Reaching Out to India

Third day in Bapatla India.  The children think we should be able to say all of their names.  I can't pronounce some of them, and so many children look alike. All are so adorable and ready for love.  It has been a busy time tiring to access what needs done most in order to benefit the children.  We started helping the children write the letters to their sponsors.  We have 85 children from 4 years old to college age.  It is an undertaking, but seems to be moving along.  The children have holiday tomorrow so they won't be in classes.  We should be able to finish up the letter and pictures tomorrow or the next day.  We have a great team with many people of many skills.  Buck seems to be pretty good with plumbing and has fixed many faucets.  Travis is good in engineering and a good problem solver.  The ideas are coming together about what we are hoping to accomplish while we are here.  Right now there are two merry go rounds that are in need of repair, the slide was broken and dangerous.  The monkey bars are also in need of fixing.  We have someone who is planning on fixing and painting the playground equipment.  Many classrooms do not have table and chairs for th younger children.  Lumber had been ordered and many new benches and table will be made by the team.  We are getting estimates on the girls hostel as it is in dire shape.  Very molding because of all the water problems. They will need to power stray and treat the mold before painting inside and out of the girls hostel.  The main gate has been broken and we have estimates to get a new one installed.  This is a huge saftey issue for the girls.   The girls hostel is about a mile from the boys hostel and school.  Two new sets of uniforms have been ordered for the children.  The bibles they have been reading out of are very tattered and torn. They are still able to read from them daily, but are in need of new ones.  After a long day of working and playing with the children, the team will take a rickshawbike into town and do a little shopping and seeing how it is here in downtown Bapatla.  Please keep the children and team in your prayers that we are able to accomplish all that God intends.     God Bless,    Penny Wright