...or so I have been told. It is slightly hard to believe that the season is upon us when it is in the 80s to 90s. Also hard to comprehend when my Christmas plans involve the beaches of Thailand with friends and without any family. It is true, the visa run IS upon me and I must depart from this beloved country of mine. The plan for Christmas?...your guess is as good as mine. Will it involve caroling? Will it involve new and strange Christmas traditions that don't make sense to me? Will it involve a guitar on some beach? It is yet to be determined.
I have gotten home sick only a few times; and it always happens when I am alone, listening to Christmas music and looking at pictures of family and friends dressed in Christmas sweaters. A few days ago I turned on the AC full blast in my room, threw on a sweater and poured myself a cup of tea...closest thing I have gotten to Seattle Christmas weather thus far.
Woohoo!
Anyway, Merry Merry Christmas to all of you. I love you dearly!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Rise up!
"Remember how the enemy has mocked you, LORD, how foolish people have reviled your name. Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever. Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name. Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually." Psalm 74:18-23
Keep us in your prayers! The battle is long and the powers of darkness are heavily assaulting us and those we seek to help! Our God is STRONGER still! Claim the victory with us as hours upon hours pass with no relief in sight!
Keep us in your prayers! The battle is long and the powers of darkness are heavily assaulting us and those we seek to help! Our God is STRONGER still! Claim the victory with us as hours upon hours pass with no relief in sight!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Snippets
There is a VERY good explanation for why I have not blogged at all in the last few months!
A. I didn't want to start out being really good at blogging or people would expect too much
B. I have been super busy!
C. I have always been bad at communication (that’s why I quickly switched majors after my second year of uni to human services)
D. The Indian Government banned all blogging (fine, that’s a lie) and finally...
E. I wrote an incredibly detailed genius blog and it deleted itself when I pressed the post button (Do you have any idea how discouraging that is!?)
So, on that note, I will give you a brief, scattered account of my time here in the last few months:
First of all, I wanted to THANK YOU all for praying for the housing situation! We finally moved into a place at the beginning of October. Housing in this city is absolutely hellish as you are almost always forced to pay a ten month advance, a large agent fee, can’t go directly to the owner without an agent, are forced to deal with incorrect information, flaky people, cheating people, and preconceived ideas of who you are based on the color of your skin! So yes, place after place fell through. BUT God provided in an amazing way!
A FRIEND found our place for us where we rent month by month therefore bypassing both the agent fee as well as the advance! Praise Jesus! It is also super close to work! God also provided two AMAZING girls to live with that I really enjoy and who want to get to know and understand me as well as to be known and understood. All that to say, God is good and prayer is effective and so NEEDED!
Another thing that is on my heart currently is the departure of a dear friend and my fellow aftercare worker Kimberly. She has been a lifesaver to me as she helped me adjust to a new culture, new ways of doing things, and learning the ropes of what exactly it is that this job description entails. She also genuinely cared about me and was interested in my life. She touched my life with her grace, love for Christ and other people, her soft-spokenness, her giggle and more. Kim was also so tactful and kind in the way she approached tough issues and called people out on things. Sometimes I wanted to yell and scream for her and defend her and be mean for her…but that just didn’t solve things. We enjoyed many laughs, awkward situations, cultural craziness, and tough times together. She has taught me a great deal and I don’t quite know what I will do without my friend.
On another note, we just had Diwali (The festival of lights) here last weekend. It is a Hindu festival that celebrates the defeat of an evil demon that created havoc and the overcoming of the light within the world and within ourselves. This festival is also celebrated and has different meanings for Sikhism and Jainism. Fireworks (aka “crackers”) are set off at ALL HOURS and in ALL PLACES to celebrate and set these crackers off on Satan’s head! This is also the weekend that the hospitals and burn units are the busiest. I spent my Diwali with some friends and colleagues on a rooftop in the city setting off fireworks of our own and enjoying the spastic, psychotic and beautiful fireworks assaulting us on every side (much safer than being on the streets with auto drivers driving you right over the top of crackers that are going off).
After our Diwali bash, a few of us decided to go out on the town. We departed the place with 6 of us girls in an auto and 3 drivers…this is quite a feat for the amount of room that is in this small vehicle! Everything was relatively okay until some of the girls shoved their faces into their hands and yelled at us not to look at what was ahead amongst the police officers. A man sprawled and smashed against the pavement, fresh blood pooling around his head. His bike catapulted far ahead of his body. I didn't even see it, but the images I have created in my mind still linger forcing me to acknowledge that life is fragile and we never know when it is our time.
A few weeks ago, the church I am a part of participated in a soccer tournament against 19 other churches in the area! Three of us girls joined the thrown together at the last minute team (of which had never practiced together and had the only females of the whole competition) and we came in 4th! It was fun/HOT/lasted ALL day! It began at 6AM IST meaning it didn't really start until around 7:30. At 3PM we finally ended our games. A long day but it was very much enjoyed though the heat literally almost killed me and another one of my roommates! This country is apparently suppose to be entering into monsoon season or the cooler seasons, but the nationals are still saying it feels like summer! In fact, one man yesterday said, "India is hot and then its hotter"
Switching gears yet again: yesterday was originally intended to be a day of fun, laughter, and rejuvenation. We drove out to a beach to celebrate a good friend’s birthday who is about to depart from us and return to Australia. Unfortunately, we got lost on our way and ended up getting to the beach a lot later than planned. So we got into our bathing suits and were about to run in when one of our friend's got a call (we'll call her Shnooker) saying the government had changed their rules on business visas and anyone who had one was ordered to leave the country by Oct 31st to return to their country of origin to get reissued a new employment visa. Yesterday was in fact, October 31st and it was 2:30 in the afternoon meaning we would need to rush back to the city, pack up all our belongings, buy a ticket, and fly out of the city by 12AM or we would be deported, red flagged, or potentially never be allowed to leave the country again! Shnooker had been with some of her friends the night before who were attempting to leave the country as well and others had already left and were pretty stressed out that we had not left yet!
A weird mixture of laughter, fear, excitement and worry poured over me! So we booked it into the ocean for a 5 minute swim since we had driven all that way to go, packed up and took off. Our drive back we were frantically calling friends and trying to figure out where we should fly to. For some reason, we decided half way through the drive to call our boss who our friend had spoken to earlier to check in and see what was going on at his end. When we called our bosses wife picked up and was far too calm for comfort. Our boss told us that it would be outrageous to try to mobilize all of us in a few hours and send us out so even if we did need to leave that day, we would wait instead and file some sort of a group petition to leave if we indeed needed to leave still. They had been trying to contact the consulate in the states as well as here and were getting mixed messages from everyone. It was late on Friday night in the States and here there have been holidays and the office won't even open again until Tuesday.
So there we were, frazzled, stressed, and laughing with our plans destroyed for the day and the uncertainty of still maybe being forced to pick up and evacuate the country still being a possibility.
Oh the joys! Pray that we won't be forced out and that this has just been a miscommunication. It would be pretty horrible to be deported or to be red flagged...not on my list of things I have always wanted to do! If we have to leave, we will know by Tuesday and we will then find out if we have to fly back to our country of origin or just out of this country!
So there it is folks, a little reading that has hopefully been for your fine enjoyment. Thanks for your emails and responses; they always make me laugh and/or feel quite loved by you all!
Love you!
A. I didn't want to start out being really good at blogging or people would expect too much
B. I have been super busy!
C. I have always been bad at communication (that’s why I quickly switched majors after my second year of uni to human services)
D. The Indian Government banned all blogging (fine, that’s a lie) and finally...
E. I wrote an incredibly detailed genius blog and it deleted itself when I pressed the post button (Do you have any idea how discouraging that is!?)
So, on that note, I will give you a brief, scattered account of my time here in the last few months:
First of all, I wanted to THANK YOU all for praying for the housing situation! We finally moved into a place at the beginning of October. Housing in this city is absolutely hellish as you are almost always forced to pay a ten month advance, a large agent fee, can’t go directly to the owner without an agent, are forced to deal with incorrect information, flaky people, cheating people, and preconceived ideas of who you are based on the color of your skin! So yes, place after place fell through. BUT God provided in an amazing way!
A FRIEND found our place for us where we rent month by month therefore bypassing both the agent fee as well as the advance! Praise Jesus! It is also super close to work! God also provided two AMAZING girls to live with that I really enjoy and who want to get to know and understand me as well as to be known and understood. All that to say, God is good and prayer is effective and so NEEDED!
Another thing that is on my heart currently is the departure of a dear friend and my fellow aftercare worker Kimberly. She has been a lifesaver to me as she helped me adjust to a new culture, new ways of doing things, and learning the ropes of what exactly it is that this job description entails. She also genuinely cared about me and was interested in my life. She touched my life with her grace, love for Christ and other people, her soft-spokenness, her giggle and more. Kim was also so tactful and kind in the way she approached tough issues and called people out on things. Sometimes I wanted to yell and scream for her and defend her and be mean for her…but that just didn’t solve things. We enjoyed many laughs, awkward situations, cultural craziness, and tough times together. She has taught me a great deal and I don’t quite know what I will do without my friend.
On another note, we just had Diwali (The festival of lights) here last weekend. It is a Hindu festival that celebrates the defeat of an evil demon that created havoc and the overcoming of the light within the world and within ourselves. This festival is also celebrated and has different meanings for Sikhism and Jainism. Fireworks (aka “crackers”) are set off at ALL HOURS and in ALL PLACES to celebrate and set these crackers off on Satan’s head! This is also the weekend that the hospitals and burn units are the busiest. I spent my Diwali with some friends and colleagues on a rooftop in the city setting off fireworks of our own and enjoying the spastic, psychotic and beautiful fireworks assaulting us on every side (much safer than being on the streets with auto drivers driving you right over the top of crackers that are going off).
After our Diwali bash, a few of us decided to go out on the town. We departed the place with 6 of us girls in an auto and 3 drivers…this is quite a feat for the amount of room that is in this small vehicle! Everything was relatively okay until some of the girls shoved their faces into their hands and yelled at us not to look at what was ahead amongst the police officers. A man sprawled and smashed against the pavement, fresh blood pooling around his head. His bike catapulted far ahead of his body. I didn't even see it, but the images I have created in my mind still linger forcing me to acknowledge that life is fragile and we never know when it is our time.
A few weeks ago, the church I am a part of participated in a soccer tournament against 19 other churches in the area! Three of us girls joined the thrown together at the last minute team (of which had never practiced together and had the only females of the whole competition) and we came in 4th! It was fun/HOT/lasted ALL day! It began at 6AM IST meaning it didn't really start until around 7:30. At 3PM we finally ended our games. A long day but it was very much enjoyed though the heat literally almost killed me and another one of my roommates! This country is apparently suppose to be entering into monsoon season or the cooler seasons, but the nationals are still saying it feels like summer! In fact, one man yesterday said, "India is hot and then its hotter"
Switching gears yet again: yesterday was originally intended to be a day of fun, laughter, and rejuvenation. We drove out to a beach to celebrate a good friend’s birthday who is about to depart from us and return to Australia. Unfortunately, we got lost on our way and ended up getting to the beach a lot later than planned. So we got into our bathing suits and were about to run in when one of our friend's got a call (we'll call her Shnooker) saying the government had changed their rules on business visas and anyone who had one was ordered to leave the country by Oct 31st to return to their country of origin to get reissued a new employment visa. Yesterday was in fact, October 31st and it was 2:30 in the afternoon meaning we would need to rush back to the city, pack up all our belongings, buy a ticket, and fly out of the city by 12AM or we would be deported, red flagged, or potentially never be allowed to leave the country again! Shnooker had been with some of her friends the night before who were attempting to leave the country as well and others had already left and were pretty stressed out that we had not left yet!
A weird mixture of laughter, fear, excitement and worry poured over me! So we booked it into the ocean for a 5 minute swim since we had driven all that way to go, packed up and took off. Our drive back we were frantically calling friends and trying to figure out where we should fly to. For some reason, we decided half way through the drive to call our boss who our friend had spoken to earlier to check in and see what was going on at his end. When we called our bosses wife picked up and was far too calm for comfort. Our boss told us that it would be outrageous to try to mobilize all of us in a few hours and send us out so even if we did need to leave that day, we would wait instead and file some sort of a group petition to leave if we indeed needed to leave still. They had been trying to contact the consulate in the states as well as here and were getting mixed messages from everyone. It was late on Friday night in the States and here there have been holidays and the office won't even open again until Tuesday.
So there we were, frazzled, stressed, and laughing with our plans destroyed for the day and the uncertainty of still maybe being forced to pick up and evacuate the country still being a possibility.
Oh the joys! Pray that we won't be forced out and that this has just been a miscommunication. It would be pretty horrible to be deported or to be red flagged...not on my list of things I have always wanted to do! If we have to leave, we will know by Tuesday and we will then find out if we have to fly back to our country of origin or just out of this country!
So there it is folks, a little reading that has hopefully been for your fine enjoyment. Thanks for your emails and responses; they always make me laugh and/or feel quite loved by you all!
Love you!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Things that might not happen on a regular basis back home
Things currently making me chuckle:
1.I saw maybe the best thing ever a few days ago. A herd of ducks...BEING herded in a grassy marsh!
2. I bought a few things at a local shop and gave the man a bill that I would need change back for. Instead of giving me my change back, he tried to convince me to buy HIM for 50 Rupees...(I said no!)
3. I joined a few friends in getting a chocolate treat a few days back. Another guy was in the shop and gave me a bite of his dessert so I could try it out. This has never happened to me back in the states.
4. I asked a guy friend a question while strolling down the street to the sound of horns and the smells of who knows what (typical, mind you). Instead of answering, he grabbed my bag hanging around my body and spun me around behind him and off the street...in order to stop the huge bus from hitting me. (mom, you can send that helmet. I'll wear it even for just strolling down streets!)
5. I asked an auto driver how much a 2 Kilometer ride back home would be. He said it would be 210 Rupees!! It is definitely suppose to be 20 RP. A kind man on his motorcycle next to us gave me a ride for free, though we got into a tussle with a huge pothole and almost crashed, sending his cell phone flying out of his pocket.
6. Police officers tried to give me a ride back home...I did not take it. Slightly creepy.
7. Today, I got my haircut and decided to be daring. It was a bad choice. When I was little, my dear mother once gave my sister and I bowl cuts...yes, bowl cuts (like little boys have). Even when I look back on our sweet angelic faces, I cant help but feel queasy just looking at our awful hair. Apparently I didn't hate it enough because somehow I have it again. (Hopes of finding n South Asian husband are now out of the question) Dang it!
8. I have developed cat like reflexes as a response to the large and never ending amount of ants in my house. Pray that they all die. (God cares even about the little things)
My new rule: Stick to only one adventure a day
1.I saw maybe the best thing ever a few days ago. A herd of ducks...BEING herded in a grassy marsh!
2. I bought a few things at a local shop and gave the man a bill that I would need change back for. Instead of giving me my change back, he tried to convince me to buy HIM for 50 Rupees...(I said no!)
3. I joined a few friends in getting a chocolate treat a few days back. Another guy was in the shop and gave me a bite of his dessert so I could try it out. This has never happened to me back in the states.
4. I asked a guy friend a question while strolling down the street to the sound of horns and the smells of who knows what (typical, mind you). Instead of answering, he grabbed my bag hanging around my body and spun me around behind him and off the street...in order to stop the huge bus from hitting me. (mom, you can send that helmet. I'll wear it even for just strolling down streets!)
5. I asked an auto driver how much a 2 Kilometer ride back home would be. He said it would be 210 Rupees!! It is definitely suppose to be 20 RP. A kind man on his motorcycle next to us gave me a ride for free, though we got into a tussle with a huge pothole and almost crashed, sending his cell phone flying out of his pocket.
6. Police officers tried to give me a ride back home...I did not take it. Slightly creepy.
7. Today, I got my haircut and decided to be daring. It was a bad choice. When I was little, my dear mother once gave my sister and I bowl cuts...yes, bowl cuts (like little boys have). Even when I look back on our sweet angelic faces, I cant help but feel queasy just looking at our awful hair. Apparently I didn't hate it enough because somehow I have it again. (Hopes of finding n South Asian husband are now out of the question) Dang it!
8. I have developed cat like reflexes as a response to the large and never ending amount of ants in my house. Pray that they all die. (God cares even about the little things)
My new rule: Stick to only one adventure a day
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Mixed emotions
As I have expressed to some of you, this Tuesday will mark my one month anniversary of being in South Asia. This month has been good, yet hard and I am absolutely convinced I have actually been here at least 5 months by now.
I have had fun...I traveled to the Southern tip of this country to a point where you can watch the sun rise and set from the same location and attended a wedding; I have ridden a bike which is a feat in itself since crossing the street is the most life threatening thing you will have to do each day; I have eaten great food with my right hand; have seen more beautiful colors than I ever have in my whole life; and after bargaining back in forth with a man, ended up getting a free scarf which should have been 500 rupees.
Other things have been not so fun. I was sick for a little over a week and just yesterday got some sort of food poisoning. I have seen the abuse of dogs, children and women; the effects that idol worship has on a place; the earth cry out for restoration as the inhabitants defile, corrupt and trash it. I have smelt things I wish I never had; have had to pay to use bathrooms that someone should have paid ME to use and more.
Everything is much more intense here. In many ways, I hate it. At the same time, all the things I have seen here, exist back home but are more hidden...in a way, I am confronted by the way I live, the idols in my own life, the way I defile God's creation...I am confronted by reality and see how quickly my world can become like this.
I am thankful for the prayers that I know many are praying. I have felt peace and comfort when I know it was impossible on my own. I have been sick but felt God's calling for me to rest and spend time in His presence more than ever. My needs have been met over and again by Him.
I want to enjoy this time, soak it up, live in the present. Currently, all I want is for it to be over so I can come back to my comfortable, understandable, predictable life. I want control to drive my own car, I want to understand what people are saying, I want to not have to strain to understand the culture around me, I want the comforts of my life that I have taken for granted, I want to be with family and friends and people that know me.
Yet that is not what He has planned for me now. If you get a chance please pray that this time will be enjoyed..that I will not try to rush through something God has so truly blessed me with. I realize that this is what my heart has desired for so long...to be a part of this organization and this work. If I ever start complaining...you have my permission to scold me!
Anyway, thanks for listening!
I love you all!
I have had fun...I traveled to the Southern tip of this country to a point where you can watch the sun rise and set from the same location and attended a wedding; I have ridden a bike which is a feat in itself since crossing the street is the most life threatening thing you will have to do each day; I have eaten great food with my right hand; have seen more beautiful colors than I ever have in my whole life; and after bargaining back in forth with a man, ended up getting a free scarf which should have been 500 rupees.
Other things have been not so fun. I was sick for a little over a week and just yesterday got some sort of food poisoning. I have seen the abuse of dogs, children and women; the effects that idol worship has on a place; the earth cry out for restoration as the inhabitants defile, corrupt and trash it. I have smelt things I wish I never had; have had to pay to use bathrooms that someone should have paid ME to use and more.
Everything is much more intense here. In many ways, I hate it. At the same time, all the things I have seen here, exist back home but are more hidden...in a way, I am confronted by the way I live, the idols in my own life, the way I defile God's creation...I am confronted by reality and see how quickly my world can become like this.
I am thankful for the prayers that I know many are praying. I have felt peace and comfort when I know it was impossible on my own. I have been sick but felt God's calling for me to rest and spend time in His presence more than ever. My needs have been met over and again by Him.
I want to enjoy this time, soak it up, live in the present. Currently, all I want is for it to be over so I can come back to my comfortable, understandable, predictable life. I want control to drive my own car, I want to understand what people are saying, I want to not have to strain to understand the culture around me, I want the comforts of my life that I have taken for granted, I want to be with family and friends and people that know me.
Yet that is not what He has planned for me now. If you get a chance please pray that this time will be enjoyed..that I will not try to rush through something God has so truly blessed me with. I realize that this is what my heart has desired for so long...to be a part of this organization and this work. If I ever start complaining...you have my permission to scold me!
Anyway, thanks for listening!
I love you all!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Seriously?!
Okay, as you all know, I am not usually one to get "worked up" over things, especially over small creatures and insects...
But enough is enough!
Started out with an ant attack. They invaded not only my bag with residue of melted chocolate, but my cereal, my bed AND personal space!
But I sucked it up and I ate that cereal, fishing out as many of the ants I could find. I left my bag untouched as a sweet present to my new "roomates" and did a routine bed check each night before turning off the lights.
This morning is different. I had my last bowl of cereal and thought nothing could go wrong. Until I walked through the hallway past the bathroom. There it was....a spider. "Don't freak out, don't freak out" I chanted over and over again. Grabbed my boot and I SMASHED IT! ...I think I did at least. Only problem is that now I can't find it. See I smashed it with all my strength and then ran behind my bedroom door.
Okay, so a little freaked out but still okay. At this point I am recovering by the front door. When out of the corner of my eye I see a lizard slither out from under my chair and dart for the refrigerator! That was it, I lost ALL composure and bodily control!
The worst part of it all: I had a fresh pot of coffee that had just finished percilating that was located right past the refrigerator.
I am currently jumping from chair to couch to chair in my place hoping to avoid all creatures great and small.
But enough is enough!
Started out with an ant attack. They invaded not only my bag with residue of melted chocolate, but my cereal, my bed AND personal space!
But I sucked it up and I ate that cereal, fishing out as many of the ants I could find. I left my bag untouched as a sweet present to my new "roomates" and did a routine bed check each night before turning off the lights.
This morning is different. I had my last bowl of cereal and thought nothing could go wrong. Until I walked through the hallway past the bathroom. There it was....a spider. "Don't freak out, don't freak out" I chanted over and over again. Grabbed my boot and I SMASHED IT! ...I think I did at least. Only problem is that now I can't find it. See I smashed it with all my strength and then ran behind my bedroom door.
Okay, so a little freaked out but still okay. At this point I am recovering by the front door. When out of the corner of my eye I see a lizard slither out from under my chair and dart for the refrigerator! That was it, I lost ALL composure and bodily control!
The worst part of it all: I had a fresh pot of coffee that had just finished percilating that was located right past the refrigerator.
I am currently jumping from chair to couch to chair in my place hoping to avoid all creatures great and small.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
