Train of Thought

The rain is pouring down the window of the train.  What are they doing now?  They said the roof leaks.  Has the mud floor turned into a mud puddle?  He lay curled up on an empty rice bag. His wife, head down and arms crossed, sat beside him in the metal walled home that felt like a baking oven.   Is it muddy?  Can they keep a fire burning in the rain to cook the food?  Maybe that doesn’t matter. Last night, they said they had no food to cook anyway.  

We Made It (by my mom)

We are here. Happy to say those words after almost encountering a glitch before even arriving in Hyderabad. Following an overnight stay in Delhi, with a flight scheduled for 9:15 a.m., we stepped up to the check-in counter only to be told that we were too late for our flight (even though we thought we still had plenty of time). It was time to run. Even if we got on the flight our checked baggage would not likely make it. We were ready to hustle, but Lauren had an extra special examination of her electronic equipment, an exasperating delay. Lauren told me to hurry on ahead to try and secure our spot. When I got to the gate, there was no one to be seen…just one official looking person who radioed that we had arrived. Lauren puffed in behind me and we boarded the plane. Upon landing we planted ourselves at the baggage carousel...just in case. We waited and watched and waited and watched….and down the chute dropped our red and green bags. 

Within minutes we were met by our driver, who escorted us into our next adventure….driving on the roadways of India, an adrenaline spiking transportation experience, which is not for the faint of heart.  A confluence of cars, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, dogs, cows, auto rickshaws, and motorbikes all jockey for dominance on the road, all vying to squeeze into whatever space may open up in the traffic while continually administering fervent thrusts to the brake and horn.

Yes, we are happy to be here.

Closing the Gap

“You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place, I told him, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again.” 
― Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran

A great part about returning to India over and over is I get to be "that person" every year for six weeks....This time, is a new adventure.. My mom will be joining me.  For her, it will be a new adventure of smells, sights and sounds.  For me, it will be an adventure of letting her see a part of me, an inner joy that only seems to show it self a whole world away. 

Let the adventure begin!

Goodnight India.. I Love You!

  Even after saying goodbye once.  I still keep hoping I will see each one of you again.  It was not until I returned from a wonderful dinner with wonderful friends that it really felt over.  The campus was dark, empty, and quiet; not the way I like it.  I hoping to say one more goodbye  to a dear friend.  We had exchanged parting words once before and her face is always in my heart, yet I sought one more contact. I was just a few minutes too late and she'd already left. All of the cleaning ladies, kids, teachers, and staff were gone and the hubbub of the day finished  - everything quiet.  

  It really was a wonderful day of goodbyes.  I actually felt like I spent quality time with most of those I love.  So much better than the running I did at the end of my time, last year.  I was so blessed yesterday to see a village friend with whom I thought I would miss connections and today blessed again because one of my favorite cleaning ladies came back...just in time.  She had been gone for 22 days and was not expected to return till Monday.  I think she came early just to say, "Goodbye."  Boy was I happy to see her… and she was equally excited by my enthusiasm upon her return.  It is late now. I intended to be in bed way earlier (considering that my car leaves at 2:00 am).  But after calling everyone to say goodbye I just needed to walk the campus, think, and pray.   While I greatly prefer the excitement of the day, the quiet campus provided the perfect setting for thinking.  What a wonderful summer filled with joy, blessings, and new friends.  Good-night India.. I love you.. see you soon (I pray).

A Great Gift!

What a great day I had yesterday. I planned a perfect day... from 9:00-10:30: teach, village trip at 10:30-1:30, 1:30-lunch, 2:00-visit favorite office, 3:30 meeting, 4:00- beautify, 5:00-tutor, 6:00- shop, 6:30- visiting with friends .. 8:30 more visiting with friends, 10:00 pack, 11:00 bed.

BUT as I should have guessed, leaving the school took awhile and when I returned from teaching I found out that the car headed for the village trip had already left. My heart sank because that is my favorite place to go. THANKFULLY.. knowing my desperation - they came back for me. I had such a great time visiting everyone. My favorite lady, the one I have written much about over the years, works during the day. I never even checked her house because she is never home. But just as we were deciding whether we could visit one more home…. out she came! She had stayed home for the day! What a great gift to end to my trip. She is one neat lady. I am SO blessed to know her. The rest of the day went mostly as planned. So nice to see everyone but sad to go. Now, one more day of visiting and saying good-bye. God willing I will be back in a year. Thinking about that is helping my heart.

Good-bye Week

Oh God help...     being in the villages today reminds me again just how much I love it here.. and how much I feel recharged.  Spending one afternoon with the wonderful ladies from the village has filled my cup to overflowing but it is also leaves me with a heavy heart. Today was one of those days when it seems as though the small amount I am able to give is sooooo little in comparison to the everpresent heartache I witness.  I wish holding someone’s hand would fix the problems endured. I wish that my unintelligible English words could leap outside of the language barrier and really offer encouragement.  Not ready to leave.  Hoping this week gives me quality time with everyone.