back home to all of us again.  We will pray for Monjue, and are so thankful that GCC has chosen Kalavai as a laser target to bring God’s hope and light.  

5 Minutes on REAL Joy

So, what in the world WERE we doing for a month in India anyway? Were we on vacation? Um, no. Believe it or not, I have had many people ask me that question. Anyway, this 5 minute video was made to give some insight into the work Granger Community Church is doing in small villages in India like Kalavai. A few shots in this video include moments my family and I will never forget. The night we spent dedicating these homes was one of the most remarkable nights of my life so far.

Note the joy on the faces of the people. Real joy. Joy from Heaven.

 

Kalavai Update 7.25.09 from Ben Sanders on Vimeo.

The Untouchable

We didn’t do anything bold or miraculous in India.  I spent way more time in motels with sick/weary kids than I thought I would have.  Rob did a lot of teaching that was fabulous, but he isn’t Jesus.  He’s not a rock star.  But somehow, lives were changed.  We didn’t do much.  We gave up some, gave Jesus what we had, and He did so much more than we could have ever imagined.  We loved them and hugged them and let them know they mattered to God.  Our visit like a whirlwind in their mundane and ordinary lives.  A visit of peace and surrender and joy that could only come from knowing the creator and the lover and toucher of all the untouchable. 

I gave up coffee

I gave up sleep

I gave up clean potties

We brought our smiles

We sang their songs

We touched the untouchable

He did the miracles.  I am so, so grateful.

 

  

Joy Unspeakable

 

Of all the photos we took while in India, this is one of them that won't let me go.  I'm not even quite sure what it means, but if you look at Whitney's hands reaching out to those girls...the joy on their faces, and the tenderness in her reach, there is something profound yet unspeakable there. I'll be thinking about if for a long time to come.

 

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors,  that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory. -Psalm 24:8-10

Proud

I am not joking you when I say that when we walked through the customs door this week at O’Hare airport, I looked at one of the TV screens in a bar on the way to the restroom and there was Lee Greenwood singing “Proud To Be An American.”  It’s funny how at that moment before I even heard the song I literally felt like falling to my knees and kissing the dirty, sticky ground.  Glad I chose not to, but still…I got a little teary.

Every time I leave the country and come back, I am struck with a huge sense of patriotism.  We live in the best country in the world.  I can come and go as I please.  I can drive.  I can send my kids to any school I want to send them to.  I can go to the grocery store and pick out healthy food for my family.  I can drink water out of my kitchen faucet.  I have ice in my refrigerator, and I can call an exterminator if mice are in my garage.  I can vote.

I think traveling through India with my family has only increased my sense of love for my country.  Living in India for a week or two on my own or with my husband is hard, but living in India with my 3 kids was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  Would I do it again?  In a second (as long as I remembered to bring twice as many snacks for them as I did). 

Do I love India?  More than ever.  Travelling through India with my children awakened a whole new side of the Tamil people that I never could have seen unless I had my children with me.  They are a loving, passionate, nurturing people.  From the oldest Grandma to the youngest child, their love for my children astounded me.  Even our driver who had his Hindu idols on the dashboard and didn’t crack a smile the entire week he drove us around was gravely concerned when Isabelle was so sick.  The only words he spoke to me that whole week were , “Is she ok?” 

The whole trip in my mind was like an epic tale.  So many twists, turns, and plots.  We were the characters being moved around by the hand of God, upheld by the people of God.

I’m proud to be an American, but prouder still that I am an American who loves and is truly loved by the Tamil people.

They Answered

Here are the girls answers to the questions you asked them about our trip to India.  Enjoy!

 

1) Was Three weeks long enough?

M:Yes

W:Yes

I: I wanted to go home

2) Cheek Pinching... How do you deal?

M:I just smiled

W:I smiled, in my brain I was saying, “OUCH!  Stop it!”

I: Pretty much it hurted.

Posted by: Ryan

- What was your favorite part of the trip?

M: The beach at the Bay of Bengal. I got to go horseback riding, shoot a gun, and get crashed by the waves.

W: Seeing the people in the villages.  It was overwhelming, but fun.

I: Go up on the mountain, playing with the kids

- What was the hardest part of the trip?

M: Being away from my friends and my dogs

W: The villages because it was very overwhelming.  Also I missed everybody and everything in America.

I: Oh!  Trying to keep away from the people trying to pinch my cheeks.

- What is one thing you think you'll miss about India?

M:Rajendran, Prema, Clarinda and Bruce.

W:The hospitality of all the people there.  I

do not miss the smells.

I: The motel with the pool, the girls my age

- Sum up your trip to India in one word.

M:One word…are you serious?

W:Different

I:I like the airport

Posted by: Angie Aquila

 

What are you looking forward to when you get back home?

M:My friends.

W: The normal weather and my friends.

I: McDonalds

What is the first thing you can not wait to eat?

M: McDonalds chicken snack wrap

W: A McDonalds cheeseburger and fries.

I: McDonalds chicken nuggets with ketchup, fries, and an orange drink.

Posted by: Jenny Johnson

 

What surprised you the most about India?

M: That there were horses to ride on the beach

W: The heat

I: The mountain

What did you do on the long airplane rides?

M: Watched movies

W: Read books, watched movies, slept and ate.

I: I looked out the window, I sleeped, I played, I snuggled my Daddy and Mama, chewed gum, a guy that sat next to me was very nice, he gave me gum.

Posted by: Jeanna Miller

 

What is your favorite thing you found to bring home to remember your trip by?

M: Elephants

W: Jewelry

I: My India Barbie and my new outfit.

 Do any of the kids know how to speak English? ( I am curious about this one because my Compassion boy I sponsor is now 14 and he's starting to write his letters to me in English now!)

M:No

W: Lots of Kids speak English

I: A lot of them do

 What food did you try that you were surprised you liked?

M:Chicken 65

W: Nothing

I: Carrots and the fried bananas.

Posted by: Rachel H.

 

When asked "Why did you go", what will you say?

M:To help the people

W: Because I wanted to help the people in India and understand their culture.  Although it is very interesting, it is very wrong and sad.

I: To help the kids

Are you glad you went? Why, or why not?

M: Yes.  I was very happy to see Sangeetha.

W: I am definitely glad I went.  It took this whole trip to make me realize how privileged I am.

I:Yes, because I liked going to Salem because it is the same name as my preschool.  It is a city on a mountain.

What one thing have you learned that you wish everyone your age could know?

M:There are people much less fortunate then us.

W: That it is a great experience.

I: That they could go with me and go up on the mountain.

Posted by: Phil W

Small Luxuries

We are all breathing a little easier as we are finally home.  My window is open and a gentle breeze is blowing on me as I am sipping my coffee and watching the Today Show.  It amazing to me how simple things like having my window open, drinking coffee and watching TV are considered serious luxuries in most of the world.  We couldn’t open our windows at the motels we were at because of the giant beehive of 5000 bees at one of the motels, but mostly because of mosquitoes that carry malaria pretty much everywhere else we went.  Not to mention the 105-110 degree weather mixed with humidity and never ending noise from auto rickshaws, motorcycles, and trucks beeping and honking all night long. 

With every trip I have ever taken like this, I am always amazed that my house looks visibly different to me when I get home.  I think the reason is because I notice everything, down to the last detail.  I notice how the carpet feels on my toes, how the water from the faucet tastes, how soft and cozy my pillows and blankets are…the list goes on and on.  I am currently in the “I love my house” part of trip recovery. 

One of the first things Whitney said when we got home in the middle of the night the other night was, “I never realized how much I had.  I never realized how big our house was, or how my own room is bigger than the homes of the people in the villages.”  I don’t get why we have so much and they so little.  I don’t get why my life is so easy and theirs is so hard. 

We are so fortunate and so blessed.  Blessed to have clean air to breathe and fresh water to drink.  I’m savoring these things today.  Remembering and processing so much.   

Shower Friends

At our hotel in Yeucard, we were surprised to find that our shower was outside.  The walls were high, so no one could peek in, but we had a few visitors along the way.   Our visitors included centipedes, slugs as big as Robs hand with gigantic antennas, a few frogs, and gigantic cockroaches.  It made showering an adventure!

Maddie’s Eye View

 

 

Maddie, our 10 year old, has quite an eye for photography.  Let her know which pic is your favorite!

Death and Life...Our Visit With Sangeetha

We have been long anticipating the day when our whole family could visit with Sangeetha and her family.  We have been sponsoring her since she was about 8 years old, and she is now 12.  Maddie, Rob and I had the opportunity to visit her back in 2006.  The visit with her family was one that marked me forever.  The photo on the right is of Sangeetha’s mom and baby brother from our first visit.

I don’t even know where to begin telling the story of this day.  There are so many emotions mixed up in my  head, I think it will be a long while before I get it all sorted out.

We started our visit to Sangeetha’s school where she attends the Compassion project.  She has grown about a foot since we last saw her, and I noticed she has also grown in confidence.  She wasn’t sure whether to hug us or shake our hands, but there was joy in the room, that’s for sure. 

Sangeetha went to get her little sister Chandra from the government school across the street while we waited for her.  The girls were so happy to meet them both.  We pray for Sangeetha and her family as well as the rest of our friends in India almost every night when we are tucking the girls into bed.  Meeting her for the first time for Whitney was a very special occasion.  For Maddie and Sangeetha it was a meeting of old friends.

Sangeetha wanted to take us on a tour around her school, and we were quickly mobbed by her friends, about 100 of them crowded around the girls.  It was almost scary because a lot of the younger children were being squished, pushed, and knocked over.  They giggled and laughed and practiced all their English sentences they have been working on at school.  Truly beautiful children.

After we spoke with the administrator for awhile, we loaded up in our van and headed to Sangeetha’s house.  We had gifts for her, her Mom, sister, and little brother.  I was looking for the little brother and didn’t see him, so I asked where he was.  Her Mom pulled a photo of him off the shelf and said that he died exactly one year ago yesterday.  I was so deeply heartbroken.  I was completely unprepared for the shock of that news.  We write letters back and forth to Sangeetha but she did not tell us of this news.  I am still reeling from the shock.  When we visited last, we noticed how sick Sangeetha’s brother was.  Her sister Chandra was very sick too, but has recovered well. 

Gene Ort decided on the spot to sponsor Chandra, since she does not yet have a sponsor.  There are 18 more children on the waiting list at this particular school.  There are 8,000 children in Tamil Nadu that are living in poverty that could die of curable diseases like Sangeetha’s baby brother if they are not sponsored. 

Sangeetha’s mother had a sadness in her eyes when she spoke of her son that spoke the language we both knew called Motherhood.  I said to her “Your boy is with Jesus now.” and she replied with deep understanding, “Yes, he is now God’s child.”

Have you done anything to help the poor and the needy lately?  Your small sacrifices will make an enormous impact in lives such as these.

A Visit to the Orphanage

   

  We made a visit to a girls orphanage yesterday.  There are only 5 girls living there to assure the best care for them possible.  The baby you see Maddie holding on your left is named Rachel after Gene’s daughter Rachel that died on Christmas Eve.  When Gene picked her up, she looked right into his eyes and smiled the biggest smile at him.  She talked to him like they were old friends, and she’s only two months old.

The baby you see Whitney holding on your right is named Rhema.  She was born 20 days before this photo drastically underweight and with a cleft palette.  Her parents took one look at her and said “No way.”  A common practice in the villages for such a baby is to just let it die. Thank God for his divine intervention in Rhema’s life. Rhema snuggled right up to Whitney.  She was scared to hold such a teeny-fragile baby, and so was I! 

Visiting these children was my favorite part of my day yesterday.   It amazed me to see what the light and love of Jesus has done for these children.  Love has brought them life.  Amazing.

A Picture Worth 1000 Words

Miss Isabelle has been fighting a very bad ear infection.  India is not a fun place to be so sick.  Please continue to pray for our girl.

Calm in the Chaos

I have been very proud of my girls on this trip.  When in India, literally walking out of the motel spikes anyone’s stress level.  There is constant noise, traffic, cows, chaos everywhere.  I’m sure it’s not chaotic if you live here, it probably all makes sense.  But if you live on a quiet street in Granger where no one ever comes out of their houses, it is chaos times a million.  Rob described the traffic well when he said it’s like playing Tetris with cars.

We’ve been fortunate so far to be in a motel that has a pool and even the Disney channel on TV, so when we walk in the motel there is some sense of familiarity and a place to step away from the chaos.

Our bell does ring quite often though.  A hotel worker greeted me early this morning with a newspaper.  And the other morning we got about 4 phone calls wondering if our room was ready to be cleaned yet.  Another call this morning to see if we were coming down to breakfast, and yet another to see if they could come and pick up our tray from our lunch. 

It’s all done in kindness and in want of a good tip. 

We’re very thankful for our times of rest like today where we can step away from it all and just rest awhile.

Oh yeah, and by the way, the guy that handed me the newspaper at 8am is still outside of our door waiting to see if we need anything.  It’s 3pm. 

A Humbling Moment

I had the most humbling moment of my entire life last night.  We drove out to Kalavai,  a village of the Untouchable Caste.  It took us 3 and a half hours to get there, with every hour that passed, it felt like we were going farther back in time.  Rob had travelled ahead with Raj to purchase a title and deed for a building we are affectionately calling KC3 after our MC3.  A community center for the poorest of the poor in India.

Rob called me to let me know there was a giant surprise waiting for me.  I replied, “Oh no.”  I don’t know why, but I do not like being the center of attention at all.  I’d rather blend in and watch from the side lines.  I didn’t used to be that way, I’m not sure what changed and why, but I am much more comfortable not getting attention or praise from people.

We pulled up to the village and were greeted with loud music and the most gigantic banner I have ever seen.

  I looked out our van window only to see a humongous photo of our family from our trip to London on the banner.  It was one of those random shots that no one checked their hair, teeth, or clothes for.  We all just looked like “us” on an ordinary day.  Along with our photo was a photo of Dan Blacketor, Raj and Prema, and Gene Ort. 

We got out of the van and were taken around the village to see what this people group lived like before the GCC team came to build them new homes.  They lived in huts made of mud and thatch, slept on dirt grounds.  The openings to their homes were tiny, no windows of course.  The girls were as shocked and saddened as I was.  These  beautiful people, God’s beloved, living in the dirt.

Then Raj took us to the homes that the GCC teams have built.  The women had drawn these elaborate chalk drawings in the dirt outside their homes that were nothing short of stunning.  We walked into a home and the woman who owned the home was literally glowing with joy.  About 30 people crowded into the house and there was an explosion of joy in the room.  My kids and the children of the village began to dance and sing.  How do you put such a moment into words?  It is the closest I have seen Heaven come to Earth in a long time.

We walked from new home to new home, a similar experience at each home.  We walked up to one home in particular, and Rob pointed to the plaque on the wall.  They had dedicated that house to God in my name.  Michelle Megner.  :)  I can never remember a time in my life except for the birth of each of my children where i literally wept for joy uncontrollably.  I was touched in the deepest place of my heart. 

The deepest place in my heart is consumed by people such as these day and night.  I think about them, pray for them, weep for them.  To think that my name is written on a wall of one of their houses…I can not explain it.  It somehow solidifies my commitment to them and my love for them. 

The rest of the evening the children played together and sang and danced.  I touched as many of them as I could.  My girls did too. 

I think Heaven came down last night.  I am sure of it.

Why is this World So Different?

One of the most profound things I have heard any  of my girls say about India so far is when Belle said this morning, "Why is this world so different from ours Mom?"

I ask myself the same question every time I come here.  Why do I live the way I live and they live the way they do?   Why do I have a clean house with a neat lawn and food in my refrigerator, and many here do not have a house, or a lawn, or any food at all. 

I can see the girls wrestling with those same questions as we have seen hundreds already today who have lived all their days in poverty, and will go to their graves knowing nothing but poverty.

These are hard questions and hard thoughts.  Ones we will all probably wrestle with for a long time to come.

Wanna Join Us?

We want to take you with us to India!  If you are on Twitter, follow MichelleWegner, robwegner, MaddieDW, WhitneyRW, and Geneort.  Don’t worry, my kids are only Twittering in India, then their accounts will magically disappear.

You can also join the Facebook group: Operation Pray for the Wegner’s While They Are in India for up to date info and prayer requests

or..

keep checking back at this website, Rob’s and Gene’s.

We’re just about set to go.  in under 24 hours we will be on a plane headed to London for an extended layover, then on to Chennai, India! 

Come along with us.  It’s going to be an amazing adventure.  See you in India!

India in a Minute and a Half

Our Friend Gene Ort will be accompanying us to India.  He’s a great family friend.  We’re so glad we get to be with Gene for a few weeks.  He is an amazing videographer.  Check out this one minute long video he made about India. I find it amazing how he captured the spirit of the place in one minute and 30 seconds.

Intro to India 2007 from Gene Ort on Vimeo.

They Answered

You guys had some amazing, thought provoking questions for the girls.  I’m not kidding, I wasn’t prepared for the depth and insight in some of thier answers.  I’ve been praying about ways to prepare them for the trip, and this little Q&A helped them a lot!  Thank you for your part in getting my girls ready for the trip of a lifetime!

Belle...Are you planning on taking Forks, Knives and Spoons? Mo Breden

“Yes, giddy up horsey.”  A direct quote.  :)

 What are you excited about? Nervous about? What do you most want to do while you're in India? Shelly Wildman , Jeanna Miller

M: I am exited about the rickshaws in India. I'm nervous about the food and how spicy it is. When i am in India want to ride an elephant ,but i don’t if that is going to happen.  

I: Excited about: Seeing the whole entire world.  Nervous about seeing India people.  Most want to: Play with the kids.

W: I’m excited about playing and talking to the Indian children. I’m nervous about the diseases there. Eat lots of Indian food, and playing with the Indian children.

 What do you girls plan on doing on the long plane ride? Jenny Johnson

M: i plan on listening to my mp3 player, reading a good book, sleeping, and eating.

B:Play

W: Play my DS, sleep, and eat.

Maddie, Do you have the cards we made you in Oasis/CIA when you were born?

M: Yes, I  have. I have enjoyed every single one.

 What kind of shoes are you going to wear in India? Are you going to wear socks too? Mark Beeson

M: i am planning on wearing a pair of Crocs and my new tennis shoes.  No socks-It will be too warm.

B: My regular shoes.  No socks.

W: Same thing as Maddie.PS( Not trying to be  boring or anything.) :)

What was the first thing you said/did/thought about after hearing you were going to India with your parents? John White

M: one of my first thoughts was “Where are we going to sleep?”

B: “It was awesome!”

W: Finally I get to go to India! I really wanted to go the last time my sister went.

what kind of food will you be eating? jessp

M: Spicy, but we’re bringing lots of snacks.

B: Spicy Stuff, India food..all of it. 

W: Spicy food.  I’ve tried it before and it is very delicious.

What will you wear in India? Are there special rules for girls?  Why are you going to India?  Rindy Walton

M: Dresses and skirts Rules: We have to wear dresses or special pants you buy in India.  Why India:  To help the people, and to teach the Fathers how to be good Fathers

B: My dresses and my clothes.  First of all, you’re not allowed to see the Queen of England.  I am going to India because we need to help poor kids

W: I will be wearing sari’s dresses, and skirts.  We are going to India to help kids India and help them feel comfortable.

What is one thing (game, song, etc.) that you want to teach the children you meet? What is one thing you want to learn from them?  sarah koutz

M: I want to teach the children how to say Mom and Dad.  I want to learn a little Tamil from them.

B: How to speak our language.  I want to learn their words.

W: I want to teach them how to sing, “If you’re Happy and You Know It”.  One thing I want to learn from them is: Lots of words and sentences.

what will you miss most about being gone from home? what do you think will be the most amazing thing you will get to do? amy |

M:  I will miss my bed and my friends.  The most amazing thing I will get to do is: I don’t know!  I’m excited about the whole trip!

B: I will miss Ellie and Winston.  The most amazing thing we will get to do is see India people.

W: I will miss my clean toilet.  I think the most amazing thing I get to do is play with kids from another country.