Cooking Indian

Tonight was a very special evening for our group. We gathered poolside at our hotel for an Indian cooking demonstration by the hotel chefs. To say it was phenomenal is an understatement. The food was simply amazing.....and so much of it. And yet here we are on a "mission" trip in a country locked in a caste system that leaves so many with hardly enough to eat each day. I can't help but feel somewhat guilty about the feast we had tonight. An amazing experience but at the same time somewhat sobering.

Sightseeing in Hyderabad

Hyderabad is definitely not a tourist destination but does have a couple of places of interest. Since we have finished our construction we headed there today and saw a palace and a mosque. Some of the group also went shopping while others headed back to the hotel to relax. All in all a very pleasant day here in India.

Bats....VERY BIG BATS!!!

Our first day on the work site several of us noticed big "Crows" flying around and landing in a tree across the road from the school. What we soon realized was that these weren't Crows but really, really big bats. They apparently sleep in the large tree across the road. We were told they are Fruit Bats....but they looked big enough to eat more than fruit...=)
If one of these bad boys came flying at me I wouldn't hesitate to run screaming like a little girl......well maybe just run.

A project becomes a school

An early start to take advantage of the cool morning. A few hours work and what was once a pile of steel and boxes of screws and rivets is now essentially a school just waiting for its students.
One of the things that never ceases to surprise me on a Maranatha project is the different feelings I have at the beginning and end. At the outset I often feel a bit overwhelmed looking at what seems a daunting task. I wonder how in the world are we going to get that pile of steel to become a school or church in so little time and yet as we finish a project like this school here in Hugelli, India I am amazed again at how it all comes together. I forget day one and celebrate day 6! The school is for all intents and purposes finished. There are a few finishing touches that the wonderful Maranatha crew will quickly wrap up, but there is now a beautiful six room school that will be a beacon of hope in the village. Praise God!!!

And let's not overlook the interesting coincidence here.....God worked six days and rested the seventh.....and while it is not Sabbath it is indeed good to be finished and ready for some rest!!

Hot...Very very hot

Day five of construction here at the Hugelli School project and while we have had some challenges with the construction we are moving along quite well. One of the three class room buildings finally looks like it should and the other two are not far behind.

Our biggest challenge is the heat. After lunch it seems to just suck the energy out of most of us but with Terry's always positive leadership and encouragement this school WILL be finished!!!

Pix later today.

Humbled and Inspired

Our first Sabbath in India....and it is an experience I will not soon forget.

We set off in our our 7 jeeps to join a congregation at the Chandapur Seventh Day Adventist Church for their service and what an experience awaited us.

A few minutes after we turned off the main highway we came to a large gathering of people and very old looking "ox carts". I say that because it is the only description that comes to mind. They may very well have been Water Buffaloes but for the sake of description we'll call them ox carts.

These were the church members here to welcome us about a mile from the actual village. We hopped out of our jeeps and joined the church members at what is the site of their camp meetings and had prayer with them. The adventure was about to begin.

Following the prayer we were told we would board the ox carts for the ride to the village led by a small band of drummers and one trumpeter......along with lots of firecrackers and other fireworks.....no kidding.

I chose a cart with what appeared to be a rather spirited team of Oxen...or is it Ox's....and, hoping I hadn't made a huge mistake sat back and off we went.

I don't know how often a group of North Americans come to this village but I can only imagine what the folks there must have thought as we paraded through the village taking pictures of just about everything and everyone.
We finally arrived and the group dismounted and into the church we went.
We were ushered to chairs along the sides of the church while the church members sat on the floor....separated with the males on the left and the females on the right. Don't see that in North America.
Shortly after being seated the church members began to present each of us with a beautiful flower lei....men presented the lei's to men and women to the women.
What surprised me most about the church service was the music. I guess I expected a
very traditional service with hymns....but the music was very Indian and was accompanied by drums and small cymbals. Not a drum set we are accustomed to seeing in the west but one played with the hands. It was a delightful taste of Indian culture!

As I reflect on this day I am humbled and inspired. I find myself asking would a church in North America be this excited about a visit from a group from India? Would we greet them like honored guests and celebrate their visit? I have my doubts...and that troubles me. We have so very much to learn from other cultures.....

A School Takes Shape

Day two of construction here in Sangareedy India and the school is going up fast. It's a different structure than the typical One Day School but comes to together nicely.

On our Thursday, our first day of construction the church leaders met us early before we left for the job site and greeted us with beautiful hand made flower lei's(don't know the Indian name). Then when we got to the job site the school children greeted us with still more of these beautiful flower lei's.

It has been very hot but thankfully it is a dry heat similar to California so at least we don't have the humidity to deal with.

We'll take a much welcomed break for Sabbath and then back to work early Sunday. ''

It looks like we may very well be finished with the school by Wednesday.....=)