Westside Family Church Missions Trips

August 2007 

August 22, 2007

India pictures

 

If you’d like to view pictures from the August 2007 India trip, you can go to wfcindiaaug2007.snapfish.com/comcast2 

 

 

 

 

August 19, 2007

Sacrificial Love

 What does sacrificial love look like? This is one of the journal entries we were asked to write about while on the trip.   My response:” Sacrificial love is loving of others before yourself. Demonstrating compassion in all that you do and everyone you touch. It is embracing the poorest of the poor, the dirtiest of the dirty and the richest of the rich. Sacrificial love allows a great inner peace, a peacefulness that radiates itself from the inner soul to the outward body. Others around you can feel and see the lovely energy that protects you and comforts them. The sacrifice of oneself brings about the highest reward – peace and knowledge with thyself to serve others.”

Theresa Cummings.

 

August 14, 2007

 

Race to the finish…

 

Internet access was very difficult to get, even in Tuni, where it has been reliable in the past. The team has arrived safely in Kansas City, but not without some excitement. We almost missed our flight from Delhi to the USA. Nearly missing flights became a theme for the trip. In India, they were kind enough to hold the plane for us. America is a different story. Once on the plane in Delhi we waited nearly 3 hours for departure clearance. Our original route included Pakistan airspace, which happened to be closed for the day due to their independence day celebrations. Eventually an alternative route was found, with fifteen minutes to spare. Had it been approved 15 minutes later the flight would have been cancelled because the crew would have exceeded their flying time. This team was used to cutting it close on time. We did, however, miss the flight from Chicago to KC. Due to the delay in Delhi we were landing as it was taking off, there was no way we could make it in time, especially since we still had to get through customs. (more…)

 

August 9, 2007

Seventeen Borewells and a Birthday…

 

It has been three days since I wrote. The team has been busy since then. We traveled to Trichy by air. We did not stop at a hotel. We did not rest. We did go straight to our first water project. We visited three water wells and were finished well after dark. The next day, we rose early to dedicate 12 water wells in one day! Many of the wells are at orphanage sites. We didn’t get much time to play with the kids because we also had to catch an overnight train that evening back to Chennai. (more…)

 

August 5, 2007

 

Our Day in Chennai

Overall, today was an excellent day. We started with breakfast and a group activity. Then we headed to a large AG church (the same one I attended last July for those who have been on this list for a while). This church runs two services simultaneously – one in Hindi in a large gymnasium and one in English in another auditorium in the building. They have three service times each morning. We attended the English service at 11:30am. We thought it started at 11am so we arrived early. We found our way to the children’s services where the kids were singing songs. They invited the visitors from the USA to sing with them. Everyone had a blast and it was certainly one of the highlights of the day. Shortly after service started. We found our way to some seats and enjoyed worshipping with this very lively group. The pastor noticed the white faces in the crowd (its kind of hard to miss a group this size) and had us introduce ourselves during service.

We decided to give the team a unique experience – a ride in a tutu (pronounced: toot toot). What’s that? (more…)

 

August 4, 2007

 

Kind of like the Amazing Race…

Have you ever seen the television show the “Amazing Race?” Well, it is one of my favorites. It combines two of my favorite things – travel and competition. Basically, they start with 12 teams who travel around the world, facing obstacles and challenges along the way. Teams are eliminated at certain stops when they are last to arrive. The surviving three teams race to the finish. The first to arrive at the end of a 3-month tour around the world wins $1 Million. It is probably the only TV show I know what time and day it is on and try to watch as often as possible. For years a girlfriend and I have talked about applying to be on the show. After this trip to India I don’t think I will need to. Why? Because I feel like we are living the Amazing Race! (more…)

 

August 3, 2007

 

Dehli

 

We have arrived in Dehli. At the end of Day One the adventure has already begun! When we got off the airplane, our ride wasn’t waiting for us. We took four prepaid taxis to the hotel. Two taxis got lost, but eventually we all arrived safely. We are checked in to our rooms and preparing for a good nights rest. Tomorrow morning we leave early to Chennai. We will spend a couple of days there sightseeing, then on to Trichy. I will write again from Chennai.

 

July 31, 2007

 

India, here we come…

 

In less than two days 19 travelers will be coming from different corners of the world to converge in Chennai, India. A couple from China and Australia by way of Malaysia. A couple from California and New Mexico. Fifteen of the travelers will be leaving from Kansas City on Thursday. We will all meet up in Chennai on Saturday to begin our life changing journey. (more…)

  

 

July 30, 2007

 

August India trip

 

The next WFC India team will be leaving on Thursday, August 2nd! Check back here for updates from Sheri! Please be praying for the team and the people they will be working with. Here’s the team:

1. Katherine Acosta
2. Krissie Allen
3. Matt Badgett
4. Paul Chang
5. Kimberly Chang
6. Donny Cosse
7. Theresa Cummings
8. Michael Cummings
9. Lynn Flora
10. Kathy Hawkins
11. Corissa Nelson
12. Darlene Terry
13. Kenyon Warren
14. Sheri Stacy
15. Schaun Colin
16. Bob Gettemy
17. Mike Viser
18. Daniel Whincop
19. Fiona Whincop

January 2007 

 

And we’re off…

January 7th, 2007

…on another adventure to India. Tonight nine of the traveler’s, plus their supportive family and friends, got together for a packing party. We packed 17 boxes of medical supplies (containing insulin syringes, ace bandages, advil liquid caps, antibiotics, alcohol swabs, and more), thousands of candies, hair accessories, children’s books and games, erasers and chalk, polaroid film and the list goes on. We packed eleven bags full to the brim (or weighing 50 lbs – whichever came first). It was a wonderful send off for a new adventure.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. The primary concerns are the health and safety of the group and that we are fruitful and effective in our work.

The travelers are (in alphabetical order): KC Allen, Jameson Colin, Schaun Colin, Gary Endicott, Bob Gettemy, Kevin Gullet, Jeremy Helm, Sheri Stacy, Nick Trudeau, Mike Viser, Delenn Whincop, Fiona Whincop, and Melanie Wunder.

We meet Monday morning at the airport at 11am. We will be flying through Frankfurt, Germany and then into Chennai, India. We arrive the next day (Jan 9) in the afternoon.

Enjoy the photos and expect more updates to come in the very near future.

Sheri

       

 

frankfurt

January 9th, 2007

we have arrived in frankfurt, germany. surprisingly i ran into someone i knew at the airport – small world! we are all doing well, other than we have to get on another 8 hour flight soon. i will write again when we arrive in chennai.

p.s. the keyboard is different and i´m running out of time

 

Dorothy and Toto have left Kansas…

January 10th, 2007

We have affectionately referred to two of the travelers who haven’t left the USA before as Dorothy (Melanie) and Toto (Jeremy). The one thing they know for certain – they aren’t in Kansas any more! We arrived last night about 2am. The (comparatively) slow and sparse traffic was amazing to the new travelers. We slept for a few short hours, only to wake at 7am for breakfast and a city tour following.

Today we were strictly tourists taking in the sights, sounds and smells that are India. We visited St. Thomas mound and Basilica. For those familiar with church history – Thomas is often referred to as “doubting Thomas.” When his doubt was replaced with faith, Thomas traveled the world to share the gospel. He came to India in 52 A.D. and was here until his life was taken in 72 A.D. We attended mass while we were there. We visited the 2nd largest beach in the world and played in the water. Some had not planned to get wet, but as the team was posing for a picture being snapped by the driver a big wave came up from behind and got us. The only person who seemed to know it was coming was KC. The photo is of everyone else posing and the water sneaking up on us, while KC is in the air – jumping to miss the wave. How did he know it was coming and the other eight of us were so clueless? The beauty is that the photo captured the moment perfectly. We visited a tsunami sight with a lot of rubble still remaining. The people who lived there were so kind and hospitable. Nick had the unfortunate experience of stepping in fecal matter, one woman got water from a nearby cistern and washed his feet. They welcomed us with a celebratory, “Happy New Year” greeting. I don’t know how someone can visit India and not fall in love with the people. We visited a Hindu temple, that unfortunately was closed to the public at the time we arrived. We also did a bit of shopping.

When we returned the second team arrived with representatives from California, New Mexico and China. We had lunch together then broke up into three groups. Group one (KC, Melanie, Gary, Bob and Sheri) went to purchase international cell phones to call home. That was quite the experience. Just as we thought it was all for not due to a paperwork formality – one kind man offered to vouch for us. Hip-hip-hooray for Indian hospitality! He provided his photograph and home address which allowed us to leave with the phones. He also walked us to the shop up the street and negotiated for us to purchase cell minutes. Group two (Schaun, Jeremy, Nick, and Kevin) went on a walking tour of the city sights in our neighborhood. There is no shortage of sights in any direction! Group three (Mike, Fiona, Delenn, and Jameson) hung out at the hotel.

We are getting ready to have dinner in the city. We leave to Trichy in the morning.

I will write again as soon as I can. I have not been to Trichy before and am not sure about the availability of internet access.

 

Trichy, India

January 12th, 2007

We have (briefly) returned to Chennai from Trichy. We took an overnight train. It is always a memorable experience. I actually sleep better on the train due to the light rocking, it’s kind of like being a baby in a baby carriage.

The trip was amazing! In two days we dedicated over twenty water projects at schools and in villages. The first day the team split up in to two teams in order to divide and conquer as our plane had been on India time (more than one hour late). We were always greated with flowers, smiles, and jubilation. Indians know how to commemorate any event with great fan fare! Each water project is special because it provides so much to the people of that village or the children in that school. One village had been devastated by a giant flood a year earlier and was still trying to rebuild, clean drinking water is a big step in that direction. One the first day group two (Schaun, Jameson, Sheri, Fiona, Delenn, Nick and Jeremy) dedicated the Vaughn well. This well was given as a wedding engagement gift to a bride from her husband. By the time we arrived it was already dark, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a crowd. Hundreds of people were there to celebrate the well dedication – and they were lively. As I stepped out of the van to wave hello, I immediately received a loud and excited response of hello in return. We played with the kids. Visited the villagers and had an overall great time. Rachel, we have pictures and video to share when we return. On the second day we dedicated a well that commemorates the life of a five year old girl who unexpectedly lost her life. Her parents were looking for a way to share her legacy. They found it in providing a water well at a school in India. These children are orphans and the well helps keep them healthy. The entire experience at that well dedication was emotional for most of the group.

In addition to dedicating water wells we have spent lots of time with children. Our first night (after a very long day) was wrapped up with a dance production put on by some of the children at one of the orphanages. My favorite dance was described as a “western dance.” What song would they sing? Is it one we would recognize? Yes! They chose Feliz Navidad. Imagine sitting in an orphange in rural India watching children dance to Feliz Navidad in January. It was great! Yesterday, one of the ophanges/schools we visited had 1,000+ children. We ate lunch there. Watched a dance, then we led them in song and games. We had them stand and follow us through a rendition of Father Abraham. They laughed, we laughed – it was good fun. After, we played red light, green light by age group and gender. I was the light conductor. My favorite part was watching their faces as they grew closer – you could see their eyes laughing, you could see who was competitive and desperately wanted to win.

I haven’t slept much (nor has anyone else), but I feel alive. I love this place, I love the people. From the time we left Chennai until we arrived in Trichy I could feel my excitement growing and it hasn’t stopped. I can’t think of a better way to spend two weeks. We are taking a plane to Vizak today and driving to Tuni this afternoon to visit the children at Light of Love – my favorite place on earth.

Will send an email again soon.

P.S. Brandon, Melanie loves you!

 

Hi from India

January 12th, 2007

Hi Dear friends, 

I just want to briefly say hi and update you on our missions trip in India.  We have had an exhilarating and exhausting first few days. Traveling with our friend Mike Viser with Wells For life, we have had the privilege of dedicating 26 water wells in Southern India. What an awesome celebration and humbling experience at each village. We have interacted with what feels like thousands of kids already. The weather is good, spirits are high, food is extremely tasty and God is always good. Keep us in your prayers please. Love you all. 

In Christ,
Schaun

Schaun Colin
Pastor of Missions
Westside Family Church

 

My favorite place on earth…

January 14th, 2007

We have arrived at Light of Love Children’s home. As we rounded the bend on the road that leads to the drive-way where I knew the children were waiting, my excitement grew and my heart started to beat faster. I could not wait to see them – their faces, their eyes, their smiles. I have decided, hands down, this is my favorite place on earth.

When we arrive the 400+ children are lined up on each side of the long drive-way. We receive flower garlands and warm greetings. On your first visit the children say, “Hello. What is your name?” This is not my first visit. Instead I heard my name called by hundreds of children, “sheri, sheri, sheri..” It is a sweet sound. The hugs, kisses and handshakes are priceless. The other thing I heard is - “where is your daddy?” Bob and Mike Viser are coming today from Chennai. Bob has been traveling on his own for a few days. He and Mike met in Chennai. Mike stayed behind when we left to take care of some business.

In the afternoon, a few brave souls (Nick, Schaun and KC) played cricket with the boys. There will be a rematch today, along with some volleyball. Last night at assembly I taught the kids how to say “I love you” in sign language. It was a bit overwhelming to receive the message back. We can now walk the campus telling each other these precious words.

I hear it is cold and icy in Kansas. It is very nice here. Sunny and about 70 degrees fairenheit. If you wish you were here, you can join us on the next trip in early August.

I will write again soon.

 

Sports and Challenges…

January 15th, 2007

Yesterday afternoon the team played sports with the children - cricket, volleyball, chase, roller skating, etc. It was a lot of fun, and quite exhausting. In the evening we went in to a village where approximately 1,000 people were waiting for us to arrive to share a message of hope. The meeting went well into the evening. I think we arrived at Light of Love around midnight, then we had dinner. Yes, I said dinner.

Today we have distributed blankets to lepers and met with those suffering with HIV/AIDS. It never gets easier to see people with either of these diseases, but both provide so much encouragement to me. There is one of the lepers who lives in a colony near the boys home. She never stops smiling. I don’t know her name because she doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Telugu, but I call her “smiley.” On each visit I look forward to seeing her face, her smile could light up a room. It is challenging for many to interact in these situations. It is not always easy to know what to do. Our goal is to show love and compassion (not to be mistaken with pity). It challenges the most merciful person to reach deep within them self and draw from a deeper well. It makes me a better person.

We are on our way to a water project in a Dalit village this evening.

I will write again soon.

 

Conference and conversation…

January 16th, 2007

Last night we visited a water well project in a nearby village. We were greeted with the usual fanfare. The children were beautiful, the women were elegant, the location was amazing. I’ve been to many places in the world, including the Carribean, and this was absolutely the prettiest place I’ve ever seen. The unveiling revealed a plaque with the name of the donors, the village, the date and it included all of our names carved in marble. This well was particularly significant to one of our group members – Melanie. Yesterday was her mother’s birthday. Her mother passed away in April, so this was the first birthday without out her. It was touching for Melanie to see a water well dedication with a plaque commemorating that date and containing her name. I told her it wouldn’t replace the loss, but it is making new memories on significant dates that has helped me with healing from pain.

Today was the first day of the Youth Conference. Approximately 1,000 youth are on campus to hear talks about leadership, compassion, and much more. The two girls traveling with us (12 years and 9 years of age) sang some songs for the group. It was VERY entertaining. Part of the group stayed in the conference (KC, Kevin, Mike, Schaun and Gary). The rest of us went to play games like world bingo and duck-duck-goose, we also did puzzles and other fun activities. We are calling the activities - English Camp. I have visited this location on a number of occassions and am struck by how the language skills of the children are improving. They know we are coming to visit and want to speak with us, so they are motivated to learn English. If they master the language, employment and educational opportunities open up to them. Our goal was to get to know them a bit better, practice English with them, and hopefully build a human connection through conversation.

All in all, it was a very good day.

Tomorrow is more of the same – conference and conversation. Those of us not participating in the conference will be going shopping in the afternoon. Maybe, I’ll purchase another sari? I know that Melanie plans to purchase at least one. I’m sure many of you at home will receive the wonderful soveneirs we will buy tomorrow. In the evening will be the children’s cultural show full of costumes, dances and laughs.

I will likely not write again until we reach Chennai on Thursday.

 

Dare you to move…

January 20th, 2007

Last night the Kansas City group returned from India. Our journey home was an estimated 50 hours of travel – beginning in Visak and ending in Kansas City. Along the way we stopped in Chennai, Frankfurt and Chicago. In Chennai we were supposed to have a hotel waiting for us so we could shower before the long flight overseas. Though we had confirmation of the reservation, the rooms were not available. We went souvenier shopping instead, then had dinner as a group and headed straight for the airport. Those staying behind in India (Fiona, Delenn, Mike and Bob) had to find some place to sleep that evening and it was already nearly 11pm when we left. I assume they found a place because I received an email from Mike this morning and in it he said he rested.

It was bitter-sweet to leave India. I think I can speak for the entire team when I say it was an absolutely amazing experience, but we were all growing a bit homesick at the end. If I could have my loved ones from home with me, I may never want to leave. The group itself was fantastic – they exhibited compassion, excitement, flexibility, and teamwork at very high levels. We started as mostly strangers, but ended as friends who shared a life-altering experience together. I am looking forward to hearing how their journey’s continue now that they are home. Many plan to return with me in the near future. I hope that is true, I would love to have them as travel companions again.

In the long journey home I spent some (sleepless) time contemplating all we had seen and accomplished. I was in awe of the work completed in less than two weeks by a group of primarily volunteers. I am excited by the future. This was a working trip for me. During time that used to be scheduled as down time we had meetings scheduled regarding the second orphanage project and other possibilities in the works. On this trip we met as a team (Schaun, KC, Gary, Mike, Premdas and myself) to discuss what the new ophanage might look like. What facilities do we need? How many acres of land need to be purchased? How far from the main highway should this be, balancing accessibility and price? What needs to be included in the master plan? What might the phases of development look like? How many children could we feasible help? How will we provide them ongoing support? etc, etc, etc… It was determined that we are looking for 10 acres of land between Tuni and the Visak airport, as close to the highway as possible so it is accessible (but more expensive). We dream of having a school, dining hall, play and sports area, and rooms for another 500 orphan children. On the same property we hope to provide a trade school and learning institute and dormitory - to develop leaders in to the future. It is a BIG dream. It could be referred to as a B-HAG. What’s a B-HAG? A Big Hairy Audacious Goal. I am confident this team will do all they can to make the dream a reality. I have faith that God will provide. I am honored to be part of the process and excited by the opportunity. We will begin taking children (approximately 30) for the new orphanage as early as May in a rented facility until we can raise the funds for land and infrastructure at the new site. On the way to the airport we got out and walked some of the property we have been looking to purchase. In my mind, I see the dream. I hope it will become a vision others can see, too. It will take many hands to build this dream and make it reality. Let me know if you are interested in helping.

We had a theme for this trip – dare you to move. At many stops team members were filmed saying these words. We are hoping to put together a promotional recruitment video based on the film we took challenging people to move – to see other places, do things that challenge them, and engage in the work in India. I am fully aware that a trip to India is not in everyone’s future, but it is my hope to provide the opportunity to everyone and that some will move. It isn’t just about the journey, it’s about how the journey changes lives. It has an impact on the lives of those we are visiting, but it also impacts those who visit. I am confident none of the travelers on this trip came back the same. It has changed their perspective, it has grown their compassion, it has reminded them to do something today and tomorrow for those in need.

What can you do? I dare you to move…

Sheri

 

Are you going on the next trip?

January 23rd, 2007

The application for the August India trip is already available online.

You can find out more information about all of our 2007 trips at http://www.westsidemissions.com/templates/System/details.asp?id=33776&PID=366225.

 

Pictures

January 25th, 2007

Click here to view the India trip pictures!