Only In India..(O.I.I.)

Happy New Year Loved Friends!

There has been quite a bit happening the last little while. Little sayings we have been inventing include, "Honey, P.H." This is what Christy says to Joseph when a man insists on holding Joseph's right hand (eating and shaking hand) while they walk, which inevitably means they are using their LEFT hand (the hand... used to well... you know, do what we use toilet paper for...) to hold his. So Christy says "PH!"(Poo hand)..and afterwards discreetly distributes the handy-dandy-hand sanitizer to Joseph....

Christmas was right fine. Jesus Immanuel came to Darjeeling and gave us a hug, and we gave Him one too. On Christmas morning, reading about His birth really moved us...we are recipients of awesome grace. We hung our stockings(socks) by the heater with care and enjoyed Darjeeling tea for brekkie. Later, it was neat to visit a Nepali church where we didn't understand much but enjoyed the singing bit and the yummy potluck afterwards. Then we spent much of the day with the YWAMers, walking about the town, playing games and laughing our bottoms off. We were so happy to get to talk to our family on Christmas. Our nieces and nephews ROCK!

Next day, we took the toy train to the highest railway station in the world, Ghoom. We had to run and jump aboard due to fun times of cross-cultural communication at the counter. ("Which line am I supposed to be standing in, oh the train is leaving?") An enjoyable event was the Himalayan zoo which we observed endagered species such as red pandas, clouded leopards and snow leopards.

We had a speedy 27 hour train ride to Tundla, near Agra, arriving yesterday. When we arrived, we were welcomed by a swarm of rickshaw wallahs yelling like mad for us to climb aboard their marvelous transportation devices. Eventually when about 20 had surrounded us, we broke forth into a classic rendition of "THIS IS THE SONG THAT NEVER ENDS!!! " They were silent and smitten like puppies in our lap and requested an encore...so we sang, "HARK THE HERALD!!" WE made 10 rupees which is about 30 cents and paid for our 45 minute bus ride to Agra where the Taj Mahal waited patiently for us to arrive.

Taj was more beautiful than we had expected but we especially enjoyed making bird calls to the many green parakeets, woodpeckers and a wise old owl in the old trees nearby. Joseph even held a squirrel which was pretty much awesome. Later we took a bicycle rickshaw. Joseph got to switch places with the driver for a while, and Christy cried because of the crazy things that people are doing to make a living...Jesus is the hope for all of us.

Tomorrow we're headed out on the train for Rajahstan the land of the camels, maharajahs, tandoori and deserts and I'm sure lots of other mysterious finds.

Happy New Year!

LOVE,

Joseph and Christy