Sunday, June 30, 2013
What type of English do you speak?
I just remembered one more moment I had wanted to share from the afternoon when we were eating the nungu fruit. One of the boys wanted to know what kind of English we were speaking, because he was sure we were speaking British English! We laughed and said it was American English but he looked surprised that we were American. I guess Andrew, Vanessa, and I sound British over here! Should come in handy when we visit London, right? ;)
Team 3 - Painting and Teaching and...Nungu?
On Friday we left bright and early at 7 to travel to the Tiruvallure area. Being "city slickers" in Chennai ;) it was fun to see more rural areas of the country. Cows, goats, chickens, and dogs abounded and roamed around just as people back home have been asking me about. I saw a monkey for the first time time since we got here - it was climbing up a wire and on to the top of a gas station. (Little did I know I would be seeing many more monkeys the next day...but that's another story!)
After dropping Matt off to go to his pastor meeting, our driver stopped to get Andrew an Indian breakfast food called poori. (Vanessa and I weren't hungry). Andrew really enjoyed it and afterwards our driver stopped the car, rolled down the window, and told Andrew to toss the newspaper wrapper out the window. Andrew threw it to the side of the road to be joined with the rest of the litter there and our driver said, "Simple, right?" To which we Americans could only smile and glance at each other. Throwing trash on the ground is something I don't think we'll get used to. Several times we have had people put our trash from the car on the ground, and we keep scooping it up to take home with us to throw it in a dumpster. Definitely a cultural difference that I think provides amusement on both sides. :)
We got to the church we would be painting and learned we would be painting the outside yellow. Thankfully our driver stayed for awhile to translate the instructions, though the pastor and a few others spoke some English too. We only had a few paint brushes so while we painted, the men and teenage boys stood around and watched us. Since they were talking in Tamil, we didn't know what they were saying. So it was an interesting experience to be stared at while you work. But they were also very eager to be helpful and kept wanting to hold the paint buckets for us and they kept advising me of how to avoid getting my foot caught in some debris that was on the ground. While painting a window that's designed with holes in it to let the sun through (I can't think of the words to describe it...lattice comes to mind, but that's not quite it),
a couple of the younger guys were inside the church holding their cell phones to the window and trying to sneak some snapshots of me. The older men behind me would yell "Hey!" and scold them playfully. I just smiled and tried to keep working despite my mischievous paparazzi. :)
The sun got very hot and bright at one point and so I went to get my sun glasses, which caused a bit of a stir as I heard the men/boys laughing and saying "Sun glasses." The "Wet Ones" wipes that I took out for us to wipe the paint off our skin also intrigued some of them and I heard the word "washing" mixed in with their language. I offered some wipes to them but they all smiled and refused. Andrew, Vanessa, and I took a break to eat Subway sandwiches we had packed for lunch. They rolled out a mat for us to sit on and then asked if we would like to see "pictures." We said sure, expecting to be handed some photos or drawings to look at. But instead, they turned on a Tom and Jerry cartoon on the computer in the church. So we munched our subs while watching Tom and Jerry. Then they showed Andrew a list of Jesus movies and when he said that he has seen Passion of the Christ, they had us watch some of that too. After awhile, we decided we wanted to go back out and finish painting but told them it had been a very nice break. :)
But when we got out we discovered someone had finished the rest of the wall. So we asked if we could walk around the village. Vanessa was asking about the different plants and trees. They had us taste a leaf that they said was medicine for your stomach. It is funny though because as our "tour guide" tasted it, he made all these faces like it tasted bad, and then he urged us to try it. V and I thought it just tasted like a typical leaf, until a few minutes later when an intense aftertaste showed up. There were palm trees that looked like they had coconuts on them, but we learned it as actually a fruit called nungu. They told us it is very cooling for the body,and one of them went to a tree and chopped a bunch down, sliced them open and shared them with us and some boys that had gathered. The fruit is clear with a jelly-like texture and sort of very mild watery, melon taste. We were so thirsty we sucked and slurped and picked that fruit out of its shell eagerly. When Matt returned from teaching he didn't find the fruit quite as appealing as we had after painting in the sun all day. :) We put a second coat of paint on with Matt's help after that.
Before we left, a woman came over and pinned some orange flowers in my hair. Many Indian women pin flowers in their braids and I had been admiring them all week, so I was so excited to receive such a precious gift of kindness. I wore them with gladness and was sad to have to take them out before bed.
Eventually the time came around for us to travel to a different church to teach VBS. This church was quite big and we taught from a stage while the kids sat on the floor below, girls on one side and boys on the other. There was a particular little girl there in a bright green skirt similar to the shade I had been wearing that night. She caught my attention as she kept playing with her red and gold scarf that was supposed to be used to cover her head when praying. It is so neat to watch the children pray,as they all sit up on their knees with hands folded in front and heads bowed in unison.
We met the church's Sunday School teacher who is a gorgeous young woman who seems to have a very kind and gentle spirit. The kids were getting fidgety before we started so she led them in some very active songs and dances that looked like so much fun. I am sad I didn't know the words and forgot to ask someone to translate afterwards.
Andrew and Vanessa discovered that they both forgot their teaching posters, but the Holy Spirit worked through them and gave them just the right words to say and they improvised wonderfully! And Matt decided to recreate the toothbrush special effect, only this time he threw a handful of brushes into the "crowd" which caused such a chaotic frenzy and stampede of children that I don't know if we'll be repeating it again. ;)
It rained again and traffic was even worse that night...We were all so relieved when we finally made it back to the apartment and could sleep!
We learned that Saturday would be another morning of painting and teaching, but it also turned out to be a chance for some fun sight seeing which I will write about soon!
After dropping Matt off to go to his pastor meeting, our driver stopped to get Andrew an Indian breakfast food called poori. (Vanessa and I weren't hungry). Andrew really enjoyed it and afterwards our driver stopped the car, rolled down the window, and told Andrew to toss the newspaper wrapper out the window. Andrew threw it to the side of the road to be joined with the rest of the litter there and our driver said, "Simple, right?" To which we Americans could only smile and glance at each other. Throwing trash on the ground is something I don't think we'll get used to. Several times we have had people put our trash from the car on the ground, and we keep scooping it up to take home with us to throw it in a dumpster. Definitely a cultural difference that I think provides amusement on both sides. :)
We got to the church we would be painting and learned we would be painting the outside yellow. Thankfully our driver stayed for awhile to translate the instructions, though the pastor and a few others spoke some English too. We only had a few paint brushes so while we painted, the men and teenage boys stood around and watched us. Since they were talking in Tamil, we didn't know what they were saying. So it was an interesting experience to be stared at while you work. But they were also very eager to be helpful and kept wanting to hold the paint buckets for us and they kept advising me of how to avoid getting my foot caught in some debris that was on the ground. While painting a window that's designed with holes in it to let the sun through (I can't think of the words to describe it...lattice comes to mind, but that's not quite it),
a couple of the younger guys were inside the church holding their cell phones to the window and trying to sneak some snapshots of me. The older men behind me would yell "Hey!" and scold them playfully. I just smiled and tried to keep working despite my mischievous paparazzi. :)
The sun got very hot and bright at one point and so I went to get my sun glasses, which caused a bit of a stir as I heard the men/boys laughing and saying "Sun glasses." The "Wet Ones" wipes that I took out for us to wipe the paint off our skin also intrigued some of them and I heard the word "washing" mixed in with their language. I offered some wipes to them but they all smiled and refused. Andrew, Vanessa, and I took a break to eat Subway sandwiches we had packed for lunch. They rolled out a mat for us to sit on and then asked if we would like to see "pictures." We said sure, expecting to be handed some photos or drawings to look at. But instead, they turned on a Tom and Jerry cartoon on the computer in the church. So we munched our subs while watching Tom and Jerry. Then they showed Andrew a list of Jesus movies and when he said that he has seen Passion of the Christ, they had us watch some of that too. After awhile, we decided we wanted to go back out and finish painting but told them it had been a very nice break. :)
But when we got out we discovered someone had finished the rest of the wall. So we asked if we could walk around the village. Vanessa was asking about the different plants and trees. They had us taste a leaf that they said was medicine for your stomach. It is funny though because as our "tour guide" tasted it, he made all these faces like it tasted bad, and then he urged us to try it. V and I thought it just tasted like a typical leaf, until a few minutes later when an intense aftertaste showed up. There were palm trees that looked like they had coconuts on them, but we learned it as actually a fruit called nungu. They told us it is very cooling for the body,and one of them went to a tree and chopped a bunch down, sliced them open and shared them with us and some boys that had gathered. The fruit is clear with a jelly-like texture and sort of very mild watery, melon taste. We were so thirsty we sucked and slurped and picked that fruit out of its shell eagerly. When Matt returned from teaching he didn't find the fruit quite as appealing as we had after painting in the sun all day. :) We put a second coat of paint on with Matt's help after that.
Before we left, a woman came over and pinned some orange flowers in my hair. Many Indian women pin flowers in their braids and I had been admiring them all week, so I was so excited to receive such a precious gift of kindness. I wore them with gladness and was sad to have to take them out before bed.
Eventually the time came around for us to travel to a different church to teach VBS. This church was quite big and we taught from a stage while the kids sat on the floor below, girls on one side and boys on the other. There was a particular little girl there in a bright green skirt similar to the shade I had been wearing that night. She caught my attention as she kept playing with her red and gold scarf that was supposed to be used to cover her head when praying. It is so neat to watch the children pray,as they all sit up on their knees with hands folded in front and heads bowed in unison.
We met the church's Sunday School teacher who is a gorgeous young woman who seems to have a very kind and gentle spirit. The kids were getting fidgety before we started so she led them in some very active songs and dances that looked like so much fun. I am sad I didn't know the words and forgot to ask someone to translate afterwards.
Andrew and Vanessa discovered that they both forgot their teaching posters, but the Holy Spirit worked through them and gave them just the right words to say and they improvised wonderfully! And Matt decided to recreate the toothbrush special effect, only this time he threw a handful of brushes into the "crowd" which caused such a chaotic frenzy and stampede of children that I don't know if we'll be repeating it again. ;)
It rained again and traffic was even worse that night...We were all so relieved when we finally made it back to the apartment and could sleep!
We learned that Saturday would be another morning of painting and teaching, but it also turned out to be a chance for some fun sight seeing which I will write about soon!
Team 3 - First Teaching Day in Chennai
Hello from Team 3 (Becky M, Andrew, Vanessa, and Matt)! We have the morning "off" today which feels nice after traveling and working from 7 AM to sometimes almost 10 PM the past couple days. Even though I am tired, I am having so much fun and thank God each day that I am here and able to share His love and truth with others. Your prayers for us are definitely being answered, so thank you for all the love and support back home! "The effective fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16
Teaching has been going well, and every evening has been a little different with its own unique circumstances. I was a little nervous before the first lesson in Chennai on Thursday. I kept praying that the Holy Spirit would guide me through the lesson and work through my nervous jitters. We had to climb a steep and narrow stone staircase (with no railing) to get up to the area we would be teaching in. This was somewhat of a challenge while wearing a long skirt and carrying a heavy backpack on my back, but I made it to the top (and back down again with the pastors urging "please be careful. Go slow.") The kids sat in front of us on a mat as we taught and they had so much enthusiasm that my nervous fears quickly faded. They cheered and applauded when Pastor D. Paul introduced us. Some of the children were called up to "give us honor" by draping shawls over our shoulders and flowers around our necks. They had a man taking photos of everything so we paused to pose for pictures before starting our lessons. I had changed some of my lesson at the last minute and wasn't sure how it'd go over, but it seemed to work okay aside from going over my 10 minute time limit (but Pastor D. Paul said Missionary Use was also too long so I don't feel as bad). :) It was raining quite hard during our teaching but thankfully we had a roof over our heads. Vanessa, Andrew, and I have been teaching the kids the song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." This group sang along very loudly so I am wondering if some of them already knew the song.
We were already out of time but the pastor of the congregation urged us to wait a few more minutes so they could show us a video from their VBS. We watched recordings of kids singing and dancing and it was really cool to see Indian style praise songs. The people were beaming with excitement to have us watch this video. It made me smile for sure. :)
At the end of teaching, we hand out small gifts for the children. Matt has a suitcase of toothbrushes and he asked the Chennai group to guess what was inside. They shouted out rice and candy or chocolate! :) You would think they'd be disappointed to learn the gift was a toothbrush, but not so...The toothbrushes accidentally fell out on the ground and the kids cheered, squealed, and scrambled to pick up a brush. We had thought Matt dumped the toothbrushes out on purpose but later learned it was just an accident that made for a cool dramatic effect. I think it was God's idea - just helping to add excitement for us. :)
We finished handing out the brushes and also Jesus puzzles and then we were rushed out to the car so the kids could get home as it was already getting quite dark outside. I was sad we had to go because the children were coming up to shake my hand and tell me their names. But Pastor was pretty insistent and so we climbed in the vehicle and drove away, waving to people as we left.
Traffic was bad that night and it took a couple hours to get home. But there were some fireworks in the sky as we were stuck in traffic which was a fun surprise. Everyone was drifting to sleep by the point so I forgot to ask what the fireworks might've been for.
The next day Andrew, Vanessa, and I would be painting a church while Matt taught pastors in the morning. Stay tuned for the post about our painting and teaching adventures in Tiruvallure!
Becky McKenney
Teaching has been going well, and every evening has been a little different with its own unique circumstances. I was a little nervous before the first lesson in Chennai on Thursday. I kept praying that the Holy Spirit would guide me through the lesson and work through my nervous jitters. We had to climb a steep and narrow stone staircase (with no railing) to get up to the area we would be teaching in. This was somewhat of a challenge while wearing a long skirt and carrying a heavy backpack on my back, but I made it to the top (and back down again with the pastors urging "please be careful. Go slow.") The kids sat in front of us on a mat as we taught and they had so much enthusiasm that my nervous fears quickly faded. They cheered and applauded when Pastor D. Paul introduced us. Some of the children were called up to "give us honor" by draping shawls over our shoulders and flowers around our necks. They had a man taking photos of everything so we paused to pose for pictures before starting our lessons. I had changed some of my lesson at the last minute and wasn't sure how it'd go over, but it seemed to work okay aside from going over my 10 minute time limit (but Pastor D. Paul said Missionary Use was also too long so I don't feel as bad). :) It was raining quite hard during our teaching but thankfully we had a roof over our heads. Vanessa, Andrew, and I have been teaching the kids the song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." This group sang along very loudly so I am wondering if some of them already knew the song.
We were already out of time but the pastor of the congregation urged us to wait a few more minutes so they could show us a video from their VBS. We watched recordings of kids singing and dancing and it was really cool to see Indian style praise songs. The people were beaming with excitement to have us watch this video. It made me smile for sure. :)
At the end of teaching, we hand out small gifts for the children. Matt has a suitcase of toothbrushes and he asked the Chennai group to guess what was inside. They shouted out rice and candy or chocolate! :) You would think they'd be disappointed to learn the gift was a toothbrush, but not so...The toothbrushes accidentally fell out on the ground and the kids cheered, squealed, and scrambled to pick up a brush. We had thought Matt dumped the toothbrushes out on purpose but later learned it was just an accident that made for a cool dramatic effect. I think it was God's idea - just helping to add excitement for us. :)
We finished handing out the brushes and also Jesus puzzles and then we were rushed out to the car so the kids could get home as it was already getting quite dark outside. I was sad we had to go because the children were coming up to shake my hand and tell me their names. But Pastor was pretty insistent and so we climbed in the vehicle and drove away, waving to people as we left.
Traffic was bad that night and it took a couple hours to get home. But there were some fireworks in the sky as we were stuck in traffic which was a fun surprise. Everyone was drifting to sleep by the point so I forgot to ask what the fireworks might've been for.
The next day Andrew, Vanessa, and I would be painting a church while Matt taught pastors in the morning. Stay tuned for the post about our painting and teaching adventures in Tiruvallure!
Becky McKenney
The Last Couple Days :)
The days all seem to blend together here, so I'll just fill you in on a few things we've done the last couple days.
After splitting up, my group of Melanie, Lucas and Pastor Ohlmann headed inland. Melanie and I got the chance to pick out colors that we wanted to paint churches. Many of the buildings are very colorful, so we chose Celery Green for the inside and Aqua Blue for the outside. We then finished painting the inside of one church. We had some help from "friends"...lizards "poisonous unto death!" :)
The past couple days have been a great blessing. We've been privileged to teach about 300 children. It's so wonderful to see how much they want to learn. They are very inspiring to us! Tomorrow morning we head out early again and probably won't be around wifi for awhile. I pray that everyone else is staying well and safe as they continue working as well.
-Katherine
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Day 4
India Time: 10:37 PM (June 28, 2013)
CST: 12:06 PM (June 28, 2013)The drives are so entertaining. As we drove through one of the villages, two boys' jaws dropped and you could see the "WHOA!" on their faces as Brother Nathan waved. Pastor Joythi said that they had probably never seen white people before (let alone ones that waved). I've never been "royalty" in a parade before, but I'm guessing driving in India feels pretty similar. Except here, you never get tired of waving and smiling because everyone always looks so surprised and excited to see you. They've even put flowers on our car, which Brother David explained is a sign for a dignitary.
I'm amazed by how at home I feel. The bugs are different, horns are substituted for seat belts, and it smells a little funny, but everyone with whom we have regular contact has made us so welcomed. They call us "brother" and "sister" and it's so much stronger a bond than friendship. We've only known each other for three days at most, but there is a familiarity there that I can't describe.
Our afternoon consisted of a search for internet, a little exploring, and after the venture deciding the hotel was the safest place to eat. :-)
Tonight marked our short drive to the Mallavaram village where some boys were eagerly waiting to greet us with chairs and sprites. I feel like we sit a lot, but we sweat a lot, so it probably all balances out. ;-) While we were waiting for the service to start, we showed the children pictures of where we have already been, taught them how to high five, and taught them how to fist bump (yes, with the explosion)! The children were very eager tonight--I think we had close to 75 there. Not only did they clap when we learned the Rise and Shine song, but they played the tambourine and drum. (In particular, Pastor Simon's son was incredibly enthusiastic and willing to help get the other children involved). Our lessons went well, as did Brother David's preaching. After the service, our new experience was to pray for the individual attendees. I felt embarrassingly out of practice at praying out loud through improv. Pastor Joythi told us to pray for the children's education, and that was where I got to start. I feel like I stood there for a long time with my hand on this little girl's head taking a deep breath before I could make words come out of my mouth. We prayed for everything from children's education, to stomach problems, to family problems, for strength, for employment, for spouses, the list is endless, but they all only as for one thing and it's usually for someone else.
After the prayers, we taught some of the younger girls how to blow kisses and even got a few of the boys to blow kisses. Two of the girls came up to me and put rings on each of my pinkies. I tried to tell them that they didn't need to give me anything, but they were already grabbing my hands, so excited to have me take something. In case India hasn't stolen my heart all ready, it took it tonight. We also sang Father Abraham for the kids and they thought it was really funny when Brother Nathan and I started turning around. The children were begging us to come to their homes and to stay, and I wish we could've. It's hard to say goodbye at the end of the prayers when goodbye may mean forever. To have even one more day. To have a week at every church to conduct a VBS like we have in the states. Pray that God send workers into the harvest, the fields are ripe! Please pray that our enthusiasm stays high and we can keep up the energy we've had the first two nights. Pray for the children we see and pray that God blesses the words we say.
--
Becky Haddad
Friday, June 28, 2013
MELANIE's blog post 6/28/13
Hi guys! I'm thrilled to finally talk a bit about my experiences here in
India. After our transportation and everything, our wonderful Pastor ( and
guide to Central India) Moses gave us a day to rest. We found ourselves
exploring the beautiful city, buying fresh fruit from vendors, and
indulging in local flavors.
Throughout the trip we have already seen much of India, and my backpack
just.. has a lovely new aroma to it. PTO (PASTOR TODD OHLMANN - much easier this way) just asked if I wanted to have laundry done tonight and I
laughed-- nothing will smell clean again!! The streets remind me of the
trip to Nepal and the amount of time we spent in Kathmandu, our clothes
heavy with the scent of exhaust and sweat! But I'm not complaining, India
is fascinating! We have gotten our groove down with teaching and I'm already feeling more confident teaching songs and interacting with the kids again. It's absolutely wonderful to be surrounded by such a similar love for Christ and passion for the Truth-- even on the other side of the world!!!
On the other hand, today we went to a temple on a hill and saw many, many people worshiping. It is a highly successful temple, in the sense of earning its keep. Even just to see it we had to blaze through 1 hour's worth of gas roundtrip, pay 30 rupees per vehicle, and "check" our Chappals (sandals) for 30 rupees because all the ground is sacred around the temple. It is a very popular temple among Hindus and not a very common tourist destination. People approached us and touched us and wanted pictures with us because we were white. At one point, a group of lovely volunteer ladies were sooooo excited to see us and surrounded us until one of them could get up the nerve to ask for a picture. Moses bought us "ladou" - an original to this temple sweet (cashews, ghee, sugar cane, some sort of flour, mixed chopped nuts with fragrant spices) and it was an aquired taste! People here love it and buy like 5 bags each! I had about 1/4 of a piece and I was done in. Moses said the people here treat it as a blessed food, because it is sold by the temple.
India. After our transportation and everything, our wonderful Pastor ( and
guide to Central India) Moses gave us a day to rest. We found ourselves
exploring the beautiful city, buying fresh fruit from vendors, and
indulging in local flavors.
Throughout the trip we have already seen much of India, and my backpack
just.. has a lovely new aroma to it. PTO (PASTOR TODD OHLMANN - much easier this way) just asked if I wanted to have laundry done tonight and I
laughed-- nothing will smell clean again!! The streets remind me of the
trip to Nepal and the amount of time we spent in Kathmandu, our clothes
heavy with the scent of exhaust and sweat! But I'm not complaining, India
is fascinating! We have gotten our groove down with teaching and I'm already feeling more confident teaching songs and interacting with the kids again. It's absolutely wonderful to be surrounded by such a similar love for Christ and passion for the Truth-- even on the other side of the world!!!
On the other hand, today we went to a temple on a hill and saw many, many people worshiping. It is a highly successful temple, in the sense of earning its keep. Even just to see it we had to blaze through 1 hour's worth of gas roundtrip, pay 30 rupees per vehicle, and "check" our Chappals (sandals) for 30 rupees because all the ground is sacred around the temple. It is a very popular temple among Hindus and not a very common tourist destination. People approached us and touched us and wanted pictures with us because we were white. At one point, a group of lovely volunteer ladies were sooooo excited to see us and surrounded us until one of them could get up the nerve to ask for a picture. Moses bought us "ladou" - an original to this temple sweet (cashews, ghee, sugar cane, some sort of flour, mixed chopped nuts with fragrant spices) and it was an aquired taste! People here love it and buy like 5 bags each! I had about 1/4 of a piece and I was done in. Moses said the people here treat it as a blessed food, because it is sold by the temple.
Well, thank you for all your prayers and support! I ran out of room and promise to write again soon :) Um, I still have to talk about INDIAN FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two for one!
I'll just start out by explaining that this is the first time we've had internet access for a little while, so I have two blogs prepared. Also, I have not checked the blog for a while either, so there will probably be some repeated information.
Blog one: Planes, Trains, and automobiles! (Written June 27, 2013 around 4 P.M. India time)
Up to this point, it's pretty much been just a bunch of traveling, with a few rests in between. Sunday morning, I left home at 5:30. Then our plane left from Chicago at 8:30. Then we had about an hour-long layover in London, then it was back on another plane to Chennai, where we rested for a day. Then, after a day of small adventures with the beach and Indian food (which is actually pretty spicy, believe it or not), we took a train from Chennai to Nellore. There, we met with pastors from the BELC and the CLCI. Some came from pretty far away to see us! And the welcome ceremony was phenomenal! They welcomed each of us individually and gave us gifts.
After the ceremony, most of us went to the hotel, and the Chennai team went back to stay with the Udes. This morning, my team (David, Becky, Nathan, and me) left for Ongole. Right now we're just relaxing for a few hours, but we get to teach for the first time tonight. It's a relief to be done with most of our traveling!
Thank you for your prayers! So far, we've arrived everywhere safely. Tonight is when our real work begins.
Blog two: Teaching success!
Teaching our lessons for the first time went very well! My only regret is that I left in a rush and forgot my camera. The children were beautiful! Before we started, there was a small group of them sitting down, eagerly waiting and waving at us. While everything was getting set up, they each came over and told us their names and we told them ours. Then the children started singing for us into a microphone, which started to bring in more people. Then we sang for them too. Then we taught our lessons, and the children really seemed to enjoy them, as well as the gifts we gave them afterward. The best part of the whole thing, in my opinion, was how the group seemed to grow as the night went on. Right as David was finishing up, it started to rain, which felt good after all the heat.
Again, I'd like to thank you all for your prayers! We are doing well so far, and we've got a lot of work left to do.
Jennifer Grabow
Greetings from Ongole!!
Last night we had our first teaching session. It was amazing! Words can not describe it. I'm very privileged to have this opportunity. Becky Haddad has given a detailed summary, so I won't bother with too many details.
Today we had the opportunity to go to a beach. The beach was perfect. It was fun to swim in the Bay of Bengal with fellow brothers and sisters. I even learned a few new games to bring back to the States.
Today we had the opportunity to go to a beach. The beach was perfect. It was fun to swim in the Bay of Bengal with fellow brothers and sisters. I even learned a few new games to bring back to the States.
I'm looking forward to teaching again tonight. It is a different congregation, but the message still needs to go out. I can't wait to see the people! Your continued prays are very appreciated. Thank you!
Nathan Noeldner
Nathan Noeldner
Day 3
India Time: 11:30 PM (June 27, 2013)
CST: 1:00 PM (June 27, 2013)
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (Is. 43:1-3 ESV)
This morning, as I was getting ready, I was so excited to "really begin" our trip. Today was our first day of teaching after all! I was very excited until it hit me: We get one day with these children and will likely never see them again. The gravity of our task and importance of our message brought so many questions to mind: Are we prepared? Do we have what it takes? Will our message reach them? Will they want to listen to us? Will they be excited to see us? Will they ever come to church again? And while I couldn't answer all these questions, the above passage was an ideal reminder to start the day. "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." I have nothing else to worry about because I have been redeemed, and better yet, I have the opportunity to share that message with children in India for the next twelve days! How blessed am I!
Our day began with splitting off into teams as Team #1 (yes, that is really our number) headed north to Ongole. What a trip! We crammed four in the back of Scorpio (our awesome red SUV). Before we even got out of Nellore we got a little turned around and ended up in front of one of the church member's businesses. He came running our, so happy to see us, with a big smile and a "Remember me!" You would think after three hours on the train yesterday we would be satisfied with looking out windows, but there is so much to see! So many water buffalo, goat herds, and rice flats! Not to mention mango stands (I'd move here just for that type of truck stop). We had to laugh when I handed our lifesavers (thanks, Mom) and Pastor Joythi and Brother Solomon threw their wrappers out the window.. When I started collecting wrappers from everyone else (because we couldn't bring ourselves to throw ours out the window) Pastor Joythi reassured me with a, "It's okay. This is India, sister!" I hope he was laughing at us out of amusement rather than annoyance when Nathan and I would hold a note as we went over the speed bumps to emphasize just how bumpy they were. About half way through the trip, Pastor Joythi had Brother Solomon switch the music from Indian to American and we all sang along. The first song? Jingle Bells! It was a warm ride, so we were a little confused when Brother Solomon started rolling up the windows. Our noses were alerted very clearly and the heat was considerably more tolerable than the smell of the garbage/recycling center we passed. On our actual trip to the village, I was the super lucky person who got to sit in the back, so I got to wave at everyone we passed.
You should have seen the looks on the children's faces as we pulled into the village. Some looked a little confused, most were very excited! AS we got out of the car we were greeted by about fifteen smiles, waves, and a few enthusiastic shouts. They led us into the church, the structure of which had doubled in size, where we got to do our teaching. While we were waiting to begin, a few girls came up to practice their English by asking us our names, introducing themselves, and asking how we were. The kids were so adorable! The kids had a song with which they started the service (be sure to check Facebook when we get back, you won't want to miss it)! After we taught our lessons, the children received their gifts (we had about 50 children by now), and Brother David gave his lesson. At the end of the whole thing, Brother David was asked to pray for individuals. I thought that there could be nothing more humbling than the welcome we received yesterday, but when my prayers this morning revolved around safe travel, blessing in teaching, and other worries I had dragged from home, I was humiliated to hear women asking for children, strength to care for their families, and healing to do their jobs. Men asking for help managing a health concern, or healing from injury so they could return to their duties. It nearly brought me to tears. We don't pray for each other like that at home. We don't ask each other to pray for us like that at home. These people could have brought laundry lists of items, and they asked for one thing.
It began raining toward the end of the service, and since the church does not have a roof, we made a hasty goodbye. It rained most of the way home. Tomorrow we head to the beach in the morning and to teach again in the evening.
--
Becky Haddad
Agriculture-GSL
"Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid." ~Albert Einstein
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Forgive the typos
Just a quick note to say that I am posting with a Kindle Fire that has a bit of a crazy auto correct and so if any words in my posts make little sense (like elegant instead of elephant) I am sorry. I try to catch the typos but I am likely to miss some.
Just enjoyed a great home cooked meal at Matt and Vanessa's and getting ready to go and teach!
Becky McKenney
Just enjoyed a great home cooked meal at Matt and Vanessa's and getting ready to go and teach!
Becky McKenney
First Days in India
Hello from Chennai! I think I'm finally getting over jet lag after getting a great night's sleep last night in my room in Matt and Vanessa's apartment. I have to say that I am so grateful for an air conditioned bedroom! It is very hot and humid here; not unbearably so, but enough to keep us sweating. I am still probably the whitest person around but hopefully by the end of the trip the Indian sunshine will gift me with at least a bit of a tan. ;)
Before we arrived in Chennai, I experienced my very first plane ride. Most people back at home reacted in surprise/amusment, shock, or pity when I told them my flight to India would be my first flight ever. But really it wasn't bad at all and I enjoyed it. I needed to ask other mission helpers some questions initially as I was navigating airport procedures for the first time, but everything from security to boarding to immigration and customs went very smoothly. My traveling companion for both flights was Jennifer and we both shared our appreciation for a good British accent and found great pleasure in just listening to our flight attendants talk. :) I did experience a stomachache from the Indian plane food, which I had to laugh about because I hadn't even set foot in India yet and already felt sick. Thankfully I felt much better after settling into Chennai and eating some of the real delicious Indian food here.
Food in itself has been a fun adventure! We have enjoyed trying new things at the restaurants. Becky H already did a great job describing our restaurant experiences. I had the "blue dot" smoothie which was super yummy and refreshing but the mystery of just exactly what the dots were remains...someone suggested mulberries. Melanie's walnut smoothie was one of my favorites as we sampled one another's drinks. And Nathan had his own great adventure as he took on the "4 minute challenge" and attempted to devour a huge burger, fries, ice cream, and coke to win 1000 rupees. He put up a good fight but had to surrender to the meal in the end. But on the bright side, he actually got to savor the rest of his food. :)
Yesterday morning we woke up bright and early to leave for the train station so we could make the almost 4 hour trip to Nellore for the welcoming ceremony. There were so many people at the station and I was glad to have Pastor Todd to guide us to our train. Some of us bought donuts and sweet buns for breakfast before boarding the train. I made my first impulse purchase of the trip and bought a "magic picture book." I'll let the description on the book speak for itself: "there is a film paper in the book, keepthe black film paper flat in front of black & white picture and movingslowly to one sides, then you will find the pictures are moving, it is full of magical." I got a tiger one, though the man selling them made it hard to decide between tiger or elegant but I wasn't quite up to trying to make a deal and get two for a lower price. :)
We were greeted by the pastors when we stepped off the train in Nellore. They gave us a beautiful welcoming ceremony. They gifted us with beautiful shawls, flower garlands, necklaces, and bright banners with our names and pictures. We enjoyed their photoshop touches to our photos. :) The pastors did some prayers and singing, and read us a beautifully eloquent message. The words touched my heart and made me feel so honored that God called me and blessed me with the opportunity to meet Christian brothers and sisters in India. My favorite quote from the message was "a flame without heat, a rainbow without color, and a flower without fragrance are like a church without missionaries and volunteers. By coming here to India, you have added an extra heat, color, and fragrance to our churches. Your wonderful visit to our churches is just like a flame casting the light of God's love into the darkness of India, a rainbow of mingled colors shining amid the storms of life and giving promise of God's blessings to our members and children..." Wow. How can one not feel loved, welcomed, and valued after words like that? The ceremony is something I will remember and cherish forever.
They served us a delicious meal with huge servings that kept me full for the rest of the day! We had rice, chicken, curd, fresh mango, and ice cream. Nothing was too spicy and they kindly gave us spoons and forks to use, but by the end of the meal most of us had decided to try eating with our hands and get the full experience. :)
After the ceremony, groups 1 and 2 checked into a hotel, then we had a prayer and goodbyes before Andrew and I headed back to Chennai where we will be staying most of the time. Andrew sat up front with our driver and enjoyed a long nap during the hours of driving back. I tried to sleep but ended up taking in the sights and sounds of India and exhausting my camera battery. Traffic in India deserves an entire post of its own, but let me just say that a horn honks just about every second and staying in a lane doesn't really exist...I will have to post more about my experiences as a passenger in the car and rickshaw taxis another time.
I was very happy when we finally arrived at the apartment. I went to bed fairly early, although first Vanessa patiently and kindly helped me as I came scurrying down the stairs in panic over my camera which had decided to completely die while charging.I think my photos are still on the memory card, but praying that the camera comes back to life so I can capture the rest of our trip around India and London.
I am about to go downstairs for a devotion with our team before Matt leaves go teach the pastors this morning. Andrew and I stay here for now, but will be going to teach our first lessons to the children later in the day. I am a little nervous but mostly excited to meet the kids and start our work. Thank you for your prayers and encouragment as we go through this incredible journey. GOD IS GOOD!
Becky McKenney
Before we arrived in Chennai, I experienced my very first plane ride. Most people back at home reacted in surprise/amusment, shock, or pity when I told them my flight to India would be my first flight ever. But really it wasn't bad at all and I enjoyed it. I needed to ask other mission helpers some questions initially as I was navigating airport procedures for the first time, but everything from security to boarding to immigration and customs went very smoothly. My traveling companion for both flights was Jennifer and we both shared our appreciation for a good British accent and found great pleasure in just listening to our flight attendants talk. :) I did experience a stomachache from the Indian plane food, which I had to laugh about because I hadn't even set foot in India yet and already felt sick. Thankfully I felt much better after settling into Chennai and eating some of the real delicious Indian food here.
Food in itself has been a fun adventure! We have enjoyed trying new things at the restaurants. Becky H already did a great job describing our restaurant experiences. I had the "blue dot" smoothie which was super yummy and refreshing but the mystery of just exactly what the dots were remains...someone suggested mulberries. Melanie's walnut smoothie was one of my favorites as we sampled one another's drinks. And Nathan had his own great adventure as he took on the "4 minute challenge" and attempted to devour a huge burger, fries, ice cream, and coke to win 1000 rupees. He put up a good fight but had to surrender to the meal in the end. But on the bright side, he actually got to savor the rest of his food. :)
Yesterday morning we woke up bright and early to leave for the train station so we could make the almost 4 hour trip to Nellore for the welcoming ceremony. There were so many people at the station and I was glad to have Pastor Todd to guide us to our train. Some of us bought donuts and sweet buns for breakfast before boarding the train. I made my first impulse purchase of the trip and bought a "magic picture book." I'll let the description on the book speak for itself: "there is a film paper in the book, keepthe black film paper flat in front of black & white picture and movingslowly to one sides, then you will find the pictures are moving, it is full of magical." I got a tiger one, though the man selling them made it hard to decide between tiger or elegant but I wasn't quite up to trying to make a deal and get two for a lower price. :)
We were greeted by the pastors when we stepped off the train in Nellore. They gave us a beautiful welcoming ceremony. They gifted us with beautiful shawls, flower garlands, necklaces, and bright banners with our names and pictures. We enjoyed their photoshop touches to our photos. :) The pastors did some prayers and singing, and read us a beautifully eloquent message. The words touched my heart and made me feel so honored that God called me and blessed me with the opportunity to meet Christian brothers and sisters in India. My favorite quote from the message was "a flame without heat, a rainbow without color, and a flower without fragrance are like a church without missionaries and volunteers. By coming here to India, you have added an extra heat, color, and fragrance to our churches. Your wonderful visit to our churches is just like a flame casting the light of God's love into the darkness of India, a rainbow of mingled colors shining amid the storms of life and giving promise of God's blessings to our members and children..." Wow. How can one not feel loved, welcomed, and valued after words like that? The ceremony is something I will remember and cherish forever.
They served us a delicious meal with huge servings that kept me full for the rest of the day! We had rice, chicken, curd, fresh mango, and ice cream. Nothing was too spicy and they kindly gave us spoons and forks to use, but by the end of the meal most of us had decided to try eating with our hands and get the full experience. :)
After the ceremony, groups 1 and 2 checked into a hotel, then we had a prayer and goodbyes before Andrew and I headed back to Chennai where we will be staying most of the time. Andrew sat up front with our driver and enjoyed a long nap during the hours of driving back. I tried to sleep but ended up taking in the sights and sounds of India and exhausting my camera battery. Traffic in India deserves an entire post of its own, but let me just say that a horn honks just about every second and staying in a lane doesn't really exist...I will have to post more about my experiences as a passenger in the car and rickshaw taxis another time.
I was very happy when we finally arrived at the apartment. I went to bed fairly early, although first Vanessa patiently and kindly helped me as I came scurrying down the stairs in panic over my camera which had decided to completely die while charging.I think my photos are still on the memory card, but praying that the camera comes back to life so I can capture the rest of our trip around India and London.
I am about to go downstairs for a devotion with our team before Matt leaves go teach the pastors this morning. Andrew and I stay here for now, but will be going to teach our first lessons to the children later in the day. I am a little nervous but mostly excited to meet the kids and start our work. Thank you for your prayers and encouragment as we go through this incredible journey. GOD IS GOOD!
Becky McKenney
Good morning from Nellore, India,
It’s Thursday morning here and the three teams will begin
their work in earnest today. Yesterday we traveled together by train to Nellore
where the BELC hosted a welcome ceremony for the Mission Helpers. Then…the unexpected/expected happened…I was given 1 ½ hours and asked to teach a lesson to the pastors who had gathered to
welcome us. We discussed portions of
Ephesians and applications to the pastoral ministry. David Lueck gave a short presentation
on teaching the Trinity to children using a banana as a visual aid.
The team that will be working with Matt Ude returned to
Chennai after the welcome ceremony and the other two teams met with the pastors
that we will be working with. We also spent a few hours assembling the crafts and
gifts that we will be giving to the children.
The team that will be working with the CLCI will be leaving
after breakfast today. They will teach their first lessons later today.
My team will be heading out at around 10:00 am this morning to
help with the painting of a church and then later this evening we will teach
our first lessons to the children of the same congregation.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Your brother and fellow servant of our Savior,
Pastor Ohlmann
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Sorry this is my first blog post but we finally figured out the Wi-Fi. It has been an amazing trip so far. The flight from Chicago to London was good, but the flight from London to Chennai was so much better after being randomly upgraded to business class. Chennai is a huge city.
Today we had the welcoming ceremony in Nellore. It was an amazing experience and it was great to see the love from our fellow brothers in India. I am amazed at how welcoming everybody was to us. They fed us a great lunch consisting of fried rice, some chicken, fresh mango, and ice cream for dessert. The fresh mango was the best!
Today we had the welcoming ceremony in Nellore. It was an amazing experience and it was great to see the love from our fellow brothers in India. I am amazed at how welcoming everybody was to us. They fed us a great lunch consisting of fried rice, some chicken, fresh mango, and ice cream for dessert. The fresh mango was the best!
The food here in India is excellent. It's definitely hotter than the typical American food but very delicious. Tonight I had black pepper chicken with egg fried rice. Hotter than I expected, but the meal was great!
Tomorrow we begin our teaching. We are finishing our preparations and truly look forward to spreading the Gospel. It is a great privilege to be here in India. God has richly blessed me and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Him. Prayers are still needed as we spread the Word. All your prayers are appreciated.
Tomorrow we begin our teaching. We are finishing our preparations and truly look forward to spreading the Gospel. It is a great privilege to be here in India. God has richly blessed me and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Him. Prayers are still needed as we spread the Word. All your prayers are appreciated.
I will try to post more frequently.
Nathan Noeldner
Day 2, Part 2 (The Full Story)
India Time: 9:00 PM (June 26, 2013)
CST: 10:30 AM (June 26, 2013)
Sorry--The last one didn't post all the way with the picture...
What a day! I'm so glad we had the three hour train ride to Nellore so we could see more of India--I had brought a book, but spent most of my time catching glances out the window. The villages, the rice fields, the birds, the plants, the colorful clothing...wow! There was also an adorable three year old on the train, sitting right in front of us and peeking over the seat, named Rojan. He was super shy, but when I started making faces at him, he warmed up a bit. Brother David spent some time talking to his father and grandfather and found that they were heading to Kansas! I gave the little boy a lifesavers mint, and I think I found a new best friend! He gave us the cutest wave when we had to get off the train.
I can hardly find words to describe what happened upon our arrival. I have never experienced anything like the welcome ceremony we received upon our arrival to Nellore. The pastors greeted us at the train station and brought us to a church that had a huge banner welcoming us. The service was almost 2.5 hours long, but it felt like 20 even though I couldn't understand much of what was being said. It started with prayer and a few introductory hymns. After that, Pastor Joythi Benjamin and Pastor Moses gave very humbling welcome addresses. I'll never forget Pastor Joythi reading off his welcome and apologizing for India's poor culture compared to our rich one. India is so steeped in history, tradition, and color--and while many of her people are impoverished, the culture is certainly not poor! It was so humbling to have them so honored to have us when it is such an honor to be here. I know I'm going to get more than I could ever hope to give from this experience.
After the welcome addresses, each of us were individually called up the the stage where our shoulders were draped with beautiful silk sashes and our necks adorned with flowers. Another prayer followed, and we were all called up again to be draped with another sash and a necklace, and gifted with a plaque and a personalized banner. We enjoyed the trouble they took to photoshop our faces. :-) Both Brother David and Pastor Todd gave a thank you for the welcome and sermons. (They were told at the beginning that they'd have an hour and a half to fill and could talk for as long as they wanted).
The service was followed by a phenomenal lunch served by the men of the congregation and consisting of fried rice, chicken, curd, and ice cream. It was so delicious! The ice cream was very sweet and had a different texture from the US--Not especially creamy (like custard) but not really icey either. It was also humbling to see the trouble they took to make us feel comfortable, getting out their good dishes and setting a fork and spoon at every place (though we sort of enjoy eating with our hands--we don't get to do that at home)!!
From there, we went to the hotel to get settled, reorganize, assemble craft projects, plan our teaching, and head to dinner. We ate at a Chinese/Indian place where I had my first experience with Chapati! YUM! It's a type of Indian flat break, almost like a tortilla, but fluffier. And paired with mutton sabwala marsala? Even better. I'm getting more used to the spice of the food, and enjoying it more every day.
We're back at the hotel and getting cleaned up. We head out mid morning tomorrow to begin our VBS days as we work north toward Guntur. I'm so excited to start working with the kids and know that their excitement and energy will be contagious! As we head our separate ways, please pray for our safe travel and for God to bless our work.
~Becky Haddad
CST: 10:30 AM (June 26, 2013)
Sorry--The last one didn't post all the way with the picture...
What a day! I'm so glad we had the three hour train ride to Nellore so we could see more of India--I had brought a book, but spent most of my time catching glances out the window. The villages, the rice fields, the birds, the plants, the colorful clothing...wow! There was also an adorable three year old on the train, sitting right in front of us and peeking over the seat, named Rojan. He was super shy, but when I started making faces at him, he warmed up a bit. Brother David spent some time talking to his father and grandfather and found that they were heading to Kansas! I gave the little boy a lifesavers mint, and I think I found a new best friend! He gave us the cutest wave when we had to get off the train.
I can hardly find words to describe what happened upon our arrival. I have never experienced anything like the welcome ceremony we received upon our arrival to Nellore. The pastors greeted us at the train station and brought us to a church that had a huge banner welcoming us. The service was almost 2.5 hours long, but it felt like 20 even though I couldn't understand much of what was being said. It started with prayer and a few introductory hymns. After that, Pastor Joythi Benjamin and Pastor Moses gave very humbling welcome addresses. I'll never forget Pastor Joythi reading off his welcome and apologizing for India's poor culture compared to our rich one. India is so steeped in history, tradition, and color--and while many of her people are impoverished, the culture is certainly not poor! It was so humbling to have them so honored to have us when it is such an honor to be here. I know I'm going to get more than I could ever hope to give from this experience.
After the welcome addresses, each of us were individually called up the the stage where our shoulders were draped with beautiful silk sashes and our necks adorned with flowers. Another prayer followed, and we were all called up again to be draped with another sash and a necklace, and gifted with a plaque and a personalized banner. We enjoyed the trouble they took to photoshop our faces. :-) Both Brother David and Pastor Todd gave a thank you for the welcome and sermons. (They were told at the beginning that they'd have an hour and a half to fill and could talk for as long as they wanted).
The service was followed by a phenomenal lunch served by the men of the congregation and consisting of fried rice, chicken, curd, and ice cream. It was so delicious! The ice cream was very sweet and had a different texture from the US--Not especially creamy (like custard) but not really icey either. It was also humbling to see the trouble they took to make us feel comfortable, getting out their good dishes and setting a fork and spoon at every place (though we sort of enjoy eating with our hands--we don't get to do that at home)!!
From there, we went to the hotel to get settled, reorganize, assemble craft projects, plan our teaching, and head to dinner. We ate at a Chinese/Indian place where I had my first experience with Chapati! YUM! It's a type of Indian flat break, almost like a tortilla, but fluffier. And paired with mutton sabwala marsala? Even better. I'm getting more used to the spice of the food, and enjoying it more every day.
We're back at the hotel and getting cleaned up. We head out mid morning tomorrow to begin our VBS days as we work north toward Guntur. I'm so excited to start working with the kids and know that their excitement and energy will be contagious! As we head our separate ways, please pray for our safe travel and for God to bless our work.
~Becky Haddad
Day 2, Part Two
CST: 10:30 AM (June 26, 2013)
What a day! I'm so glad we had the three hour train ride to Nellore so we could see more of India--I had brought a book, but spent most of my time catching glances out the window. The villages, the rice fields, the birds, the plants, the colorful clothing...wow! There was also an adorable three year old on the train, sitting right in front of us and peeking over the seat, named Rojan. He was super shy, but when I started making faces at him, he warmed up a bit. Brother David spent some time talking to his father and grandfather and found that they were heading to Kansas! I gave the little boy a lifesavers mint, and I think I found a new best friend! He gave us the cutest wave when we had to get off the train.
Day 2, Part 1
India Time: 6:57 AM (June 26, 2013)
CST: 8:27 PM (June 25, 2013)
Last night found us in another rickshaw on our way to dinner. We went to a more "international" restaurant where we were able to get burgers and fries, pasta, as well as traditional Indian cuisine. Their menu also included a four minute challenge, which Nathan immediately accepted as his own. It can with a three patty burger, a plate of fries, ice cream and a coke. After three minutes and thirty seconds, Nathan decided he wanted to enjoy the food (and still had a plate of fries left). ;-) The video will come soon! Chennai was much busier last night. Lots more cars on the road and many more shops open. (Makes sense since it is so warm during the day).
We were up at 4:15 this morning to make our way to Chennai Central train station as we head north to Nellore. Our bus ride took us to another part of the city. Some areas were more developed with taller office type buildings. We also drove by the beach where the tsunami hit in 2004. There were people everywhere this morning; most of them sleeping. There were drivers sleeping in their rickshaws, even people just sleeping on the streets. We caught a few groups of joggers and have noticed a bit of a contradiction in traditional Indian culture with a western clash. It's a sign of prosperity for someone to carry more weight. In fact, Pastor Ohlmann pointed out that when a woman runs for political office they photoshop her to look plumper rather than skinnier. We have noticed multiple billboards for a more fit lifestyle though, so it's been interesting to watch that culture "shift." (Though where we've been, I haven't seen anyone who is large). Billboards are also interesting. It's funny to see where things are in English (hospital posters, fashion shops, beauty advertising, matchmaking services, and restaurant menus) and where things are in Hindi (train station, some restaurants, political advertising, and some street signs). A lot of the billboards that advertise for services and products in English seem to also use western models (especially the fashion ones).
The train station was another adventure. Apart from the airport, it's probably been the most people I've seen anywhere at one time. Chennai certainly isn't a touristy city, and apart from at the airport and Matt and Vanessa, I haven't seen any other westerners. The train station also had people sleeping all over the place. A few of us got donuts for breakfast and we stocked up on water for the day. I guess we were riding in coach, but it's not the "lowest coach" (meaning that there is still A/C). :-)
A big difference from the US is that I haven't really seen any grocery stores. I asked about that yesterday and apparently, people just eat out a lot more. Some of that is their proximity to work from home, some of that is the ability to keep food made at home fresh during the day. I suppose when you're able to feed twelve Americans for 1200 rupies ($24.00) you can't eat much more cheaply at home.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Day 1
India Time: 5:00 PM (June 25, 2013)
CST: 6:30 AM (June 25, 2013)
Today has been quite the introduction to Chennai. We arrived at the airport at 3:30 this morning and were greeted by the Udes. After getting through customs and immigration were rode a bus to the hotel. We divided up bags and took a walk to Pastor Matt and Vanessa's house. After cleaning up and a quick nap, we took our first rickshaw ride to meet up with "the boys" back at the hotel. From there, we walked toward the beach.
It's definitely warm here, but it's an interesting warm. I won't pretend that we don't sweat when we're walking, but even if our end destination has air conditioning, we DRIP when we sit down! (Maybe I should just say I there...) :-)
We ate at a little deli near the beach where some of us had our first experience with dosai, and others their first experience with uhtapam (definitely spelled that wrong). I'll let the others tell you about dosai, but uhtapam is basically a pancake that you can order with varying degrees of spices and vegetables. When we first arrived at the restaurant, we each received a banana leaf on which the servers began putting sauces. Some would disagree, but a few of the sauces were pretty hot. ("Chilled" sauce, but very spicy!) We also got a type of soup that tasted a bit beany (also hot). Our uhtapam came cooked with butter and onions, and was a good intro to Indian cuisine.
From brunch, we headed to the beach. The sand was very hot, and there were bits of garbage in the water. The tide was coming in, and thankfully Nathan noticed his shoes being swept out to sea, otherwise a few of us would've been shoeless. The water was warm and the waves were crashing hard, so it was a very pretty site.
A few Indian girls came onto the beach after school and talked with Nathan, Lucas and David. They asked us questions about who we came to see, where we were from, if we were friends or family, and told us a little about themselves as well.
We got a treat on the way back from the beach when we stopped at a smoothie shop about half way between the hotel and Matt & Vanessa's apartment. They had all sorts of pure fruit juices and different types of smoothies! It was incredibly refreshing!! Almost everyone ordered something different, so everyone got to sample pure kiwi juice, the sunrise (strawberry and orange juice), the blue dot (we think that one was mulberry--not completely sure), and different blends of mango, among other all fresh and pure juices!
It was very interesting to walk some of the streets in Chennai. Pedestrians don't have the right of way, but it was funny to watch mothers stop to have their children wave at us or guys on bikes wave as they rode by. Most of the transportation near where we're staying is rickshaw and bike (motor and pedal), with an occasional bus and lots of parked cars. There are lots of ferrel animals running around. Mostly dogs and goats. Dogs especially down by the beach where they were cooling off in the water. There are stands everywhere and shops line almost every lower level. There are a lot of interesting smells and different foods to see. We even sampled some fresh coconut water!
Most of the girls are just waking up from much needed naps and we'll be meeting up with the boys for dinner soon. It sounds like it will be an early night since we leave for Nellore at 5:30 tomorrow morning. I'm excited to start meeting people in our churches and seeing the kids! I'm sure it's going to be incredibly energizing!
~Becky Haddad
Sent from my iPad
CST: 6:30 AM (June 25, 2013)
Today has been quite the introduction to Chennai. We arrived at the airport at 3:30 this morning and were greeted by the Udes. After getting through customs and immigration were rode a bus to the hotel. We divided up bags and took a walk to Pastor Matt and Vanessa's house. After cleaning up and a quick nap, we took our first rickshaw ride to meet up with "the boys" back at the hotel. From there, we walked toward the beach.
It's definitely warm here, but it's an interesting warm. I won't pretend that we don't sweat when we're walking, but even if our end destination has air conditioning, we DRIP when we sit down! (Maybe I should just say I there...) :-)
We ate at a little deli near the beach where some of us had our first experience with dosai, and others their first experience with uhtapam (definitely spelled that wrong). I'll let the others tell you about dosai, but uhtapam is basically a pancake that you can order with varying degrees of spices and vegetables. When we first arrived at the restaurant, we each received a banana leaf on which the servers began putting sauces. Some would disagree, but a few of the sauces were pretty hot. ("Chilled" sauce, but very spicy!) We also got a type of soup that tasted a bit beany (also hot). Our uhtapam came cooked with butter and onions, and was a good intro to Indian cuisine.
From brunch, we headed to the beach. The sand was very hot, and there were bits of garbage in the water. The tide was coming in, and thankfully Nathan noticed his shoes being swept out to sea, otherwise a few of us would've been shoeless. The water was warm and the waves were crashing hard, so it was a very pretty site.
A few Indian girls came onto the beach after school and talked with Nathan, Lucas and David. They asked us questions about who we came to see, where we were from, if we were friends or family, and told us a little about themselves as well.
We got a treat on the way back from the beach when we stopped at a smoothie shop about half way between the hotel and Matt & Vanessa's apartment. They had all sorts of pure fruit juices and different types of smoothies! It was incredibly refreshing!! Almost everyone ordered something different, so everyone got to sample pure kiwi juice, the sunrise (strawberry and orange juice), the blue dot (we think that one was mulberry--not completely sure), and different blends of mango, among other all fresh and pure juices!
It was very interesting to walk some of the streets in Chennai. Pedestrians don't have the right of way, but it was funny to watch mothers stop to have their children wave at us or guys on bikes wave as they rode by. Most of the transportation near where we're staying is rickshaw and bike (motor and pedal), with an occasional bus and lots of parked cars. There are lots of ferrel animals running around. Mostly dogs and goats. Dogs especially down by the beach where they were cooling off in the water. There are stands everywhere and shops line almost every lower level. There are a lot of interesting smells and different foods to see. We even sampled some fresh coconut water!
Most of the girls are just waking up from much needed naps and we'll be meeting up with the boys for dinner soon. It sounds like it will be an early night since we leave for Nellore at 5:30 tomorrow morning. I'm excited to start meeting people in our churches and seeing the kids! I'm sure it's going to be incredibly energizing!
~Becky Haddad
Sent from my iPad
Chennai
After a short ten or so hour flight from London, we arrived in Chennai around 3:30 this morning, Tuesday June 25! :) It was nice to be able to sleep most of the way from London and get some rest while trying to adjust to the approximately eleven hour time difference. We ate some Indian food on the plane! It was very different, but the spicy curry and rice we had was delicious.
It is amazing how hot and humid it gets here. Even at 3 AM people were busy everywhere, working before the sun and temperature rose. Chennai is an amazing, strangely fascinating city...the crazy and loud traffic, the people, everything! I'm sure it will only continue with its surprises! Today will mostly be spent getting settled in and preparing lessons for the busy weeks ahead. All your continued prayers are very much appreciated!
Katherine Kazemba
Flight
India Time: 2:27 AM (June 25th, 2013)
Central Time: 4:00 PM (June 24th, 2013)
Hark the voice of Jesus crying, "Who will go and work today?"
Fields are white and harvest waiting, who will bear the sheaves away?
Loud and long the master calleth. Rich reward he offers thee.
Who will answer gladly saying, "Here am I, send me, send me!"
It's funny to note the ways that we've already been able to notice how God has sent us--From our flight attendants noticing Lucas's armband ("I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Rom 1:16) to our chats with our fellow passengers, our opportunities have already been blessed and, as I write still an hour from landing in Chennai, it is amazing to already see God's hand at work.
While the food on the airplane is Indian cuisine, it's still a little mind boggling that in an hour we will be completely surrounded by India. After almost twenty four hours of travel, I'm sure most of us will be happy to be done sitting on a plane! :-)
It's amazing to think that six months ago Joe and I were debating how we could make this work (more me debating and Joe reasoning and saying "go!"). Now, more than ever, thank you so much to everyone who has made this possible! I wouldn't be here without your support and am very grateful!
~Becky Haddad
Sent from my iPad
Monday, June 24, 2013
Made It to London!
Hi!
We made it safely to London and are taking off for Chennai in about an hour! A few of us slept on the plane, and I was lucky enough to sit next to someone from the federal reserve heading to Switzerland, and a zoology student heading to Johannesburg to train elephants!
~Becky Haddad
Sent from my iPad
We made it safely to London and are taking off for Chennai in about an hour! A few of us slept on the plane, and I was lucky enough to sit next to someone from the federal reserve heading to Switzerland, and a zoology student heading to Johannesburg to train elephants!
~Becky Haddad
Sent from my iPad
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)