WAIT...wasn't Brooke supposed to come home in August? (And/or the post explaining why I'm not leaving)
Hey, guys. I know I was supposed to come back in August.
(Stop trying to make August happen, it's not gonna happen)
I am staying until November.
NOVEMBER, GUYS!
I am super excited and totally overjoyed that I can stay and I have the blessing of my parents, my host parents, my fellow interns, my American friends, my Indian friends, the ministries I am associated with, etc...
Now I need to tell you WHY I am staying. This is very important, guys.
Reasons why Brooke is not coming back to America sooner and needs your financial support:
1) The short-term team that was here for a week has supplied us with 12 laptops! This is enough for a computer lab. Many of the kids in this village have never seen/used computers before and computer related jobs are a huge part of India. I will be teaching Middle-School (6th, 7th and 8th grade) Computer in a private school where many of the students are Hindus. Not only will teaching provide an education in computers and computer training for these kids, but I have the chance to form relationship with these kids and share the gospel. SOLID, RIGHT?! :-D
2) My hearts have become knitted to the children in the hostel/orphanage. The kids are older (the majority of the kids are Middle School or High School age), so I have formed not only friendships with these kids, but I have become their older sister. Many of the kids are not orphaned but have horrible living conditions or their parents are not in any shape to love a child...Many of these kids have experienced extreme abuse. It breaks my heart to know that their own parents are never there for them. The other interns and I have taken to hugging, kissing and even letting the children sleep on our laps or shoulders because we know their own mothers will not do the same for them. I know I make it a habit to tell the girls they are beautiful and, no matter how old they are, kiss them on the head and tell them I love them. I tell them I love them very often. For the boys, I will play a lot of sports with them (volleyball is cool over here...and I am getting pretty good at it!!), make them laugh, goof off with them, let them create, form deep friendships with them.
There are a lot of kids I have become very close to, almost to the extent that they are almost my siblings. One of the girls, 14- year old Saroti, is very shy. Because of her shyness, I immediately singled her out and made it a personal goal to make her laugh, smile and feel comfortable (this is a very extroverted trait I have, it always seems to be the best idea to make introverts comfortable and make them laugh. I always try to make introverts feel more confident and sometimes present myself with a challenge to make the most introverted person in the room laugh and feel confident and safe. haha). She has really broken out of her shell and I make it an effort to ask her how her classes were, how she is doing, paint her nails, play with her hair, hug her and tell her how beautiful she is. Beautiful people like Saroti are a huge reason I am staying.
3) Did I mention volleyball with the high school hostel guys? Oh my goodness, I can't even count the bruises I get anymore! Volleyball is not only RIDICULOUSLY FUN here (we have no net...just a line in the dirt, a volleyball, no rules, no scoring, all craziness and awesomeness...sometimes the guys will even hit the ball with their head or feet. It gets intense and awesome), but it can also be a huge gospel tool if we go out and play in the village. People love to watch and we can go and speak to them.
4) I love India. Granted, it is not perfect, but I love the beauty, the way of life, constantly being shoe-less, the food, the way people colorfully use gestures in every conversation, the colors, the clothes, the culture, the customs...I love India.
That's some of the basic reasons, there are a million more, but that is all for now. I love you guys :)
Here is where you can support me! http://goo.gl/nSy2aB
Hey, guys. I know I was supposed to come back in August.
(Stop trying to make August happen, it's not gonna happen)
I am staying until November.
NOVEMBER, GUYS!
I am super excited and totally overjoyed that I can stay and I have the blessing of my parents, my host parents, my fellow interns, my American friends, my Indian friends, the ministries I am associated with, etc...
Now I need to tell you WHY I am staying. This is very important, guys.
Reasons why Brooke is not coming back to America sooner and needs your financial support:
1) The short-term team that was here for a week has supplied us with 12 laptops! This is enough for a computer lab. Many of the kids in this village have never seen/used computers before and computer related jobs are a huge part of India. I will be teaching Middle-School (6th, 7th and 8th grade) Computer in a private school where many of the students are Hindus. Not only will teaching provide an education in computers and computer training for these kids, but I have the chance to form relationship with these kids and share the gospel. SOLID, RIGHT?! :-D
2) My hearts have become knitted to the children in the hostel/orphanage. The kids are older (the majority of the kids are Middle School or High School age), so I have formed not only friendships with these kids, but I have become their older sister. Many of the kids are not orphaned but have horrible living conditions or their parents are not in any shape to love a child...Many of these kids have experienced extreme abuse. It breaks my heart to know that their own parents are never there for them. The other interns and I have taken to hugging, kissing and even letting the children sleep on our laps or shoulders because we know their own mothers will not do the same for them. I know I make it a habit to tell the girls they are beautiful and, no matter how old they are, kiss them on the head and tell them I love them. I tell them I love them very often. For the boys, I will play a lot of sports with them (volleyball is cool over here...and I am getting pretty good at it!!), make them laugh, goof off with them, let them create, form deep friendships with them.
There are a lot of kids I have become very close to, almost to the extent that they are almost my siblings. One of the girls, 14- year old Saroti, is very shy. Because of her shyness, I immediately singled her out and made it a personal goal to make her laugh, smile and feel comfortable (this is a very extroverted trait I have, it always seems to be the best idea to make introverts comfortable and make them laugh. I always try to make introverts feel more confident and sometimes present myself with a challenge to make the most introverted person in the room laugh and feel confident and safe. haha). She has really broken out of her shell and I make it an effort to ask her how her classes were, how she is doing, paint her nails, play with her hair, hug her and tell her how beautiful she is. Beautiful people like Saroti are a huge reason I am staying.
3) Did I mention volleyball with the high school hostel guys? Oh my goodness, I can't even count the bruises I get anymore! Volleyball is not only RIDICULOUSLY FUN here (we have no net...just a line in the dirt, a volleyball, no rules, no scoring, all craziness and awesomeness...sometimes the guys will even hit the ball with their head or feet. It gets intense and awesome), but it can also be a huge gospel tool if we go out and play in the village. People love to watch and we can go and speak to them.
4) I love India. Granted, it is not perfect, but I love the beauty, the way of life, constantly being shoe-less, the food, the way people colorfully use gestures in every conversation, the colors, the clothes, the culture, the customs...I love India.
That's some of the basic reasons, there are a million more, but that is all for now. I love you guys :)
Here is where you can support me! http://goo.gl/nSy2aB
U are a truly amazing, Godly womaniamSOproud to all friend and sister!
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