I know Todd and I don’t like the sense of entitlement that our boys seem to have.  I know that some times their lack of gratitude is due to their innocence in not knowing and seeing poverty. 

I’m wondering at what age is a good age to include them in service?…..

I’m with you on the reentry problems.  Every time I return from Congo, I’m incapable of shopping even for necessities.  I usually burst into tears in the aisle at Target or the grocery store at least twice the first week back.  Then about a month later I tend to swing the other way and buy things I really don’t need.  It just takes awhile to get back to a normal, healthy place.  Glad your family can help you with balancing it out and making it through.

I’ve been to India. Yes, it’s very different. Yes, you’ll see people sleeping on the streets, beggars, piles of garbage (depending on where you visit — some places are quite clean). But I think the key to truly knowing the people and loving them is to not try to fit the puzzle piece of the U.S. into the place for the piece that the country to where you are traveling already occupies. They don’t always want our pity and our ideas of how to change them into the U.S. (not that it’s your goal …  just thinking out loud about what some people do). They want our love and care and respect for their culture. I’m sure you already know how to do this since you have traveled so much for this already.

a couple of tightwads with four kids who end up being the brunt of it when their birthday or Christmas falls after one of these trips

I would go back in a heartbeat because, of all the places I’ve ever been in the world, India calls to me like no other.  Blessings to you and your traveling companions.