Greetings to you all!
~Yesterday we went to the oldest CLCI congregation. Their unique aspect of their "honoring ceremony" was the children threw flower petals over us. There were about 15 of them and each had a large handful of golden petals that they threw. They thoroughly had fun making the Americans sprinkled with golden goodness and we were thoroughly thankful for their kindness.~The power went out when I taught again yesterday. Not sure how to interpret that...:]
~Our new tradition for the last two days is singing praise songs in the car. After our lessons each day, we drive about 40 min back to our hotel and sing songs to pass the time; some are in English and some are in telegu. It's so amazing cuz it's so natural. And imagine an SUV about the size of a Landrover, I think. In America, it would seat seven comfortably. We fit 11 plus 2 or three kids. We are each other's seat belts and it is instant family-ness cuz of the close quarters. (there is AC or windows to help out) :]
~Another reason why India almost feels safer than US is cuz for every one person on a street who might want to mug me or whatever, there are nine others who want to protect the American.
~Yesterday the oldest pastor in CLCI (V.S.Benjamin) made a beautiful speech. One of the girls didn't feel like eating her food cuz she felt nauseous. VS assured her that he would find her a doctor to figure out why her stomach was not OK. She politely declined and said she probably just needed sleep. But he went on to explain himself. "I do not care how much it costs; money does not matter. Your health is more important. I want you to get better. You are all to me as my sisters, my daughters. It is my duty to protect you, to keep you safe. I will send you healthy back to your parents in America." And he kept insisting on this.
~The other day we went shopping for sarees (traditional Indian women dress) with the pastors' wives. Apparently Indian women do not shop like we do, at least those in our group. You go, you look, you you like, you buy. We went, we looked for a long time, we liked a lot of things, and remained indecisive on what to buy. So we didn't. It seemed very frustrating for the employees who were trying to understand what was happening.
~Yesterday was a very successful craft day with the kids. They all were able to finish their project and they were smiling so big as they all held them up high. ~I noticed that 99% of Indian men have mustaches. I was curious about this and found out that is a firm Indian tradition. Someone once shaved his off and his family told him: "If you ever shave it again, you will not have a place in this house." And he tried talking to his friends they asked him: "Who are you?" The only reason men choose not to wear them is a health issue. A moustache is a nuisance for collecting dust, bugs, and other things.
Blessings to you all!In His love,
Heidi Spring
17 July 2007
15 July 2007
From Kate Friedrichs ~
Hello all!
Here's my most recent India update. There's much to say, so I've tried to divide it by topic and day. Enjoy!
KateWednesday, July 11, 2007
A long ride....
What a day of blessings! It started out rather long and slow, but the end of the day was filled with great things! We left Chennai in the morning for an 8 hour bus ride up to Guntur (in Andhra Pradesh state) which is closer to the CLCI. The CLCI seminary and orphanage are actually located in the town of Nidubrolu which is, I think, about a 45 minute ride south of Guntur. The bus ride felt long, and it wasn't until after 2:30 that we had dinner at an "interesting" restaurant on the side of the road. We actually sat outside under little "hut" structures...I think the Indian people who were there were surprised to see 16 white people at the restaurant! We definitely stand out in a crowd -- I guess it's part of the experience! (more on that later)
What a sight!
The very end of the bus ride was actually the best part of the day! I had been napping, and awoke to some commotion and much honking (which actually isn't strange at all -- honking is a requirement for driving in India!). I sat up and Alison directed me to look toward the front of the bus. What I saw outside was the most delightful sight -- a white car with a banner that said "CLCI" was leading us to our hotel! And to top it off, Pastor Jyothi Benjamin later stepped out to direct us, and he was wearing a green Immanuel (ILC) t-shirt! It was so amazing! Joy and excitement filled my heart, to know that here -- halfway around the world in this vastly different country! -- were my brothers and sisters in Christ who share the same faith and worship the same true God! What an incredible blessing! I'm really looking forward to meeting more of the people in the CLCI, and to worship with them in the coming weeks!
Arriving in Guntur
One nice thing about arriving in Guntur is that I will not have to be travelling again until the end of the trip when we return to Chennai to go home. As I may have said before, I will be working with the orphans and congregations in the CLCI, which means Guntur is my home base. The hotel we are staying in is rather nice -- we actually have a bathtub, and the "boys" (the staff) will bring us coffee or tea in the morning and do our laundry for us!
In the evening, we walked around and found the Internet and phone shops, a place where we can buy bottled water (very important!), and a good restaurant -- the Palms (I think that's the name.). We ate there for dinner, and I discovered some more Indian food that I enjoy! Mmmm...gulab jamoon -- it's a delicious dessert that's similar to a donut hole covered in syrup...only better! I think I'm going to get used to being here! :)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Buddhist temple
Today we saw a Buddhist temple that is being built and a Buddhist museum. It's so sad to see what the people do for these false gods. The artwork was carvings were very intricate, and the building itself was quite large, but it saddens me to think that they put all this time and effort into something that can do nothing for them. Someone said it would take them another two years to finish it! One entertaining part of the trip, however, was a gentleman who was laying on a bed of nails. He even had people walk across him! Yikes!
Visiting the CLCI --
Come, Now is the Time to Worship!
In the evening we went down to Nidobrulu to the CLCI compound (seminary and orphanage). We were welcomed like royalty! They had a welcome service, banners with all of our names, and even flower leis for us! Everything was so beautiful and filled with color! The worship here is different from the traditional American service that I'm sure you're all used to. First of all, we sat outside in the open air of the courtyard. Colorful lights hung down the outer walls, and many green plants filled the space. As with everything in India, color was everywhere! The service included much singing and dancing, and some clapping and waving of arms...all in praise for our Savior God! Pastor Jyothi Benjamin, Pastor Nireekshana Benjamin, Pastor Ohlmann, and Pastor Baker all spoke of God's blessings, as well. One thing that was definitely different was that most of the service was in Telegu! And when Pastor Ohlmann and Pastor Baker spoke, Brother Jyothi translated for them. :) Even though the language was different, it was still so evident that God was at the center of the worship and His name was being praised!
The joy of the children!
Probably the most entertaining part of the evening was the children! They are such a joy and filled with joy for the Lord! When we first arrived, there were not many in sight, but when the service began, there were probably 50 kids (30-35 orphans) sitting in the front, laughing and looking at all of us! They seemed even more excited to see us than we were to see them! As I was taking photos, one girl caught my eye, and I winked at her. She was excited, and she mimicked me by winking back! We actually ended up winking, waving, and smiling back and forth at each other for much of the night! Some of the other mission helpers also joined in on the fun...she would catch one person's attention and wink, and then see another person, and wink again, and then smile with delight! She even caught Pastor Ohlmann's eye, and I saw him wink at her, too!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Plans for today....
Today I get to go back to the orphanage to see the children again! In the evening, we'll be going to a village to teach our first VBS lesson. I'm excited to see another congregation and to tell the children about Christ, but I'm also somewhat nervous about teaching. My story is the Crucifixion and Resurrection, so it's incredibly important! I know that God will give me the words, but if you all could say an extra prayer for me and the other volunteers, that would be great. Thank you!
Love in Christ,
Kate
Here's my most recent India update. There's much to say, so I've tried to divide it by topic and day. Enjoy!
KateWednesday, July 11, 2007
A long ride....
What a day of blessings! It started out rather long and slow, but the end of the day was filled with great things! We left Chennai in the morning for an 8 hour bus ride up to Guntur (in Andhra Pradesh state) which is closer to the CLCI. The CLCI seminary and orphanage are actually located in the town of Nidubrolu which is, I think, about a 45 minute ride south of Guntur. The bus ride felt long, and it wasn't until after 2:30 that we had dinner at an "interesting" restaurant on the side of the road. We actually sat outside under little "hut" structures...I think the Indian people who were there were surprised to see 16 white people at the restaurant! We definitely stand out in a crowd -- I guess it's part of the experience! (more on that later)
What a sight!
The very end of the bus ride was actually the best part of the day! I had been napping, and awoke to some commotion and much honking (which actually isn't strange at all -- honking is a requirement for driving in India!). I sat up and Alison directed me to look toward the front of the bus. What I saw outside was the most delightful sight -- a white car with a banner that said "CLCI" was leading us to our hotel! And to top it off, Pastor Jyothi Benjamin later stepped out to direct us, and he was wearing a green Immanuel (ILC) t-shirt! It was so amazing! Joy and excitement filled my heart, to know that here -- halfway around the world in this vastly different country! -- were my brothers and sisters in Christ who share the same faith and worship the same true God! What an incredible blessing! I'm really looking forward to meeting more of the people in the CLCI, and to worship with them in the coming weeks!
Arriving in Guntur
One nice thing about arriving in Guntur is that I will not have to be travelling again until the end of the trip when we return to Chennai to go home. As I may have said before, I will be working with the orphans and congregations in the CLCI, which means Guntur is my home base. The hotel we are staying in is rather nice -- we actually have a bathtub, and the "boys" (the staff) will bring us coffee or tea in the morning and do our laundry for us!
In the evening, we walked around and found the Internet and phone shops, a place where we can buy bottled water (very important!), and a good restaurant -- the Palms (I think that's the name.). We ate there for dinner, and I discovered some more Indian food that I enjoy! Mmmm...gulab jamoon -- it's a delicious dessert that's similar to a donut hole covered in syrup...only better! I think I'm going to get used to being here! :)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Buddhist temple
Today we saw a Buddhist temple that is being built and a Buddhist museum. It's so sad to see what the people do for these false gods. The artwork was carvings were very intricate, and the building itself was quite large, but it saddens me to think that they put all this time and effort into something that can do nothing for them. Someone said it would take them another two years to finish it! One entertaining part of the trip, however, was a gentleman who was laying on a bed of nails. He even had people walk across him! Yikes!
Visiting the CLCI --
Come, Now is the Time to Worship!
In the evening we went down to Nidobrulu to the CLCI compound (seminary and orphanage). We were welcomed like royalty! They had a welcome service, banners with all of our names, and even flower leis for us! Everything was so beautiful and filled with color! The worship here is different from the traditional American service that I'm sure you're all used to. First of all, we sat outside in the open air of the courtyard. Colorful lights hung down the outer walls, and many green plants filled the space. As with everything in India, color was everywhere! The service included much singing and dancing, and some clapping and waving of arms...all in praise for our Savior God! Pastor Jyothi Benjamin, Pastor Nireekshana Benjamin, Pastor Ohlmann, and Pastor Baker all spoke of God's blessings, as well. One thing that was definitely different was that most of the service was in Telegu! And when Pastor Ohlmann and Pastor Baker spoke, Brother Jyothi translated for them. :) Even though the language was different, it was still so evident that God was at the center of the worship and His name was being praised!
The joy of the children!
Probably the most entertaining part of the evening was the children! They are such a joy and filled with joy for the Lord! When we first arrived, there were not many in sight, but when the service began, there were probably 50 kids (30-35 orphans) sitting in the front, laughing and looking at all of us! They seemed even more excited to see us than we were to see them! As I was taking photos, one girl caught my eye, and I winked at her. She was excited, and she mimicked me by winking back! We actually ended up winking, waving, and smiling back and forth at each other for much of the night! Some of the other mission helpers also joined in on the fun...she would catch one person's attention and wink, and then see another person, and wink again, and then smile with delight! She even caught Pastor Ohlmann's eye, and I saw him wink at her, too!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Plans for today....
Today I get to go back to the orphanage to see the children again! In the evening, we'll be going to a village to teach our first VBS lesson. I'm excited to see another congregation and to tell the children about Christ, but I'm also somewhat nervous about teaching. My story is the Crucifixion and Resurrection, so it's incredibly important! I know that God will give me the words, but if you all could say an extra prayer for me and the other volunteers, that would be great. Thank you!
Love in Christ,
Kate
From Heidi Maas ~
Friday, July 13th, 2007
Good morning to you all!~
Wow, wow, wow- these people sure know how to throw a party! Last night we went to Nidobrulu (note- I said it was Gunthur before, but it's Nidobrulu where the orphanage is) for the welcoming ceremony. The whole place was decked out in lights and color. I started tearing up before the ceremony even began; all the effort they put forth was overwhelming. The music and the kids were what really got to me. They were singing their hearts out to the Lord and dancing in rhythm with the beautiful gifts the Lord has given them. They had a four-man band- two drums, keyboard, and guitar/vocalist. It was authentic worship, not just a show. And the whole thing was on loudspeaker so the entire neighborhood got to hear it. They served us all soda pop and had a banner for each of us with our name on it. They gave us seats of honor in the front row. Pastor V.S. Benjamin came to each of us and blessed us by marking our foreheads with his thumb with the sign of the cross. People sometimes call him the godfather of the CLCI; he has a presence that is very holy and very impressive, yet extremely humble. They called us individually to the stage after the ceremony began and adorned each of us with garlands made of real flowers. Mine was primarily jasmine and smelled almost intoxicatingly good (it was very very fragrant :]). They also gave us gifts of Bible college Bible covers and a small trophy-like memento with the country of India on it and our name. Sometimes I think we hesitate to show such honor to each other because we are fearful of it going to our heads. But I found out that it's just the opposite. It was extremely humbling because we deserved none of it, yet they gave and served us as if we were kings and queens. And the amazing thing is that is who we ARE in Christ; I think sometimes we get bogged down by the law and forget that Christ has given us ! a brand new hope and future in His overwhelming (almost intoxicating :]) Love and grace gospel. No, we don't deserve it, which is why it is so shocking and stunning. We had a feast afterward and then they came around with a wash bucket. (note: we don't use silverware- just hands). They come to you and wash your hands right there at the table. And the pastors were the ones who served the food. It was truly incredible. The feast we experienced and enjoyed last night was not the food primarily, but the fellowship and Love which was so filling spiritually. I am so glad I get to go back for the next three weeks; it felt like the home I'd always been dreaming of but never found. -Heidi
Saturday, July 14th, 2007
~Apparently every congregation we visit adorns us each time with flower garlands and banners. And other special acts of service are unique from congregation to congregation. for instance, at our first church, the power went out while i was teaching. The people started singing until the lights came back on. the fans however did not. So the pastors took up the task of fanning us. One cannot refuse their service; that would offend them deeply. I feel deeply indebted to these people for their incredible services of love to us. How can I possibly thank them enough? I think it's similar to how we show thanks to God: receive the gifts that are offered with a thankful heart. 'How can I thank the Lord for all His goodness towards me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. These are such a special honors that is a continual reminder of the whole idea of being loved deeply even though it is undeserved. And can never really be repaid in full.~Last night we left the dry season (mid-May to mid-july)( Ps- feb to may is the HOT season). :] It was raring to rain like a wild horse at the starting line of the race while we were teaching on the rooftop, but it waited kindly until the door was closed on our car to burst forth and pour and pour and pour. God is so awesome.
Good morning to you all!~
Wow, wow, wow- these people sure know how to throw a party! Last night we went to Nidobrulu (note- I said it was Gunthur before, but it's Nidobrulu where the orphanage is) for the welcoming ceremony. The whole place was decked out in lights and color. I started tearing up before the ceremony even began; all the effort they put forth was overwhelming. The music and the kids were what really got to me. They were singing their hearts out to the Lord and dancing in rhythm with the beautiful gifts the Lord has given them. They had a four-man band- two drums, keyboard, and guitar/vocalist. It was authentic worship, not just a show. And the whole thing was on loudspeaker so the entire neighborhood got to hear it. They served us all soda pop and had a banner for each of us with our name on it. They gave us seats of honor in the front row. Pastor V.S. Benjamin came to each of us and blessed us by marking our foreheads with his thumb with the sign of the cross. People sometimes call him the godfather of the CLCI; he has a presence that is very holy and very impressive, yet extremely humble. They called us individually to the stage after the ceremony began and adorned each of us with garlands made of real flowers. Mine was primarily jasmine and smelled almost intoxicatingly good (it was very very fragrant :]). They also gave us gifts of Bible college Bible covers and a small trophy-like memento with the country of India on it and our name. Sometimes I think we hesitate to show such honor to each other because we are fearful of it going to our heads. But I found out that it's just the opposite. It was extremely humbling because we deserved none of it, yet they gave and served us as if we were kings and queens. And the amazing thing is that is who we ARE in Christ; I think sometimes we get bogged down by the law and forget that Christ has given us ! a brand new hope and future in His overwhelming (almost intoxicating :]) Love and grace gospel. No, we don't deserve it, which is why it is so shocking and stunning. We had a feast afterward and then they came around with a wash bucket. (note: we don't use silverware- just hands). They come to you and wash your hands right there at the table. And the pastors were the ones who served the food. It was truly incredible. The feast we experienced and enjoyed last night was not the food primarily, but the fellowship and Love which was so filling spiritually. I am so glad I get to go back for the next three weeks; it felt like the home I'd always been dreaming of but never found. -Heidi
Saturday, July 14th, 2007
~Apparently every congregation we visit adorns us each time with flower garlands and banners. And other special acts of service are unique from congregation to congregation. for instance, at our first church, the power went out while i was teaching. The people started singing until the lights came back on. the fans however did not. So the pastors took up the task of fanning us. One cannot refuse their service; that would offend them deeply. I feel deeply indebted to these people for their incredible services of love to us. How can I possibly thank them enough? I think it's similar to how we show thanks to God: receive the gifts that are offered with a thankful heart. 'How can I thank the Lord for all His goodness towards me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. These are such a special honors that is a continual reminder of the whole idea of being loved deeply even though it is undeserved. And can never really be repaid in full.~Last night we left the dry season (mid-May to mid-july)( Ps- feb to may is the HOT season). :] It was raring to rain like a wild horse at the starting line of the race while we were teaching on the rooftop, but it waited kindly until the door was closed on our car to burst forth and pour and pour and pour. God is so awesome.
Almost One Week -- Alison Hansen
Hello to everyone in the U.S.
It has been almost one week since we left for India. I cannot exactly say the time has flown, for me at least. Because we are in such a new environment, I feel at times that when I wake up I will be back in America with all of the conveniences I am not able to enjoy here such as drinkable water or a real shower...not one out of a bucket, or food that I don't have to wonder will make me sick or not. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way. The Lord wants me here as well as the rest and the benefits are definitely outweighing the trials.
We have met so many new people all of which want their picture taken with us :) They are all so genuine and have the most picturesque smiles I have ever seen. The kids are the best. But sometimes I just wish there wasn't such a language barrier. I wish I could just sit down and have a conversation with one of the women or be able to teach the people without the use of a translator (although the one we have is very good!!)
I do enjoy being in India and look forward to the next 2 1/2 weeks. I am sure the Lord is and will be providing many more opportunities for His people to do His work.
I would ask for your continuing prayers on our trip here in India, but more importantly for all the people who are hearing the Word...pray that the Holy Spirit will open their hearts to the message to either create faith for the unbeliever or strengthen faith for the believer.
Thank you!
Alison
It has been almost one week since we left for India. I cannot exactly say the time has flown, for me at least. Because we are in such a new environment, I feel at times that when I wake up I will be back in America with all of the conveniences I am not able to enjoy here such as drinkable water or a real shower...not one out of a bucket, or food that I don't have to wonder will make me sick or not. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way. The Lord wants me here as well as the rest and the benefits are definitely outweighing the trials.
We have met so many new people all of which want their picture taken with us :) They are all so genuine and have the most picturesque smiles I have ever seen. The kids are the best. But sometimes I just wish there wasn't such a language barrier. I wish I could just sit down and have a conversation with one of the women or be able to teach the people without the use of a translator (although the one we have is very good!!)
I do enjoy being in India and look forward to the next 2 1/2 weeks. I am sure the Lord is and will be providing many more opportunities for His people to do His work.
I would ask for your continuing prayers on our trip here in India, but more importantly for all the people who are hearing the Word...pray that the Holy Spirit will open their hearts to the message to either create faith for the unbeliever or strengthen faith for the believer.
Thank you!
Alison
News from Nellore ~ Laura Hulke
Wandanalu!That is a Christian greeting in Telegu.
I am in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh at the moment, accessing the Internet quickly before heading to a restaurant for dinner. We were well fed for lunch, so I'm really not very hungry, but I know I will be soon. Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day. Ten of us left the group in Guntur to head to Nellore, so that was another fun bus ride. We also met Moses Raghu from the BELC in the evening and went to a Chinese restaurant. Yes, a Chinese restaurant in India.
Today, we spent almost the entire day at the BELC church in Nellore. We were warmly greeted by men, women, and children. The morning session consisted of some singing, then a review of the book of Acts. We had prepared some questions for the congregation, and it turned into a very lively competition between the men and the women. We were absolutely astonished by their extensive knowledge of the Bible! I don't think I could've easily answered some of the questions that we asked them. It was so wonderful to hear the people singing hymns in Telegu. Again, I was struck by the idea of praising God in a language other than my own, a language I'd never heard before.
After the quiz session, we were mobbed by the children once again. They are so irresistible! I held one little baby boy for a while and made him giggle by tossing him up in the air. Then, when I gave him to someone else, I found a wet spot on my leg. Whether it was from him or from my sweat, I guess I'll never know. In any case, this trip is not for the squeamish! We took so many pictures with the women and children, and they asked for our autographs and phone numbers. Lee and I tried to learn how to count to ten in Telegu. When we asked the children to count in English, they could, quite easily. They also knew their ABC's.
The other BELC group left us then to head to Chennai, so we got the chance to practice our VBS lessons with the children present. It was wonderful to get to run through our stories with these children who already believe before we share with those who may have never heard it before. Tomorrow, we'll be going to church here in Nellore and doing the craft with the children. It's the children, really, that get to me on this trip. They are so adorable and energetic and heartwarming. They freely give handshakes and hugs and smiles, and they're so excited to see what their picture looks like on our digital cameras. It's the children, also, that get to me when our group is approached by beggars. We've been told that giving money to beggars isn't always a good idea, because if we give to one, we could quickly be mobbed by many. I've managed to slip a few coins into the hands of some children here and there.
That's another thing - money. Everything here is ridiculously cheap. We ate at a Chinese restaurant last night, and my table's bill came to about 450 rupees, or a little over $11. We each ordered an entrée, and Danielle and I both ordered appetizers. Internet access costs about 50 cents an hour, and our hotel room is about $12-$13 a night, per person. We can buy a 2-liter bottle of water for 20 rupees, or 50 cents. Ridiculous! Last night, I really wanted to go home. I miss the conveniences most of all, like not having to carry toilet paper around with me and not having to worry about what I'm eating or drinking. But today, being around those fellow Christians, I really felt rejuvenated. I hope that we can be a blessing to them as they are to us.
Wishing you all the best,
Laura
I am in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh at the moment, accessing the Internet quickly before heading to a restaurant for dinner. We were well fed for lunch, so I'm really not very hungry, but I know I will be soon. Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day. Ten of us left the group in Guntur to head to Nellore, so that was another fun bus ride. We also met Moses Raghu from the BELC in the evening and went to a Chinese restaurant. Yes, a Chinese restaurant in India.
Today, we spent almost the entire day at the BELC church in Nellore. We were warmly greeted by men, women, and children. The morning session consisted of some singing, then a review of the book of Acts. We had prepared some questions for the congregation, and it turned into a very lively competition between the men and the women. We were absolutely astonished by their extensive knowledge of the Bible! I don't think I could've easily answered some of the questions that we asked them. It was so wonderful to hear the people singing hymns in Telegu. Again, I was struck by the idea of praising God in a language other than my own, a language I'd never heard before.
After the quiz session, we were mobbed by the children once again. They are so irresistible! I held one little baby boy for a while and made him giggle by tossing him up in the air. Then, when I gave him to someone else, I found a wet spot on my leg. Whether it was from him or from my sweat, I guess I'll never know. In any case, this trip is not for the squeamish! We took so many pictures with the women and children, and they asked for our autographs and phone numbers. Lee and I tried to learn how to count to ten in Telegu. When we asked the children to count in English, they could, quite easily. They also knew their ABC's.
The other BELC group left us then to head to Chennai, so we got the chance to practice our VBS lessons with the children present. It was wonderful to get to run through our stories with these children who already believe before we share with those who may have never heard it before. Tomorrow, we'll be going to church here in Nellore and doing the craft with the children. It's the children, really, that get to me on this trip. They are so adorable and energetic and heartwarming. They freely give handshakes and hugs and smiles, and they're so excited to see what their picture looks like on our digital cameras. It's the children, also, that get to me when our group is approached by beggars. We've been told that giving money to beggars isn't always a good idea, because if we give to one, we could quickly be mobbed by many. I've managed to slip a few coins into the hands of some children here and there.
That's another thing - money. Everything here is ridiculously cheap. We ate at a Chinese restaurant last night, and my table's bill came to about 450 rupees, or a little over $11. We each ordered an entrée, and Danielle and I both ordered appetizers. Internet access costs about 50 cents an hour, and our hotel room is about $12-$13 a night, per person. We can buy a 2-liter bottle of water for 20 rupees, or 50 cents. Ridiculous! Last night, I really wanted to go home. I miss the conveniences most of all, like not having to carry toilet paper around with me and not having to worry about what I'm eating or drinking. But today, being around those fellow Christians, I really felt rejuvenated. I hope that we can be a blessing to them as they are to us.
Wishing you all the best,
Laura
CLCI Welcome Celebration/Festival
From Heidi Maas --
Good morning to you all!~Wow, wow, wow- these people sure know how to throw a party! Last night we went to Nidobrulu (note- I said it was Gunthur before, but it's Nidobrulu where the orphanage is) for the welcoming ceremony. The whole place was decked out in lights and color. I started tearing up before the ceremony even began; all the effort they put forth was overwhelming. The music and the kids were what really got to me. They were singing their hearts out to the Lord and dancing in rhythm with the beautiful gifts the Lord has given them. They had a four-man band- two drums, keyboard, and guitar/vocalist. It was authentic worship, not just a show. And the whole thing was on loudspeaker so the entire neighborhood got to hear it. They served us all soda pop and had a banner for each of us with our name on it. They gave us seats of honor in the front row. Pastor V.S. Benjamin came to each of us and blessed us by marking our foreheads with his thumb with the sign of the cross. People sometimes call him the godfather of the CLCI; he has a presence that is very holy and very impressive, yet extremely humble. They called us individually to the stage after the ceremony began and adorned each of us with garlands made of real flowers. Mine was primarily jasmine and smelled almost intoxicatingly good (it was very very fragrant :]). They also gave us gifts of Bible college Bible covers and a small trophy-like memento with the country of India on it and our name. Sometimes I think we hesitate to show such honor to each other because we are fearful of it going to our heads. But I found out that it's just the opposite. It was extremely humbling because we deserved none of it, yet they gave and served us as if we were kings and queens. And the amazing thing is that is who we ARE in Christ; I think sometimes we get bogged down by the law and forget that Christ has given us ! a brand new hope and future in His overwhelming (almost intoxicating :]) Love and grace gospel. No, we don't deserve it, which is why it is so shocking and stunning. We had a feast afterward and then they came around with a wash bucket. (note: we don't use silverware- just hands). They come to you and wash your hands right there at the table. And the pastors were the ones who served the food. It was truly incredible. The feast we experienced and enjoyed last night was not the food primarily, but the fellowship and Love which was so filling spiritually. I am so glad I get to go back for the next three weeks; it felt like the home I'd always been dreaming of but never found. -Heidi
__________________________________________________________________
From Rick Nelson --
We had a chance to see the orphans at the CLCI headquarters on Thursday. I wish I had the chance to spend more time with them. Due to a language barrier, I could not effectively ask their names, ages, likes or dislikes. I am in awe of how I was effected by those little children with whom I did not share a single word. How could there be such a connection? We spent about 4 hours with them. In just a short time everything changed. All they did was smile, laugh, giggle, sing, dance, wink, listen, sit, jump and wave and all of the Mission Helpers hearts had melted. No longer is that jpeg with a push pin through it meaningless. No longer will I ever see these children as pictures from some place far far away. No longer will those beautiful little brown eyes not effect me. These are all precious, living, breathing, loving, wonderful, innocent, perfect, believing children of God. They have been blessed with life in this world but not much else. They do however have love and affection and a playful spirit that should be the envy of any child anywhere in the world. All they were looking for as I looked deaply into their warm, brown eyes, is to love and to be loved. That is it... life is so simple. It was truly a heart wrenching experience that I wish everyone could somehow experience. Words cannot describe what we witnessed and felt on Thursday.
Rick Nelson
CLC Mission Helper
__________________________________________________________________
From Alison Hansen --
Greetings to you all from the wonderful city of Guntar,We traveled from Chennai to Guntar a couple of days ago now. It is a much smaller city and I enjoy it much more than the bustling Chennai. Apparently Chennai has between 5 and 7 million people so no wonder it was so hard just to cross the street. The trip to Guntar took us a little over 8 hours but was well worth it.
Yesterday, we went to a Buddhist temple and I got a lot of cool pics. We also went to an Indian museum. After that we went to have some Indian pizza. Not too different from American except that cheese pizza is simply cheese and bread/crust, no sauce. That's ok though. Last night was the big deal though.
All 16 of us went to Nidobrolu to visit the orphanage and seminary. What an absolutely amazing time!!! I can not put into words what these people did for us, but I will try to explain as best I can. We got there around 6PM Indian time (we are about 10.5 hours ahead of you all in the midwest) and saw many Christmas-like lights covering the buildings. As we walked around the corner of the trees and bushes we saw a big stage with 16 banners all saying our names and where we were from. So amazing. We sat and were served pop in glass bottles. Sprite and Thums Up (strong version of coke) was served. Then we were given a tour of the building that one of the groups will be working. Very simple, but so nice. Then the music began...and didn't end even when we left around 11:00. The music was so wonderful...I could tell the Holy Spirit was working. We sat back down and waited for more people to arrive including the children, women, men, and seminary students. After the music and singing was over for the men, then the children got up and did a variety of dances and songs. I snapped many pics of them!! So then we had some words by V.S. Benjamin, Jyothi Benjamin, and Nareekshena Benjamin, the men in charge of the CLCI in Nidobrolu. We had an Indian dancer dance for us, she was a friend of the Benjamins. Very beautiful. Then we were presented with leis or garlands of jasmine and marigold flowers. They smelled divine. Some sermons were given by both Todd Ohlmann and David Baker. Then the gifts were handed out to the seminary students--Bible covers with CLCI and other words printed on them. We also were given gifts--Bible covers as well as trophies with our names on them.
What a privilege. I really felt and still feel so undeserving. These people are sooooo good to us. After the closing prayer by Nareekshena, Danielle Ryan had the idea of handing out stickers to the young ones. So a few of us helped her with that. The kids loved it and us. Am wishing I could have spent more time with them but realize they have some wonderful teachers staying here to teach to them. We ate rice and chicken and then left.
What a night. Gotta tell ya, I was pretty beat after it was over. So much excitement and it really never lulled. Like I said, it is really hard to put it into words how amazing this experience was. It just shows what a great God we do have. I am praying I can be as much of a blessing to them as they were to me. Well, two of the groups leave from Guntar to Nellore today. Our group will be dropped off and possibly teach tomorrow. Kinda have to be on our toes as to what and when we will be teaching.We really do have some wonderful people here in India. I wish all of you could see what I have seen.
In Him,
Alison
Good morning to you all!~Wow, wow, wow- these people sure know how to throw a party! Last night we went to Nidobrulu (note- I said it was Gunthur before, but it's Nidobrulu where the orphanage is) for the welcoming ceremony. The whole place was decked out in lights and color. I started tearing up before the ceremony even began; all the effort they put forth was overwhelming. The music and the kids were what really got to me. They were singing their hearts out to the Lord and dancing in rhythm with the beautiful gifts the Lord has given them. They had a four-man band- two drums, keyboard, and guitar/vocalist. It was authentic worship, not just a show. And the whole thing was on loudspeaker so the entire neighborhood got to hear it. They served us all soda pop and had a banner for each of us with our name on it. They gave us seats of honor in the front row. Pastor V.S. Benjamin came to each of us and blessed us by marking our foreheads with his thumb with the sign of the cross. People sometimes call him the godfather of the CLCI; he has a presence that is very holy and very impressive, yet extremely humble. They called us individually to the stage after the ceremony began and adorned each of us with garlands made of real flowers. Mine was primarily jasmine and smelled almost intoxicatingly good (it was very very fragrant :]). They also gave us gifts of Bible college Bible covers and a small trophy-like memento with the country of India on it and our name. Sometimes I think we hesitate to show such honor to each other because we are fearful of it going to our heads. But I found out that it's just the opposite. It was extremely humbling because we deserved none of it, yet they gave and served us as if we were kings and queens. And the amazing thing is that is who we ARE in Christ; I think sometimes we get bogged down by the law and forget that Christ has given us ! a brand new hope and future in His overwhelming (almost intoxicating :]) Love and grace gospel. No, we don't deserve it, which is why it is so shocking and stunning. We had a feast afterward and then they came around with a wash bucket. (note: we don't use silverware- just hands). They come to you and wash your hands right there at the table. And the pastors were the ones who served the food. It was truly incredible. The feast we experienced and enjoyed last night was not the food primarily, but the fellowship and Love which was so filling spiritually. I am so glad I get to go back for the next three weeks; it felt like the home I'd always been dreaming of but never found. -Heidi
__________________________________________________________________
From Rick Nelson --
We had a chance to see the orphans at the CLCI headquarters on Thursday. I wish I had the chance to spend more time with them. Due to a language barrier, I could not effectively ask their names, ages, likes or dislikes. I am in awe of how I was effected by those little children with whom I did not share a single word. How could there be such a connection? We spent about 4 hours with them. In just a short time everything changed. All they did was smile, laugh, giggle, sing, dance, wink, listen, sit, jump and wave and all of the Mission Helpers hearts had melted. No longer is that jpeg with a push pin through it meaningless. No longer will I ever see these children as pictures from some place far far away. No longer will those beautiful little brown eyes not effect me. These are all precious, living, breathing, loving, wonderful, innocent, perfect, believing children of God. They have been blessed with life in this world but not much else. They do however have love and affection and a playful spirit that should be the envy of any child anywhere in the world. All they were looking for as I looked deaply into their warm, brown eyes, is to love and to be loved. That is it... life is so simple. It was truly a heart wrenching experience that I wish everyone could somehow experience. Words cannot describe what we witnessed and felt on Thursday.
Rick Nelson
CLC Mission Helper
__________________________________________________________________
From Alison Hansen --
Greetings to you all from the wonderful city of Guntar,We traveled from Chennai to Guntar a couple of days ago now. It is a much smaller city and I enjoy it much more than the bustling Chennai. Apparently Chennai has between 5 and 7 million people so no wonder it was so hard just to cross the street. The trip to Guntar took us a little over 8 hours but was well worth it.
Yesterday, we went to a Buddhist temple and I got a lot of cool pics. We also went to an Indian museum. After that we went to have some Indian pizza. Not too different from American except that cheese pizza is simply cheese and bread/crust, no sauce. That's ok though. Last night was the big deal though.
All 16 of us went to Nidobrolu to visit the orphanage and seminary. What an absolutely amazing time!!! I can not put into words what these people did for us, but I will try to explain as best I can. We got there around 6PM Indian time (we are about 10.5 hours ahead of you all in the midwest) and saw many Christmas-like lights covering the buildings. As we walked around the corner of the trees and bushes we saw a big stage with 16 banners all saying our names and where we were from. So amazing. We sat and were served pop in glass bottles. Sprite and Thums Up (strong version of coke) was served. Then we were given a tour of the building that one of the groups will be working. Very simple, but so nice. Then the music began...and didn't end even when we left around 11:00. The music was so wonderful...I could tell the Holy Spirit was working. We sat back down and waited for more people to arrive including the children, women, men, and seminary students. After the music and singing was over for the men, then the children got up and did a variety of dances and songs. I snapped many pics of them!! So then we had some words by V.S. Benjamin, Jyothi Benjamin, and Nareekshena Benjamin, the men in charge of the CLCI in Nidobrolu. We had an Indian dancer dance for us, she was a friend of the Benjamins. Very beautiful. Then we were presented with leis or garlands of jasmine and marigold flowers. They smelled divine. Some sermons were given by both Todd Ohlmann and David Baker. Then the gifts were handed out to the seminary students--Bible covers with CLCI and other words printed on them. We also were given gifts--Bible covers as well as trophies with our names on them.
What a privilege. I really felt and still feel so undeserving. These people are sooooo good to us. After the closing prayer by Nareekshena, Danielle Ryan had the idea of handing out stickers to the young ones. So a few of us helped her with that. The kids loved it and us. Am wishing I could have spent more time with them but realize they have some wonderful teachers staying here to teach to them. We ate rice and chicken and then left.
What a night. Gotta tell ya, I was pretty beat after it was over. So much excitement and it really never lulled. Like I said, it is really hard to put it into words how amazing this experience was. It just shows what a great God we do have. I am praying I can be as much of a blessing to them as they were to me. Well, two of the groups leave from Guntar to Nellore today. Our group will be dropped off and possibly teach tomorrow. Kinda have to be on our toes as to what and when we will be teaching.We really do have some wonderful people here in India. I wish all of you could see what I have seen.
In Him,
Alison
13 July 2007
From Pastor David Reim
Dear family and friends at home,
We had the most incredible welcoming ceremony last night at the CLCI headquarters in Nidubrolu, India. It was overwhelming to see the joy and excitement of all the people for our coming. There were pastors from around the CLCI, children from several congregations in adition to the Benjamins and the orphans and seminary students. There must have been 80 people there.
First we got a tour of the compound. The rooms where they teach the seminary students are small and modest, but you can tell they take pride in keeping it looking nice and can definately see who they follow and serve as there are pictures of Jesus all aound the rooms. The room where the orphans sleep is very stark. They only have a woven mat to sleep on the cement floor and a small box for their clothing. It seems very hard to us, but this is more than many children have in India. When you see some of the children on the streets, you can see right away that the children in our orphanage are very well cared for.
They put on a big program of celebration. It began with a small group singing and playing Indian Christian music. There was a keyboardist, one playing some type of bongo drums, and another playing an electronic drum set. Several others sang the songs of praise to the Lord.
Then the children sang and danced for us, and another young lady did a traditional Indian dance. It was all very beautiful and moving. Each of us were called to the front, one at a time and honored with a beautiful and very fragrant lay around our neck. Then there were messages of welcome from Jyothi, Nireekshana, and V.S. Benjamin, followed by sermons by Todd Olhmann and David Baker. There was a time for presenting gifts to the pastors and seminary students, more songs and the prayers and benediction.
Then the fun began. The children gathered around for pictures and lots of smiles. Some of our girls gave each of them a sticker. The children loved having their pictures taken and it was a special hit for them to see their pictures on the cameras.
We were seated as guests of honor at a grand banquet feast of very authentic Indian food. We were served a very healthy protion of seasoned rice and chicken cooked in some type of curry sauce. We dig in with our fingers just like they do since there is no silverware. The seasonings for the dinner are just wonderful. Even the gizzards and liver tasted great cooked in their special sauce. At the end we received a small cup of liquidy sour yogurt with pieces of red onion and herbs. It was very tasty and worked to cleanse the palate after the somewhat spicy dinner. The whole dinner was a real treat. When we were done eating, they came around with a pail of water and a towel to wash our hands.
It is time to leave and go back to our motel, but the memory of this night will stay with me for many years. These are such a beautiful and gracious people. Even though we live a half a world away and are separated by a language barrier, we feel an instant and powerful bond with these people. They are truly our bothers and sisters in Christ. All night they were saying, Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!
We came here to encourage and teach them, but I have learned so much from them. They are far better teachers with their lives and examples. They live in a true joy of the Lord. They teach joy and contentment and a trusting confidence in the Lord. Nireekshana told me today, "we have a good life here in India." That was quite a startling comment after seeing the poverty, and dirty conditions that the people live in. But now I see, they do have a very good life indeed - a life that is not marked by comforts and convieniences, but a life that is truly good, living under the grace and love of God. They find real joy in serving rather than being served, much like their Savior. I thank the Lord that I have had this opportunity to learn from them, and I pray that I may be as much a blessing to them and teach them as they have taught and blessed me.
From Laura Hulke
Hello!
Yesterday was such a wonderful day that I feel compelled to let you all know about it. I'm sitting at an Internet shop in Guntur with almost all of the Mission Helper team before ten of us leave for Nellore. The other six will be staying in Guntur because they are working with the CLCI.
Yesterday morning, we went to see a statue of Buddha that had been blessed by the Dalai Lama only a year ago. We rode in two vehicles to about 30 min. east of Guntur. The statue is huge. It reminded me of the story of Nebuchadnezzar in the Old Testament when he had a statue of himself made for all of the people to bow down to. We toured the grounds and went inside the monument to see the stone sculptures and depictions of Buddha's life. It saddens me to think that there are all of these people in India (and the crowd seems to be endless) that still don't know the true God. I feel a little hopeless sometimes, but then I remember that God and His Word are powerful and can accomplish anything. My role is really just to spread the light wherever and whenever I can.
After having pizza for lunch, we got back in the vehicles to go to the CLCI complex in Nidubrolu. We had to stop, however, when we realized that we had left the gifts for the seminary students at the hotel. One vehicle went back to the hotel, so those of us in the other stepped outside to stretch our legs. And then things got really interesting: we drew a crowd. And I mean a crowd. Bikes and rickshaws were stopping to see us, people were coming out of stores and crowding on balconies - it was pretty unreal. Gui had mentioned to us before that we might be the only white people some of these people ever see. And considering that Guntur isn't exactly the tourism central of India, I can see how this would be the case. Lee started talking to a group of young men, and that crowd quickly grew. As Aprill said later, it wasn't exactly great for our humility, but it was definitely a noteworthy event.
We made it to the CLCI complex where we were greeted by Jyothi, Nireekshana, and V.S. Benjamin, lovingly dubbed by Gui as "The Godfather of the CLCI." We were seated and then greeted by V.S., who laid his hands on us and traced a cross on all of our foreheads. The complex was decorated with lots of colored lights. It was beautiful in the evening sky. They had also made individual banners for us and hung them on the stage platform. We briefly toured the complex, and then the 3-hour-long worship service began. We all received garlands, plaques, and Bible cases, and we were seated on the platform at the front, which gave us a great view of all the kids!
The service was fascinating. Many people spoke - mostly in Telegu - and it was so cool to hear the Bible read in a language I'd never heard before. There was a lot of music and some traditional Indian dancing, which was very interesting to watch. The thing that really struck me as Nireekshana was praying at the end of the service is that God really knows no bounds. Christianity can be and is proclaimed all over the world in many different languages by people very different from me. I guess I'd never really had that idea at the front of my mind before. It was very uplifting. Also, it was reassuring to realize that these people are working to save others in their own country, too, and there's a lot more of them even in the church body than there are in the CLC in the US!
The kids - oh, the kids stole my heart. During the service, they would wink and wave and smile at us and would giggle when we responded. We gave them stickers after the service and took lots of pictures. When we were leaving, they called me "sister" and gave me hugs and some kisses on the cheek. Some of them did this cute little thing where they would grab my cheek and then kiss their fingers, sort of like a reverse blowing a kiss to someone. It was absolutely adorable. I'm still a little sad that I don't get to stay here with them, but I know that there will be many more kids to meet in many more places.
What a beautiful day!
Sorry about the length of this email, but there was so much to share, and I felt like I really couldn't leave anything out. I'm so excited to begin teaching here in India! Keep me updated on what's happening with all of you, too, ok?
Laura
Yesterday was such a wonderful day that I feel compelled to let you all know about it. I'm sitting at an Internet shop in Guntur with almost all of the Mission Helper team before ten of us leave for Nellore. The other six will be staying in Guntur because they are working with the CLCI.
Yesterday morning, we went to see a statue of Buddha that had been blessed by the Dalai Lama only a year ago. We rode in two vehicles to about 30 min. east of Guntur. The statue is huge. It reminded me of the story of Nebuchadnezzar in the Old Testament when he had a statue of himself made for all of the people to bow down to. We toured the grounds and went inside the monument to see the stone sculptures and depictions of Buddha's life. It saddens me to think that there are all of these people in India (and the crowd seems to be endless) that still don't know the true God. I feel a little hopeless sometimes, but then I remember that God and His Word are powerful and can accomplish anything. My role is really just to spread the light wherever and whenever I can.
After having pizza for lunch, we got back in the vehicles to go to the CLCI complex in Nidubrolu. We had to stop, however, when we realized that we had left the gifts for the seminary students at the hotel. One vehicle went back to the hotel, so those of us in the other stepped outside to stretch our legs. And then things got really interesting: we drew a crowd. And I mean a crowd. Bikes and rickshaws were stopping to see us, people were coming out of stores and crowding on balconies - it was pretty unreal. Gui had mentioned to us before that we might be the only white people some of these people ever see. And considering that Guntur isn't exactly the tourism central of India, I can see how this would be the case. Lee started talking to a group of young men, and that crowd quickly grew. As Aprill said later, it wasn't exactly great for our humility, but it was definitely a noteworthy event.
We made it to the CLCI complex where we were greeted by Jyothi, Nireekshana, and V.S. Benjamin, lovingly dubbed by Gui as "The Godfather of the CLCI." We were seated and then greeted by V.S., who laid his hands on us and traced a cross on all of our foreheads. The complex was decorated with lots of colored lights. It was beautiful in the evening sky. They had also made individual banners for us and hung them on the stage platform. We briefly toured the complex, and then the 3-hour-long worship service began. We all received garlands, plaques, and Bible cases, and we were seated on the platform at the front, which gave us a great view of all the kids!
The service was fascinating. Many people spoke - mostly in Telegu - and it was so cool to hear the Bible read in a language I'd never heard before. There was a lot of music and some traditional Indian dancing, which was very interesting to watch. The thing that really struck me as Nireekshana was praying at the end of the service is that God really knows no bounds. Christianity can be and is proclaimed all over the world in many different languages by people very different from me. I guess I'd never really had that idea at the front of my mind before. It was very uplifting. Also, it was reassuring to realize that these people are working to save others in their own country, too, and there's a lot more of them even in the church body than there are in the CLC in the US!
The kids - oh, the kids stole my heart. During the service, they would wink and wave and smile at us and would giggle when we responded. We gave them stickers after the service and took lots of pictures. When we were leaving, they called me "sister" and gave me hugs and some kisses on the cheek. Some of them did this cute little thing where they would grab my cheek and then kiss their fingers, sort of like a reverse blowing a kiss to someone. It was absolutely adorable. I'm still a little sad that I don't get to stay here with them, but I know that there will be many more kids to meet in many more places.
What a beautiful day!
Sorry about the length of this email, but there was so much to share, and I felt like I really couldn't leave anything out. I'm so excited to begin teaching here in India! Keep me updated on what's happening with all of you, too, ok?
Laura
Buddha, Mobs, and Orphans ~ Dani Beekman
July 13, 9:14 am. For the sake of time, I am just going to write what I put in my journal last nite, I hope it makes sense to you. We went to a huge Buddhist temple that they are building, its huge and they've been working on it for not even a year. There were a lot of younger Indian men and I had a camera. They showed us the bed of nails trick that they do. I got it on video. There was an old man that followed me. He wanted me to have a picture of myself in front of the temple. I showed him how to work my camera and a whole bunch of other men gathered around and were attempting to "help" he kept pushing them away. It was funny. He took 2 pictures.
What an amazing day!!!! Buddhist temple, mob, orphanage. On our way to the orphanage we stopped to pick up some bible covers at a shop. They werent ready and rick forgot the tshirts he made for the sem students. We all got out and Lee stepped in water buffalo poop and decided he needed to scrape it off. He took off his sandal was standing on 1 foot scraping the poop from his shoe. As if we aren't weird enough, people started to notice the strange white people and they would stare. I felt like a little fish in a bowl. They point, laugh, talk in their language. We just stand there and say America. Lee started to talk to a group of college boys. That group quickly grew. In a matter of minutes we had cars stopped and a very very large crowd. They started asking Lee for autographs and of course he complied. Laura, Alison and I were taking picture of 4 little kids. They like to see their pictures.
We made it to the orphanage and it was gorgeous!!!!!! The whole place was clean!! They decorated it all up with Xmas lights, it was amazing. There was a stage and thats where we eventually sat. We sat down on chairs and they gave us each a cold pop. A man started singing. Some of the orphans were poking their little heads out the door. They are all so beautiful. The children performed 2 action songs and a girl in a crazy beautiful costume did a traditional dance for us. Kate started winking at one of the little girls. She caught on quick and winked back. Pretty soon we had em all going. During the service they would make eye contact with you and wink. Precious. They called us up on stage and gave us each a garland. VS Benjamin blessed the men, his wife blessed the women. After the service the orphans came to us. We touched their hands. Danielle started giving them stickers on their hands. It was crazy. They were pushing and shoving to get to us and all of their little hands were stretched out. All you could see were little hands and big beautiful eyes. This little baby girl somehow got to the front of the scene and was being smooshed. So i put her on my lap. They all kept saying sista, sista. One little girl would pinch your cheek and then put her fingers to her lips. I took the little girl up on the stage away from the mob. I didnt want to let her go. Pastor Ohlmann told me to take her with me. I would too.
We had a huge meal served to us. Jyothi's brother served us. Talk about humbling. We are here to help them and they serve us. They are so welcoming and so thankful. Amazing! The hardest part was leaving. They came swarming out to you and grabbed you. Sista sista, bye bye, sista, thank you. They came to the window of the car and put their little hands in. I didnt want to leave. I would ride in the planes and the bus again just to see those kids for 10 minutes. I wish I had more time with them. Absolutely the most amazing thing ever!!!!!
We made it to the orphanage and it was gorgeous!!!!!! The whole place was clean!! They decorated it all up with Xmas lights, it was amazing. There was a stage and thats where we eventually sat. We sat down on chairs and they gave us each a cold pop. A man started singing. Some of the orphans were poking their little heads out the door. They are all so beautiful. The children performed 2 action songs and a girl in a crazy beautiful costume did a traditional dance for us. Kate started winking at one of the little girls. She caught on quick and winked back. Pretty soon we had em all going. During the service they would make eye contact with you and wink. Precious. They called us up on stage and gave us each a garland. VS Benjamin blessed the men, his wife blessed the women. After the service the orphans came to us. We touched their hands. Danielle started giving them stickers on their hands. It was crazy. They were pushing and shoving to get to us and all of their little hands were stretched out. All you could see were little hands and big beautiful eyes. This little baby girl somehow got to the front of the scene and was being smooshed. So i put her on my lap. They all kept saying sista, sista. One little girl would pinch your cheek and then put her fingers to her lips. I took the little girl up on the stage away from the mob. I didnt want to let her go. Pastor Ohlmann told me to take her with me. I would too.
We had a huge meal served to us. Jyothi's brother served us. Talk about humbling. We are here to help them and they serve us. They are so welcoming and so thankful. Amazing! The hardest part was leaving. They came swarming out to you and grabbed you. Sista sista, bye bye, sista, thank you. They came to the window of the car and put their little hands in. I didnt want to leave. I would ride in the planes and the bus again just to see those kids for 10 minutes. I wish I had more time with them. Absolutely the most amazing thing ever!!!!!
First Impressions from Heidi Maas
~The culture shock moment was when we left the airport exit in Chennai. There was a mob of hundreds of Indians waiting to pick up their arrivals, just standing there all together as we came out. And then they were all over the parking, walking, sitting, lying down, driving....everywhere. and they were all watching our group of 16 white Americans. In America we see different ethnic groups all the time. But I could probably count the number the of white people I've seen so far on less than two hands. And while everyone looks at us wherever we go, we get used to it. They mean no harm and really are quite friendly.
~The thriller moments are when we get to ride in the rickshaws, or taxis. They are like golf carts (open air, small cart) with three wheels. It's so great because while the traffic is INSANE by US standards, the drivers here are excellent. They have great depth perception and quick reflexes. We sometimes pass withing inches of others. You've got pedestrians, bikes, motorcycles, rickshaws, small cars, medium cars, buses, an occasional truck, bike-drawn buggies, cows sometimes too- all trying to get where they're going on the same street- no sidewalk, no median. And bikes and motorcycles often carry up to four people at a time. And people aren't content to follow each other. They pass in the on-coming traffic lane often to get around each other. And blinkers are not too common. They honk instead. And it's constant cuz they use it for just about everything- move over, I'm passing, I'm not stopping for you, hey look out. And every horn is different; the clown horns are the best. We got some pretty sweet video footage cuz describing it doesn't do it justice. We only saw one accident so far: two motorcycles failed to communicate and crunch! But everyone was oK. There is no road rage because they anticipate being cut off. Speaking of traffic- our bus caused commotion yesterday cuz the streets in Gunthur are so narrow. We had to make a turn twice and had to back up into traffic to make it work. They just adjusted, but it was pretty hilarious.
~The food is AMAZING!! I had a thick pancake for breakfast today called uttapahm (oo-ta-pan). It was sooo good. It had onions and all kinds of stuff baked into it- tasted kinda like a potato pancake but way better. And four different sauces to dip it in- coconut, mild, hot, and hot curry. (My sinus infection that I picked up Tuesday before takeoff is, um, very much non-existamnt for sure by now :].) Yesterday we ate at super authentic, in the middle of nowhere restaurant and just had rice to be safe. But it was so good cuz I bet it didn't come from more than a few miles away- so fresh! And I love eating without silverware! And after each meal they give you "after-dinner mints," or annis seeds coated in sugar. MMM!
~The weather feels like Wisconsin/California, except smells nothing like it. :] It's less than 80 deg. right now probably and it is the dry season. It gets a little muggy in the evening when the sun goes down, but it really is more tolerable than 110 of dry heat, I think, and it only feels as bad as a moderate summer Wisconsin day in the evening. So the smells...anything from fish, "incense," garbage, human waste, curry, wet dirt, dust, car exhaust, BO, and a number of other that are just "India."
~Tonight we have the welcome party/festival/feast at the church in gunthur (where the orphanage is, where I'll be staying until August). Tomorrow (fri) is our first day of teaching. My group's schedule for the next few weeks is play with/teach orphans from 4:30- 5:30, go to teach in villages, get home maybe 9 or 10.
~Indians start mozying about around 9, 930 in the morning, have two meals (mid afternoon and late evening), and close up shop around 9pm. The drunks start to roam at 10pm.
~One cool thing I noticed is I am not fearful at all, even though there are 'interesting' people every five feet. We always walk in groups and the men in the group seem to step up to their innate protective/defender role (I don't think we see that as much in the states cuz danger is not so obvious there). Of the sixteen of us, 7 are male so they lead the 9 of us in between them. I am very appreciative of it for sure, and am grateful that I can just relax and walk along. This morning I was escorted to breakfast with two in front and two behind.
~I almost feel more at home here than in the US. Almost. Everything seems more real, not fabricated. England (in the airport, at least) was worse than the USA in this regard. I look forward to seeing what the real London looks like, not just what shows up at the airport. More on this developing theory later....
Lots more later, but gotta run for now!!
Blessings to you all-
Heidi Spring
~The thriller moments are when we get to ride in the rickshaws, or taxis. They are like golf carts (open air, small cart) with three wheels. It's so great because while the traffic is INSANE by US standards, the drivers here are excellent. They have great depth perception and quick reflexes. We sometimes pass withing inches of others. You've got pedestrians, bikes, motorcycles, rickshaws, small cars, medium cars, buses, an occasional truck, bike-drawn buggies, cows sometimes too- all trying to get where they're going on the same street- no sidewalk, no median. And bikes and motorcycles often carry up to four people at a time. And people aren't content to follow each other. They pass in the on-coming traffic lane often to get around each other. And blinkers are not too common. They honk instead. And it's constant cuz they use it for just about everything- move over, I'm passing, I'm not stopping for you, hey look out. And every horn is different; the clown horns are the best. We got some pretty sweet video footage cuz describing it doesn't do it justice. We only saw one accident so far: two motorcycles failed to communicate and crunch! But everyone was oK. There is no road rage because they anticipate being cut off. Speaking of traffic- our bus caused commotion yesterday cuz the streets in Gunthur are so narrow. We had to make a turn twice and had to back up into traffic to make it work. They just adjusted, but it was pretty hilarious.
~The food is AMAZING!! I had a thick pancake for breakfast today called uttapahm (oo-ta-pan). It was sooo good. It had onions and all kinds of stuff baked into it- tasted kinda like a potato pancake but way better. And four different sauces to dip it in- coconut, mild, hot, and hot curry. (My sinus infection that I picked up Tuesday before takeoff is, um, very much non-existamnt for sure by now :].) Yesterday we ate at super authentic, in the middle of nowhere restaurant and just had rice to be safe. But it was so good cuz I bet it didn't come from more than a few miles away- so fresh! And I love eating without silverware! And after each meal they give you "after-dinner mints," or annis seeds coated in sugar. MMM!
~The weather feels like Wisconsin/California, except smells nothing like it. :] It's less than 80 deg. right now probably and it is the dry season. It gets a little muggy in the evening when the sun goes down, but it really is more tolerable than 110 of dry heat, I think, and it only feels as bad as a moderate summer Wisconsin day in the evening. So the smells...anything from fish, "incense," garbage, human waste, curry, wet dirt, dust, car exhaust, BO, and a number of other that are just "India."
~Tonight we have the welcome party/festival/feast at the church in gunthur (where the orphanage is, where I'll be staying until August). Tomorrow (fri) is our first day of teaching. My group's schedule for the next few weeks is play with/teach orphans from 4:30- 5:30, go to teach in villages, get home maybe 9 or 10.
~Indians start mozying about around 9, 930 in the morning, have two meals (mid afternoon and late evening), and close up shop around 9pm. The drunks start to roam at 10pm.
~One cool thing I noticed is I am not fearful at all, even though there are 'interesting' people every five feet. We always walk in groups and the men in the group seem to step up to their innate protective/defender role (I don't think we see that as much in the states cuz danger is not so obvious there). Of the sixteen of us, 7 are male so they lead the 9 of us in between them. I am very appreciative of it for sure, and am grateful that I can just relax and walk along. This morning I was escorted to breakfast with two in front and two behind.
~I almost feel more at home here than in the US. Almost. Everything seems more real, not fabricated. England (in the airport, at least) was worse than the USA in this regard. I look forward to seeing what the real London looks like, not just what shows up at the airport. More on this developing theory later....
Lots more later, but gotta run for now!!
Blessings to you all-
Heidi Spring
11 July 2007
Arrival
After a smooth and uneventful process of checking in and boarding (except for one temporarily lost passport and boarding pass) in Chicago, our two flights went amazingly well. We arrived in Chennai in the early morning hours to find 31 of the 32 pieces of luggage we had checked had arrived. The one lost piece of luggage contains approx. 1,000 craft kits. We are praying that they will arrive at our hotel in Chennai soon so they can be picked up and put to use.
Please join us in thanking the Lord for safe travels and for His blessings upon our proclamation of the Gospel message. We are in Guntur tonight and will visit the CLCI orphanage and seminary tomorrow. They have a big welcome program all planned. Tonight I take the gang of 16 on a walking tour of the area of Guntur where we are staying and where the CLCI team will be located for the next three weeks. There are a few good restaurants, internet cafes, and shopping areas close by.
I will let Laura Hulke and Kate Friedrichs describe their initial impressions of the India...
In Christ,
Pastor Todd Ohlmann
___________________________________________________________________
Please join us in thanking the Lord for safe travels and for His blessings upon our proclamation of the Gospel message. We are in Guntur tonight and will visit the CLCI orphanage and seminary tomorrow. They have a big welcome program all planned. Tonight I take the gang of 16 on a walking tour of the area of Guntur where we are staying and where the CLCI team will be located for the next three weeks. There are a few good restaurants, internet cafes, and shopping areas close by.
I will let Laura Hulke and Kate Friedrichs describe their initial impressions of the India...
In Christ,
Pastor Todd Ohlmann
___________________________________________________________________
Hello, all!
First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone for your continued support and prayers. It is so reassuring to know that there are people back home praying for our efforts in India and for our safety. It has been an indescribable experience so far.
After what seemed like several days on a plane, we landed in Chennai this morning around 3:30am. It is now 5:45pm here in Chennai, which means that for most of you in the US, it's 6:15am. India has a 11.5 hour time difference because it's split between two time zones, so they just split the difference. There's not much to say about the flight except it was really long - Chicago to London was about 8 hours, and London to Chennai was about 10. However, we were flying on British Airways, so we got a whole bunch of fun stuff like eye masks and toothbrushes and individual TV screens.
It was absolutely surreal to step out of the airport and be in India. It is, of course, quite hot and muggy here, but the hotel we're currently staying in has AC. Our "shower" consists of a bucket and a cup, which makes for an interesting obstacle. this morning, we checked into our hotel and had some time to nap and freshen up after almost an entire day on the plane. Then our group got together in one room and had a brief devotion. We walked outside for a little bit, but we'll probably do more shopping when we come back to Chennai at the end of the trip. We took rickshaws to the mall this afternoon to have pizza with the Koenigs.
My initial impressions of India are that it's very hot and colorful. There are billboards everywhere in both English and another language (Tamil?) that I obviously can't read. People are very eager to get our business, whether it's in the mall, in the rickshaw, or in the street. There's a lot of dust, so I don't know how long I'll be able to wear my contacts without getting frustrated. I brought eye drops, but glasses might be easier. Traffic is crazy. There's no way I'd ever want to drive here. There are so many vehicles on the road, and it seems like they kind of just go wherever they want whenever they want.
Tomorrow we head to Nidibrolu (not sure of that spelling) to visit the CLCI. We'll be on the bus for about eight hours, so I'm hoping to get some more studying and reading done then. Not sure when I'll be able to update next. I would've liked to load some pictures for you all to see, but this computer isn't exactly speedy. Maybe next time.
I'm so excited to head to the villages and spread the Gospel! Thank you all again for your prayers and thoughts.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Laura
___________________________________________________________________
Kate
___________________________________________________________________
Hello friends, and greetings from Chennai, India!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 6:00 pm
We've arrived in India safe and well! It hasn't even been 24 hours, but it already feels like several days...probably because of all the travelling. We left Chicago on Sudnay evening, we were in London for about 3.5 hours on Monday midday (local time), and arried in Chennai around 3:30 am on Tuesday. With the time changes, it was the fastest Monday I've ever had! I'm still recovering from the 18 hours in an airplane, though! ;)
India is truly amazing! There's no way I could give a description that would give it justice, but if I had to pick one word, it would be "over-stimulation." It feels there is a lot of everything everwhere -- people, colorful clothing, dust, signs (in Hindi, English, and probably other languages I don't recognize!), traffic (more on that later....), heat, shops.... The hotel we are staying at seems to be nice for the area -- everyone has a bed and a working TV (although most of the channels are in Hindi or another language), and some of the rooms have AC! I took a shower with a bucket and cup for the first time...perhaps tonight we'll figure out how the showerhead works!
We went to the mall today and met with Misionary Koenig and his wife. They treated us to Pizza Hut! The mall had so many shops with beautiful Inidian clothing and souveniers. The most entertaining part thus far, though, has been the driving...well, riding -- there's no way I'd drive here! First of all, they drive on the left side of the road -- that was new to me! The traffic is crazy with vehicles passing on either side of each other (often within 12 inches!), crossing the "center line", cutting across traffic to turn, and honking at each other to let the next vehicle know they're coming! We rode in a "rickshaw" which is a small, yellow, open-air vehicle with 3 wheels...so it's got a tight turning radius! It fits 3 people in the back fairly comfortably and a driver in the front. (Although I've heard that Indians can fit 8 people in a rickshaw!) Our entire group (16 people) went to the mall in about 6 rickshaws, and it felt like the Amazing Race because we kept passing each other on the road. At one point Pastor O. was close enough to reach over and tap Rick N. in the rickshaw next to us!
Probably the saddest part so far is seeing all these people and knowing that only a handful of them know the true God and His Son Jesus. It's very humbling, and it make me incredibly thankful to have been raised in God's Wrd and with the knowledge of Christ's salvation. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!)
Tomorrow we'll be heading up to the CLCI (an 8 hour bus ride), where I will be staying for pretty much the rest of my trip. (Visit www.LutheranMissions.com for more details on the CLCI.) I'll be working in the orphanage there, and going to nearby villages in the evenings to teach vacation bible school to children and tell them about Christ! What a blessed opportunity! This, of course, is the main purpose of our trip, and I'm really looking forward to seing how Chrsit will bless our work. I pray that He will give us strength and the words to say, so His name may be glorified!
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!
Love in Christ,
27 June 2007
Departure
My name is Pastor Todd Ohlmann. I am blessed to serve a CLC Lutheran congregation in the St. Louis, Missouri area. I am also blessed with the privilege of serving my Lord for 4 to 6 weeks annually as a part-time foreign missionary to India.
On July 8th, 2007 I will be accompanied by two other pastors and thirteen other men and women from several congregations of the CLC, who volunteered to serve as Mission Helpers. We will depart on an evening flight from Chicago O'Hare airport to Chennai in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
While in India we will divide into three teams to teach and proclaim God's saving word through pastoral training seminars and child evangelism. If past trips are any indication, and the Lord continues to bless this effort, the Mission Helpers will have the opportunity to reach upwards of 5,000 children with God's saving Word. Some of these children are members of our sister congregations in India, but many have never heard the truth of God's word concerning the forgiveness and salvation that has been won for them through the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Please come back often to see pictures and read reports from myself and the other Mission Helpers.
In Christ,
Pastor Todd Ohlmann
On July 8th, 2007 I will be accompanied by two other pastors and thirteen other men and women from several congregations of the CLC, who volunteered to serve as Mission Helpers. We will depart on an evening flight from Chicago O'Hare airport to Chennai in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
While in India we will divide into three teams to teach and proclaim God's saving word through pastoral training seminars and child evangelism. If past trips are any indication, and the Lord continues to bless this effort, the Mission Helpers will have the opportunity to reach upwards of 5,000 children with God's saving Word. Some of these children are members of our sister congregations in India, but many have never heard the truth of God's word concerning the forgiveness and salvation that has been won for them through the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Please come back often to see pictures and read reports from myself and the other Mission Helpers.
In Christ,
Pastor Todd Ohlmann
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