Thursday 29 July 2010
It's a real team effort out here: Dr Lucas Phd Burkas gives a little insight into what he's up to.
After the initial culture shock and Delhi-belly, I'm starting to love the place and the people. Bandra, the slum where I work, is my favourite. For the past 3 weeks I have been tutoring 3 girls in the morning and 2 girls in the afternoon. It has been amazing to get to know them all, and visiting their homes/meeting their families is an experience I will never forget! Because they are only a few, I have really been able to hear their story and share my life with them. The girls (well, they're 17/18) are all Hindus and Muslims so I simply ask them each day how I can pray for them. We hope to pray for healing over a few of the girls parents who are sick from TB/have suffered from domestic violence. It's a big leap, but when you think that God made everything, it's not really, is it? Please pray for the people we are working amongst!!!
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you, Aaron Elder. Add him on facebook! Except if you're a girl he'll just pester you on fb chat
Thomas was right, this is the easiest way to share news with people at home...
Speaking of sharing, India has given us all an incredible insight into what it means to give sacrificially, signified most delicately by the generous distribution of the last toilet roll... Of which I, the iron belly of the team, was ludicrously short changed!
Will do my best with the limited time to update those who can be bothered to read...
What monsoon?
As Thomas has already shared, monsoon season is upon us and its like nothing else. Its both brilliant and devastating - on one hand, there is nothing better than hill running in the showering rain, which is our stapler exercise regimen, much to the bemusement to spectating Indians. However, there is nothing more devastating than being caught in the rain without an umbrella - imagine being shot with a power washer whilst on your way to a full day of classroom teaching... so swings and roundabouts.
Pimp skills?
The last that you heard Thomas and I were going to visit some pimps for a chat and on Tuesday we did. First we toured the brothel which is simply hundreds of tiny rooms leading of a giant square and is probably the most unpleasant place I have ever been. Not necessarily because it was dirty and cramped and rat-infested, although all those things are true, but more because all the people there and the general atmosphere of the place was desperate and incredibly sad, not so much intimidating but somber as pimps lay around waiting for there working day to begin. The group session which followed, consisted of half a dozen 20-somethings each working as a pimp. We led on respect and speaking through a translator told parables to get the point across that we should not just respect those who are above us, but also those beneath who we are told we do not need to respect. A fairly simple 'treat others as you would like to be treated' but for them this is a huge life challenge. The guys themselves were incredibly passive and seemed to lack any sense of self-esteem - it was a bizarre experience but challenging and thought provoking.
Stop crying mate, its embarrassing...
Yesterday, I said goodbye to the school that I have been teaching English in which was actually quite tough, I have got to know some of the students really well and they have shared really openly about their lives and backgrounds, many of which are difficult to hear. Meeting people who have been orphaned and alone since they can remember is something that I cannot relate to and I often feel angry that they have not had the same loving and supportive upbringing that I have.
I have also been learning that I should carry my passion for sharing my faith with others home with me. I have a real desire to witness to and share my testimony with others and hope to bring this home... the guys we meet have absolutely nothing, they have no money, no home, no family or support and seemingly no friends, but I know that if they have Jesus in their lives then he can be more than enough.
In this way I am treating the next 3 weeks as a trial for my life at home - I know that 'on mission' it is very easy to be missional and keep your attention fixed on God, but I know that this is something I must carry home with me - and certainly something I am learning.
Mcdonalds rat (speaks for itself)
the highlight of my day was seeing supposed hard man Thomas 'mean' Dean flinching hysterically when i brushed his leg in Mcdonalds after staff had warned us that there was a rat running loose - brilliant! (chortle chortle - editor)
Why not?
If you are so inclined then I personally would love you to pray that God would use me effectively here and that I might increasingly work in his strength and not my own and that I would continue to be enriched by the experience.
For us as a team please pray for more of the same regarding our work and team times which are both running excellently. Also, it would be great if you could pray for the health of the guys and that leaving our projects over the weekend as we prepare to move on to Pune would be a good time - especially as we pray for our students and the people in the community.
time is up and the boys are nagging me to leave - they have their legs crossed and are moaning something about not being able to hold on?!
Aaron
Speaking of sharing, India has given us all an incredible insight into what it means to give sacrificially, signified most delicately by the generous distribution of the last toilet roll... Of which I, the iron belly of the team, was ludicrously short changed!
Will do my best with the limited time to update those who can be bothered to read...
What monsoon?
As Thomas has already shared, monsoon season is upon us and its like nothing else. Its both brilliant and devastating - on one hand, there is nothing better than hill running in the showering rain, which is our stapler exercise regimen, much to the bemusement to spectating Indians. However, there is nothing more devastating than being caught in the rain without an umbrella - imagine being shot with a power washer whilst on your way to a full day of classroom teaching... so swings and roundabouts.
Pimp skills?
The last that you heard Thomas and I were going to visit some pimps for a chat and on Tuesday we did. First we toured the brothel which is simply hundreds of tiny rooms leading of a giant square and is probably the most unpleasant place I have ever been. Not necessarily because it was dirty and cramped and rat-infested, although all those things are true, but more because all the people there and the general atmosphere of the place was desperate and incredibly sad, not so much intimidating but somber as pimps lay around waiting for there working day to begin. The group session which followed, consisted of half a dozen 20-somethings each working as a pimp. We led on respect and speaking through a translator told parables to get the point across that we should not just respect those who are above us, but also those beneath who we are told we do not need to respect. A fairly simple 'treat others as you would like to be treated' but for them this is a huge life challenge. The guys themselves were incredibly passive and seemed to lack any sense of self-esteem - it was a bizarre experience but challenging and thought provoking.
Stop crying mate, its embarrassing...
Yesterday, I said goodbye to the school that I have been teaching English in which was actually quite tough, I have got to know some of the students really well and they have shared really openly about their lives and backgrounds, many of which are difficult to hear. Meeting people who have been orphaned and alone since they can remember is something that I cannot relate to and I often feel angry that they have not had the same loving and supportive upbringing that I have.
I have also been learning that I should carry my passion for sharing my faith with others home with me. I have a real desire to witness to and share my testimony with others and hope to bring this home... the guys we meet have absolutely nothing, they have no money, no home, no family or support and seemingly no friends, but I know that if they have Jesus in their lives then he can be more than enough.
In this way I am treating the next 3 weeks as a trial for my life at home - I know that 'on mission' it is very easy to be missional and keep your attention fixed on God, but I know that this is something I must carry home with me - and certainly something I am learning.
Mcdonalds rat (speaks for itself)
the highlight of my day was seeing supposed hard man Thomas 'mean' Dean flinching hysterically when i brushed his leg in Mcdonalds after staff had warned us that there was a rat running loose - brilliant! (chortle chortle - editor)
Why not?
If you are so inclined then I personally would love you to pray that God would use me effectively here and that I might increasingly work in his strength and not my own and that I would continue to be enriched by the experience.
For us as a team please pray for more of the same regarding our work and team times which are both running excellently. Also, it would be great if you could pray for the health of the guys and that leaving our projects over the weekend as we prepare to move on to Pune would be a good time - especially as we pray for our students and the people in the community.
time is up and the boys are nagging me to leave - they have their legs crossed and are moaning something about not being able to hold on?!
Aaron
Like a thief in the night.
The cosmic pendulum has well and truly swung. Like an angry mosquito mother nature has stung me for all I'm worth. I come to the country of Chicken Buryani and I go veggie, I live through a monsoon and I can only drink bottled water, but still Diarrhea has found me, and now lives in me.
Something profound Paul Gera once said to me "Diarrhea sucks". It doesn't suck Paul, it blows. It blows like a Humpback Whale with self-esteem issues,
and all you can do is amuse yourself by thinking up ridiculous animal similes as the sweat runs down your face again.
Something profound Paul Gera once said to me "Diarrhea sucks". It doesn't suck Paul, it blows. It blows like a Humpback Whale with self-esteem issues,
and all you can do is amuse yourself by thinking up ridiculous animal similes as the sweat runs down your face again.
Monday 26 July 2010
Monsoon: Not just an overpriced cardigan shop for ladies of leisure...
Ok! so, a week on. I should've updated earlier as I will leave out lots of interesting happenings but oh well. There are so many cultural, natural, comical and disastrous things to mention but to be honest they're all pretty subservient to the fact that we're all loving it out here. The projects could barely have worked out for us better in the last week after some initial frustration from the boys.
Aaron and I are continuing to teach life skills and English at our slum project in Bandra and we're getting to know our class really really well, while being handed over a bit more responsibility. On friday we taught about 55 pupils for over 5 hours! My voice has completely gone by Saturday, but we loved it. We're getting to know a bit more about these guys stories too as we look at lifeskills like Attitude, Peer Pressure and setting goals. One girl came up to the front and was very tearful as she shared that her parents both died before she was 2 and had since endured a relationship of abuse from her foster-father, for about 15 years... she said that this was the first experience of positive community she'd ever had in her life and was loving it, especially that her English was improving. Pretty cool eh?
Another boy is also an orphan and stays in a convent over an hour away but just loves the classes and as I said before there is such an impressive desire to learn throughout all of the students. We're hoping this week to visit some of them at their homes as we've been invited, but the persistent rain does us no favours whatsoever.
We have a busy week lined up actually, tomorrow me and Aaron are going to the Aruna project that Drew has been working at to speak to some men who work in brothels (a.k.a pimps (!) ) on what it means to respect one another, on Thursday we are visiting a new slum project in one of the poorest places in Mumbai and on Friday we sign off our time in Mumbai with a whole staff meeting with the whole Oasis staff team.
We've been going along to Bombay Baptist Church the last few weeks and yesterday had the opportunity to visit there street-kids outreach. It was amazing, there are about 15 children who live around the central station and basically just beg all day. On Sunday's they come and play games, listen to stories and have a check up with a doctor - which is invaluable. Like so many thing we've seen so far, it was brilliant, but hard to stomach. Some of these guys can't have been older than 5. And they aren't alone, they represent children all over the city in pretty desperate poverty and social situations. It can be pretty emotionally exhausting seeing desperate case after desperate case at train stations, by the side of the road and in the slums. Learning who you can help and who you can't is a difficult lesson to learn, but I'm glad we have such great projects to serve in at the moment. Time is running out fast though!
Projects
speaking of projects. I realise this bloggy thing here is pretty introspective. But I only really want to speak for myself. FYI here's a quick run down of what everyone else is up to.
Aaron - he's the lucky one. He's with me, and I with him. What a quality guy!
Luke - has been teaching English in the afternoons to girls who are connected to a sewing project. He's been absolutely loving getting to know them well and their families too! But could find it the hardest out of all of us to leave as it's been pretty much 1 2 1 teaching sessions.
Drew - has been working at the Aruna project in town. I really don't know enough about this project yet but they work with prostitutes and their children in some of the largest brothels in Mumbai. Helping them and sharing lives with them. Will know more after tomorrow.
Mackie - has been with Luke quite a lot of the time, resourcing the little primary school there by doing some great drawings and alphabets etc. He taught me the difference between night and day! thanks mackie!
Next
So yesterday Mackie and Drew (aka Macwise and Gilldo the 2nd) went on a traveling expedition up to the Taj Mahal. Something to do with Drew's architecture project and Drew looking for a wife. Mackie the ever faithful wing-man.
That leaves Luke Aaron and myself here for another 9 or so days to serve in or projects and finish well. Nice. Then it's on to Pune, 3 hours away, for two weeks serving with OM. Really looking forward to the chance to see the schools that Morningside Baptist Church help to build! oh yes.
What's really been happening
So you've stomached all my update chat. Well done. The rain here has been unbelievable, as in, you would'nt believe it. Close your eyes and imagine the hardest rain you can ever remember witnessing in the UK, do it now. Ok, imagine ten times harder, and about 20 hours a day. Sometimes you can't stand up in it, you can't see each other in it - it's not particularly nice. For a brief 5 minute period on Wednesday the density of my trousers actually overtook the population density of Mumbai. All has returned to normal now though.
Drew regular gets sick because of overeating, he tried to order 4 pizzas for himself the other day, we had to sternly talk him down. We have a love-hate relationship with the Rickshaw drivers. Some are absolute heroes, but some go the wrong way and break down, while me and Aaron were chased into a cafe by a possibly rabid driver after far more cash than he was owed. A shouting match then ensued - he won by miles as he was the only one shouting - we didn't pay him though.
Healthwise we've been doing ok-ish. Mackwise has had chronic diarrhea since I arrived and everyone else has had their moments. Since I updated you on my poo last week everything down there has been more than I could ever ask for, but everything else has gone to pot. I'm gutted to be missing the project today but I have a headache, temperature, runny nose and a cough so I'm trying to rest up as much as possible. The show must go on.
Mosquitoes are the bain of my life, collecting upon average about 4/5 bites a day. Which doesn't sound like a lot but that's potentially 140 over a month! I think the surface area of my tiny torso can fit about 100 max so we'll see how that works out. And before you ask, yes I have a mozzy net, and I consistently lather myself up with 50% deet. But honestly, the stuffs about as effective as the England Football teams back four. Thankfully this is apparently a malaria free zone, although when David went to the hospital he said 80% of cases were....you've guessed it. eek.
To Finish
I Imagine that about 3 of you have made it this far, definitely Harrison Gilmore, well done sir!
We're all getting on really well, having some great time of bible study, prayer and worship underlying any niggles that may exist. It's sometimes tricky figuring out how all this fits into our faith and how what we're doing fits into the "Mission/Purpose of God" but it's exciting too. We all firmly believe that Our God is Able!
Money has been a difficulty as my card is refusing to work, Aaron's got nicked and you'll have to ask Luke yourself about his situation! thankfully rich guys Drackie and Mew have bailed us out for a couple of days.
I'd love it if you wanted to pray for my health, and Mackie's bum! We've been going strictly veggie so stomach issues seem to be ok. Thanks for those of you who've texted! I'm a cheapskate so can't reply, but any questions fire them out and I'll do my best.
au revoir!
Aaron and I are continuing to teach life skills and English at our slum project in Bandra and we're getting to know our class really really well, while being handed over a bit more responsibility. On friday we taught about 55 pupils for over 5 hours! My voice has completely gone by Saturday, but we loved it. We're getting to know a bit more about these guys stories too as we look at lifeskills like Attitude, Peer Pressure and setting goals. One girl came up to the front and was very tearful as she shared that her parents both died before she was 2 and had since endured a relationship of abuse from her foster-father, for about 15 years... she said that this was the first experience of positive community she'd ever had in her life and was loving it, especially that her English was improving. Pretty cool eh?
Another boy is also an orphan and stays in a convent over an hour away but just loves the classes and as I said before there is such an impressive desire to learn throughout all of the students. We're hoping this week to visit some of them at their homes as we've been invited, but the persistent rain does us no favours whatsoever.
We have a busy week lined up actually, tomorrow me and Aaron are going to the Aruna project that Drew has been working at to speak to some men who work in brothels (a.k.a pimps (!) ) on what it means to respect one another, on Thursday we are visiting a new slum project in one of the poorest places in Mumbai and on Friday we sign off our time in Mumbai with a whole staff meeting with the whole Oasis staff team.
We've been going along to Bombay Baptist Church the last few weeks and yesterday had the opportunity to visit there street-kids outreach. It was amazing, there are about 15 children who live around the central station and basically just beg all day. On Sunday's they come and play games, listen to stories and have a check up with a doctor - which is invaluable. Like so many thing we've seen so far, it was brilliant, but hard to stomach. Some of these guys can't have been older than 5. And they aren't alone, they represent children all over the city in pretty desperate poverty and social situations. It can be pretty emotionally exhausting seeing desperate case after desperate case at train stations, by the side of the road and in the slums. Learning who you can help and who you can't is a difficult lesson to learn, but I'm glad we have such great projects to serve in at the moment. Time is running out fast though!
Projects
speaking of projects. I realise this bloggy thing here is pretty introspective. But I only really want to speak for myself. FYI here's a quick run down of what everyone else is up to.
Aaron - he's the lucky one. He's with me, and I with him. What a quality guy!
Luke - has been teaching English in the afternoons to girls who are connected to a sewing project. He's been absolutely loving getting to know them well and their families too! But could find it the hardest out of all of us to leave as it's been pretty much 1 2 1 teaching sessions.
Drew - has been working at the Aruna project in town. I really don't know enough about this project yet but they work with prostitutes and their children in some of the largest brothels in Mumbai. Helping them and sharing lives with them. Will know more after tomorrow.
Mackie - has been with Luke quite a lot of the time, resourcing the little primary school there by doing some great drawings and alphabets etc. He taught me the difference between night and day! thanks mackie!
Next
So yesterday Mackie and Drew (aka Macwise and Gilldo the 2nd) went on a traveling expedition up to the Taj Mahal. Something to do with Drew's architecture project and Drew looking for a wife. Mackie the ever faithful wing-man.
That leaves Luke Aaron and myself here for another 9 or so days to serve in or projects and finish well. Nice. Then it's on to Pune, 3 hours away, for two weeks serving with OM. Really looking forward to the chance to see the schools that Morningside Baptist Church help to build! oh yes.
What's really been happening
So you've stomached all my update chat. Well done. The rain here has been unbelievable, as in, you would'nt believe it. Close your eyes and imagine the hardest rain you can ever remember witnessing in the UK, do it now. Ok, imagine ten times harder, and about 20 hours a day. Sometimes you can't stand up in it, you can't see each other in it - it's not particularly nice. For a brief 5 minute period on Wednesday the density of my trousers actually overtook the population density of Mumbai. All has returned to normal now though.
Drew regular gets sick because of overeating, he tried to order 4 pizzas for himself the other day, we had to sternly talk him down. We have a love-hate relationship with the Rickshaw drivers. Some are absolute heroes, but some go the wrong way and break down, while me and Aaron were chased into a cafe by a possibly rabid driver after far more cash than he was owed. A shouting match then ensued - he won by miles as he was the only one shouting - we didn't pay him though.
Healthwise we've been doing ok-ish. Mackwise has had chronic diarrhea since I arrived and everyone else has had their moments. Since I updated you on my poo last week everything down there has been more than I could ever ask for, but everything else has gone to pot. I'm gutted to be missing the project today but I have a headache, temperature, runny nose and a cough so I'm trying to rest up as much as possible. The show must go on.
Mosquitoes are the bain of my life, collecting upon average about 4/5 bites a day. Which doesn't sound like a lot but that's potentially 140 over a month! I think the surface area of my tiny torso can fit about 100 max so we'll see how that works out. And before you ask, yes I have a mozzy net, and I consistently lather myself up with 50% deet. But honestly, the stuffs about as effective as the England Football teams back four. Thankfully this is apparently a malaria free zone, although when David went to the hospital he said 80% of cases were....you've guessed it. eek.
To Finish
I Imagine that about 3 of you have made it this far, definitely Harrison Gilmore, well done sir!
We're all getting on really well, having some great time of bible study, prayer and worship underlying any niggles that may exist. It's sometimes tricky figuring out how all this fits into our faith and how what we're doing fits into the "Mission/Purpose of God" but it's exciting too. We all firmly believe that Our God is Able!
Money has been a difficulty as my card is refusing to work, Aaron's got nicked and you'll have to ask Luke yourself about his situation! thankfully rich guys Drackie and Mew have bailed us out for a couple of days.
I'd love it if you wanted to pray for my health, and Mackie's bum! We've been going strictly veggie so stomach issues seem to be ok. Thanks for those of you who've texted! I'm a cheapskate so can't reply, but any questions fire them out and I'll do my best.
au revoir!
Tuesday 20 July 2010
Tomorrrow may rain so, I'll follow the sun?
Don't have masses of time but feel like I should keep a few precious ones updated about whats happening here! Would be good to kick it off by saying its going fantastically well so far. It ain't a photo blog like Bangalore, d'y'wanna fight about it?
I did two consecutive all nighters after Andy and Debbie's marvelous Brum wedfest. Getting an all night bus to Heathrow, meeting Usian Bolt for a quick drink then flying out to Mumbai. Upon arrival it turned out the guys administrative skills were beyond comprehension, they had forgotten what day I arrived and had only recieved my fb message on the day. This meant I had no room to get back to so we had to sit around at the airport from 1.30am until 5am! Not much fun to be honest but good to link up.
After a wee sleep on the floor at the conventish place we're lodging at we went to find the father to secure my room for the next fortnight. He then revealed that he was planning on kicking the boys out because they broke the curfew the other night by three hours! Naturally he was quite pissed, but we concucted an elaborate letter of apology that seems to have done the trick, touch wood... Accom is nice, have my own room with a shower. Has less rats than the last place and is pretty secure, but slightly off the beaten track.
So what are we up to? It's flippin amazing actually, has all fallen into place rather remarkably. The boys have been up to a few different things in different slums, and I headed into Bandra slum, has probably near a million people in it, we're in the eastern region that has over 200,000 people. (22mill in Mumbai). The state of living is pretty shocking, smelly, filthy, high piles of waste everywhere with dogs and people doing their stuff wherever, whenever. It's also absolutely boiling and it's the middle of the monsoon season, not a great time for us "Milky White" boys to be here, but thats ok.
I'm in a project called Blue Edge, it's run by Oasis India, www.oasisindia.org and is sponsored by Blue Dart/DHL businesses. What it does is teach English, Social Skills and IT to 18-25 year olds that have grown up in slums and want to improve their education to gain employment elsewhere. It's amazing, I've never seen anywhere like it. Their enthusiasm to learn is almost creepy, I called a breaktime earlier in the English Class and got refused because it was "so interesting!". Crazy. So me and Aaron spend our days there as the others are in other projects. I'll have to explain those another time as I've only got a few left. It's different to Bangalore as we spend the whole day in the slum and are getting to know quite a few different locals in the community. English is sometimes good and sometimes limited, but we're just learning a lot about poverty and suffering, while trying to serve through this project and hanging out with some lads and letting them know that we think they're wicked.
Food has been a slight problem, not sure what to eat and what not to eat so have sort of not eaten a terrific amount. Mainly cake and banana sandwiches.
The first poo in days went well though, solid and with no after effects.
Visited Bombay Baptist Church on Sunday, was jetlagged but it was great, and lots of other sweet stuff has happened. It's been great to pray with the boys and try and serve this community out here. Our students are actually learning loads and it's a great chance to bring His Kingdom in in that sense, giving them a chance where they didn't. Only doing blue edge for a couple of weeks though, then Pune. Already feeling sad about that as after a few days have got to know some of the students as friends, going round for lunch on Thursday!
If you ever pray, (if not, try!) then pray for our health and our effectiveness in the classroom. We aren't currently preaching the gospel in class or anything but people are asking good questions! It's run by believers but available to all, a bit like Cantle...
My diet is less balanced than a see saw with Heskey and Defoe on and I've already sweated more than Harry Frederick in a...than Harry Frederick.
please text if you want! I love gettin em. Especially sports news!
byee!
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (We're studying James)
I did two consecutive all nighters after Andy and Debbie's marvelous Brum wedfest. Getting an all night bus to Heathrow, meeting Usian Bolt for a quick drink then flying out to Mumbai. Upon arrival it turned out the guys administrative skills were beyond comprehension, they had forgotten what day I arrived and had only recieved my fb message on the day. This meant I had no room to get back to so we had to sit around at the airport from 1.30am until 5am! Not much fun to be honest but good to link up.
After a wee sleep on the floor at the conventish place we're lodging at we went to find the father to secure my room for the next fortnight. He then revealed that he was planning on kicking the boys out because they broke the curfew the other night by three hours! Naturally he was quite pissed, but we concucted an elaborate letter of apology that seems to have done the trick, touch wood... Accom is nice, have my own room with a shower. Has less rats than the last place and is pretty secure, but slightly off the beaten track.
So what are we up to? It's flippin amazing actually, has all fallen into place rather remarkably. The boys have been up to a few different things in different slums, and I headed into Bandra slum, has probably near a million people in it, we're in the eastern region that has over 200,000 people. (22mill in Mumbai). The state of living is pretty shocking, smelly, filthy, high piles of waste everywhere with dogs and people doing their stuff wherever, whenever. It's also absolutely boiling and it's the middle of the monsoon season, not a great time for us "Milky White" boys to be here, but thats ok.
I'm in a project called Blue Edge, it's run by Oasis India, www.oasisindia.org and is sponsored by Blue Dart/DHL businesses. What it does is teach English, Social Skills and IT to 18-25 year olds that have grown up in slums and want to improve their education to gain employment elsewhere. It's amazing, I've never seen anywhere like it. Their enthusiasm to learn is almost creepy, I called a breaktime earlier in the English Class and got refused because it was "so interesting!". Crazy. So me and Aaron spend our days there as the others are in other projects. I'll have to explain those another time as I've only got a few left. It's different to Bangalore as we spend the whole day in the slum and are getting to know quite a few different locals in the community. English is sometimes good and sometimes limited, but we're just learning a lot about poverty and suffering, while trying to serve through this project and hanging out with some lads and letting them know that we think they're wicked.
Food has been a slight problem, not sure what to eat and what not to eat so have sort of not eaten a terrific amount. Mainly cake and banana sandwiches.
The first poo in days went well though, solid and with no after effects.
Visited Bombay Baptist Church on Sunday, was jetlagged but it was great, and lots of other sweet stuff has happened. It's been great to pray with the boys and try and serve this community out here. Our students are actually learning loads and it's a great chance to bring His Kingdom in in that sense, giving them a chance where they didn't. Only doing blue edge for a couple of weeks though, then Pune. Already feeling sad about that as after a few days have got to know some of the students as friends, going round for lunch on Thursday!
If you ever pray, (if not, try!) then pray for our health and our effectiveness in the classroom. We aren't currently preaching the gospel in class or anything but people are asking good questions! It's run by believers but available to all, a bit like Cantle...
My diet is less balanced than a see saw with Heskey and Defoe on and I've already sweated more than Harry Frederick in a...than Harry Frederick.
please text if you want! I love gettin em. Especially sports news!
byee!
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (We're studying James)
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