Here are some posts I wrote for our church's mission blog. I thought I'd share them here. :)
7/12/2012
Amos and I made it! We got to Bangalore at about 1:00 in the morning and waited an hour for passport control and baggage. Our contact person recognized us and took us on an hour-long trip across the city to our final destination.
When I looked out the window this morning, this is what I saw:
Amos and I spent the day talking with T and J, visiting the mall for lunch and grocery shopping, and enjoying the 70 degree weather. We hope to get started on work tomorrow!
7/18/2012
Well, Amos and I have been here for a week now. Here is some of the wildlife we've seen. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.
7/23/2012
T and J talk about being flexible in India. Really flexible.
It isn't normal in the U.S. to have monkeys and parrots in your yard, trying to steal mangos.
It isn't normal to drive on the left side of the road and even to drive onto the dirt shoulder to get around a slow-moving taxi.
It isn't normal to be the only blue-eyed people around.
It isn't normal to have complete strangers come up and pinch young children's cheeks.
It isn't normal to have to tear up half of your class' papers because they copied each other (true story; they don't copy any more).
It isn't normal to eat rice every single day and enjoy it (Amos is in heaven).
It isn't normal to have so many light switches in every single room.
It isn't normal to listen to eighteen kids yell "Auntie! Uncle!" whenever a camera appears.
It isn't normal to pass through security to get into the mall.
It isn't normal to watch your fish dinner being whacked to death before your eyes.
It isn't normal to have the options of McSpicy Paneer or McAloo Tiki at your local McDonald's.
It isn't normal to hang laundry out to dry on the roof.
It isn't normal to see five year-olds doing their own laundry.
It isn't normal to have your older students call you ma'am.
It isn't normal to yield the right of way to a bull that won't budge.
It isn't normal to use a switch to turn on your water heater every day.
It isn't normal to talk down the price of vegetables.
Oh, but it is normal.
All of these things are normal and then some.
We leave in just two days. Our trip has been both long and way too short. Hopefully some of you can visit T and J next time. :)
7/25/2012
Our bags are packed (almost), all papers are graded, final grades are assigned, and last-minute video is being shot as I write. We're almost ready to come home!
It's been a great trip. We are so thankful for T and J's hospitality and will miss them as we start our journey home in just three hours.
We are looking forward to helping T and J even as we leave! Amos will finish up a support video, we'll report to friends and leaders on the work in this city, and I'll hopefully be able to set up a child sponsorship program for the children they care for. So while we are sad to leave our new friends, we are excited to continue their work in a different place.
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts.
7/12/2012
Amos and I made it! We got to Bangalore at about 1:00 in the morning and waited an hour for passport control and baggage. Our contact person recognized us and took us on an hour-long trip across the city to our final destination.
When I looked out the window this morning, this is what I saw:
 |
| The land of Mowgli and The Jungle Book! |
7/18/2012
Well, Amos and I have been here for a week now. Here is some of the wildlife we've seen. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.
 |
| Chicken lawn party |
 |
| A butterfly eating someone's leftovers |
 |
| A fishy conference hall at a local resort |
 |
| A cow among onion skins at the weekly market |
 |
| Some random pig running around the nearby village |
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| We bought some catfish for dinner from these guys |
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| One of the watchdogs |
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| A gecko showed up in our room one night! |
7/23/2012
T and J talk about being flexible in India. Really flexible.
It isn't normal in the U.S. to have monkeys and parrots in your yard, trying to steal mangos.
It isn't normal to drive on the left side of the road and even to drive onto the dirt shoulder to get around a slow-moving taxi.
It isn't normal to be the only blue-eyed people around.
It isn't normal to have complete strangers come up and pinch young children's cheeks.
It isn't normal to have to tear up half of your class' papers because they copied each other (true story; they don't copy any more).
It isn't normal to eat rice every single day and enjoy it (Amos is in heaven).
It isn't normal to have so many light switches in every single room.
It isn't normal to listen to eighteen kids yell "Auntie! Uncle!" whenever a camera appears.
It isn't normal to pass through security to get into the mall.
It isn't normal to watch your fish dinner being whacked to death before your eyes.
It isn't normal to have the options of McSpicy Paneer or McAloo Tiki at your local McDonald's.
It isn't normal to hang laundry out to dry on the roof.
It isn't normal to see five year-olds doing their own laundry.
It isn't normal to have your older students call you ma'am.
It isn't normal to yield the right of way to a bull that won't budge.
It isn't normal to use a switch to turn on your water heater every day.
It isn't normal to talk down the price of vegetables.
Oh, but it is normal.
All of these things are normal and then some.
We leave in just two days. Our trip has been both long and way too short. Hopefully some of you can visit T and J next time. :)
 |
| View from the mall |
7/25/2012
Our bags are packed (almost), all papers are graded, final grades are assigned, and last-minute video is being shot as I write. We're almost ready to come home!
It's been a great trip. We are so thankful for T and J's hospitality and will miss them as we start our journey home in just three hours.
We are looking forward to helping T and J even as we leave! Amos will finish up a support video, we'll report to friends and leaders on the work in this city, and I'll hopefully be able to set up a child sponsorship program for the children they care for. So while we are sad to leave our new friends, we are excited to continue their work in a different place.
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts.
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