Journey Home

Kolkata

2009-08-29T15:16:00.001-07:00

Hanging Out With the Staff

2009-08-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Me and the staff! These are great hard working people that I had the pleasure of serving with.

Sister Rachel - the nun with attitude and me.

Meal preparation.

Kitchen staff! Looks like Miraima is shy when taking pictures...she couldn't stop bursting into laughter.

Mohan suggested that we get a photo behind the flowers. I had so much fun taking these photos!

Reminiscing My Indian Wardrobe

2009-08-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

I returned home this past Saturday and have just recovered from jetlag. Three months in India came and went so fast! I have come home to a new wardrobe made up of my old wardrobe of Canadian clothes, jeans, T-shirts and running shoes. Ruby gave me a Saree to give to my mom as a present and as I handed it over I began to reminisce about my Indian wardrobe.

There is no doubt that womens everyday clothing in India is really beautiful and very feminine compared to my everyday Canadian outfits. But beauty does not come without the price of time and pain. It takes about 15-20 minutes to put a Saree on properly, whereas my jeans and T-shirt I can get on in less than two minutes flat. And I have to say that I am incredibly comfortable sitting on the couch typing this blog post in my jogging pants and hoodie, I will miss Sarees, Punjab Suits and Boro Dresses, jasmine flower hair decorations, and sparkly shoes. No doubt if you come on a Sunday afternoon to visit me, you may find me wearing a Saree and looking through my Indian pictures!

Grace's Saree.

Another of Grace's Sarees.

Neela's Saree.

Bilahi's Boro Dress.

Grace's Saree.

My Salvar.

My Saree!

Bought this one in Kolkata.

Microfinance and the Poor

2009-08-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

MERIBA is TENT's main microfinance site. Here groups of women and men get together to discuss the issues and problems in their villages and how they can unite together to overcome them. It was a pretty amazing two days and seven hour trip down there. We were able to see the microcredit groups that were formed and talk to the women through a translator about their experiences before and after TENT came to work with them.

As we gathered on mats in a big rectangle building we sat and talked to 60 women representing 120 microcredit groups each made up of 10 to 15 women. They shared their stories and with wide smiles and pride told us about all they have accomplished, from establishing their own small businesses to fixing their houses, paying for medical bills, giving scholarships for bright students in their village and even creating a people's bank! The program encourages each group of 10 to 15 women to save money together and from the accumlated savings give out small loans to group members. The interest rates are 1% a month where moneylender rates are anywhere from 40% to 140%. Which is crazy! Recently the Indian government passed a law that made bonded labour illegal. This was necessary because if parents defaulted on loans moneylenders would take their children as slaves to work off the debt. Many times moneylenders would take advantage of illerate borrowers by changing figures and demanding more payment then what was actually due. Thousands of people have spent their entire lives as bonded labourers and the Vijayams have paid to free many of them, literally buying their freedom. But back to MERIBA my visit there was life changing seeing people work together to find a way out of poverty.

Hanging out with some kids.

TingTing, Ranu and the group breaking for lunch on the mountainside.

A nice little break off of the bus.

This woman had many troubles and was able to start her own shop in order to support her two younger brothers when her parents passed away. She was incredibly inspiring.

These kids were hanging out on this wall and then with us. They are pretty cool.

Memories!

2009-08-14T04:35:00.000-07:00

From beginning to end, I had some great times in India. I have been incredibly blessed to have gone to India to meet beautiful people and embrace a cool and different culture and see God working across the world and in my own heart.

And as Margaret Mead says " As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate lovingly, our own."

So I am back in Canada and seeing how I can appreciate it more lovingly and remembering all my friends in India.

Shaker, Shantel and I hanging out on a highrise roof looking over Hyderabad.

Thiam and I collecting bouquets from the trees on the IWILL roof.

Computer Class!

Ranu, Renee, TingTing and Sister Rachel posing.

Celebrating my first set of bangels. Red and gold symbolize marriage and were a gift from two of the ladies who have been praying for my future husband.

Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool.

Smiling night shot.

Saying Good-bye

2009-08-14T03:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone left, back to various States throughout India. It was a sad day as bags were packed and suitcases carried to the bus. We thought we were late so fifteen of us ran through the train station up and down the stairs to the farthest stop. Turns out we were early by an hour. It's amazing how close you can get to people when you live together.

When I was in Hyderabad I found some beautiful scarfs in a market. Here the women all wear scarves when they pray so I thought it would be a nice gift to get each of the girls one and then they would remember to pray for me. : ) I handed them out the last day and they were really appreciated. After, the girls came one by one to my room giving me a gift from their belongings. I felt incredibly honored as beautiful and valueable things were presented to me. The best part was that during prayer seven of the girls stood up and personally thanked me and shared words of encouragement and prayer. One girl said I was the best computer teacher ever....lol....if they only knew! We rushed setting up email accounts the night before they left since the internet has been down for the last week.

The hardest part was probably saying goodbye to my friends that are heading back to Orissa. Three are going back to relief camps where they came from. I wonder if I will ever see them again. I pray that they will be safe.

It will be interesting to see the ministries that they establish and where they go from here. I know some of them have big visions for what God is going to do in India. I hope to come back and visit to check it out.

Arriving at the train station. The first picture before we start running.

On the bus, suitcases packed.

At the train station, saying last goodbyes.

Mary carrying her suitcase on her head, while Monika and Thiam wait in line. lol.

Saying Good-bye to the Animals

2009-08-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

TingTing wishes the duck well. It is still with the chickens and still hasn't learned how to quack.

We visited the animals for a last time as I will be leaving soon. This cow underneath is going to have a baby anytime now. I was hoping that it would give birth before I left. Especially since I sat through an eight hour lecture on cow rearing. Two hours were spent specifically on birthing techniques and I was feeling confident of my skills. Because of the structure of Indian cows you can pretty much see exactly where the baby cow is positioned in its mom. Like humans this baby is leaning quite a bit to the left side of the mother.

Here I have drawn in the outline of the baby. I'm pretty sure if you were to lift the mom's tail you could probably see its nose. Though I'm not about to try that out.

This is my audition to get on the PI Harvest of Hope Catelogue this year. For the last few years they have featured a child holding a goat. Mark - let me know what you think!

The goats pose in a nice formation and Grace and Subhashini smile in the background.

Going to the Market

2009-08-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

This afternoon class was cancelled and we all got to go to the market. Needless to say we were all pretty excited. It was a goodtrip, with so much to see, as shops and carts with all sorts of things littered the street. At first I was a little overwhelmed but the best part was that I got a great pair of sandals for $2 which I really needed after two of my pairs broke. I couldn't help but laugh and shake my head as the girls asked for my opinion on bangels, slippers and clothes telling me that they wanted to buy for a friend back home whose name they couldn't say. Haha.

It can be hard walking through the city being a foreigner. People can't help but notice and I continue to be surprised as some people blatently stare, while others call out to me for extending periods of time and still others come up and ask if they can take my photo or be in a photo with me. I usually allow the photos since I myself am taking so many of all the sights and people. It makes me feel like a celebrity and I have to admit, I like the attention, though I try not to show it.

After being here for three months I am still surprised by the way of India. As I took a step backwards after purchasing my first set of bangels I bumped into an enormous cow. I think it was pregnant. I find the market exciting because of things like this. There is always an element of risk and adventure as buses, cars, cycles, carts and cows can overtake you at anytime. I hope to go back again before I come home.

Ruby, Jhansi and Probini drinking sugar cane juice from a street vendor. So delicious!

Subhashini made her own type of burka in order to get better deals! : )

Walking with Sister Rachel across the road in order to stay alive.

Brother and Sister Love Day

2009-08-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was 'brother and sister love day'. Similar to Mother's Day or Father's Day, here in India they celebrate a Siblings Day too. So on this day the sisters make or buy their brothers braclets, some with little characters or animals. In return the brothers give their sisters money. You can see why I like this holiday. You even get the day off school! When 9 year old Sujenna told me this I was really excited. I plan on carrying out this holiday next year when I am back in Canada. In my case I can make braclets for my three brothers and even my boy cousins - of which I have many - and in turn collect some money! Usually ten rupees here - so I'll be expecting 10 dollars Canadian from each brother. Here's to Brother and Sister Love Day!

In this photo Heemskerks from left to right: Chris, Jeremy, Renee, Derrick Jon, Bryan about to play cops and robbers at the cottage. Chris is trying to act like a robber with the knife.

This is the Story of a Girl:Without a Doubt Worth Reading

2009-08-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Kumudini, though she prefers to be called Ruby. She has some serious energy, is super outgoing and has the same birthday as my mom: Dec.28! She has an incredible life story that I wanted to share with you. Ruby is from Kandhamal District in Orissa where Christians have been severely persecuted. Hundreds of Christians have been killed, pastors have been targetted, churches burnt down along with a Christian orphanage.

Why the conflict? I wanted to understand. So here is the story I have gotten directly from the people. Christians have been oppressed in Kandhamal as Hindus have been refusing to buy or sell with them or hire them for work. A group of Nexilites who have extraodrinary passion to come against injustice but use violence to fight oppression heard about the situation. These Nexilites therefore killed a prominent Hindu leader who was encouraging anti-Christian behaviour. The Hindu people therefore blamed the Christians for the murder and took revenge by killing and torturing Christians, burning down churches and houses and Christian businesses. Many Christians have had acid thrown into their faces and are living with the burns. While thousands fled for their lives, some are still hiding in forests and most are in relief camps.

As I hang out with Ruby, she bubbles over with joy as she forcefully grabs my hand and waist and makes me join in a Hindi song and dance with her. I almost forget the story she shared with me one night in my room as I politely ask her to stop pinching and squeezing me.

Her grandparents on her mother's side were Hindus. When their baby became extremely sick and was going to die, a Canadian missionary came and prayed for the child. The baby was healed. Through this experience the whole family became Christians. This baby was Ruby's mom. When she grew up a Hindu boy fell completely in love with her but her father would not let him marry her because he was Hindu. So the man became a Christian. This is Ruby's dad. Growing up Ruby had two sisters and one brother but Ruby's aunt did not have any children. So Ruby's mom gave her to her sister so that she would have a child to raise and love. So Ruby grew up with her Aunt and Uncle as her parents. They lived close to her parents so they all were one close family. Eventually her Aunt had three sons which became Ruby's brothers.

Last year the persecution broke out in Kandhamal District where Ruby lives. Knowing about the violence Ruby and her husband and her son all left for a relief camp but her Aunt, Uncle and parents stayed in their home, thinking that the rioting would soon calm down. However, one night Hindus came and took her uncle and mother. They are known to target one person from each Christian family. They dragged them outside of their homes, beat them, raped her mom, poured acid on their faces, cut her Uncle's arms off and her mothers breasts off and threw them into the river. When being dragged out of their homes, her Aunt chased after them trying to stop the violence and was also killed.

Ruby had to identify the bodies pulled out of the river. She has been living in the relief camp for the past year with her husband and son. The money they received from the government on behalf of the murders, she has used to rent a house where 15 children including her three brothers who are now left without parents are living. She is a teacher and is teaching them and taking care of them.

This story is incredible yet absolutely devastating. When I sit beside Ruby, when we pray together, when she makes me do Hindi dances and when the professor scolds her for talking too much, I almost forget about about the reality of her life and the tragic events that took place last year. Though I am sure that she does not. I ask her if she is angry. She says yes, she tells God that she is angry about the loss she has suffered. She also says that Jesus comforts her and gives her hope to do something for others who are suffering too.

Then she tells me that I must come and preach in Orissa. She thinks that people will listen to me and will become Christians. She says that after persecution people always come to the Lord. I tell her that her idea terrifies me and my mother would never let me, but that I will pray about it.

Work and Workers

2009-08-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

This is Mohan. He works on the campus and is one of the go to guys for everything we need. People think that he looks a bit like Dhoni the captain of India's cricket team which may be why a lot of the girls like him! : )
Sewing class is one of the skills taught here. These women are from Orissa, most have experienced persecution for being Christians. Many have lived in relief camps. Here they are making Bible covers.

Vermiculture. That is the skill we are learning here. How to make high quality fertilizer with worms. When Surendra grabbed a hand full of dirt he picked up four worms! These boxes are full of them.

All In A Days Work

2009-08-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Here are some everyday events.

There are no luxurious lawnmowers here. Rather the grounds staff manualling cut the lawn with a scythe. I gave it a try but I wasn't quick enough to pick up the technique so she kindly took the scythe back.

On Saturday afternoons while most people in North America are relaxing we are most likely sweeping the forest next to our building. Here you can see Kumudini and Probini sweeping the fallen branches and flowers from the row of trees. We then gather it all into baskets and bring it to the firepit on the other side of the Tabernacle. There is a lot of sweeping that goes on here, I have stopped asking why we sweep forests because I know the answer: it makes things look manicured and neat.

Here I had the chance to join one of the lamenation classes. Here Surendra taught us how to lamenate photos and pictures and properly frame them. In this photo TingTing is teaching me how to cut the frame.

On this quiet afternoon I joined the kids for a game of cricket in the field. With only six of us playing we spent most of our time trying to find the ball!

Computer class is going much better, for all who were wondering. Here we are learning how to surf the internet. I had to laugh as I walked from group to group looking at what they were checking out. One group was looking up images of Bollywood actors. They called me over when they found the actress Monika thinks I look like. : ) While another group was watching a digital animation of childbirth on youtube. Yikes!

Sunday school! I enjoyed helping out in Sunday school every week. We have successfully learned 6 English songs while I have learned a few Hindi and Telegu ones.

More Cool Bugs & Other Things

2009-07-27T03:28:00.000-07:00

The first scorpian I have seen here.

No room on this bench for people.

I keep running into the craziest bugs. The other day I was inside a house and a huge thump came off the roof and a crash on the ground. I thought maybe a squirrel had fallen out of the tree. When we came outside to check it out, we found the biggest beetle I have ever seen in my life. It was about half the size of my foot. I obviously rushed to get my camera though the pictures didn't turn out as well as I hoped since it was night time. Also I saw two scorpians in two days, see above photo. People take scorpians really seriously here and they must be killed. So I watched one be stoned to death with broken bricks! The other one got the shoe.

The biggest beetle ever! The one that fell off of the roof.

A close up.

Lizard in the window.

A classic leaf bug.

Sightseeing In Hyderabad

2009-07-27T00:11:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday afternoon a bunch of the girls ran up to me. "Renee, Renee! Your friends are here! They are here to see you! Have you seen them?" What? I thought. My friends? Did someone from Canada come unexpectedly? I was excited and confused wondering who it could possibly be. They escorted me to the courtyard, wanting to bring me to them and there in the clearing stood three tall white women, none of whom I had ever seen or met. I began to laugh. "My friends! I don't know those people!" "Go over and say hi!" They scolded me. "You go say hi!" I retorted. "We are shy! We don't know them." They replied. "That is how I feel!" I responded. Then we all laughed together as I went over and introduced myself and the rest of us. It turns out the three women were from Holland - which made us have something in common instantly. (My dad is Dutch!) So after spending lunch together they invited me to their home for the weekend to take me sightseeing around the city. So I got to see all the great sights of Hyderabad like the Golconda Fort and The Tombs of the Sultans and then eat pizza. It was a great time. Here are some pictures.

One of the tombs of the Sultans from hundreds of years ago. I think this might have been a palace at one time too. So beautiful, reminds me of Princess Jasmine.

The clock at Charminar.

A bat cave at The Tombs.

Another palace like tomb.

The biggest Mosque in Asia.

Another ancient tomb.

Introductions

2009-07-20T04:54:00.000-07:00

This is Sureesha. She is the go-to lady along with her husband. They are the faithful workers behind the scenes. She is a lot of fun and always has the nicest Sarees!

Three on campus professors John Samuel, Milton and Sunil. They teach missiology, anthropology and biblical studies.

Dr. Vijayam and Mrs. Vijayam at her 75th birthday party. They run the place. Teach, organize, facillitate, and so much more! Really wonderful people in ministry.

Ting Ting is cleaning up leaves. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She is going to do church planting with her brother when she is finished the program here. From that ministry she can do micro-finance with women.

This is Neela gardening. Her reactions are so funny, while she is very calm and collected. Her husband works for the Indian police force - so we don't mess with her.

Sister Rachel is the coolest nun I have ever met. She loves to laugh and is very laidback. She is loving & sincere and yet has a Whoopi Goldberg Sister Act type of attitude. (See above picture) It is so funny.

The VandeWater family took me sightseeing in Hyderabad. It was nice to spend time with some Dutch people who were incredibly hospitable and generous! We even got to go for pizza!

Why Microfinance Matters

2009-07-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

The story below is the reason why JVI/IWILL Ministries exists. Fair microcredit programs give people like Mohammed Iqbal another option. The ability to take out a small loan with no interest or low interest and repay in a reasonable time is an amazing privilege we take for granted at home. Here at IWILL (Indian Women In the Lord's Labour) the women take a six month training program in microfinance techniques and go into villages helping to establish microcredit groups. It really is quite amazing at what the outcome is.

SARGODA, Pakistan (CNN) -- Mohammed Iqbal said he has been told by his landlord to pay up on debts and is left with a choice facing others in this impoverished corner of Pakistan: Sell your children or a kidney.

This man's landlord forced him to pay off money he borrowed for his children's medical bills.

For the 50-year-old Iqbal, there is only one option. Despite a law passed in late 2007 banning transplants for money, he has decided to sell his kidney and has already been for pre-operation tests. The sale will net him between $1,100 and $1,600.

"What's incredible here is the law that bans the operation he's going to go through came into place in 2007," said CNN's Nic Robertson. "He's still able to go to a doctor, the doctors given him advice, that's what he has to do under law... He's going to make money out of it 100,000-150,000 rupees, and that is absolutely illegal. Yet, in just a few days, he's expecting to sell his kidney."

Iqbal was not alone in facing this difficult decision. Others in Pakistan's rural heartland have opted to sell their kidneys.

One of them was Rab Nawas, who was deep in debt about a year ago to his landlord after borrowing money to pay for his wedding and to cover medical bills for his wife and six children. He, too, faced the choice: sell his children, his wife or a kidney.

"I am helpless. Should I sell my wife? Should I go sell my children? So, it's better I sell my kidney. I had to return the money," said Nawas, who now bears a foot-long scar that wraps around from his back to his belly and is too weak to work the same hours he could before.

People bearing the tell-tale scar of an organ removal in the villages around the farm where Nawas works are not hard to find. At one point, there were about 2,000 transplants a year -- with 1,500 of them going to what the government said were so-called "transplant tourists."

The 2007 law was aimed at ending Pakistan's dubious status as one of the world's leading organ bazaars.

Nawas sold his kidney after the law was passed and said the procedure was performed at the Rawalpindi Kidney Center in the northern city of Rawalpindi.

When he went to the Rawalpindi center, after CNN asked him to show where the procedure was done, he said a doctor told him they did not have a record of his operation because they destroy such records when a patient leaves.

The Rawalpindi clinic -- which prior to the law was a leading user of purchased kidneys -- told CNN that it abides by the law and does not get involved in deals between kidney donors and recipients.

"Standing there it's hard for me to fully understand the courage it took for him to make the journey. In this country, he has few rights, and even less security," said CNN's Robertson.

The Making of a Peanut Butter Sandwich

2009-07-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

I have enjoyed the flavourful food of India. I look forward to eating chipati every evening with a small bowl of curd together with some rice, dahl and assortment of spicy vegetables. However, I couldn't help but smile when for the first time in seven weeks, I got to make a peanut butter sandwich. Let me explain how this happened.

During the first two weeks of being here I was given three pieces of bread at breakfast time, sometimes accompanied by an interesting jam. Then the bread disappeared and in its place I was served a banana for the next three weeks. Approximately three days after the bananas stopped coming I received a jar of peanut butter because of a small miscommunication. I asked Paul if he could get me some peanut brittle I saw the kids eating. Two days later he brought me a jar of peanut butter. So quite naturally I began to imagine a day when all three of these ingredients would appear together. (The bread, banana and peanut butter).

You may be thinking, 'why doesn't she just ask for these things if she wants them?' Well I would, except that whenever I ask for something specific to eat a lot of questions follow. How long have you wanted these things for? Why didn't you ask us sooner? Do you want this everyday? Then people start yelling in Telegu while pointing at me with angry expressions. Needless to say it's a messy situation. Though I have learned that it has to do with the desire for great hospitality, which I continue to experience here. (See Dave Roberts or Josh Philip for further details on Indian culture.)

So....today....yes today....without any asking, it happened. First the banana appeared, then the bread and I quickly ran to my room to grab the peanut butter and a spoon. People gathered as I began to make this thing called a sandwich while sprinkling some sugar and singing the "I love sandwiches song". I laughed at Sister Rachel's comment, "Oh yes, I have seen this on the t.v. before with the two pieces of bread together."

Mmmmmm....peanut butter sandwich.

Summer Dance Show 2009

2009-07-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

The JVI men's training program came to an end after one year of course and field work. To send them off we had a graduation ceremony and Mrs.Vijayam asked me to choreograph a dance to perform. Let me explain how this actually took place. : ) For anyone that has gone to most other cultures they will understand that you have to be prepared to preach, dance, teach, or do a number of other things without any prior notification. This is how I found out about the dance.

As I sat in class one afternoon, Mrs.V made an announcement. "You girls are going to be performing at the JVI graduation ceremony in two weeks time. Renee will be choreographing a dance that you will all participate in. She will be having practice tonight at 8:00pm after dinner."

Alright. I thought. I guess I am choreographing a dance and I better cancel my plans tonight - because I have a practice to run. lol. Though a bit intimidating, I quickly thought of everything I had learned from Lynlee over the years and put some moves together. After two weeks of strenuous practice - and several changes, we performed. Here are the results!

IWILL Dance Video

Holy Cows

2009-07-08T05:40:00.000-07:00

Today, I found out why cows are considered holy in India. I have heard that cows are holy and have seen them wondering the streets here as they please but never thought to ask why this was. As I sat down with Grace, we somehow stumbled onto this topic and finally after all of these years - I know why.

So, the story goes in the Hindu tradition that thousands of years ago, there was a huge war between the Hindu gods and goddesses and the giants. When the goddesses and gods found that they were going to lose they fled and around 3 000 000 hid inside of the cow. They have remained there ever since. So Hindus worship cows because they are honouring the gods that are living within the cow.

Therefore anyone who kills a cow, is destroying or killing gods and goddesses. As Westerners/Christians are beef eaters, Hindus believe they are responsible for killing gods. Many Indian Christians especially from the South choose not to eat beef, in order to respect Hindus and maintain a testimony for themselves. Very interesting.

The Thunder Rolls

2009-07-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Massive dark clouds billowed through the sky. As I stood on the rooftop, the wind forcefully pushed me aside, and with familiarity, I remembered its acquaintanceship (See Cyclone post). But unlike other days, today I welcomed it gladly. We have been praying for rain for the past month now. Seriously and sincerely. The rain has delayed past planting season, with few sunshowers and mock storms that produce nothing but thunder and power outs - a strange happening to my Canadian mind. To many this has been devastating.

Ranu is studying here and lives in a village with her husband and three young sons. She has inspired me with her prayers. Every evening she has cried out to the Lord to open the storehouses of heaven and send rain. The tears that fall from her face and soak the paper on her desk display a compelling contrast. She understands the effects of no rain, of no crop, of no food and quietly in my chair across from her, I am deeply moved.

Though there have been many tears, today as the clouds linger in the sky, we are all filled with true rejoicing. God answered our prayers. With the rain has also come a very cool breeze and a temperature decrease. So this morning, I am especially thankful. : )

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other!

2009-07-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

This morning I saw something really cute. As I walked past the chicken coupe I couldn’t help but notice four baby chicks with their soft feathers, chirping and chasing their mom. Adorable! Then I noticed another chick, bigger than the others, following around a different hen. Intrigued I walked over to get a closer look. To my surprise I found out it was actually a duck!

Sure enough this baby duck was following this one hen everywhere it went.

So I asked Sister Rachel, “Why is there a duck in the chicken coupe when there is a duckery full of ducks across the road?” She then proceeded to tell me that one duck, had laid a single egg and was refusing to sit on it. They got worried about the neglect and placed it in the chicken coupe in a nest with four other chicken eggs where they all hatched together. Now the duck thinks that one of the hens is its mom. Though I stood within a few feet of it, I didn’t have the heart to tell it the truth. One day it will see it’s reflection in a puddle and realize that it looks different, will proceed through a minor identity crisis and then realize that ducks are beautiful too, despite the chickens teasing. In my heart I knew it would be just fine.

Then later in the day when we took some photos, the girls continued to comment on how tall I was. Me tall! Really! I had to laugh, though the next tallest girl here is probably three inches shorter than me. I explained how in Canada I was usually considered short - especially next to my brothers and cousins - and thus added the idea of Canada being a land of giants to the frozen wasteland idea already present in their minds. So.....then as I looked again at the duck, I realized - that is me! The tall one standing out! A Canadian amongst Indians, a duck among the chicks. Haha.

A Day of Realization

2009-07-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

Something happened today. As I talked with a young woman here, a deep realization sunk in of the poverty and hardships that each one of these women faces. As time goes on and we begin to open up to one another, some incredible and tragic stories have surfaced. Two of the girls here are from Orissa. Orissa is a State in India and I heard about the persecution going on in one district there, mainly at the PI office and had been concerned. I knew that the Hindus there had burned down many houses and churches and killed pastors and other Christians. But I had never felt the sorrow of it all until my new friend Kumudini described how her mother was dragged out of her house and killed in the attacks. “Killed?” I whispered as the seriousness of her statement settled in. One minute we were playing volleyball and laughing and the next she was confiding in me of losing her mother just eight months ago. Another girl here, Enatoli, is 17 and the youngest of her seven siblings. Today she stood up in class and asked us with such sincerity in her broken English, “Please pray for me, I have many troubles. My father passed last month and we don’t know what we will do.” Her father passed away, just last month. I was surprised that she had come this far, a three day train ride from Nagaland with such a loss taking place until I realized what this program meant to her – hope for a future, for provision, for a way out of the downward spiral of poverty. I have begun to realize that there is much character behind these smiling, shining faces. Character chisled by difficult circumstances and hope in Jesus. Kindness and love exude from these women that have experienced great challenges, and often tragedies. I have realized that in our times of worship their praises are that much sweeter and richer because they arise from a deep place within that has been hollowed out by suffering. So I can’t help but take each day with a seriousness that is now situated in my soul. I see more clearly that teaching computers, English, or any practical thing I have learned could help better a life and with love and encouragement I can strengthen the flame of hope that we are all holding onto.

"That girl is so I.T.!"

2009-06-30T04:44:00.000-07:00

I gladly accepted the offer to teach a basic computer course, happy to progress towards my goal of having someone say, ‘That girl is so I.T.’ while referring to me. This could be my big break, I thought naively. I should’ve known with my history of computer troubles, that there would be glitches. After an hour lesson on the basics of hardware, software and the infamous keyboard, six students crowded around two computers to do some hands on work. This consisted of turning the computer on, opening a writing program, typing their name and then closing the program and turning the computer off. Needless to say both computers were experiencing some technical difficulties. The mouse on the first computer wasn’t working and the second computer, my laptop, was refusing to startup. Not insurmountable problems, I thought. So, a new lesson emerged – how to open up files and programs without a mouse, and how to pray that a computer will start. The first girl sat down at the mouseless computer. Here is the painful dialogue that ensued:

“Now, the mouse isn’t working, so we have to open the file a different way. Do you see the how the letter ‘f’ is underlined there. Ok, good. So to open this up you will have to hold down the ALT key- this one here - and press ‘f’ because the ‘f’ is underlined.” A demonstration ensues. “See how that opened when I pressed these keys down together. Now you try. Hold down the ALT key – see how it says ALT – ok you need to hold it down, and then press ‘f’. No...no...hold down the ALT key. Keep pressing it down while you hit ‘f’. Here see – hold it down – you need to press them at the same time. Push down here – keep pushing it down – ok, why did you let it go – I need you to keep pressing it down – ok why are you hitting the ESC key – please don’t do that. We need the file to open. Here let me show you again. See I am holding it down and pressing ‘f’ at the same time – and then it opens. See? Ok. I believe you can do this. Just hold down here – keep holding – why did you let go? You need to hold on....I don’t understand why you are hitting the ESC key again. Please stop doing that....”

I enunciated, I talked slower, I looked for head gestures that indicate understanding, communication seemed to be fine. So why wouldn’t she hold down the ALT key?! Why?? Twenty minutes later I shut down the program believing that this might be an intermediate rather than a beginner lesson.

So I decided to take a break from the mouseless computer and see if the three girls at my laptop were able to complete the steps. When I went to check, I found that all of the icons on the desktop had mysteriously been deleted. No one knew what happened.

Well, the first lesson didn't go so well....but I have high hopes that in time we will all be converting our jpeg files to ico's with Irfanview and using takeown commands to delete pesky system files.

See - I told you I was I.T.

In the meantime I have found that there is so much I still need to learn, like patience and understanding with those who have never seen or touched a computer. Who have never heard words like ALT or icon or Microsoft. Who don’t grasp the concept of a mouse because the word mouse refers to a small animal that comes up out of the drain in their bathroom – wait, that was a rat and it was in my bathroom. Anyways...I will take a deep breath and start a new day, and whisper without contempt, that despite this week, I love India.

Creatures!

2009-06-29T02:56:00.000-07:00

This page is dedicated to my three brothers; two who seem to have a particular fascination with bugs. In the rural parts of India that is one thing that I have had to get used to. Though cockroaches are rare, last night I woke up to one crawling on my arm! Also there was a black and white snake that slid along my window sill...luckily it was outside and I was safe inside. I have quickly learned which bugs are friends and which ones are foes. Pretty much, anything that eats other bugs I befriend. Anything that has poison, bites, or looks really creepy becomes my foe. So...Lizards & Frogs - friends. Spiders, snakes & cockroaches - foes. Ants - definitely foes! Here they bite and come in all different sizes and get into everything. Birds - friends, especially baby birds. Like the one below. Though there are lots of new insects, they haven't been too much of a bother, not unlike going to the cottage in Canada. There have only been two occasions after gardening that I had to run to the washroom and free an ant or a beetle that got caught in my pants. The only thing that really made me nervous is Sister Rachel's reasoning for giving me a roommate: "If she gets bit by something poisonous in the night, who will know until the morning, and then it will be too late. We better put someone in there with her." Nothing can turn a room into a place a terror quicker than a statement like that. All I could think is...'How high are the chances that I get bit by something poisonous in my room? Should I risk these odds?' So far, I have been fine.

The marching ants.

This photo was taken in the evening. This bird is actually asleep on this branch and didn't wake up even with my bright flash. It is the size of a hummingbird and probably one of the cutest things I have ever seen.This is the biggest and furriest moth I have ever seen.

This moth looks like a miniature paper airplane. Its tail even sticks up.

Baby bird - just hatched!

This frog is my friend. He eats lots of bugs.

A pretty butterfly.

A friend of a friend.

A leafy, stick bug.

This is very poisonous. I am not sure what it is but I was given a serious warning to stay away from it. Even the cook was nervous to squish it with her shoe.

This is like a big lady bug, aka friend.

Big creepy spider - foe!

This is a really cool bug. It lives just under the soil and is as soft as velvet. I found a few of them when I was pulling up weeds buried amount three or four centimeters in the soil.

The Tabernacle

2009-06-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

It is not everyday that you can say "Today I was hanging out in the Holy of Holies." I know that the curtain is torn and all - but it is still pretty cool to spend some time in the lifesize model of The Tabernacle set up here at TENT ministries. I have been imaging what it would have been like to be an Israelite in the time of Moses and The Tabernacle. This structure is built exactly to scale and draws tourists from all over India and the world every year.

There is something really powerful about seeing this. It has allowed me to really picture more clearly what it would have been like in the Old Testament setting up The Tabernacle all through the desert. It is even more significant to me because last year I did a Beth Moore study of The Tabernacle called A Woman's Heart, with some of the women in my family. I definitely learned a lot through it and can even see how Jesus fulfills every one of the tabernacle's purposes. He is the light of the world: the lampstand, the sacrificial lamb: the altar of burnt offering, the one who cleanses and purifies us: the brazen laver, the bread of life: the table of shewbread and the one interceding for us: the altar of incense. I can't remember the direct significance of the arc of the covenant though I do remember that it is made of both gold and acacia wood representing how Christ is both fully God and fully man.

Some call this Dr.Vijayam's crazy project. He calls it a teaching instrument. I suppose it is both! Either way, I have been enjoying having a Tabernacle in my backyard while being here. The Old Testament stories are illuminated by its presence as I read my Bible in the courtyard staring directly at a wooden cut out of the high priest Aaron sacrificing a lamb - a very good tool indeed - especially for visual learners.

Yesterday, I found out about Dr.V's next project: Noah's Arc! Though it will have to be 1/3 the actual size. I look forward to coming back in the future and seeing it!

Here is the outer curtain and entrance to the Tabernacle.

This is what the Holy Place & Holy of Holies would have looked like.

Here is the altar for burnt offerings.

The brazen laver!

Another view!

Inside: the Golden Lampstand.

The Table of Showbread.

The Arc of the Covenant with a view inside to see the Moses' staff, the 10 Commandments and some Manna!

Everyday Life

2009-06-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Everyday Life

I am living right outside of Hyderabad about a fifteen minute drive away from the city, at TENT’s Carmel Campus. It is a peaceful, well kept area that reminds me of Muskoka Baptist Conference or Fair Havens without the lakes. There are many buildings including men’s and women’s dorms, a chapel, a gym, a gazebo, offices and a exact scale model of the Old Testament Tabernacle.

The Tabernacle

Different churches and groups use the facilities for retreats or on Sundays for church services. But for most of the year Dr.Vijayam and his wife have men’s and women’s training programs called Joshua Vision India (JVI) and Indian Women in the Lord’s Labour (IWILL), respectively. The JVI and IWILL programs concentrate on Biblical and micro-finance course materials. Their vision includes equipping leaders, or as they call them, Masters Trainers (MT), to go out and work with the poor, with sustainable micro-finance devices and the message about Christ. I will dedicate another entire post to how incredible this ministry is.

What I like most about the campus is that there are economic development models that demonstrate activities that can generate an income for the unemployed. So, there are shops for candlemaking, lamenation, vermiculture, horticulture – including mango trees, cashew nut trees and all sorts more, then different pens with animals. There is a goat pen, which is my favourite, a turkey and chicken coupe, cows, rabbits, lots of birds and ducks.

I am working with the IWILL Mater’s Training program where the women spend time over six months learning how to develop each of these enterprises. Then they go into villages and conduct research to see what businesses are needed and could prove to be beneficial. After this assessment, the MT’s gather groups of 10-15 poor women that are interested in learning practical skills and starting micro-enterprises.

Also I am teaching the Sunday school kids here which has been really fun. Here they are dancing to one of the songs I taught them. I didn't realize how children's songs can be culturally inappropriate! Here I taught the song, "Scratch a friend's back, scratch a back next to you...and sing Hallelujah" The second verse is tie a friends shoe...so I laughed when the other teacher started to explain to the kids that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and even though in Indian culture touching other people's feet is kinda taboo it was ok for them to do it in the song! lol.

IWILL & Saree`s

2009-06-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

IWILL - Indian Women In The Lord's Labour

The women didn’t arrive for the first 10 days that I was here, so I had quite a bit of time to rest, read and work on homework or go lizard hunting. However, now the women have arrived after travelling three days and classes started today after a week of retreat. They go from 5:30 every morning till 9:30 in the evening. My restful days have indeed come to an end! But I am looking forward to it because I know that I will learn a lot and will get the opportunity to teach. One instructor here already taught us a three day course on the principles of micro-finance and the extent to which it can vary, which was incredibly helpful.

In the meantime, I have been learning quite a bit about Indian culture. I have learned that mustaches are very cool. Also statues are very popular and are found all over the city. You don't use utensils to eat - just use your right hand. Talking about diarrhea, here called loose motion is very acceptable even at the dinner table. I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed when everyone at the dinner table began to discuss my loose motion when I hadn't been feeling well earlier. Also, you can fit five people on a motorcycle, though the government doesn’t recommend it.

Power outages on the grounds are very common, taking place three to four times a day usually for an half an hour to an hour but sometimes up to six! I hate power outages at night because it gets really hot and without fans, the heat becomes unbearable. I usually take a bucket of water and a cloth and wipe the sweat off my arms, legs and neck every couple of hours because I can’t sleep. Speaking of buckets – that is also how you bathe here - Bucket baths, a technique that I am quickly learning. I have gotten used to the spicy food and really like most of it. I look forward to eating chapati which is delicious Indian flat bread. Mutton (goat) I am served everyday – but after playing with the baby goats in their pen, it really does become hard to eat.

Really can I eat this goat?

Spicy food for breakfast just wasn’t working in my stomach so now I have toast, jam and eggs. And what I like best?? Definitely Saree's!!

"A Saree turns a plain woman into a queen."
~ Renee Heemskerk

Yes, I made up that quote myself because I felt like a queen when my friend Grace let me wear her Saree and gold Bengals to church yesterday.

Below our some pictures of Sarees and my new friends and I. They are great.

Me in Grace's Saree

Surashi, Monika

Ranu, Enatoli, Very Pale Renee, Bilahi

The Schedule

2009-06-18T02:22:00.000-07:00

The Daily Routine

The Bell: This bell rings for every event to take place throughout the day.

5:30am Wake Up! I`m late!

5:30am-6:30am Personal Devotions

6:30am-7am Chores & Cleaning

7am-7:30am Bathtime!

7:30am-8:30am Breakfast

8:30am-9:30am Group Devotions

9:30am-10:30am Class

10:30am-11 Tea Time

11am-1pm Class

1pm-2pm Lunch Time

2-3:30pm Class

3:30pm-4pm Tea Time!

4pm-5pm Last Class

5pm-7pm Free Time

7pm-7:30pm Worship and Scripture Reading

7:30-8:30 Dinner

8:30pm-9:30pm Study Time

9:30pm Lights Out!

Lizard Hunt 2009

2009-06-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

One sunny afternoon, we had some time on our hands, so naturally being in India - we went on a lizard hunt. Here is the story!

Laundry Day

2009-06-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

Laundry Day

As for laundry – today was my first day after just over two weeks, of doing laundry. Finally after using my last pair of clean underwear I knew it was time. The girls took me to town to buy some laundry soap yesterday and when I asked how to do laundry I was brought here – (above photo) to the facet and stone table. Though I asked for some instructions, the language barrier seemed to ward off answers and I was soon left on my own. So, with that I tried to remember how I saw women doing laundry in Guatemala where a similar laundry system exists.

I got down on my hands and knees and when the blue soap didn’t dissolve in my bucket of water, I starting rubbing it into the rock and then scrubbed my clothes on the soap suds that formed. I thought, “What goes on inside a washing machine? How can I become like that?” After an hour and a half I had scrubbed through half of my laundry pile. I was gaining confidence about my technique as the fresh laundry smell filled the air, until a few Indian women gathered at the door, pointing with confused/amused glances.

Maybe I was taking too many breaks to ease the sharp pain that had formed on the right side of my back? Maybe I was using too much water in a time of drought? I was compelled to ask, “Am I doing this right??” Sure enough they rushed to find one women who specializes in laundry for the grounds.

For twenty rupees she told me she would take it from here. Her method was excellent. First she moved up to the higher part of the stone to do the scrubbing. Wish I would have thought of that. Then she rubbed the soap right on the clothes, soaking them and rinsing them repeatedly in a bucket of water. Right – soap on clothes, not on the stone, the blue doesn’t stain - that makes sense. Then to my amazement she started whipping the clothes around her head and slamming them into the stone.
I wasn’t sure what was going – did this work the soap into the clothes or work the stains out or was it part of the rinse and repeat technique? I couldn’t tell, but one thing was sure – what this woman was doing looked a whole lot more like the inside of a washing machine then my weak double rock scrub method. Sure enough within the hour my clothes were washed and hung to dry. With a kind smile she said, “I will see you next week."

The Kids!

2009-06-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

While in Kolkata, I had the opportunity to visit two ministries that Partners International works with, JKPS and Touch the Lives.

JKPS was running over 600 VBS programs across the State and Touch the Lives had a children's ministry run out of Vivek's own home that we got to visit.

The VBS programs were great to be a part of. It was funny because Shantel Smith and I were invited to the front be introduced to the children and then the speaker said, "Now these girls are going to tell you a story and teach you some songs." Then all the kids cheered - and I looked at Shantel wondering if this had been mentioned to her beforehand. Her face showed just as much surprise as mine. So with less than a minute to prepare we put our improv hats on and began to act out the story of Joseph while teaching them some fun kids songs from back home. Amit Paul continued to bring us to different classrooms and invited us to do a skit and songs in each one!

There were over 150 kids where we were most of them from Hindu families. The staff told us there would probably have been double but the Cyclone had blocked several roads off in the town. It was really incredible to tell the kids Bible stories that they have never heard before.

I was incredibly impressed with the men and women who put the VBS program together. Their hospitality was almost overwhelming as they continued to serve us food and drinks and turn on fans for us as we entered

each room.

We also had the opportunity to hear many testimonies from the ministry workers about how they became Christians. Many had converted from the highest Brahmin caste and were excommunicated from their families. Some of them had extremely vivid encounters, one man said that Jesus appeared before him and told the man to follow him, so he did! He told the story so casually that I had to remark - that is a crazy story, do you know that doesn't happen very often in Canada. At this, he laughed.

At Touch the Lives, we spent time with the kids that come right into Vivek's house where him and his wife carry out their ministry. He is very highly educated so the program that he has started teaches many poor children, most who can't go to school, history, geography, language and Christian principles. I have never seen such well behaved kids in my life sitting and listening to every word that he said. His love for them was evident. It was so inspiring and I began to think about the kids in my own neighbourhood back home.

Fashion Show

2009-06-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

I bought some Indian clothing in Kolkata. Here are some pictures of my new wardrobe. Some of them are nice and cool so the air circulates through them better than cotton. I also bought some material to make a Saree but have to get to the tailor to get it fitted and made. I still wear my Canadian clothes most of the time but have to remember that shorts are not seen as appropriate for women, especially in ministry, and shoulders should also be covered. However, midrifts are fine to show. When wearing a Saree the shirt that goes under it is usually a half top. It is interesting how different cultures perceive different clothing to be appropriate or not. I am excited to wear my new outfits around and see how I fit in. : )

The Cyclone

2009-06-04T06:53:00.000-07:00

I had heard about the monsoon season in India, which is the rainy season. I knew that it started at the end of May or the beginning of June. So, the day after I arrived in Kolkata I didn't really think too much of the storm that rolled in. It began to pour but there was no lightning and we were out of water and snacks. So I convinced Shantel to face the storm with me so that if we were going to get stuck inside all day at least we would have some food and drinks. When we got outside the rain was coming down pretty hard but the real issue was the incredibly strong wind and in one of the most populated cities in the world, the lack of people outside. With the sidewalk covered in water and us in our flipflops, we were soon getting blown down the street, literally. As we screeched in excitement and disbelief, taking cover in the grocery store, we both realized that this was more than a Canadian spring rainstorm. We knew that we needed to get back to our room in the Baptist Ministries Guesthouse, immediately.

The next day, the reality of the storm became much more apparent. Some parts of Kolkata were flooded. Hundreds of trees were completely uprooted, power lines were down all over the city and along the coastline, homes were in disaster. The news revealed that it was in fact a cyclone that had caused the damage. We are alright! But next time I will not underestimate the power of the cyclone!

Testimonial: Recent Survivor of the Cyclone
My name is Shantel Smith and I came to India for a missions trip. I am in fact, a real survivor of the cyclone. After weeks of the humid heat i initially welcomed the cool weather. Convinced by my roomate that we would starve to death if we didn't get snacks soon, i proceeded to head to the grocery store. As we walked towards the BMS gate to leave the premises, the wind as rough but i figured, a little water and little wet and little wind meh ill be fine. But as I walked down the street to the grocery store we nearly got blown away, electrical circuits were flying in the air and the wind had completly uprooted many trees. As we ran, the force of the wind and rain was so strong that I looked into my roomate's (who shall remain nameless for the purposes of this testimonial) eyes and began to scream convinced I was going to die. We finally arrived in the grocery store safely and I spent a longer than necessary time shopping for snacks for fear of my life in heading back out into what I termed a "storm". As we braved the cyclone for the second time we ran swiftly and gingerly and arrived safely back to our guestroom. Thank God for his protection.

The Flight

2009-06-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

On Friday, May 22nd I boarded a Jet Airways flight and began my journey to India. My first stop was Brussels, Belgium where I admired an airport full of chocolate shops. With a short lay over I boarded my next flight to Delhi and then finally after half a day in the Delhi airport I boarded a flight to Kolkata, India.

The flight wasn't as long and painful as I was expecting.

I took some time to read...

...did some writing

...thought about what people might be doing back home

...and then I stumbled upon a game on my personal screen in the back of the chair in front of me....so the time began to 'fly' (lol) as I aimed to became the winner of the British version of 'Who Wants to Be A Millionaire".

This was not an easy game and I believe the guests sitting next to me didn’t quite understand what was going on when I got really excited after passing the $500 000 question! The evidence is in the photo!

The people in the Indian airports were extremely friendly and hospitable. The airport décor definitely reflected the new country I was entering. When I got out of the plane I immediately felt the heat. High temperature for the day, 42 degrees Celsius....it didn’t feel like it got cooler than this at any point. But what can I say about the heat! I was cold all winter, and now I am not. : ) Looking forward to seeing what else India will bring!

Hyderabad, India: Through the Eyes of Wikipedia

2009-04-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hyderabad, India

I thought it might be helpful to have some facts about Hyderabad. JVI is just outside of this booming city that I will become familiar with. So as found on Wikipedia:

Now known as The city of Pearls, Hyderabad is the capital city of the state Andhra Pradesh and among the most populated cities in India. The estimated population is around 7 million.

Hyderabad is known for its rich history, culture and architecture representing its unique character as a meeting point for North and South India, and also its multilingual culture, both geographically, culturally and intellectually.

Though Telugu and Urdu are the principal languages spoken in the city, English has a strong presence among the educated people. The city has a considerable Muslim and Sikh population. Over 40% of the city is Muslim.

Hyderabad is today one of the fast developing cities in the country and a modern hub of Information Technology, ITES, and Biotechnology. If you have a problem with your Dell, you may be transferred to someone in Hyderabad.

The Program: Packing For India

2009-04-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

On May 22rd, 2009 I will be on my way to a three month stay in Hyderabad, India!

Here's how it all happened...

Currently, I am attending the greatest University in Canada. Yes, you guessed it...Tyndale University College & Seminary!

As a Business Student at Tyndale I have taken the opportunity to focus in International Development. Part of this dynamic program is its partnerships with development organizations where students carry out national and international internships. This provides us with a complete picture of an international non-profit's operations. First we work at the Canadian base to gain an understanding of the organization and then we spend a semester on the field with the same organization as an overseas placement. This field placement allows us to see how operations are carried out by international partners.

After completing my third year at Tyndale, I was placed for summer of '08 at Partners International (PI) headquarters in Brampton, Ontario to undertake my Canadian internship. PI is a great Christian international development organization. They partner with ministries around the world run by national ministry leaders and support church planting, evangelical work and development projects.

As a summer intern I was exposed to the inner workings of this development agency, working alongside bright, motivated individuals with a plethora of international experience. Through my time there I gained an understanding of their partnerships across the globe and how they meet the needs of least reached, least resourced people in the world. This set the foundation for my internship in India!

For three months this summer of '09 I will be going to one of Partners International ministries called Joshua Vision. It is located in Hyderabad, India. Here I will be working alongside their women's microfinance program learning with the women, doing research on the program, teaching computer training and assisting the children's programs.

As I gather my sunscreen, plug adaptors and Build-A-Bear teddy I can feel the anticipation, excitement and fear begin to rise. Soon I will be stepping off a plane into 45 degree heat, ready to take a step onto the other side of the world.

The Title: Feet Going

2009-04-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

The car cruised smoothly over the fresh pavement on the drive back to Tyndale. We had just left CBC's TwentySomethings bible study in Aurora and were heading back to the city. "Oh, turn up the music...this is a good tune." I said. The speakers blasted out the Casting Crowns lyrics to their new song, If We Are the Body. "Wow, that's pretty powerful," I thought as the chorus played again. It went:

If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way.....There is a way.

It was a call to the Church today...the question plagued me - Are we acting as the body of Christ? Can others see that? I turned to my friend sitting in the driver's seat as I pushed the back arrow on the CD player to start the song over. "Which line stands out to you the most?" I inquired with a smile. "Arms reaching? Hands healing?"

"Words teaching." he said. "That one compels me. I love to teach and I think it's important that God's Word is being taught so that we can grow right. You know what I mean."

"Yeah." I replied. "That makes sense."

"How bout you? Which one compels you the most?" he asked.

I thought for a moment. "Definitely feet going."