By David Strickland on 1/20/2008 7:03 AM

Last month as we began to analyze our expenditures for this year and develop a budget for 2008 we realized that money was a lot tighter then we first anticipated. For a variety of reasons. A lot of people that said they would help seem to have forgotten. I guess that is normal. Intentions are always good but in the end when it gets right down to it  it becomes hard to actually carry through. We had originally designed this site to stay in touch and update those that were interested in supporting us in the work we are doing. Thus as 2007 began to draw to a close we began to consider shutting down the site. It costs us about $14.00 a month to keep it going and since there are so few to keep updated it would be cheaper to simply continue to send out our newsletter instead.

So in Mid Dec. I stopped posting anticipating that we would shut it down in mid Jan. however after talking to some friends stateside they encouraged us that our blog was affecting more people then we realized and convinced us we should continue...

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By David Strickland on 12/11/2007 2:32 PM

That last entry was getting long so I excluded an event I decided to put here instead. That first night we spent at the hospital. We found out that evidently someone had been watching the house. Some how they knew we were gone because when I got home on Friday. All the exterior plumbing had been stolen off of the house. This uncluded the spickets and knobs in the sink on the terrace. The plumbing in the exterior bathroom on the side of the house. The two spickets on the sides of the house and the connectors for our washing area on the terrace. Not sure if it's 4 kg worth of plumbing nut probably somewhere close. In addition to the stolen fixtures there is really no telling how much water we lost before I got home and got the plumbing turned off. The water bill this month might get interesting. How much water do you think can come out of six open spickets in 8 hours? What I found real interesing is that some of the electrical extension cords etc. that we had left on the terrace as well as some tools I had left out when we went to the hospital were untouched it was just the spickets. The electric equipment and tools would have been worth far more then the spickets but the spickets is all they took.  

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By David Strickland on 12/3/2007 3:27 PM

It's been a very busy couple weeks. I finally got enough time to sit down and update everyone and I want to start with an apology that it’s been so long. As I said in my last post Manny had her baby, she will likely stay with us till first week of Jan. to make sure they are both strong and ready to face what is ahead. It will be tough for them but they should make it. I've been pro-life most of my life but I guess this is the first time I put my money where my mouth is. Manny's stay in the hospital, delivery etc. cost about 12,000 rs. I have to admit it seemed like a lot of money at the time. Just before Christmas with my own wife going into the hospital soon. However now it's good to see the two of them healthy and happy.

Mercy went into labor Weds. the 28th of Nov. I had a speaking engagement at 6:00 pm so she stayed at home while I went. While I was up talking she was going into labor. Mercy’s contractions were sporadic and of variable strength when we timed then later that night after I got home. Thinking they might simply be Braxton Hicks Mercy wanted to wait before we packed up and went to the hospital. All night the contractions continued Mercy eventually kicked me out of the bedroom because she said she would be more comfortable by herself. It wasn’t till the next day I found out that she was actually in pain all night and actually kicked me out so at least one of us would get some sleep. Finally at about 6:00 am we called a friend to take us to the hospital. We went to Baptist Hospital here in Bangalore. Baptist has one of the only private birthing rooms in Bangalore and fortunately the birthing room was empty when we arrived. from 6 till almost one Mercy was in labor. Finally at 12:58 David john Strickland was born weighing 4.08 kg.

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By David Strickland on 11/13/2007 5:50 AM

A bouncing 2.2 kilo baby boy was born at 10 am this morning. We are still waiting on the doctors report but the baby is breathing on his own and with his mother which I am told is a good sign.

 

By David Strickland on 11/12/2007 9:55 AM

Last Weds. Manny went in for a checkup. After an ultrasound and some tests they wrote on her chart that she had "reduced liquor" and they needed some more tests. Ok first off I'm guess the translation there would be liquid versus a surprising lack of whiskey. After she got home we got to talking with her and asked her how much water she was drinking every day. She told us that she couldn't drink more then about a glass or she would vomit. We found out the same held for almost anything milk, soda. No matter what she drank she couldn't keeep it down.

Today we took her in for the additional tests. It was the first day the labs were open since our last visit. The doctors did the tests and monitored the babies heart rate. The heart rate was variable going up and down. In 4 days the babys condition had gone from stable to critical. As I type this they are inducing her. The baby is a little over 8 months old but according to the doctors the development stopped almost a month ago. So we are looking at a 7 month...

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By David Strickland on 11/10/2007 7:48 PM

Diwali. Is the india festival of Lights. I'm told it takes about the same spot in the India mind as Christmas does in America. It's the festival time. A time to spend with family. There are actually three times of year that you could consider the Holidays in India. It really depends on your religious heritage. Hindu's have Diwali. Christian celebrate Christmas. Muslims celebrate Ramadan.

OK though it is the Holiday season I'd have to say the resemblence to christmas stops there. Christmas to me is quiet and calm. Family and friends and carols and cold winter nights. Diwali is loud and Hot. with Christmas are the scents of pine and apple cider. With Diwali is sulfer and ashe. Diwali is the fireworks time of the year and to be perfectly honest the forth of JUly ain't got nothing on this. There is no centralized display. Almost every family in town will buy some fireworks and starting at midnight the night of Diwali and going on for days after they light them off.

My son attempted to tell one of our...

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By David Strickland on 11/2/2007 8:07 AM

Went out shopping a couple days ago for bunk beds and a baby cradle. We weren't sure how much it was going to cost for the beds we needed for the orphanage. After some shopping we finally found a couple different options ranging from 18,000 rs. ($400) to 10,000 rs. ($200) both were more then we really wanted to spend especially when you figure we need 6 of them now and many more in the future. Next shop was the carpenter maybe we could have it made. Well that was better about half the price but still too much.

So finally I decided to build my own. I never realized what a mess that would cause. When I went to by the lumber the prices were unbelievable. 1 1x6 8' long was over $100 at one shop and more at another. I'm sure I just didn't find the right shops and there is doubtless cheaper lumber around but when they quoted me all the lumber I thought I'd need for a baby bed and a bunk bed it was into the thousands. Ok lumber might not be such a good idea. However on the way home I noticed a shop that sold...

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By David Strickland on 10/31/2007 12:35 AM

     I'm a star Trek fan. Maybe that goes without saying since I'm a computer programmer. Got to thinking this morning I wonder if I became a programmer because I watched Star Trek as a kid or started watching star trek because I was destined to be a programmer? Anyway I brought along some DVD's and sat down yesterday and watched one. As I watched them "Beam" the 100th person that episode I got to thinking it would be nice if I could just "Beam" back stateside every now and then.

     Been here a little over 2 months I guess homesick was bound to set in eventually it would be dim to think otherwise. Last couple weeks have been tough ones. Nothing moves quickly in India especially on a shoestring budget. Of course we could pay the expedite fee("bribe") and get it all done faster but don't think we are that desperate yet. We have been waiting on the lawyer to get the paperwork filed for the orphanage for almost a month today it looks like we will have to get a new lawyer. Last month we put down a deposit on a hall. We wanted to start teaching some classes but then the hall fell through and we aren't sure we'll be able to get our deposit back. If patience is a virtue if I stay around here long enough my "virtue" will out shine the sun because it seems that patience is all I've gotten for our efforts to date. 

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By David Strickland on 10/17/2007 8:21 AM

I've been thinking about starting to keep track of how many accidents I've seen since I've been here. Then I got to thinking I'll update how many I was involved in. So far I think the count is up to 6. Only one of any significance and that was last friday. the right peg on my bike broke off accompanied with some skin from my knee and elbow.

Like every one else growing up in the 80's one of my favorite movies was Ferris Beulars day off. I felt like his science teacher this week as we tried to get ahold of the advocate. Beular, Beular, Beular. Seems answering machines are a luxury item so if they don't pick up all you can do is try again. Beular, Beular.

By David Strickland on 10/15/2007 12:21 AM

     All things concidered last week was a bad week. One of those weeks were everything just went wrong as if the world had just decided that it didn't like you that week. But we press on. We hope to hear back from the advocate this week. Perhaps we will finally be able to move forward with the orphanage. Needless to say it has been frustrating.