Have you had your breakfast/lunch/dinner? (The other question everyone sems to ask us here.) I don't really want to know the answer, btw.
Another week has passed- and how it has flown by! It seems like just yesterday I was sitting here writing my blog. After I had written my blog last Saturday, we went to see Ratattouile or whatever it is called. There is a big-ish cinema about 20 mins away from out flat, so we went there to watch it in English. I'm not sure whether the film or the strange Indian sense of humour was more funny- they laughed hysterically in the most strange places! We also discovered the Fruit Shop (a bit like Jamba Juice if you know it). They sell the most delicious smoothies and there is a branch just around the corner from our flat. We will definitely be spending some more time there!
Now, Sunday morning. Imagine: you are lying in bed (or on the floor). It is 5:15am and you are blissfully asleep. You anticipate at least another hour in bed before the horn honking starts to wake you up. And then: BOOM! Yes, there are fireworks going of outside of your window! This week has been Diwali, a 5 day Hindu holiday. As far as I know, the only major form of celebration is to let off incessant fireworks and 'crocs', basically fireworks without any of the pretty colours to look at- just the bang. On Thursday, the main day of celebration, there were fireworks ALL DAY LONG. We decided that we could record the soundtrack for a war film whilst sitting in our flat. The kids set off their own fireworks on the streets, often lighting rockets from their hands. There is rubbish EVERYWHERE from spent fireworks. It is crazy! We did go up to the roof (it is flat and you can walk on it) to watch fireworks and have our rather tame sparklers. It was quite nice to have about 10 free fireworks displays going on around you. Nevertheless, I am still not a fan of Diwali. Far too noisy for my liking! Although we did have Thursday off work to make pancakes and fish fingers and chips (all fried as no oven- healthy!)
Sunday we had a couple from the Delirious? home church (Arun) visiting Powerhouse. And after the service we went to the welcome lunch for new people. It was really nice to have a chance to talk to some more people and find out more about the church. They were curious about our home churches, and all were familiar with New Frontiers. I am told there are nfi churches in Bangalore and Mumbai which several of the church leaders have been to. They are keen for us to be involved in kids' work, but we aren't sure- that is what we are doing all week! We are hoping to attend the women's Bible Study group on a Tuesday evening, if we finish work on time.
It is striking how different our weekends are to weekdays. At the weekends, we do very affluent and western things in general- shopping, visiting places, etc. And most of the people we know at church are from pretty rich backgroungs (by Indian standards) and speak good English, drive, have nice houses, etc. But then during the week, we are almost always around the very poorest people who live in the slums, and we also live quite simply. It is strange, but both sides are equally part of India. The very rich and the very poor, side by side.
Work wise, things are going well. Balwadi is still challenging but fun. I still find it hilarious that we usually sing "If you're happy and you know it..." to the backing of several children bawling their eyes out. I have been doing quite a lot of art and drawing this week, unusally for teaching aids and work sheets and things like that. I have certainly enjoyed doing that! At the Kids' Fun Club, we had some Bonfire night celebrations (we told them the story and made a guy) and also did some pumpkin carving!
It was also one of the boys birthdays on Wednesday, so we had a little party and some cake. Musical bumps was a VERY popular and VERY painful game!
We have also made friends with a couple of the neighbour kids, and so spent one afternoon playing 40/40 in with them. Dorothy, who lives next door to us, has also been to visit. She is a Christian lady who seems to have memorised the entire Bible and always seems to want to talk about curses. Quite a character! We had some lively debate with her for a couple of hours, and if anything it certainly challenged me to learn more of the Bible by heart. I expect we will be seeing more of her.
Jacob's Well teaching is going really well. I absolutely love it! Please continue to pray for wisdom with the teaching. We have been teaching them as a whole class, but I think we need to split them up because the standard ranges so much. This means a lot more work for us, but I think it will be worth it. I would particularly like to spend more time one-to-one with the girls who struggle more. Teaching long division this week has been a challenge, for us and them! We are also continuing to teach the fun classes. This week we made puppets (the photo is of me with Devika, one of the younger girls. She had a huge smile for the rest of the afternoon after we had made the puppets!) 
I have also been able to get to know the two teachers a bit more this week as they have been over in our flat to supervise the painting going on.
So, the flat: it is looking much better! We move back in today. The bedroom is painted and we have new mattresses, recycled from the old ones. Still waiting for the burnt AC to be removed and the window to be repaired, but that should happen soon. And we are very pleased that they have decide to paint our main room as well!
There is still a bit of a smell, but it is getting beter. We are all feeling ready to move back now! I think the fire has made us very thankful for what we have. Before, there was a fair bit of moaning going on about little things like a broken toilet seat or dirty wall. Not anymore! A comfy bed and clean clothes is enough for me. And soon we will be able to eat off a table again. The excitement! This is Helen and Sabrina getting ready to eat their Hot Breads sandwiches on the floor of the new flat.
We also got to meet Becky this week- she is the one who has been on holiday but is our official co-ordinator. She is fantastic! Already she has been really helpful to us. The kind of person who gets things done, which is of particular value in India... You get the impression that she would do anything for you when talking to her. And she brought us chocolate from the UK (where she was on holiday for a while). We have actually had a rather chocolate-filled week, as I had a wonderful parcel from my family containing some declicious Lindt chocolate. Sabrina and Helen are busy emailing their families to let them know they are being out-done in the sending of chocolate supplies!
I did spend one evening while we were on the roof looking out over the slum by our flat. Even after being here for over a month, the poverty still gets to me. It is hard to accept. I often try to imagine what it would be like had I been born into a slum. Would l be like the kids playing on the side of the road? Like the girls busy washing and cleaning in the dirt? Like the old women bent over from years of hard labour? And all of them living in the same room, eating, sleeping, coooking in one place. The problem is so vast! There are millions who live like this. And the needs are so basic- toilet facilities (kids just use the side of the road), clean water, a space to cook, shelter. I see this all every day, but there is no way to know what to do. I am really glad that I am here with an organisation who makes it their aim to work with the very poorest people.
What a contrast between that last paragraph and the one before! My chocolate supplies followed by the slums. It is difficult to keep a balanced view of it all.
The photo below is of our road, Kuttiappan 2nd Street.
And this is Archibald.
He is my adopted pet who gets the leftover rice from our lunch. Sabrina and Helen don't like him, but I am working on it.
So that is all that is new here. Please do continue to let me know what is going on for all of you! I love to hear the news.
Some points for prayer:
- Thank God that our flat is being sorted out swiftly and that we are moving back in! Please pray that the work is finished well and at minimal cost.
- Thank God for the friendships we have been making and the fact that we are all feeling far more at home here now. Pray it continues.
- Please pray for the lessons we teach, that we have wisdom in the best way to do them and that the girls enjoy them.
- Continue to pray for good health- I saw an ambulance on the way here and I don't fancy having to ride in one!
- Pray that as a team we will continue to keep our focus on God and spend time together in prayer.
Thanks so much everyone!
As they say here, ta ta!
Take care,
With love and prayers from Kandace
"Trust in Him at all times, O people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Pslam 62:8
"If riches increase, set not your heart on them." Psalm 62:10
