The beautiful lotus flower is the national flower of India and is called kumul in Hindi. Many parts of the lotus plant are edible, including the tuber roots. The roots are not often sold in the market, but we found some and decided to experiment. We fried them with some garlic, salt, and powdered ginger. They were crunchy like celery even after cooking. Though they didn't have much flavor on their own, the spices made them a delicious and addictive snack!

This year we both hit the big five-zero! We celebrated Shari's birthday with our good friends with whom we gather weekly for prayer and fellowship. We cooked mutton (goat meat) and passed around ladoos, an Indian sweet given on special occasions. Shari made punch with fruit juice, seltzer water, and vanilla ice cream, a new taste treat for the kids. The previous night we went to a beautiful park in a hilly forested area, then ate at a Tibetan/Chinese restaurant nearby. Shari finally found food that wasn't loaded with chili peppers. She was ecstatic! We are both looking forward to many more years of life, health, and ministry. Yes, Lord!

Every day we hear the calls of vendors who walk down our street trying to sell their wares: blankets, balloons, flowers, fish, fruit, and services such as shoe shining. In our neighborhood there are six different men who come by with vegetables almost daily. If we want to buy something, we call to them and they come to the front gate of our house. They charge a premium price for the convenience they provide. Even so, they are at the lowest echelon of workers, earning barely enough to survive.

Every three months Shari gets a shipment of prescription medications from the USA. These are critical to maintain the function of her transplanted kidney, received in 2006. This kidney allows her to be free of dialysis and to live in India. Sending the package via the FedEx company is a secure (but expensive) way to make sure these medications arrive safely. So we were a little surprised when we received this precious package from an unidentifiable man on a simple scooter. No FedEx logo, but he had the package!

Yesterday I celebrated my 50th birthday. So happy to be in India! We had a wonderful evening of food and laughter.

My birthday prayer is that each of my remaining days on earth would be spent wisely and joyfully in the service of the God of Israel, and that his intention for my life would be fulfilled.

Psalm 27:4
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.

Our transition from one apartment to the other meant that for a few days we had no kitchen, giving us an opportunity to sample the local cuisine. One night Shari ordered a paper dosa. We had eaten normal dosas before, and were curious to see how a paper dosa would be different. Imagine rolling up a page of newspaper the long way, and stuffing it with shredded coconut, raisins, and cashews (Shari's choice). You can order them with just about any filling imaginable. The dosa itself is a fragile, super-thin, fried pancake which is crispy and flaky. There is no neat, dignified way to eat a dosa. You have to use your hands. By the time you're finished there are crumbs and bits of filling all over the table and the eaters.

The Lord has opened up a place for us to live for a full year! After moving a few times, we can finally unpack our suitcases and feel settled. A German man and his Indian wife are spending the year back in Germany, and they invited us to take over their apartment while they are gone. They are a generous, kind couple and have done a lot to make us feel welcome and comfortable. We spent a few days moving some of their possessions into storage and doing some cleaning. Then we carried our suitcases and a few boxes just a short walk down the street from where we had been staying since mid-December. We are so thankful for this quiet, private, safe place to live for an entire year.

We used our anniversary in February as an excuse to take a full day of fun. We decided to visit the India government's botanical gardens and research center on the edge of the city. All the tourism guidebooks mention it as a worthwhile place to visit. We were not disappointed. In all our experience in India we have never seen a place this green, peaceful, and well-kept. Our neighborhood in the city is densely packed with people and houses, with limited view of the skyline. Here we feasted our eyes on the mountain views, the big sky, the expansive lawns, and the quiet walkways lined with flowers. Thank you Lord for a wonderful day of walking, talking, and resting! 

Every Saturday we meet with friends for prayer, fellowship, and food. One evening Shari prepared biryani, a mixture of rice, vegetables, chicken, and spices. The bright yellow sauce gets mixed into the rice. Biryani is usually prepared in large quantities for group gatherings and celebrations.  The hardest part is controlling one's appetite and saying no to a third or fourth helping.

On Wednesdays we attend a two-hour class for Hindi grammar and review, and spend the rest of the week studying and practicing at home. We hope to hire two "language helpers" (male for David, female for Shari) to help us with conversation practice outside of the classroom.