Hey, it's Elise!

(This was written 4 days ago so it's a little old.)

Greetings from REACH Home and School in Bapatla. On behalf of the entire group, I say Namaste. Here's a little taste of my experiences after 5 days in India and a third of the way through the trip.

It's incredibly hard to pick out things to tell you. One thing that stands out to me is our 7 hour drive from Hyderabad to Bapatla. I rode the entire way looking out the window at the countryside and the people in the villages. It amazes me that I lasted that long without ever being bored. Whenever we would drive through a village I would try to pick out a certain person to glance at and figure out their story. It's too overwhelming right now to pinpoint certain images, but they're both beautiful and sad. Oh yeah, it's really scary driving in India, too. All I could think was "My parents would not approve of this!" But we survived, miraculously. The other thing I have come to love is Indian people - every single one of them. During our stay in Hyderabad we were constantly surrounded by our hosts, whom I have come to love. This includes, K Rao, the drivers, Reddy, Ragish, Suneal, and Kusuma. They are so caring and protective - the people is what I'll miss the most. I love every single kid too. Right now they mob us like crazy, but I'm looking forward to conversations with kids and getting to know a few well. Lastly, we had an incredible experience last night that I thought I should mention. We followed the school bus home as they dropped of the kids and we got the opportunity to walk through a little village. The people were so gracious, welcoming, and willing to show us their way of life. They put jasmine flowers in our hair, and this morning I woke up and smelt the beautiful flower. I will never forget the way the Indian people have treated us thus far - it's beyond words.

God is present in every corner of this place, in everything we do, and I have no doubt that he is at work in each one of us as we experience the hardships and joys of India. Here's to 2 more weeks of living in the moment and soaking in a beautiful opportunity.

Elise Sperling

PS. Happy Father's Day Daddy Steve!