The Bleecker Times

Safe in India: 9/12/02

I just wanted to let you know that I have arrived safely in India. I don't have much time to - but I will let you know that it's not veery hot here at the foothills of the Himalayans- in fact it's freezing!!!! I leave for my first project trip as a civil engineer (water management) to evaluate a site for a 200+ kid orphanage and 30+ student bible college - right outside of Delhi (and about 8 hours away from our base near Dehra Dun) on Sept. 22nd. I appreciate your prayers and I'll try to send more info later when I'm not tying up our only phone line.

News from India: 9/13/02

Well I've just completed my first work-week here in India (actually it was only half a week because we didn't get here until late Tuesday afternoon). It's been hard to email because the phones and power usually go out a couple times a day - which is normal for India. In fact I have to change my e-mail again so that it's easier to check here on our system - so here it is and hopefully the last change -> [email protected].

As far as things in India - it's really too soon to tell. It's rained everyday because we arrived in the middle of the monsoon weather - so we've been pretty much stuck inside the house - but even that gives us the chance to reach out and get to know the people we are working with. I have especially enjoyed getting to know the architecture Intern, Jamie, whom I met last week at our boot camp in Colorado. It's good to have a friend when everyone else seems so far away. Our House consists of three sections. A host family with two little girls (ages three and one) live in one section of the house, all the rest of the staff, interns, and volunteers, live in another section, and finally our office makes up the third. SO far they have me switching been structural and civil (water management) work, and even though I've barely touched the tip of the ice berg - I am excited for the opportunity to learn and to help in anyway that I can. I can't wait to here from all of you once I get my e-mail working properly and I hope that you are having a great time with school, new job, or taking time off to figure out the rest of your life:)

Reflections in India: 9/16/02

Climate

One of the first things that I was confronted with, once we collected our luggage and stepped out of the airport, was the warm air filled with spices (and who knows what else). It was fairly hot in Delhi, the city we flew into, because it in the plains of India. However, in the Hill stations (rural towns in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains) it is very cold most of the time (and raining all of the time). We arrived in the middle of the monsoons – however the locals keep promising that the rain will stop soon – perhaps in a few weeks (months or years – it feels like). Looking out over the misty mountains from our house gives me this amazing feeling like I don’t deserve to live here and to be seeing this beauty – like seeing a piece of heaven – However, then I return inside to a freezing house that frequently experiences water, phone, and electricity shortages and I remember that sometimes beauty has a price. But at least for now – I am willing to pay that price (you might want to ask me again at the end of my 8 months here J)

People

Kamikaze Driving: Anyone that’s been to the Philippines or Tijuana understands the "take life in your own hands" driving experience that I have found here. Horns aren’t used when you are angry – but every minute or so just to let people know that you are coming – so that they should either get out of the way or be run over. Every time we get in the car – it feels like a sheer act of God has kept us alive long enough to make it to our destination – as we whiz by cows, cars, masses of people walking in the middle of the street, and motorcycle rickshaws.

Beggars:

The hardest thing to adjust to is the constant beggars on every corner in larger cities. We were told not to give money, just food, which is that same rule in any US big city – but it is hard to ignore pleading hands. My heart breaks every time – even if I am handing out pieces of candy to the children – because it doesn’t feel like enough. We were told not to give because it turns begging into a profession – a way to make a living - and I have even heard stories of children being mutilated by their parents in order to make them more profitable beggars. There are organizations that are established to stop this vicious cycle – such as the orphanage that our project trip will help design – and eventually give children a better chance in life. Want to know more?: If you are interested in learning more about India - a great book that I’ve have found since arriving is "Culture Shock - India" by Gitanjali Kolanad. I have only read a few pages but it seems like a good representation of what I have experienced so far.

Animals

Monkeying Around: This morning I was woken up by the sound of monkey’s fighting on our roof. I really can’t think of anything that would describe that sound except for maybe a room full of kindergarteners screaming at the top of their lungs – plus adding the sound of a sever thunderstorm as they hopped, crawled, and fought on our aluminum roof. Those were the brown kind of monkeys, which are usually more dangerous. There are also white monkeys with black faces that are usually seen along the roadsides. These typically aren’t as dangerous – however, we have been warned that if we see one by itself then it’s probably gone insane and has been kicked out of it’s tribe – and those are very dangerous.

Holy Cow:

For those Hope College people – imagine that every road has been taken over by squirrels just like in the pine groove – and then double or triple that population. Now – pretend that those squirrels are actually cows, and you might have some idea what the roads in India look like. These cows are literally everywhere – and people don’t eat them here because they are considered like gods – so basically they go anywhere and every where they please at a pace entirely set by them – no matter how many cars, scooters, or people are trying desperately to get around them.

Go Woody:

We have a strange little white dog called "Woody" at the house whom our youngest member, Isabel (over a year old), thinks is called "Go" because that’s what we’re always telling him. All I can say beyond that is he’s by far the strangest dog I’ve ever been forced to live with.

Things that go icky in the night:

I’ve also been told that there are spiders and scorpions – but fortunately I haven’t had any encounters with either of those yet (Praise the Lord!)

Work

On September 22 – my team will travel to a town near Delhi for a week (about 8 hours away from our Hill Station near Dehra Dun) to design a 200+ kid orphanage along with a 30+ student Bible College. After collecting information about the site, surveying the proposed property, and deciding on preliminary designs for the buildings – then our team will travel back to our house in Mussoorrie to finish the design plans over the next several months. The surrounding community is a little worried about foreigners taking over their culture – and some actually believe that Christians are paying people to switch religions. This is a very dangerous concept to Indians – because to them their religion is deeply rooted in what makes them Indian. Please pray that we do not encounter conflicts during our trip and that we are able to survey the site with little distractions. On this project, I will be working with a civil engineer to design a water management system, which includes anything from drinking water to waste water.

Contact

Email is pretty much the best way to get a hold of me, but for those who wanted to send letters – I’ve been told that it could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months – but either way – it’s taking a chance and you shouldn’t send anything valuable that you wouldn’t want to loose. If you do want to take the risk – I would love pictures – because I accidentally left all of mine at home in the rush of packing, but please don’t feel like you have to send anything at all. Don’t even bother with packages because they will just be opened at the border and taken. As far as e-mail goes – please be careful what you say. It is legal for Christians to live in India – but please do not use Christian words that refer to changes in religion (ex: convrsn, evnglsm, etc.) for reasons explained above (see work). However, Words like Pray, God, and Jesus Christ are perfectly fine. For example, EMI is known as Environmental Management International here in India.

Thank you for all the prayers and support. Hearing that friends are praying for me back home really does give me the warm fuzzy feeling :) . I love and miss you all –

HOME SWEET HOME: 9/30/02

Our project trip in the hot plains of India went well, but I am glad to be back in the cool air surrounded by mountains and trees. I guess you never know how lucky you are until you step away for a while and return to a land even more beautiful than you left it (if that’s even possible). As we walked up the driveway I had the feeling that I was returning home, which is an answer to prayer here in this strange land. The mountains were higher, the trees greener, and the cool air was even more refreshing – I was so happy to be back that I wanted to hug a tree and sing at the top of my lungs. As I was stretching my legs after the 7-1/2 hr train ride and another 1-1/2 hr curvy auto ride up to our house, I was thinking about how good it felt to finally feel at home in India. It has been almost a month since I arrived, but today was the first day that truly felt that I live here – not just visiting or traveling through – but that I really live here. With this feeling came a new confidence in getting to know and understand the community that I live in and I hope that you continue to pray for me and I explore and learn. Thank you for all your support, love, and prayers.

THE PROJECT TRIP

When our group of interns, volunteers, staff, and their families arrived in Delhi, we had the large task of designing a master plan for a children’s orphanage and school, bible school, and cafeteria/staff housing. The first phase of detailed plans for the orphanage and cafeteria need to be completed by October so that construction can begin soon. Once completed (which may take several years of fundraising and construction), the proposed site will reach an already skeptic Muslim community with God’s love.

This outreach and vision belonged to an Indian man whom I will call D (for safety purposes). When D had became a Christian during his years at college, his family - which belonged to a very high Hindu Cast – kicked him out of his home and cut off all ties. After wandering the streets for days without food and shelter, he said that God filled him with his Holy Spirit so that he was never hungry and eventually another Christian family took him in. In that family D grew up in a loving home and become rooted in a faith that makes anything possible – even against all common sense and all apparent barriers.

Many people have been asking D questions about why he would choose such a remote site in a village that has been trying to stop his building efforts by stopping trucks with constructions supplies and persuading workers to stay away from the site along with other problems. Even still, D’s vision has not changed, and he is still pursuing this project to serve a community that is very skeptical of his motives.

A trip to visit the site would involve over an hour in a taxi that was constantly serving from one side of the road to the other to avoid large potholes, and speeding up and slowing down as traffic and other barriers in the road allowed. Once there, several hours were spent in the hot sun to survey the site and perform percolation tests to determine soil type over the course of the first few days.

Because of the extra sensitivity required for this project, I wore a Punjab suit (a short sleeve dress with pants worn underneath) and a Dupata (a large thin silk scarf)– which is a common dress of most Indian women. Saris, which is only a few yards of silk material – wrapped around the body (usually worn over a midriff top) is another common dress for women. Muslim women would cover their heads with the Dupata or part of their Sari, where as Hindi women typically would let the end of their Sari or their Dupata hang over their shoulder and behind them like a sash.

OVERWHELMED BY PEOPLE

Because of the color of my skin and that I wore my Punjab suit more like a Hindi woman in a mostly Muslim community, I received a lot of stares whenever I or my other teammates entered the site. Where in America, long stares would be considered rude, here in India – it’s not rude – it’s just part of life – especially if you look foreign. Besides the stares, when we were traveling around Delhi some Indians pulled Jamie and I aside to have our pictures taken with them. Why anyone would want pictures taken with complete strangers is beyond me. I was also overwhelmed by the pushiness of people in Delhi – all trying to sell me some trinket or get something out of me. After a full day of touring, I learned how to ignore masses of pleading venders with a such authority that I almost didn’t see them at all. How cold and turned off my heart had become. Was this a survival technique or was I merely being selfish and self-absorbed with my time and energy? I had so successfully blocked everything out that the extreme poverty and pleading eyes ceased to move me – and I began to feel like a Grinch whose heart was born three sizes too small.

As I was taking my walk today, I was thinking about my role as a servant to the people of India and how I need to truly see people as people, and not merely as obstacles in my path trying to take advantage of me, when I heard a voice calling out to me from the side of the road. A little girl said "Namaste" and asked if I wanted to be her friend. It was as if God placed her there exactly at the right moment in my thoughts for me to say "yes" and I followed her into the cemetery where she and her family were caretakers. As she showed me her favorite grave, which had an angel perched on top of the headstone, she asked me lots of questions about who I was and what I was doing there. I learned that her name was Monica, she was in the seventh grade, she’s a Christian and she attends a church very close to my house, and she wanted to be an airplane engineer when she grew up. As I continued my walk, we parted but we set a date for this weekend when she was going to teach me some Hindi ("Tah Tah" is Hindi for goodbye). God really works in mysterious ways.

India Update (finally:): Dec 4, 2002

Namaste Ji,

I'm sorry that this update is coming rather late, there have just been so many things that have been happening that I forgot to take time to write about them. I want to let you know all the things that have been going on and what to pray for, but I also wanted to keep this short and to the point because I'm sure that you've all got busy lives too. (But alas, you might just want to print this out and save it for a long relaxing Saturday and a hot cup of tea J .)

Just a little note before you begin reading: Some words in this e-mail are spelled weird on purpose, especially Chr1st1an words, because the government may be reading our mail. The misspellings are an attempt to avoid any computer-programmed word searches. As I've mentioned before, and will explain more later on in this letter, there are certain words that shouldn't be sent on the e-mail waves to ensure the safety of people that we are working with here in India. There is nothing i11egal about being a Chr1st1an in India, however tempting someone to change from on religion to another is i11egal in some parts of the country. Many Chr1st1an workers here have lawsuits against them for tempting people with Chr1st1an1ty. Therefore, I would appreciate it if people could carefully check e-mails for certain words before sending them to India. Thank you J

HIMALAYAN HIKING

Over a month ago, some interns and staff members went on a five-day trek in the Himalayans. Also in our little band of ragamuffins was an 64-year old woman, named Krista, who could easily beat us up the mountain, even though she had a cold. The plan was to hike 14km from Gaurikund (1981 M) to Kedarnath (3584 M) with our backpacks (umm.. that's over 1500 M elevation change, which means STEEP), find a place to stay to do a few day hikes round the Kedarnath Peak (6,940 M), and then return to Gaurikund where we would try to find a taxi or bus to take us back to Mussorrie. As we approached the glaciers and mountains surrounding Kedarnath, we could help but feel overwhelmed by God's glory in His creation.

Although we were surrounded by God's beauty, we also couldn't help but notice an ugliness that consumed our path. An important part that I left out is that the path from Gaurikund to Kedarnath was built as a pilgrimage trail for Hindus, also called a yatra. In the city of Kedarnath, surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, is a shrine built to Shiva, one of the many gods that Hindus worship. As legend has it, Shiva was running away from a giant and had disguised himself as a bull to hide among a herd of bulls. When the giant caught up with the herd, he planted his giant legs on either side and allowed all of the bulls to pass through, except for Shiva, which he pushed into the ground, leaving only his hump (or rear end) sticking out of the ground. This hump is now the subject of Hindu worship, and there is a shrine (which is believed to have been built before 12th Century A.D) built around it, and a tourist city to accommodate all the devout Hindu's who make the pilgrimage to come and worship it.

The rivers that begin from the glaciers around Kedarnath (3584 M), Badrinath (3096 M), Gangotri (3048 M), and Yamunotri (3185 M) eventually turn into the Yamuna and Ganga Rivers which join together to form the Ganges. Therefore, the temples placed at the source of the Ganges are deemed to be especially sacred to devout Hindus. We were told that to visit one these mountain temples is like visiting Mecca for a Muslim, and that Hindus earn more righteousness by each temple they visit.

However, what was even more striking then the ugliness of the dark stone temple, sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the beauty of God's creations, were the cold expressions on the pilgrims' faces. As we were hiking early in the morning, we saw many pilgrims being carried up the steep mountain in dandies, which is a chair with carrying poles, lifted on the backs of four men. Even the people who sat effortlessly in the chairs, as four human mules strained together to carry the weight, did not look happy to be making this pilgrimage. Because dandies are rather expensive, most pilgrims were carried by donkeys, which were beaten furiously by their masters to move up the mountain fast enough to secure more clients for that day. I have never seen animals so mistreated, but it was especially shocking to see them thrashed and whipped by people who claim that all animals are gods, or even humans reincarnated.

But what was even more depressing was the lack of joy on the faces of people going to and from the temple. We realized that this was because the pilgrims did not find what they were looking for, they were looking for light and instead found only darkness. As we walked, we took the opportunity to pray for these pilgrims and that someday that would see the light and the joy that only comes from Jesus.

"For God, who said, Let light shine out of the darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Chr1st." 2 Corinthians 4:6

PER5ECUT10N

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. They will treat you this way because they do not know the One who sent me." John 15:18,21

Recently, someone asked if I've received any per5ecuti0n for being a Chr1st1an in India. Mostly, when people see Americans and other Westerners, they assume that they're Chr1st1ans - because that's the god that lives where they are from, but here in India they have other gods that are for Indians. However, Indian Chr1st1ans are treated very differently. Refusing Hinduism for another religion is viewed as refusing to be Indian, because their religion is so infused with their culture. Weeks ago, I was walking with a local Chr1st1an worker (we'll call him "S") with another intern - on a visit to a remote village to give out shots, boosters, and other medicines, and we asked him if he received per5ecuti0n for being a Chr1st1an. He said yes, so matter-of-factly, as if we had asked him if he buys his groceries at the corner store. It's just a way of life for him and his family - surrounded by Hindus who don't understand him. Their religion is so inter-linked with their country, that to refuse being a Hindu is like refusing to be Indian.

In other parts of the country, the per5ecuti0n is more severe since it's backed by the government. A new law was recently passed in the state of Tamil Nadu, which is found in the southern tip of India, that make it's illegal to change from one religion to another, or to temp another person to change their religion. Violators could receive up to 3 years in prison and fine of Rs 50,000 (over $1000). However, in the case that involves minors or women, the penalty would be 4 years in prison and a fine of Rs one lakh ($2,000). Similar laws are already in practice in other southern Indian states. It makes me wonder what Hindus are so afraid of, when they have to create such consequences for seeking truth.

During the past week, a Chr1st1an orphanage/school in a remote village in Kashmir was forced to close its doors by the local Buddhist influence. The threat of burning the school and homes of teachers has worried many Chr1st1ans in the area, but so far I don't believe that anyone has been harmed.

We've also been told that Maoists in Nepal have enforced strict evening curfews, which have stopped many evening bible study groups from meeting, and forced other churches to move underground for fear of their safety, since the current government wants to push all Chr1st1ans out of the country.

For worried friends and family, be reassured that I am not in any personal danger, but I wanted to make it clear that the per5ecuti0n of Chr1st1ans mentioned in the Bible is still as active today as it was during the life of Paul. But even though the world hates Chr1st1ans, we still have a hope that can only come through Jesus.

"Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God had poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us." Romans 5:3-5

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

Please pray for the per5ecuted church in India and all over the world, and also that people can begin to see the light.

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS

I am excited that Christmas is coming up in less than a month, but also this will be my first Christmas away from home. I miss my family, but I am also excited to see what God will be doing here in Mussorrie. This season will give most of the churches in this area the opportunity to work together and reach out to the community by singing carols, performing dramas, and talking with people about the true meaning of Christmas. It is a blessing that these churches are working together, some for the very first time after years of division, which is part of what God is going here. Please pray that all of these things will be well received and that the Chr1st1an community can remain united after the holidays are over.

January Update:1 FEB 2003

Namaste Dost (Greetings Friends),

I have been traveling for most of January, so I am very sorry that I haven't been keeping in touch lately. There are so many things to tell and (as usual) not enough words to express them. I will at least try to brief you all on the last two months and where I am now, but first of all I would like to thank all of you who have made a wonderful effort not to mention certain words in your e-mails. Not to worry, I have never been in any personal danger because of my faith, but I definitely appreciate your efforts to help our work continue with people who might be.

DECEMBER STARTED THE GOODBYES

My good friend Jamie and I (who were previously joined at the hip) had to say goodbye as she left for the States. I was very sad to see her go, but I know that I will see here again - and much sooner than heaven:) There seems to be a lot of people leaving, and I'll be going myself soon - in 3 months - okay so that's almost as long as a semester or a summer - but it still seems too soon. The more I begin to feel at home here - the less I ever want to leave. Although, I am excited to reunite with friends and family when I return to the States at the end of April - I will miss the mountains, the people I've met at my church here, and new friends that have brightened my life by getting to know them better.

CHRISTMAS

Being that this was my first time celebrating Christmas away from my family, I asked a lot of people to pray that I wouldn't get homesick and mope through the holidays. Christmas in India was definitely different, but it still was good. Our host family made a huge dinner for us and a few other lonely soles on Christmas Eve night. We also exchanged presents (100 RS or less - which is about $2 USD), meaning that we had to be pretty creative, but we still had a wonderful time playing games and singing songs. On Christmas day we all went over to the host family's side to open stocking that they had loaded up for us (mostly junk food and cookies - I got lots of good tea:) and they also bought us each one present. I never expected them to do so much for us - and they really made us feel like we were part of the family:) I still missed my family - but I didn't feel the need to start crying or anything - so that's good right? We also got to go for a nice trek around the hillside enjoy the wonders that God has made.

Actually getting to see all of the local Christmas pageants were the highlights of my week. Unlike in American Christmas Pageants, Indian Pageants always include King Herod's part in the story. In fact I think it might be they're favorite part because they always elaborate with people fanning the King - who's dressing like an Indian prince (or Maharaja) - fully fitted with the golden turban, thick black eyeliner, and rosy cheeks that were probably painted with hot red lipstick. Don't worry - I took lots of cute pictures.

A harder part for me was visiting local homes to share the good news with a local Christian worker. Although people were friendly and listened to what we had to say, it felt more like talking to walls and hard hearts that were determined to stick with their view of things even though they knew that their lives were missing something. Mostly it helped me pray for the women that we met with, and for the many people across India who yearn for something more.

NEW YEARS

It actually snowed on New Year's Eve - which was pretty exciting. We all ran out into the snow, got into snow ball fits with kids half our size, and of course - I managed to slide down the steep cement driveway and hurt myself (why are we not surprised?). It's just a small scrape - so don't be too worried - but I did manage to rip some holes into my warmest pants - oh well - I'm already over it:) Some people asked if there were any New Year's Celebrations like watching "the ball" drop - but actually the closest thing we could find on TV were home videotapes of random parties around India - so instead I think we gave up and sat around watching Hindi movies.

JANUARY WAS ON A TRAIN

THE PROJECT TRIP

This trip to Central India was a first on many fields, first of all being that this was the farthest from Mussorrie that I've ever been in India. It took 32 hours by train to reach our destination, and this was not Amtrack! Every time the train stopped, our car was flooded by venders selling chai (tea with milk and other spices), somosas (cold pastries filled with potatoes and chilies), veg cutlets (which no one really knows what they put in them - and I really don't recommend them anyway) along with swarms of little kids trying to make a living by shining shoes, sweeping the train floors, performing circus acts, or begging. It's quite and experience - and after spending most of January on these trains - I feel like you haven't really experienced India unless you've tried one. Something that took a while to get use to is the constant staring at our strange white faces - which can sometimes feel intimating - especially when drawing a crowd of curious Indians. However, we did have the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and some people from our group had opportunities to share with them.

My role on this trip was described as a Lead Civil Engineer (first time begin a lead anything:), which meant that I would help with the site survey, and start planning how this site would receive good clean water and safely dispose of the waste water. Now that I'm back in the office, I'll spend most of my time drawing up plans for leach fields and septic tanks, and also making sure that the well on this site will not be contaminated by the waste water method. I learned much about this process by working closely with a Civil PE on previous projects, and will still be learning more as I continue with this work.

Other than the work our team did as we planned for future developments on this site, we had wonderful opportunities to meet the community that will benefit directly from our progress. Loving hearts and open arms welcomed us into their homes 6 evenings during the week that we were there for times of sharing and worship. Other invited us to share meals with their families and even took us to a small zoo where I saw my very first Indian tiger. Our group couldn't help but be touched by the hospitality that seemed to flow from every part of these people's lives. Even when seeing us off at the train station, they had prepared a meal for our journey presented us each with a of bouquet flowers. I wish that I knew how to say "We don't deserve this!!!" in Hindi - but all we could say was don-yah-vahd (thank you).

ON THE SIDE

Before our semester project trip, I actually went to another site to help survey for a multi-purpose building/school. Now it looks like I will be able to take a deeper dive into the structural side of things by designing a four story concrete building under staff mentorship. I am very excited out this opportunity to move out of the general water/waste water area because I think that this field of engineering may be my future calling. After my previous experience in manufacturing and mechanical engineering - I was still looking for something more to motivate me in my work. I couldn't honestly pour my energy into designing "things" for people who live in a world full of "things". But this work - designing homes, schools, hospitals, orphanages, and other multi-purpose buildings - this is some things that I can pour my energies into - knowing that people actually need what I am designing. We're on a tight schedule this semester and I also need to have these plans done before I leave - but I can see God's hand guiding me in these next steps. When I return to the States - I will need to find a job in this field, take on grad school, and get more work experience to be useful to a group like this one - so it may be many years before I can do something like this again. However, I am not discouraged just as God has always had a plan for me in the past - I know that He will continue to guide my future, and that my life is in His amazing hands.

Thank you for all of your prayers and continued support. I will be traveling again soon to help with another site survey, and may not be able to write for a few weeks, but I am so encouraged knowing that some many are praying for me and our work here in India.

April Update: April 12, 2003

How I miss all of you so much and I have greatly appreciated the cards and e-mails. I've been meaning to write one these updates for some time - but never found the time through all the busyness. A small group of us have just returned from a short trip to Calcutta and Varanassi - not for a project trip - but to see bothh cities for ourselves before most of us leave the country. That's right - I'm coming home soon. I only have less than two weeks now (I arrive back in the States on April 25th, but won't be back to Michigan until the next day). I have so many things to share - and hopefully I will be able to visit people when I get back and have arranged all my photos. I realized now that I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I should have, and I never felt very comfortable taking close up shots of people (even with permission), but I hope that my little photo album with at least help me to begin to explain what I've learned about India and it's people during my time here.

DAY BY DAY

Umm... so this is it - now I only have a matter of days to finish up my work, pack up my things, and say goodbye. I never thought that 8 months could fly by this fast. There are lots of things that I will miss, like our host family (with two cute little girls), staff, interns, and other friends that I have made through our church. Our 9AM office prayer/worship sessions to start off our workday. Eating lunch and dinner with tons of people crammed around the same table. Walking through the bazaar, dodging cars and monkey's on the way to church for worship practice. I will miss the women and children at my church who always greet and hug me, even though we don't speak the same language. Learning more about God's word through our multi-language (English, Hindi, and Nepali) small group bible study (for which we have translators) and how He touches us each in such different ways. Long walks with friends to look at the stars, hiking in the mountains for that ultimate view of the Himalayas, and enjoying the quiet stillness of God through the natural beauty He created here in India. I am also so grateful for the work that we have done here - for the schools, orphanages, and other buildings that will be stronger and safer because of our involvement, for helping groups that work hard to show God's love India's people, and being blessed by their love and fellowship as well.

CALCUTTA

After reading "City of Joy", I had expected to be shocked by what I found in Calcutta. The poverty is very intense, and the city is very crowed, and very hot - much more than any other place I've ever been in India. It would be easy to get depressed at the sight of homeless families sleeping on the dirty sidewalks, small children begging for food and money, and older men and women who can't even speak, begging silently pointing to their stomachs and holdings out their hands. It seems almost hopeless. But what I didn't expect what to find an oasis of joy in the midst of chaos and despair. One morning we rose very early and walked perhaps half an hour to attend the 6AM Mass at The Sisters of Charity Mother Home. As we walked barefoot up to the worship room, nuns filled into the room dressed in white cotton saris and long sleeved white cotton shirts. Literally every part of them was covered except for there hands, bare feet, and faces. They almost looked like an angelic army as they moved into lines and recited their daily morning prayers. Every once in awhile they would break into singing a line from "How Great Thou Art" or a phrase in Latin. There was such a sense of peace in that room, even when a band of some kind was banging drums, cymbals, and bells right outside which threaten to steal our attention, they continued to pray completely fixed on God and nothing but peace on their faces.

After Mass, a group of us volunteers walked to a home where the sisters look after the needs of longer term patients, much like a nursing home, only these patients have no families to care for them. When we first arrived on the women's side of the compound, I was shocked to see them so thin, like skeletons. I could have put my fingers around many of their arms, and others were almost completely unaware of your presence. I remember standing for a moment, just looking at an entire room full of women in need and feeling overwhelmed. I expected the work to be very hard and draining, however, I found just the opposite. There was such a joyful attitude among the volunteers (from all over the world - including France, London, Italy, Israel, and the US) and the sisters, that I barely felt like I was working. We washed clothes, massaged heads and combed hair with coconut oil, served lunch, washed dishes - and then suddenly it was noon and time to leave.

In the afternoon we worked at Mother Teresa's first home in India - "the Home for the Dying", which cares for even more extreme cases. I will never forget the women who didn't speak but patted the bed beside them to let me know that I could sit there and help them next, some pointing to what they needed without making eye contact. The gentleness that God gave me as I held those fragile heads in my hands, as I massaged oil and combed their hair, massaging their skin stretched bodies, hands and feet, arms and legs, and just sitting with the women who just wanted someone to talk to -even someone who didn't understand a word they were saying - but could see the pain on their faces. I know it must sound draining, but I was energized by something I can only describe as the Holy Spirit, to love these women - even if just for a moment.

This haven of peace shares a wall with Kali-Temple - built to worship Kali, the goddess of death and destruction, and also the patron Hindu goddess of Calcutta. The spiritual contrast between the two buildings is very powerful. The gaudy temple is surrounded by little shops selling flowers, coconuts, and other offerings - which reminded me of when Jesus cleared the temple because it had become more a commercial business than worship - the buying and selling of sacrificial offerings. They still sacrifice goats daily in this temple (or ghat) and human were still sacrificed within this century (not sure if it stopped 20 or 50 years ago). The more I travel in India, the more I realize how real the idol worship of the Old Testament is still active today. I have seen people trapped in the bondage's of Idol worship and other's released into joy by God's full presence in their lives. Please pray that India's people will see the light and move away from the darkness.

VARANASSI

Because of multiple train delays, we didn't have much time to see Varanassi, which is considered to be a very holy city in the Hindu religion. What we did see was the Ganges, a place were Hindu's come to bath for ritual cleansing, give offerings, worship at one of the many temples, and also to burn their dead. It's a spectacle that can only be truly described by pictures or experiencing it for yourself. People gladly swimming next to trash and other pollution that people have purposely thrown in as offerings to the river they call life. Where numerous venders heckle the crowd into buying postcards, body paints, wooden flutes, and other souvenirs as others beg for help. When we arrived in the evening, we saw many boats colorfully decorated, and people dressed up like gods (with blue skin) sitting on similar thrones erected on each boat. The boats soon formed a line of boats heading off to some unknown destination, as crowds gathered to watch the procession. We learned later on that this was an opening ceremony for a 3 day festival to worship Shiva, the god of death and destruction. The next morning we took a boat out on the river as thousands of people drifted on to the river's banks to wash. Getting a closer look at the trash and other items floating in the water, seeing where public toilets also drained into the same river, one of the guys in our group said that no-one could pay him enough to swim there. Please pray that these people would seek the true "River of Life", one that is not infested with pollution, but pure and holy.

"For I can testify about them [Israelites] that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." - Romans 10:2-3

Please join me in praying for India, now and after I return to the States. The people here are definitely searching for something larger than themselves, but please pray that God will open their eyes to His holy wisdom so that they may know that righteousness comes only from God. There is nothing that we can do or give to obtain it, but it is a gift that He paid for in blood - so that no more blood would ever need to be shed.

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