Thursday, May 13, 2010
City Market+ 16800Rs ($400)+ 99 degree heat +Mackey, Nellie, Latka, and Suresh= ONE GAS OVEN AND AN AMAZING FIRST DAY IN BANGALORE.
The sun greeted us weary travellers at 5:30am, pouring in through the porch that extends from our second story apartment. Stephanie,a 24-year old graduate of UGA who is on staff in Bangalore for Rahab's Rope, and I had tossed and turned in the 88 degree air and couldnt sleep so we decided to get up and cool off. After a cold shower and coffee, we headed over to Mackey's apartment to meet up with the rest of our crew:
Mackey- a 67 year old teacher who has lived in Bangalore for a year and a half, teaching the sex-workers English and Math. Nellie- Mackey's 68 year old friend who is a welder and carpenter, and she is building a playground for a children's home over the next 4 months. David Moore- co-founder of Rahab's Rope who flew to Bangalore with me last night. Suresh and Latha- a precious Indian couple who have several ministries--they tutor and feed dinner to over 220 children from a nearby slum 5 nights a week, minister to people in over 30 Villages in the state of Karnataka, hold sewing classes for impoverished women, and help with finding women for the Rahab's Rope programs.
Mackey, Nellie, Suresh, Latha, and I split off and went to the City Market to look for an oven for me and welding tools for Nellie. After 6 stores and much bargaining, I found a gas oven for about $400 and am waiting for it to be delivered on Monday. Nellie was a total hoot-bargaining with three Indian men for all sorts of construction tools, pointing and hollerin with her south Georgian accent, and she was overjoyed to find almost everything she needed. Mackey and Nellie have known each other since high school, over 50 years, and watching them cut up in the market and make jokes about each other's pasts had me grinning nonstop.
On top of that, the beauty of the Indian people had me smiling even more. Dazzling fabrics draped over the women's deep colored colored skin, brilliant colored wraps hanging down to their toes. The men were hustling and bustling through the streets with more western style clothing, speeding fearlessly on motorcyles and autos through the overcrowded alleyways and streets.
The five of us ate lunch at Mackey's favorite restaurant called Infinitea, and I had chicken and peach sweet tea--it was delicious :). We headed back to the apartment to make a gameplan before walking over to Anatoly's and Lakshmi's apartment where the sewing program takes place and where I will begin teaching baking classes next week, and then we went to Suresh and Latha's house where the 220 children were doing their studies. They. Were. Precious. When I walked into the porch, a hundred smiling faces and dancing eyes turned to welcome me, and then the sweetest chorus of "Hello Auntie Emily" greeted my ears. It was a good day. :).
ELW
Mackey- a 67 year old teacher who has lived in Bangalore for a year and a half, teaching the sex-workers English and Math. Nellie- Mackey's 68 year old friend who is a welder and carpenter, and she is building a playground for a children's home over the next 4 months. David Moore- co-founder of Rahab's Rope who flew to Bangalore with me last night. Suresh and Latha- a precious Indian couple who have several ministries--they tutor and feed dinner to over 220 children from a nearby slum 5 nights a week, minister to people in over 30 Villages in the state of Karnataka, hold sewing classes for impoverished women, and help with finding women for the Rahab's Rope programs.
Mackey, Nellie, Suresh, Latha, and I split off and went to the City Market to look for an oven for me and welding tools for Nellie. After 6 stores and much bargaining, I found a gas oven for about $400 and am waiting for it to be delivered on Monday. Nellie was a total hoot-bargaining with three Indian men for all sorts of construction tools, pointing and hollerin with her south Georgian accent, and she was overjoyed to find almost everything she needed. Mackey and Nellie have known each other since high school, over 50 years, and watching them cut up in the market and make jokes about each other's pasts had me grinning nonstop.
On top of that, the beauty of the Indian people had me smiling even more. Dazzling fabrics draped over the women's deep colored colored skin, brilliant colored wraps hanging down to their toes. The men were hustling and bustling through the streets with more western style clothing, speeding fearlessly on motorcyles and autos through the overcrowded alleyways and streets.
The five of us ate lunch at Mackey's favorite restaurant called Infinitea, and I had chicken and peach sweet tea--it was delicious :). We headed back to the apartment to make a gameplan before walking over to Anatoly's and Lakshmi's apartment where the sewing program takes place and where I will begin teaching baking classes next week, and then we went to Suresh and Latha's house where the 220 children were doing their studies. They. Were. Precious. When I walked into the porch, a hundred smiling faces and dancing eyes turned to welcome me, and then the sweetest chorus of "Hello Auntie Emily" greeted my ears. It was a good day. :).
ELW
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
"Let your heart take courage."
"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD...Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage." Psalm 27: 13-14
My heart has been trembling for the past 24 hours: I am going tomorrow. To India. For 6 weeks. Fear has been trying to seep into my spirit, and I've been trying desperately to bolt the doors of my heart, praying against despair. I keep coming back to the Mercy Me Song, "Where you lead me, I will follow, forever and a day" and I'm trying to make this lyric my own, but my eyes keep welling up with tears. The beautiful thing about Psalm 27 is that it doesn't say anything about me doing anything courageous or digging inside my weak self to find some sort of boldness- No. Instead, my heart takes courage in waiting--- in resting, following His command in Psalm 46:10 to "Be still and know that I am God." While I am weak, He is strong. When I am scared, He is standing beside me with His arms open wide, waiting for me to run under His wing and rest. When I cannot (which is pretty much always), He can.
ELW
My heart has been trembling for the past 24 hours: I am going tomorrow. To India. For 6 weeks. Fear has been trying to seep into my spirit, and I've been trying desperately to bolt the doors of my heart, praying against despair. I keep coming back to the Mercy Me Song, "Where you lead me, I will follow, forever and a day" and I'm trying to make this lyric my own, but my eyes keep welling up with tears. The beautiful thing about Psalm 27 is that it doesn't say anything about me doing anything courageous or digging inside my weak self to find some sort of boldness- No. Instead, my heart takes courage in waiting--- in resting, following His command in Psalm 46:10 to "Be still and know that I am God." While I am weak, He is strong. When I am scared, He is standing beside me with His arms open wide, waiting for me to run under His wing and rest. When I cannot (which is pretty much always), He can.
ELW
Sunday, May 9, 2010
HOME...3 days till departure.
Being home for the past few days has lifted my spirit...I feel refreshed and rejuvenated by my family-and especially today, on Mother's Day, I'm reminded of the blessing of being in a family, both an earthly and eternal one. In Isaiah 66:13 our Father promises, "As a mother comforts her children, so will I comfort you." A mother's touch is unlike any other-it soothes, heals, protects, comforts, and connects in a way that no other person can, and my mother's selfless and active love reminds me so much of Christ's sacrificial love-that can transcend all understanding, break down all barriers, cleanse all sin, heal all hearts, make all new, do anything and everything we can possibly imagine. This love, this perfect love that is patient, kind, humble, gentle, calm, forgiving, joyful, protecting, trusting, hope, and causes us to persevere (1 Cor. 13), this is the love that I long to bathe in--dipping my heart into Our Savior's living and loving water, and pouring it into thirsting hearts just like mine.
This morning at church we studied the epistle of Jude and learned about apathy, and I was so convicted. I never want to be numb to the hungering of my heart, to be ambivalent towards the suffering and hurting and darkness of so many all around the world, to forget and become unmoved by the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to doubt the healing power of love, to be concerned with MY desires-MY dreams-MY life, to live for money and success, to become obsessed with my reputation, to spend hours worrying, to forget why I am here.... and yet I have and i do and I continue to struggle with my own pride and selfishness. Though I have been broken many times, I sometimes find myself blinking an eye when I hear stories of starvation and hunger, genocide, sickness and disease, death, human-trafficking, and other sufferings... after this morning, my greatest fear is that I will fall into a routine revolving around me, my job, my school, my work, my friends, my activities, and my passion will flicker and burn out. I hope and pray my heart will ALWAYS be sensitive to the hurt of any and all people, and that I would grow more and more selfless and be able to see and hear and feel the pain of my brothers and sisters in a more real way every day...so that I can love them better.
ELW
This morning at church we studied the epistle of Jude and learned about apathy, and I was so convicted. I never want to be numb to the hungering of my heart, to be ambivalent towards the suffering and hurting and darkness of so many all around the world, to forget and become unmoved by the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to doubt the healing power of love, to be concerned with MY desires-MY dreams-MY life, to live for money and success, to become obsessed with my reputation, to spend hours worrying, to forget why I am here.... and yet I have and i do and I continue to struggle with my own pride and selfishness. Though I have been broken many times, I sometimes find myself blinking an eye when I hear stories of starvation and hunger, genocide, sickness and disease, death, human-trafficking, and other sufferings... after this morning, my greatest fear is that I will fall into a routine revolving around me, my job, my school, my work, my friends, my activities, and my passion will flicker and burn out. I hope and pray my heart will ALWAYS be sensitive to the hurt of any and all people, and that I would grow more and more selfless and be able to see and hear and feel the pain of my brothers and sisters in a more real way every day...so that I can love them better.
ELW
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
"Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life."
This quote rings sooooo true to my heart--especially in the light of how precious my friends are!!! For the past week, Ive been planning a trip to Cumberland Transit to purchase a pair of Chacos but I was too busy to make it there! ... and last night, I was handed a bag with a brand new pair of chacos, a t-shirt, and 6-week underwear (I'm still trying to figure those out haha) from my friends!!!! As I told them last night, while their gifts equipped my body, their friendship has equipped my heart. More and more, I am convinced that people are the most important part of life---that they are WAY more important than money, activities, grades, careers---that relationships are the most valuable investment we can make.... that I want my life to be about my friends, making them smile, making sure they know how much I love them and how much they matter, and mostly, giving them hugs...BECAUSE:
Scientific Research has shown that "Every human being needs four hugs per day merely to survive. Eight hugs per day to maintain oneself at a strong emotional level. Twelve hugs per day to grow and become a better person." So never underestimate the value of a hug, or the value of making people feel loved.
One of my favorite quotes EVER is by Maya Angelou: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Peace. :)
Scientific Research has shown that "Every human being needs four hugs per day merely to survive. Eight hugs per day to maintain oneself at a strong emotional level. Twelve hugs per day to grow and become a better person." So never underestimate the value of a hug, or the value of making people feel loved.
One of my favorite quotes EVER is by Maya Angelou: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Peace. :)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Apocalypse 2010?
So to say that the past few days have been a "whirlwind" would be leaving out the fact that Nashville has had a tornado and severe flooding for the past 48 hours...that the roof of my dorm has been leaking and now my floor has no running water...that I am having a neurological allergic reaction to the polio vaccine I got on Wednesday...that I went to the ER a few nights ago for muscle tremors, dizziness, nausea, and severe headache and met with an Indian neurologist (chance? I think not :)) who thinks I had a seizure, and my body is freaking out in response to the vaccine...that despite all of this, our Father promises:
1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush [a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west."
He is so good--and I am so overwhelmed by His care for ALL His children that are "precious and honored in my sight," and I'm brought to my knees by His grace---that no matter what storm or fire in my life that I may face now or while I am India, He is there...that no matter how faithless I am, He is always faithful.
1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush [a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west."
He is so good--and I am so overwhelmed by His care for ALL His children that are "precious and honored in my sight," and I'm brought to my knees by His grace---that no matter what storm or fire in my life that I may face now or while I am India, He is there...that no matter how faithless I am, He is always faithful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)