Misc. Pics

Misc. Street pictures.

Presswalla

Every day someone comes to the door - it's the presswalla. Walla means "the one" - so presswalla is the one who presses your clothes. i don't know if I'm spelling that correct. The clothes needing pressed are bundled in a large piece of cloth and tied. That evening the clothes are returned - pressed! We paid 2 rupees per piece (1 cent). As luck would have it our last day we were driving in a market area and voila! we saw a presswalla set up on the street! They had a very heavy, large iron that is filled with coals (remember it's 109 degree outside) and they were pressing the clothes on what appeared to be a flat rock.

Yum!

The Indian food was delicious. They were kind enough to not put as much spice as they probably would. The Indian people eat with their right hand only. They eat with their fingers then they go wash then they drink their water then eat their dessert. Every day at the Teachers Academy we ate basically the same thing: rice, a yellow soup type thing made of mashed beans, a yogurt soup type thing, another dish which changed every day - it resembled a stew w/ some meat (mutton) potatoes, vegetables etc, cucumbers, tomatos, onions, carrots and a tortillia.

Church

On Sunday I was back in America, in my home church. I couldn't help but think how bizarre that a week ago I was in a church that was a back room in someone's house. There were no pews but plastic lawn chairs. There was no microphone, sound system, no latest technology or screen to read the words, no committees, no piano or organ just voices lifted in praise to the Lord. Some of us sat on mats or rugs on the floor - the men on one side, the women on another. For our benefit the sermon was delivered in both English and Hindi. What have we done in America to 'worship'? Why are we building monstrous churches? Why do we have such elaborate services? To attact and entertain the people? The people in India attend church at risk of persecution and even death in some parts. Aren't we to attend because we want to worship the Lord with other believers? Aren't we to attend because He has comanded us forsake not the assembling? To lift one another up? To encourage one another? Is that what we're doing? Or are we there to be entertained for an hour....

Orphanage

Yes, we are home safely but I've thought of a couple more things I wanted to put on my blogspot. More memories.
One evening a young couple came to the house to visit with our friends that we were staying with. There was a young indian man that was accompanying them. We all sat down to eat but the young man did not. Since our friends were busy with a phone call I asked the young couple if anyone had offered food to their guide. They said yes but that he was not going to eat because the orphanage was fasting so he was fasting with them. The young man grew up in the orphanage and then stayed on as a helper there. Because the orphanage has run out of money they asked the children if they would fast one meal a day. How sad. I think of that now that I'm home - we are such a gluttonous society - we have in abundance - and there are still children everywhere - not just in India - that are hungry and some even starving to death. How can we stand by and do nothing. Our faith has called us to "do" - not watch and feel sorry.