Hi again everyone,
It has been really nice to hear some news from you all back in the UK this week! Thanks for that. I am still alive and doing well, although the dreaded mozzie bites continue...
So- the news from this week:
The weather has changed here lately. We are finally having some monsoon weather, but everything has apparently been a bit upside down since the tsunami. After quite a few deluges and thunder storms, the streets are looking rather muddy and my feet have turned a permanent brown. Not a pretty sight! We have also had a few power cuts lately, including one in the middle of the church service at the 'Powerhouse' church- ironic!
We have also made a couple of friends here (hard to believe, I know) including some people from church and one of the guys at Oasis who has been really helpful to us. It has been really encouraging to hear his testimony and about his goals for the future. Literally, his life has turned around since he became a Christian, and now there is no stopping him. It was also interesting that he was asking a lot of questions about the UK and Christians there, because he views England as somewhere equally in need of missionaries as over here- and I would agree with him totally. So all of you in England, take note!
We are getting practiced at riding around in rickshaws now. On the way to work one morning this week, we were surprised to find our rick about 2cm behind a bicycle with half a dead cow hanging off it. All dragging though the mud. Nice. We ate beef that day. There is also a little 'dairy' near our flat, consisting of 3 - 8 cows. The number varies due to the number of cows that are wandering around the streets at any one time. There have been many near-misses with cars and cows involved!
Work-wise, we are settling in to a routine now. The Balwadi Nursery has been the greatest challenge! I am not good at working with small children anyways, so it is even harder when they are crazy and dirty and want to climb all over you. We had rather a discouraging session on Monday: never, ever try to do craft with 3 year olds! We had kids eating crayons, ripping each others work, screaming, etc. You get the picture. Because they have so little, bringing anything at all with us can cause huge problems! And they really are desperate for individual attention, which is hard to give with only three of us. So we were not really looking forward to Wednesdays session there. No idea what to plan or do, etc. BUT while we were there, I was playing with a couple of the kids and the part in the Bible where Jesus tells his disciples to let the children come to him came to mind. Now before I had always thought of clean, quiet, shy kids. But it struck me that actually these kids at Balwadi were probably precisely the kind of children he was referring to! If I am going to be Jesus' hands and feet, I need to just go there and love them and have time for them. So I have enjoyed it more since then. I am still filthy when I leave and they have a fascination with trying to pull my arm hair out, but it is good all the same. It is so rewarding to give time to a kid who never normally gets any attention. Oh yeah, and Sabrina is teaching them a dance for children's day at the teacher's request- good luck to her!
The Jacob's Well class is going well. I love the girls there! They are more confident around us now, and are settling in to the lessons. Sabrina and Helen are both great at the teaching which is fantastic, and we are getting by with our limited language skills. We have one girl who is particularly helpful as she is very bright and has reasonable English skills, so helps to communicate to the others what we are trying to do. There are also several more frustrating cases who don't want to work, but already this week we have seen an improvement. They all call me either 'teacher' or 'sister' which is quite funny. Soon I won't respond to Kandace anymore! I do look forward to our lessons there. As well as trying to bump up the English and Maths skills of the group, we have decided that increasing the self-confidence of the girls is a major aim. Most of them have no belief in themselves, even thought their abilities are good. We have made a few arty things with them in the Hobbies lessons, and they were so pleased to be able to take them home. They really are grateful for everything!
Other than that, we have done a LOT of Christmas card making with the girls this week. I never want to see another one in my life! It was fun to hang around Jacob's Well for most of the day and just be with the girls, drinking lots of chai. We have also been doing the Fun Club for the local slum children which is great fun. Had a bit of a sheep theme going on this week! One of the sessions did involve a rather messy after-sun lotion fight. Next week we should be doing the Kids Clubs at the other two slums. More on that next time I hope.
We joined the gym this week! It is so nice to run again. I was amazed to see women there in their full Salwar suits (the long tops, baggy trousers and scarves) running on the treadmill, using the exercise bike, etc! It looks so strange. Even in the gym you have to cover up. We have also come to the conclusion that Indian people just don't sweat. Seriously. We were the ONLY sweaty people in the gym. I was worried they might throw us out for being too sweaty and disgusting!
We are still having a few plumbing problems in our flat. Apparently the plumber they did have has been sacked as he has a tendency to turn up to work drunk. When we hear strange noises in the night, the old joke of it being the 'Crazy axe murdered' has turned into the 'Drunk plumber'. The other minor problem is that our SIM card has been cut off. It appears the last team who used the same one failed to pay their bill. So we will hopefully sort that out on Monday! I can still receive texts, just not send them.
I am still perfectly healthy, probably more so than I would be at home now that I have joined the gym! The food is good, apart from the beef which we have removed from the menu. With all the cows we see here, it is hard to stomach chewy, hairy beef. Veg is good for me! We do have an increasing number of sugar cravings and I am ashamed to say we have nearly worked our way thorugh all of the chocolate and sweets we brought from home. We did try some Indian sweets today which were good!
We also had Pizza Hut food today! We ventured into the richer area, Anna Salai, today, to do some shopping. It felt strange because I am used to living next door to a slum, and I wasn't expecting the western-ness of the richer area. There really are so many contrasts here! Our Pizza Hut lunch cost us about as much as it would in the UK, but then earlier in the week we ate out at an Indian place down our road for 50p a head!
There have been so many festivals here- every week it seems. I guess it is the huge mish-mash of religions. Last weekend there was a festival that entailed the worship of machines- all the cars were decorated. And there is loads of Diwali stuff in the shops. It is interesting that here everyone seems to be one religion or another, whereas in the UK the majority do not even believe in a god.
So I think that is about it. It has been an exhausting week! I felt so tired last night. I have realised how little I have to offer and how I am not quite as strong and invincible as I thought I was. Alone I can do nothing- it is very humbling to realise that. So I just have to depend on God. I have been challenged on not trying to do things on my own strength, but out of the strength of the One who sent me here. "Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God.".
Thanks to all who have been praying for me! Prayer / praise points:
- Our team is getting on well and we have started to make an effort to pray together every day. May it continue!
- I have started to teach myself Tamil- please continue to pray that I pick it up quickly!
- An answer to prayer: the homesickness has decreased dramatically now.
- For the provision of a translator for key skills.
- That the flat's plumbing will get sorted out!
- For energy and strength to do the work we have to do. I want to give it my best effort, but there is only so much you can fit into a day. Please pray for good ideas and creativity.
- For the Balwadi nursery, that we know what to do with them during our time there.
- For India as a whole country. There is so much need!
Thanks everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Impact guys- let me know how Slum Survivor went! Takes lots of photos. Uni guys- do you actually do any work?! I get a lot of emails that have nothing whatsoever about doing work in them! Enjoy your British weather. I actually miss the cold! Take care and see you in a few months...
"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God- but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people- and this is not learned in 5 minutes."
"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10
Saturday 27 October 2007
Saturday 20 October 2007
Photos!
Photos, in order of appearance:
1. Some of the kids from the slum near our flat, SD Puram.
2. Where our flat is.
3. Boys from the SM Nagar slum area.
4. Helen and Sabrina ready to clean the flat1
5. Us at the beach when we first arrived here.
1. Some of the kids from the slum near our flat, SD Puram.
2. Where our flat is.
3. Boys from the SM Nagar slum area.
4. Helen and Sabrina ready to clean the flat1
5. Us at the beach when we first arrived here.
Christmas trees and Cockroaches
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all doing fantastically at Uni/College/School/Work/Whatever you might be doing. Keep on sending me those emails, even if I just reply telling you to read my blog! I love to read them but have so little time to reply.
So the news from last time... I did make a list this week of all the funny things that have happened but I forgot to bring it to the internet cafe, so I will tell you the ones I can remember!
I discovered an ant infestation in the kitchen and they ate my delicious biscuits. I was not happy!
I got to ride on the back of a motorbike!
I saw a VERY large rat.
I was eaten alive my mosquitoes (okay, so not very funny).
We found a fake Christmas tree in our flat which the last team left!
I caught and killed a large cockroach.
There were so many but that's all I can remember for now...
Anyway, we have had a full week of work now, so there is lots to tell you! Last Sunday we went to a large-ish church down the road from us called 'Powerhouse'. It seemed really good- all in English, great teaching (given by a guy who knew Brother Yunn, for those of you who have read the Heavenly Man), modern worship. It is held in a cinema! They were really welcoming and I was impressed by what they believe and how they live it out. I think we are going back tomorrow! There is also an American guy there who works for YWAM and has set up this American diner called 'Sparky's' as a very innovative way to do missions. The congregation get 20% off so we went there for Sunday lunch and it was AMAZING! I will have to take photos to show you. It was just so nice to feel normal and be able to talk to people who speak English and look like you. Normally during the week the only foreigners I see are Helen and Sabrina, although they are lovely! That's my rave about Sparky's done. We will go to a more traditional church while we are here, just to visit, but this one looks good for regular attendance.
On Monday we arrived at the Oasis office (a quick auto ride away) for the prayer and worship we have with them every morning in Tamil and English. I was expecting to be looking around projects and being told what we would be doing, but instead we were given our timetable and told our first class to teach was that afternoon! The organization here is quite frustrating at times, especially for me who likes to know what is happening and when in advance. But I am getting used to sudden changed of plan and not being informed until the last minute of what I am doing. Improvisation is very much necessary! So I will tell you about the different things on my timetable, but there are actually only two days this week that we have followed that timetable. It all makes life more exciting!
There are three slum communities we are working with. One is called SM Nagar and is 30 mins away by auto, another is called KK Pettai and is 40 mins away by auto (it is a rag picking community right on the sea and was severley affected by the tsunami). The last, SD Puram, is right near us- we walk through a section of it on our way to the shops.
Three mornings per week I am spending one hour in the Balwadi nursery. This is for kids up to about 4 years old who are from the local slum community, SD Puram. There are usually about 25 of them and only 1 or 2 teachers! I am not used to working with such young children and it has been a challenge to keep them entertained with songs and games. Lots of them seem to be in need of medical care and spend most of the time crying, although there are also lots of very bright children who pick up what we teach them so fast. We are hoping to bring lots of toys and colouring stuff here as their resources are so limited.
In the afternoons, we will be going to either KK Pettai or SM Nagar to run fun clubs for the kids for a couple of hours. One member of staff comes with us for this, but we are responsible for organising and running the clubs. We have only been once or twice to each as most of the staff will be away next week, but after that this should become a regular part of our work. The children range from 2 - 14 years old and seemed thrilled to see us the first time! Apparently they get up to 50 kids at each club. The areas we have to run the clubs are sandy pitches that are covered in rubbish, so that will be a challenge, but the kids don't seem to mind. I am really looking forward to this aspect of the work- the communities in these areas are so poor and in need of transformation. Shelter and medical care are the primary needs in these places, and, ultimately, to hear and experience the love of Jesus for them.
In the evenings (7pm) we spend half an hour at the fun station for the SD Puram kids who are attending extra lessons to help them catch up with school work. We play some games or do painting with them for half an hour before they start learning. The club is run by the Oasis football coach, Vijay, who lives just around the corner from us. They gave us such a wonderful welcome! They were so thankful to us for coming from our 'great' country to their 'poor' one (their words). We all felt so humbled afterwards. I know I will learn and receive far more from these people than I could ever give or teach them. The people here treat us like a celebrity because of the colour of our skin- Sabrina has adopted the phrase, "Beep if you see a white person", when we are walking down the street! The people really are lovely and friendly, but seeing us is still quite unusual for them. I shake so many kids' hands just walking down the road.
Also just around the corner from us is Jacob's Well, a centre where girls who have dropped out of school can learn tailoring to make a living. In addition to their tailoring classes, we are spending 2 hours there each day teaching them Maths, English, Life skills, Hobbies and Games. The three of us are solely responsible for these aspects of their teaching which is quite overwhelming for us! I hardly knew where to start. There are 11 girls we teach, between the ages of 14 and 18. They are mostly Hindu with a few Christians and a couple of Muslims. They have VERY basic English and I still have almost no Tamil, so teaching is very challenging. But they are lovely and have warmed up to us since we have been here. If anyone want to email me some guidelines on how to teach English as a foreign language, that would be useful! And Mer- I hope that explains the GCSE Maths stuff! We do have some resources out here, but they aren't great. We don't have a translator atm, but I have asked for someone to come in during life skills as there is no way we can teach that without Tamil. Please pray that someone will become available! I am also hoping to get some of you girls from Alton Harvest Church to do a pen-pal correspondence with them. Watch this space!
There is one other potential area we will be working in: Vyasarpadi. We visited there on Thursday. It is a refugee camp, although quite well developed- not the image that would probably spring to your minds. However, it is a very rough area with a lot of gangs and fighting. The auto drivers were reluctant to take us. Oasis are the first organization to agree to work there, I believe. They are working hand in hand with an amazing church, the 'Good Samaritan Jesus Prayerhouse'. Please pray for the guys there! God has done some amazing stuff. This little church is right in the centre of the camp and is surrounded by a temple and mosque. The Christians there have had a lot of persecution in the past. The stories that the pastor told us were amazing! I was reminded that, if you are a Christian, these guys are also part of our church family and we need to be praying for them and supporting them. Anyway, I was really touched by what I saw there and am hoping to be able to start going there in a month when Oasis have started to run classes in the church. The people are much more open to education and sport as means of outreach. And don't worry- Oasis are looking after me well and wouldn't send me anywhere I was in danger! I don't want any concerned emails.
So I think that is most of the work! We are also helping the girls at Jacob's Well to make Christmas cards to sell. Initially I was a bit annoyed about this, but then was reminded of how important it is to do the little and apparently unimportant jobs as well as you would do any other job. It is a great chance to get to know the girls and helps them to view us as equals if we are working alongside them.
The work has certainly been keeping me busy! There is very little spare time to do anything right now, but that should get easier once we are into the swing of things. I just discovered that the guy next to me in the internet cafe is a theology and biblical studies student who is hoping to go into cross-cultural church planting next year. Random conversations are very easy to have here! Anyway, yes, very busy. I have also felt quite homesick in the mornings this week. I am still surprised to wake up in India! I miss friends and family quite a lot, although the diary that lots of people wrote in has been a real encouragement! So many times whatever is written is SO appropriate it is scary. I miss the comforts of home (cold water on tap, a duvet, my sunny bedroom, nice food, etc) and also being able to go for a run (am going to join the gym! Women can't go running here). Also the beautifulness of England. But I will stop reminiscing now. I am so glad I am here and am enjoying it hugely, despite missing home. For you guys who before I left we were talking about what it means to live your whole life for God and surrender everything- being here brings new meaning to that! I have a great admiration for long-term missionaries.
Gosh this is almost as long as the last post. I will try to tie up the loose ends! I am sorry for those of you who are not interested in the Christian side of my experiences. I guess that is the part that excites me most so I write about it first and forget to tell you all my travel stories! I am getting good at bargaining with the rickshaw drivers now. Oh yeah- there is a butcher on our road and every day it looks like they have a dead, skinned dog on display. We also have a bit of a pluming problem in our flat, and had to have the plumber come out. He arrived with only a pencil and asked us if we had any tools! Duh. This weekend is also some Hindu festival so there are loads of flowers and stuff around. More funny stories next week I hope!
So, some prayer points:
- Continued good health (has been great so far!)
- That the three of us will continue to 'bond' well.
- That our work will be underpinned not by planning but by prayer (and maybe some planing...)
- For the provision of a translator for key skills.
- That we will be able to communicate why we are here despite the lack of Tamil. Never again will I take being able to share the gospel for granted!
- That my Tamil learning efforts will progress quickly.
- That homesickness will be minimal.
- That the flat's plumbing will get sorted out!
Thanks so much everyone. I love to hear your news so keep me updated! And feel free to forward this to anyone who you think would like to read it.
Take care,
Kandace
I hope you are all doing fantastically at Uni/College/School/Work/Whatever you might be doing. Keep on sending me those emails, even if I just reply telling you to read my blog! I love to read them but have so little time to reply.
So the news from last time... I did make a list this week of all the funny things that have happened but I forgot to bring it to the internet cafe, so I will tell you the ones I can remember!
I discovered an ant infestation in the kitchen and they ate my delicious biscuits. I was not happy!
I got to ride on the back of a motorbike!
I saw a VERY large rat.
I was eaten alive my mosquitoes (okay, so not very funny).
We found a fake Christmas tree in our flat which the last team left!
I caught and killed a large cockroach.
There were so many but that's all I can remember for now...
Anyway, we have had a full week of work now, so there is lots to tell you! Last Sunday we went to a large-ish church down the road from us called 'Powerhouse'. It seemed really good- all in English, great teaching (given by a guy who knew Brother Yunn, for those of you who have read the Heavenly Man), modern worship. It is held in a cinema! They were really welcoming and I was impressed by what they believe and how they live it out. I think we are going back tomorrow! There is also an American guy there who works for YWAM and has set up this American diner called 'Sparky's' as a very innovative way to do missions. The congregation get 20% off so we went there for Sunday lunch and it was AMAZING! I will have to take photos to show you. It was just so nice to feel normal and be able to talk to people who speak English and look like you. Normally during the week the only foreigners I see are Helen and Sabrina, although they are lovely! That's my rave about Sparky's done. We will go to a more traditional church while we are here, just to visit, but this one looks good for regular attendance.
On Monday we arrived at the Oasis office (a quick auto ride away) for the prayer and worship we have with them every morning in Tamil and English. I was expecting to be looking around projects and being told what we would be doing, but instead we were given our timetable and told our first class to teach was that afternoon! The organization here is quite frustrating at times, especially for me who likes to know what is happening and when in advance. But I am getting used to sudden changed of plan and not being informed until the last minute of what I am doing. Improvisation is very much necessary! So I will tell you about the different things on my timetable, but there are actually only two days this week that we have followed that timetable. It all makes life more exciting!
There are three slum communities we are working with. One is called SM Nagar and is 30 mins away by auto, another is called KK Pettai and is 40 mins away by auto (it is a rag picking community right on the sea and was severley affected by the tsunami). The last, SD Puram, is right near us- we walk through a section of it on our way to the shops.
Three mornings per week I am spending one hour in the Balwadi nursery. This is for kids up to about 4 years old who are from the local slum community, SD Puram. There are usually about 25 of them and only 1 or 2 teachers! I am not used to working with such young children and it has been a challenge to keep them entertained with songs and games. Lots of them seem to be in need of medical care and spend most of the time crying, although there are also lots of very bright children who pick up what we teach them so fast. We are hoping to bring lots of toys and colouring stuff here as their resources are so limited.
In the afternoons, we will be going to either KK Pettai or SM Nagar to run fun clubs for the kids for a couple of hours. One member of staff comes with us for this, but we are responsible for organising and running the clubs. We have only been once or twice to each as most of the staff will be away next week, but after that this should become a regular part of our work. The children range from 2 - 14 years old and seemed thrilled to see us the first time! Apparently they get up to 50 kids at each club. The areas we have to run the clubs are sandy pitches that are covered in rubbish, so that will be a challenge, but the kids don't seem to mind. I am really looking forward to this aspect of the work- the communities in these areas are so poor and in need of transformation. Shelter and medical care are the primary needs in these places, and, ultimately, to hear and experience the love of Jesus for them.
In the evenings (7pm) we spend half an hour at the fun station for the SD Puram kids who are attending extra lessons to help them catch up with school work. We play some games or do painting with them for half an hour before they start learning. The club is run by the Oasis football coach, Vijay, who lives just around the corner from us. They gave us such a wonderful welcome! They were so thankful to us for coming from our 'great' country to their 'poor' one (their words). We all felt so humbled afterwards. I know I will learn and receive far more from these people than I could ever give or teach them. The people here treat us like a celebrity because of the colour of our skin- Sabrina has adopted the phrase, "Beep if you see a white person", when we are walking down the street! The people really are lovely and friendly, but seeing us is still quite unusual for them. I shake so many kids' hands just walking down the road.
Also just around the corner from us is Jacob's Well, a centre where girls who have dropped out of school can learn tailoring to make a living. In addition to their tailoring classes, we are spending 2 hours there each day teaching them Maths, English, Life skills, Hobbies and Games. The three of us are solely responsible for these aspects of their teaching which is quite overwhelming for us! I hardly knew where to start. There are 11 girls we teach, between the ages of 14 and 18. They are mostly Hindu with a few Christians and a couple of Muslims. They have VERY basic English and I still have almost no Tamil, so teaching is very challenging. But they are lovely and have warmed up to us since we have been here. If anyone want to email me some guidelines on how to teach English as a foreign language, that would be useful! And Mer- I hope that explains the GCSE Maths stuff! We do have some resources out here, but they aren't great. We don't have a translator atm, but I have asked for someone to come in during life skills as there is no way we can teach that without Tamil. Please pray that someone will become available! I am also hoping to get some of you girls from Alton Harvest Church to do a pen-pal correspondence with them. Watch this space!
There is one other potential area we will be working in: Vyasarpadi. We visited there on Thursday. It is a refugee camp, although quite well developed- not the image that would probably spring to your minds. However, it is a very rough area with a lot of gangs and fighting. The auto drivers were reluctant to take us. Oasis are the first organization to agree to work there, I believe. They are working hand in hand with an amazing church, the 'Good Samaritan Jesus Prayerhouse'. Please pray for the guys there! God has done some amazing stuff. This little church is right in the centre of the camp and is surrounded by a temple and mosque. The Christians there have had a lot of persecution in the past. The stories that the pastor told us were amazing! I was reminded that, if you are a Christian, these guys are also part of our church family and we need to be praying for them and supporting them. Anyway, I was really touched by what I saw there and am hoping to be able to start going there in a month when Oasis have started to run classes in the church. The people are much more open to education and sport as means of outreach. And don't worry- Oasis are looking after me well and wouldn't send me anywhere I was in danger! I don't want any concerned emails.
So I think that is most of the work! We are also helping the girls at Jacob's Well to make Christmas cards to sell. Initially I was a bit annoyed about this, but then was reminded of how important it is to do the little and apparently unimportant jobs as well as you would do any other job. It is a great chance to get to know the girls and helps them to view us as equals if we are working alongside them.
The work has certainly been keeping me busy! There is very little spare time to do anything right now, but that should get easier once we are into the swing of things. I just discovered that the guy next to me in the internet cafe is a theology and biblical studies student who is hoping to go into cross-cultural church planting next year. Random conversations are very easy to have here! Anyway, yes, very busy. I have also felt quite homesick in the mornings this week. I am still surprised to wake up in India! I miss friends and family quite a lot, although the diary that lots of people wrote in has been a real encouragement! So many times whatever is written is SO appropriate it is scary. I miss the comforts of home (cold water on tap, a duvet, my sunny bedroom, nice food, etc) and also being able to go for a run (am going to join the gym! Women can't go running here). Also the beautifulness of England. But I will stop reminiscing now. I am so glad I am here and am enjoying it hugely, despite missing home. For you guys who before I left we were talking about what it means to live your whole life for God and surrender everything- being here brings new meaning to that! I have a great admiration for long-term missionaries.
Gosh this is almost as long as the last post. I will try to tie up the loose ends! I am sorry for those of you who are not interested in the Christian side of my experiences. I guess that is the part that excites me most so I write about it first and forget to tell you all my travel stories! I am getting good at bargaining with the rickshaw drivers now. Oh yeah- there is a butcher on our road and every day it looks like they have a dead, skinned dog on display. We also have a bit of a pluming problem in our flat, and had to have the plumber come out. He arrived with only a pencil and asked us if we had any tools! Duh. This weekend is also some Hindu festival so there are loads of flowers and stuff around. More funny stories next week I hope!
So, some prayer points:
- Continued good health (has been great so far!)
- That the three of us will continue to 'bond' well.
- That our work will be underpinned not by planning but by prayer (and maybe some planing...)
- For the provision of a translator for key skills.
- That we will be able to communicate why we are here despite the lack of Tamil. Never again will I take being able to share the gospel for granted!
- That my Tamil learning efforts will progress quickly.
- That homesickness will be minimal.
- That the flat's plumbing will get sorted out!
Thanks so much everyone. I love to hear your news so keep me updated! And feel free to forward this to anyone who you think would like to read it.
Take care,
Kandace
Saturday 13 October 2007
Hi from Chennai! (it even rhymes)
Hi everyone,
Sorry this has taken a while, but at last I have time to post a proper blog about my time so far.
Travel was uneventful which is a good thing I guess, and we arrived safely in Mumbai where we spent our first week. It was quite hot there and I am getting used to constant sweatiness- nice! The city was amazing: so many smells and sights. In places it is very developed, but all around there are slums that about half of the population live in. And the traffic was something else! Crossing the roads here is probably just about the most terrifying thing I have done in my life. I could never drive here!
We spent the first two days hearing about the work that Oasis is doing in Mumbai and learning about the culture there. We also did a couple of Bible studies on the poor which was really interesting and challenging. We had our first experience of Indian food, too. It is actually very good, but I am literally having curry twice a day! The Indians even have it for breakfast, but I have stuck to toast and cereal so far. I have also had Chinese a couple of times which was nice. Despite the curry overdose, my health has been absolutely fine so far, thank God, aside from 3 massive bites on my foot.
We also got to see some of the sights on Mumbai: Colaba Causeway, Victoria Terminus, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel (the most expensive in India), Chowpatty Beach, the Gateway to India, the Dhobi Ghats, the Hanging Gardens, etc. It was nice to see the landmarks, but the touristy stuff isn't really my thing tbh! The contrast between rich and poor here is striking. In some ways I feel almost too well prepared for it, detached and far away from what I see. Please pray that God will give me a real heart and love for the people here, rich and poor.
We spent the weekend at one of the Oasis projects called Purnata Bhavan in Igatpuri, about 3hrs outside of Mumbai. The drive there was hair-raising! At times we would be driving head on towards a large truck and I wondered if my time had come. But we arrived fine in the end. At PB Oasis runs a home for women and children affected or infected by HIV. There are about 35 kids and 10 women there atm. It was such a beautiful place- I will put photos up soon. Most of the staff there are locals, with the exception of one Brit and two Americans. We went for a beautiful walk with a group of the children and played in a waterfall. They are so grateful for everything they have- a paper aeroplane or kite provides endless amusement! The accommodation there was basic and there was a distinct lack of loo roll, but then no one seems to use it here! Hence the eating with the right hand only. I learnt the skill of eating rice and curry with just my right hand there, cos cutlery just isn't used at all. On Sunday we joined a Sunday school class and taught the kids "Our God is a great big God" and "There's no one like Jesus" and then helped with the small group times. The teaching was really good- I learnt stuff too! I watched superman in Hindi there and we had fun playing with the kids in the afternoon. I left with such an impression of a really happy place. You totally forget that some of the people there are sick.
We returned to Mumbai after that- once again, a rather exciting journey! The last two days in Mumbai were spent visiting the projects there. We were using public transport this time, instead of private cars, which was really fun! Rickshaw (auto) rides are the best. And the trains are crazy- getting on is a most vicious affair, and people hang out of the doors (which are always open) and sit on top of the train. First we saw the Aruna project which works to free women from the brothels and to educate them. There was such an emphasis on the work of the church and the time for it to wake up and be active. They are real people of prayer- every morning they go on a prayer walk around the area. And God is indeed giving them many opportunities! Almost all of the Oasis staff out here are locals and they try to hand projects over to the local church as soon as they can which I think is great!
I also visited a slum that afternoon- the Bandra project. That was a real eye-opener.I have heard the facts so many times before, but actually seeing it was unbelievable. The people live in such appalling conditions. How can some people have so much and others so little? I think all of us felt close to tears. We saw the work of Oasis there, bringing so much hope. They have done much to improve the hygiene and are teaching practical skills, tailoring, IT, English, setting up self-help groups so the women can financially support themselves. Mostly it is now run by people from the slum who have been trained, and Oasis plan to hand it over totally to them soon.
We had dinner at John's house that night, a Scottish guy who has married out here and now lives here. It was really good to be in a home again! They are so hospitable here. And we made our own way home that night- a bit daunting at first, but we managed!
We also visited projects on Tuesday, a production unit for fair trade goods, a vocational training centre and the half way home for women who have left the brothels through the Aruna project. Once again, I was struck by how good the work going on is. We had such a welcome in the HWH- the women were so eager to talk! Most people speak at least a few words of English here, although language barriers are annoying.
On Wednesday me and the two other girls on my team (Helen and Sabrina) flew over to Chennai. It was a bit stressful but we made it! Quite sad to leave the other three but we should see them soon. A guy called Swami met us here, who works for Oasis and is looking after us these first few days. It is even hotter here than Mumbai, but less humid. Also very green compared to Mumbai and a lot more laid back.
Our flat is basic but it is nice to be able to unpack properly. The toilet and showering facilities aren't too good, but a good clean will make it a lot better! I have already put up some photos which makes it more homely. And I have an abundance of reading materials that previous teams have left- yay! There is a nice bakery around the corner and a little supermarket.
The last two days have been spent sightseeing- the culture here is very much relationship before work! They want to get to know us and show us around before we start doing anything. We met the other staff on Thursday morning for prayer and worship. There are about 15 of them, all locals. Very few foreigners here- we have only seen one other. I am now an expert on St Thomas who is supposed to have been martyred here. We saw the San Thome Cathedral and St Thomas Mount. Most of the churches here are Catholic apparently. Once again, was good to see these places but I really do dislike the touristy feeling!
Yesterday was better- we went to the zoo in the morning. I have a new sympathy for the animals who seem to be as much of a tourist attraction as I am here! And then went to Mamallapuram, a village outside of Chennai. It was really beautiful there- I will have to post some photos. And we even got to go to the beach and paddle in the sea! Today we are doing some exploring on our own. Need to get some clothes!
So that is it so far. We will start work on Monday and have been told to make the most of this time, because one we start working we really will be busy! Generally, I do like it here, although it has hit me that I am here for the next 5 moths or so and I am missing my friends and family a bit. The other guys on my team are so lovely and we are getting on great so far! I often think of all you guys back in Alton and at Uni and wonder what you are doing. I am praying for you all and will try to email and write to you individually if I have time.
I do feel like I have already learned so much after two weeks. Being thankful for the small things- having cake and banana for breakfast, having a fan, etc. God has also taught me a lot about trusting Him. So often there are no backup options- I can only pray about something and trust that God will deal with it because I am helpless to do anything! In many ways it has been more challenging coming here than I thought it would be. But there is also so much I love and I am certainly glad to be here.
I know some of the people reading this will be Christians, and so I thought I should share with you some prayer points. I have already seen so many answers to prayer!
1. Thank God for our safety and good health.
2. Continue to pray for good health.
3. That I will pick up the language quickly.
4. That I will quickly build good relationships with the people here.
5. That I will not miss home, family and friends too much.
6. That I will be of real use here and will be a blessing to every person I meet. We want to make a difference in this city!
Thank you so much for the letters and emails. I will try to go online every weekend so you will hopefully have a less long post from me next weekend!
Love Kandace
Oh yeah, I have seen an Elephant and we have a pet gecko called Lenny in our flat. Very important news there!
Sorry this has taken a while, but at last I have time to post a proper blog about my time so far.
Travel was uneventful which is a good thing I guess, and we arrived safely in Mumbai where we spent our first week. It was quite hot there and I am getting used to constant sweatiness- nice! The city was amazing: so many smells and sights. In places it is very developed, but all around there are slums that about half of the population live in. And the traffic was something else! Crossing the roads here is probably just about the most terrifying thing I have done in my life. I could never drive here!
We spent the first two days hearing about the work that Oasis is doing in Mumbai and learning about the culture there. We also did a couple of Bible studies on the poor which was really interesting and challenging. We had our first experience of Indian food, too. It is actually very good, but I am literally having curry twice a day! The Indians even have it for breakfast, but I have stuck to toast and cereal so far. I have also had Chinese a couple of times which was nice. Despite the curry overdose, my health has been absolutely fine so far, thank God, aside from 3 massive bites on my foot.
We also got to see some of the sights on Mumbai: Colaba Causeway, Victoria Terminus, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel (the most expensive in India), Chowpatty Beach, the Gateway to India, the Dhobi Ghats, the Hanging Gardens, etc. It was nice to see the landmarks, but the touristy stuff isn't really my thing tbh! The contrast between rich and poor here is striking. In some ways I feel almost too well prepared for it, detached and far away from what I see. Please pray that God will give me a real heart and love for the people here, rich and poor.
We spent the weekend at one of the Oasis projects called Purnata Bhavan in Igatpuri, about 3hrs outside of Mumbai. The drive there was hair-raising! At times we would be driving head on towards a large truck and I wondered if my time had come. But we arrived fine in the end. At PB Oasis runs a home for women and children affected or infected by HIV. There are about 35 kids and 10 women there atm. It was such a beautiful place- I will put photos up soon. Most of the staff there are locals, with the exception of one Brit and two Americans. We went for a beautiful walk with a group of the children and played in a waterfall. They are so grateful for everything they have- a paper aeroplane or kite provides endless amusement! The accommodation there was basic and there was a distinct lack of loo roll, but then no one seems to use it here! Hence the eating with the right hand only. I learnt the skill of eating rice and curry with just my right hand there, cos cutlery just isn't used at all. On Sunday we joined a Sunday school class and taught the kids "Our God is a great big God" and "There's no one like Jesus" and then helped with the small group times. The teaching was really good- I learnt stuff too! I watched superman in Hindi there and we had fun playing with the kids in the afternoon. I left with such an impression of a really happy place. You totally forget that some of the people there are sick.
We returned to Mumbai after that- once again, a rather exciting journey! The last two days in Mumbai were spent visiting the projects there. We were using public transport this time, instead of private cars, which was really fun! Rickshaw (auto) rides are the best. And the trains are crazy- getting on is a most vicious affair, and people hang out of the doors (which are always open) and sit on top of the train. First we saw the Aruna project which works to free women from the brothels and to educate them. There was such an emphasis on the work of the church and the time for it to wake up and be active. They are real people of prayer- every morning they go on a prayer walk around the area. And God is indeed giving them many opportunities! Almost all of the Oasis staff out here are locals and they try to hand projects over to the local church as soon as they can which I think is great!
I also visited a slum that afternoon- the Bandra project. That was a real eye-opener.I have heard the facts so many times before, but actually seeing it was unbelievable. The people live in such appalling conditions. How can some people have so much and others so little? I think all of us felt close to tears. We saw the work of Oasis there, bringing so much hope. They have done much to improve the hygiene and are teaching practical skills, tailoring, IT, English, setting up self-help groups so the women can financially support themselves. Mostly it is now run by people from the slum who have been trained, and Oasis plan to hand it over totally to them soon.
We had dinner at John's house that night, a Scottish guy who has married out here and now lives here. It was really good to be in a home again! They are so hospitable here. And we made our own way home that night- a bit daunting at first, but we managed!
We also visited projects on Tuesday, a production unit for fair trade goods, a vocational training centre and the half way home for women who have left the brothels through the Aruna project. Once again, I was struck by how good the work going on is. We had such a welcome in the HWH- the women were so eager to talk! Most people speak at least a few words of English here, although language barriers are annoying.
On Wednesday me and the two other girls on my team (Helen and Sabrina) flew over to Chennai. It was a bit stressful but we made it! Quite sad to leave the other three but we should see them soon. A guy called Swami met us here, who works for Oasis and is looking after us these first few days. It is even hotter here than Mumbai, but less humid. Also very green compared to Mumbai and a lot more laid back.
Our flat is basic but it is nice to be able to unpack properly. The toilet and showering facilities aren't too good, but a good clean will make it a lot better! I have already put up some photos which makes it more homely. And I have an abundance of reading materials that previous teams have left- yay! There is a nice bakery around the corner and a little supermarket.
The last two days have been spent sightseeing- the culture here is very much relationship before work! They want to get to know us and show us around before we start doing anything. We met the other staff on Thursday morning for prayer and worship. There are about 15 of them, all locals. Very few foreigners here- we have only seen one other. I am now an expert on St Thomas who is supposed to have been martyred here. We saw the San Thome Cathedral and St Thomas Mount. Most of the churches here are Catholic apparently. Once again, was good to see these places but I really do dislike the touristy feeling!
Yesterday was better- we went to the zoo in the morning. I have a new sympathy for the animals who seem to be as much of a tourist attraction as I am here! And then went to Mamallapuram, a village outside of Chennai. It was really beautiful there- I will have to post some photos. And we even got to go to the beach and paddle in the sea! Today we are doing some exploring on our own. Need to get some clothes!
So that is it so far. We will start work on Monday and have been told to make the most of this time, because one we start working we really will be busy! Generally, I do like it here, although it has hit me that I am here for the next 5 moths or so and I am missing my friends and family a bit. The other guys on my team are so lovely and we are getting on great so far! I often think of all you guys back in Alton and at Uni and wonder what you are doing. I am praying for you all and will try to email and write to you individually if I have time.
I do feel like I have already learned so much after two weeks. Being thankful for the small things- having cake and banana for breakfast, having a fan, etc. God has also taught me a lot about trusting Him. So often there are no backup options- I can only pray about something and trust that God will deal with it because I am helpless to do anything! In many ways it has been more challenging coming here than I thought it would be. But there is also so much I love and I am certainly glad to be here.
I know some of the people reading this will be Christians, and so I thought I should share with you some prayer points. I have already seen so many answers to prayer!
1. Thank God for our safety and good health.
2. Continue to pray for good health.
3. That I will pick up the language quickly.
4. That I will quickly build good relationships with the people here.
5. That I will not miss home, family and friends too much.
6. That I will be of real use here and will be a blessing to every person I meet. We want to make a difference in this city!
Thank you so much for the letters and emails. I will try to go online every weekend so you will hopefully have a less long post from me next weekend!
Love Kandace
Oh yeah, I have seen an Elephant and we have a pet gecko called Lenny in our flat. Very important news there!
Thursday 4 October 2007
Quick update from Mumbai
This is going to be VERY quick: but just to let everyone know that I arrived safely in Mumbai yesterday. Thanks to all for your prayers and also for the lovely diary that was done! For now, three words to sum up Mumbai: busy, noisy and smelly! I could think of a hundered others, but they will have to wait.
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