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.

Leaving on a jet plane

Today was the last day of the Academy. It was amazing. The teachers just kept taking our pics and taking our pics and giving us gifts. We were truly humbled. They have so little and yet they wanted to show their appreciation by giving us something. One lady apologized " just a little something" she said - it was a key chain with red heart beads. Another said something similar and didn't want me to open it in front of her. It was a pair of earrings which I promptly put on and showed her as she left how precious her gift was to me. One of the men kept laying his hand on top of our head - -I'm not sure if it was a blessing or what. We felt like celebrities after our photo op. :) Our flight leaves at 2 am but because of the time zones we arrive the same day we leave. :)
See y'all soon.
jane

My time is up

Tomorrow is our last day of Teacher Academy. We head home after the academy. We will be back in Amarillo on Wednesday. We have all thoroughly enjoyed our time here - we've enjoyed each other and have bonded with the teachers here. I have never been in a situation where 16 of us are living under one roof and not a cross word has been spoken. I don't even think we had situations that would cause cross words. It has truly been your prayers that have helped us through this. Some things that I didn't expect: all of Dehi is slum area - today we saw the only part that was not which was around the parliment (or something like that) I cannot tell one neighborhood from another - they all look the same. There is poverty all around. At the stop light this morning two men came up to 'autos' - those are the sort of open air go cart things used for transportation - with pythons in their hands. they were shoving them in the faces of the people in the 'autos' and wanted money to go away. Thankfully we were in real autos and we quickly locked the doors. Almost at every stop light there are deformed people, very poor people, people selling things etc at your window trying to get your attention to give them money.. I was expecting Delhi to have a poor section and a "Hunsley Hills" section and a middle class section... I wasn't expecting poverty to be everywhere. Plus the poverty is far worse than I anticipated. Another thing is I wasn't prepared for the friendliness and openness of the Indian people. We have been the recipient of kindness everywhere we go. I didn't expect and can't get used to the stares we get. 16 white people in a third world country will always get a look! The Indian people jerk their head to one side and that means "ok" or "yes". I have had a horrible time getting used to that - I don't know if they're shaking their head "no" or saying "it's ok" :) Plus, I never realized how much I shake my head when I talk. I'm sure they are totally confused about what I'm saying :) I'm probably jerking my head and saying "ok" or "yes" in Hindi but meaning something different. Oh, boy! We take our shoes off when we enter a house or classroom. I love going barefoot but my feet need a pedicure. Since the various attacks they have had in India they have stepped up security. I cannot get used to the soldiers everywhere with machine guns! We're not talking security guards - we talking fully armed soldiers. In the Metro there is a sandbag circle where the soldiers stand guard inside the circle. The food has been tremendous - not too much curry - but then I've been careful what I select. The cafeteria at school found out one of our team members is allergic to curry and they have not put it in since day one. They have been sooo nice. The cafeteria manager wears a turban and can hardly wait every day for us to come down and greet him. He stands by while we taste the food to make sure we like it. We especially like a dessert he prepared one day last week - so he is fixing it for us again tomorrow before we leave. That is the kind of service we have received everywhere - on the Metro, at the markets, in the restaurants etc. I cannot tell you how wonderful the people here have been. Not for one minute have I been fearful since the first day. The first day it really struck me that I was not in Kansas anymore and I got fearful that day. Since then I have been fine. I think even if I had to get myself to school I could do it. I feel totally safe - except when the snake guy comes to the window :) We leave shortly after the Academy tomorrow so I won't be able to blog until I get home. By then, though I will have time to post pics. If you are on Facebook many of our team members have posted pics on my facebook.
Next blog will be from Texas,
jane