What would you do for food?

This was the conversation that arose as Janine and I ate lunch today.  It wasn't about how much we were enjoying the veg fried rice and Haka mixed noodles at a beach side cafe (and I mean literally on the sand, on the beach), it was about the little girl who performed circus acts and then went around asking for money afterwards right in the sand in front of the restaurant.

Janine wrote a post about poverty, about it being in your face in the places we have lived over the last 4 months, and all the feelings it invokes, I did not weigh in, but here we go.

We watched as the little girl, maybe 9 or 10, helped her partner, likely her mom or older sister set up a tight rope from a few bamboo poles and yellow nylon rope.  She had a mallet and beat a big metal stake into the ground that served as her rope’s anchor.  She honestly had the poise and look of what I imagine John Henry having as he raced that machine laying down railroad spikes.

She started the show by doing contortionist acts, I wondered in my head whether being doubled jointed here was a curse or a blessing.  Her partner beat out a rhythm on a little drum, as the girl danced with a few gold bowls on her head and then climbed the bamboo pole and started her act. At first she simply walked across the line, then she walked with an old bicycle rim in between her legs, placing each step on the inside of the rim. The maneuvers continued to increase in difficulty as the 5 minute show went on.

At the conclusion, the drum stopped and the partner started breaking down the tight rope.  It went up in 5 minutes, the show lasted 5 minutes, and it was down in 4.  The little girl started making her rounds to the outer tables of the two beachside establishments.  I watched as she stood staring at a european couple that acted as though she was not there.  They looked intensely at one another, not saying a word to each other.  You could hear the words in their head formulating “If we pretend she’s not there, she will go away, and go bother that other couple eating the fish curry.”

She walked to the couple eating the fish curry.  Janine asked me if we could purchase another bottle of water to give them.  I had the same thought only moments earlier, so within a minute Janine was handing the girl a cold Aquafina to the response of “thank you,” and then she traveled to the next table.  That couple told her they “didn’t have anything” and the next couple gave her 10 rupees (20 cents).

We watched her slowly drink the water we had given her, then her partner lifted the bamboo poles on to her head, the little girl lifted a bundle containing the rope, stakes, mallet and other possessions on to her head, and they headed the 2 km walk down the beach to next group of beach shacks.

Janine and I sat at our table and continued what seems to be a pretty constant discussion of poverty.  How giving money is not sustainable.  How she is only being encouraged to keep asking for money when she receives it. I remarked how I wish somebody would give the girl a college fund, and how America truly is the land of opportunity, because people don’t walk on tight ropes on beaches in Florida just hoping to get enough money to eat that day.  In America, there is option after option to get an education, to get food, and to have some resemblance of a stable safe environment to live in.  That is not the case for many people in India.  Even the people we serve in Africa are in a better situation than that little girl and her partner seemed to be.

That little girl had no choice. Sadly, it’s doubtful that in the smallest state in India, Goa, with one of the highest Christian populations in the country, this little girl will know much else than performing for survival.  She will likely walk a tight rope until the day comes when its her turn to carry the poles and beat the drum.

Janine remarked that she would likely do the same to eat if she had to, she said she actually feared to think what she might do if she was actually starving.  The fact is that most likely anyone reading this post hasn’t been in that situation, and by God’s grace won’t be.  But the question for me is, what do we do for the little girl?

Do we just give her money, so that she will continue to walk the same beach, performing the same acts, for the children of the sun burnt tourists that watched her years before?  I pray not.  Money is not the answer to poverty as we have observed over and over.  Choice, education, and resources are the way to end poverty and give little girls, like the one who heart-breakingly provided our lunch time entertainment, an opportunity to live in the God given dignity you and I experience every single waking moment.

Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts and opinions. Thank you once again for taking an interest in our lives, as we pray for God to give us eyes to take an interest in the lives of others.  Grace and Peace. 

Week 3 of Our Whistle-stop Tour

So it's been way too long since we told you what we've been up to here in India.  Our trip has been really fast moving but in doing so, in only 4 weeks we have seen many of the highlights of north, central, and southern India.  We have only stayed in each spot for 2 nights at most.  We are going to continue to let the pictures tell the stories, so here we go...


Khajuraho

This place is famous for these temples that different Maharajahs built throughout the history of India.  They are really old and were not destroyed during war times because they were hidden so deep in the forest.  They are ridiculously intricate. 

This is a close up on the temple.  There are millions of these intricate carvings covering every inch of the temple. If you've heard of Khajuraho, you've probably heard of the "suggestive" carvings some of the temples have. It's true, but to be honest, they weren't as prominent and distractive as we thought they might be. The temples were really beautiful and incredibly vast. 

Janine has made it a point to take the "self photos" everywhere we go, she's become an expert! (For you "Friends" lovers - Janine is totally Joey from the London episode - and David is actually kinder than Chandler, but still hates it.)

On Safari - Bandhavgarh and Khana National Parks

TIGERS!  Two adolescents male brothers.  They were the only ones we saw the whole time.  It was on our first game drive about an hour in.  We had 5 game drives total.

This is the countryside as we drove in between parks. We've had an opportunity to see a lot of the country side as we have driven and riden trains throughout India. Really lovely places. 

 A male Somber Deer after his mud bath.

The Monkey King's Throne.

Mumbai aka Bombay

This is us on New Year's Day in downtown Mumbai by Chowpatty beach.

 We took a 4 hr tour around the city with an 18 year old girl who works for the travel agency we booked our trip with. She was FANTASTIC and took us all around. One place we stopped outside was the Taj Palace hotel; this is where some terrorist attacks occurred in 2008.

This is Dhobi Ghat, the largest of this type of laundry system in Mumbai.  There are multiple areas like this in different sections of the city that the people of that neighborhood use for their laundry service. This one has been around for more than 150 years! The men who work there (men only) are incredibly savvy - a large majority are illiterate and use a symbol or tag system to help them keep the clothes together for each person or family. AMAZING! There are no clothes pins - there are 2 ropes twisted and the clothes are pinched between them. The clothes are handwashed in concrete stalls - beat against the walls - look right in front of all the white clothes hung together. Pretty Incredible stuff. 

We had laundry done through our hotel service, and when it came back every piece had a thread stitched through a tag or button or something with this tag on it. EVERY piece!

We walked thru a market in Mumbai... as we have in many many places. But we love the fruits and veggies everywhere. We love how families buy daily and eat these fresh everyday. Jealous really, and have thought sooo much about how in America we are so far away from our food. It's sad really. We are way to insulated. More about that another day. 

Coming up in our next Blog... Week 4: Cochin, Munnar, Alleppey and where we are now, Goa.

The Other Side of this Adventure

Well this is my real honest blog about how I’m feeling and what I’m seeing. We are REALLY enjoying ourselves, we are seeing beautiful things, and we are enjoying time with each other in India, BUT… there is another side to this adventure. (That’s just a disclaimer cause what follows is only one side of my thoughts and emotions – I’m really not down or sad – just being honest. Sorry for the lack of pics in this one, just wanted to share thoughts.)

Every day we face things in India (and in Kenya) that make it difficult to be away from home and from what’s familiar. We count this life as a gift from God and count this journey as a great opportunity to see more of the world He created and to learn how it is we are to interact with it. We are open to how we are to grow and learn in relation to what we see and experience. I invite you to know some of the inner dialogue I’m experiencing.

I don’t want to have to live in a place where I smell garbage burning everyday, where I have black boogers from the major pollution, where on my daily walk I have to avoid copious piles of poop. I don’t want to have to see a 4 year old taking care of a 3 months old, a mother begging in a train station so she can feed her 1 week old baby, a child walking around barefoot with ripped dirty clothes snot running down his face matted dirty hair holding out his hand for my muffin. I don’t want to be faced with poverty.

I don’t want to have the same 6 shirts to keep wearing over and over even when they are dirty and smell or have the pollution from the day all over them. I want to walk to my laundry room and pull out a fresh hoodie from the dryer with the wonderful smell of laundry detergent and dryer sheets. I want to put on clean socks. I want to be warm in my room. I don’t want to see kids and adults with a polio effected bodies walking around on there hands on the sides of busy streets because their legs are unusable.  I don’t want to see old ladies and men completely hunched over like a table top using a thin stick to stabilize themselves as they walk. I don’t want to see people carrying heavy propane tanks in bags that lie on their backs and strap over their foreheads as they walk the polluted streets with crazy terrain back to their homes. I don’t want to see people pooping next to the train tracks as I travel by staring out my window. I don't want to see guys peeing on public streets and building. I don’t want to think about kids having no place to go the bathroom or wash their hands. I don't want to see streets covered in trash.

Check out the motorcycle passing by the cow... there's NEVER enough room to get by.

This is a common view - animals eating trash in the road. Sadly, there's more animals than there
is trash to feed them so some animals aren't quite as healthy as this one looks. 

This is not snow, this is pollution in the air. On Christmas night the traffic was crazy
on the way back from our Varanasi - Ganges River ghats visit.

I don’t want to have to negotiate the price for everything because of my skin color. I don’t want to have to avoid getting spit on by camels, kicked or hit by cows, bit by monkeys or dogs, all while I walk down the street. I don’t want to ride on a road that doesn’t have lines marking the lanes, or rules enforced for people who speed, follow to close, don’t have lights, pass when they’re not supposed to – it really is dangerous.

I don’t want to witness all the damage and danger people cause themselves due to their jobs and not having the proper prevention practices in place – like the people who fix the roads who are crouched on the road with no protective eyewear, mask, colored vest, marking cones, nothing – while fast cars swerve past them. Or the man who’s welding with nothing over his eyes. Or the lady making cow patties for fuel sitting alone in the dark by they side of the train tracks with nothing on her hands as she pounds the patties on the side of the city wall to dry. (I don’t care how poor people are in the US, I don’t think we’d ever see someone hand making cow patties to sell for fuel.)

I’m trying to reconcile these feelings – like because of all these things above, I just want to go back to the US, where it isn’t like that.  But is that the response God would want from me. Yes, he’s given me the ability to choose where I want to live, and choose how I want to live - some basic things – a toilet, soap, but some extravagant things (not necessary) dryer for my clothes, hangers for each of my shirts (i.e. not cramming 5 shirts on one hanger), having more than one hoodie, etc.  But is that what I should choose?  Is that how I should live? It’s so sad to me that so many people live without these things – and I mean the basics – that for me to think, “Well, I’ll just go back to a place that does have those things, and not have to think about it.” That's sooooo wrong! It’s pompos and rude and surely not Christ-like at all. I think my thoughts of “Well, when I have a house I want it to have x,y, z.” I mean surely God is happy to hear my wants and desires, but am I really glorifying God with that? Or am I turning a blind eye to the way the people of the world are forced to live.

In a time when I have the ability to teach someone how to build a latrine, why that’s important, how it improves theirs’ and their communities’ health – shouldn’t I? Or should I just give the country my tourist dollars and head back to the US with lots of pictures of the gorgeous things and the pictures of the not so great or “yeah, isn’t that crazy, that’s how they live” kinda stuff. It’s disgusting to me that my heart is so ugly – why would I even want to go back to a place where I don’t have to think about this way of life? A life lived in poverty. If I just go back home, I don’t have to be involved. I don’t have to do anything. I just have to figure out what meal I’ll make for the party I want to have where maybe I’ll show the people some pictures of my trip to India. Gross! I’m gross!! And I’m sorry. I am “on the adventure of a lifetime” as many have told me, but it’s hard to reconcile all the thoughts I have when I see poverty, lack, disease, distress, idol worship, misspent effort and money, hurting families, kids without, parents without, ugh… It’s tough. It’s beautiful don’t get me wrong, in fact we’re about to go on safaris where we’ll surely see amazing animals, but that’s not all that is going on while we travel.

We’re faced everyday with people asking for our money. I don’t want to be targeted by every panhandler on the street because of my skin color. I want to be anonymous and left alone. I don’t want to be asked for my shoes, my clothes, my hat, my glasses, my food, my money. Oh but wait, none of that is mine. It’s all God’s. And what should my response be? I don’t think handouts work in the long run, so what do I do?

We have to constantly check for people who might try to take advantage of us, steal from us, put us in a compromising situation. We have to talk to family and friends over skype – we don’t get the personal connection of real face to face. We miss Christmas, New Years, birthdays, and other memorable events with family and friends. We have the real danger of having a crazy accident anytime we’re on the road (I know that’s the same everywhere – but there are added obstacles and lack of regulations here that make this statement a bit different). We have to juggle thoughts of moving back to the US with thoughts of not “turning a blind eye” to all we’re seeing. We’re responsible ya know? We should be at least. To do something to better the world – to bring more of God’s Kingdom here. And to whom much is given, much is required  (Luke 12:48 "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." ESV) We were given 5 weeks in India (and 9 months in Kenya)– what’s required of us? We’re seeking God to know the answer to that. But we ask you to pray with us and for us to know how we are to live out our lives in light of so many living in poverty and need. What is our role?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Varanasi, India!  Janine and I are definitely missing celebrating with our families and the people we love, but we are happy to be here so that we can spread the love of Jesus, and bless some people's lives.

 This is up sporting our Elf t-shirts in front of the Ganges River in Varanasi, India.  We were the only elves on the Ghat believe it or not.

 This is sunrise on the 3rd largest mountain in the world.  Khangchendzonga mountain in the Himalaya.

 This is a goat wearing a little kids shirt.  This isn't the first time we have seen this actually.  I'm wondering if that Island that Fox took Pinocchio to is actually located somewhere here in India.

 Janine and I in a Catholic Church on Christmas Day.  There was a HUGE celebration going on there, complete with a carnival roller coaster and just about anything else you can imagine.

 Janine and I watching the sunrise from Tiger Hill, the guy behind me is not as happy to be there as J9 and I were.

 This was a ceremony they perform each night on the Ganges to put the river gods to sleep.  It was quite the scene.  The people in the background are actually sitting on boats in the river.

 Taking tea on the train.  We have taken two train rides, one lasting 28 hours, the other lasting 12.

 This is the same compartment just looking in J9's direction.  It was a pretty small space to sit in for so long, we had another bunk to sleep in above us.

I'm smelling some of the best tea money can buy.  We are in Darjeeling which is world famous for the tea they grow.  The tea in the jar is actually dried a special way.  The leaves are not shredded, instead they are balled up and actually open when introduced to hot water.  Pretty cool!

Hope you all are doing great, please leave a comment and say hello if you have time!
Love you all,
D

INDIA!!!

We are in INDIA!  We have been traveling for 6 days so far, and have been to Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra.  It's been a very busy trip, but we have been really enjoying it.  India is definitely unlike any other place I've been.  Janine and I seem to compare things here more to Kenya more than we do the US, funnily enough.

So I just want to let the pictures do the talking.

Us at The Taj Mahal.  It was a "foggy" day.  The fog is actually really awful air pollution.  Because of winter, and the cold air sinking, it creates an inversion layer, trapping all the nasty smog at ground level.  Didn't know you were getting and environmental science lesson today, did you?

This is from Keoladeo National Park.  It's a bird sanctuary.  Janine and I got some awesome pics here, as it was nesting time for all the stork chicks.  We took a 2 hour long tour through the park via rickshaw.

This is Janine and I in the inner part of a Masque.  I always feel weird going deep inside the temples and especially the Masques, but Janine leads the charge into the places.  She got a $10 dollar offer on her bandanna from some guy.  We declined.

This elephant is 1 of 90 that makes 4 trips up and down the road to Amber Fort each day.  You can take the short ride and it'll only set you back about $18 US dollars.  Janine and I opted to walk the short 10 minute walk, and cost us $0.  Clark Howard would be proud.

This is the lake palace in Jaipur.  Super beautiful!  We heard they are planning on making a restaurant on it sometime in the upcoming year.

This is me trading hats with a snake charmer.  Snake charming is actually really sad, and definitely animal cruelty.  They remove the cobras fangs, and he lives his life, cooped up in this little basket.

Just 10 rupees (20 cents) got us this behind the scenes tour of a Garden Palace that was lived in by the actual Maharaja of Rajastan.  We even got to sit on his throne!  Like they say, the early bird gets to see old, dead, rich people's stuff.  (I can't decide if I think that's a funny joke.)

We miss you all, and we will try and post again before Christmas.  We start a 20 hr. long train journey tomorrow, bound for Darjeeling.  It's a very famous place for tea.  It's also in the Himalayas, which I'm super excited about, but it's gonna be cold.  I'll be snuggling my wife extra close!

Love and miss you all!

D

My boda was late because he was watching a "Witchman" witch some people!

Yep, that's right. That's the reason my boda was late to pick me up today. Alex is a super nice guy - never cheats us - very safe (slow even) driver - great English - talks as we ride... and usually never late. So, the fact that today he was late, was strange. I called, and he came right away and explained as we rode..."you know, something happened to make me forget." I asked what... and the story he gave was ....

A: "You know this balloon they are using to build the road."
J: "the balloon?"
A: "Yes, the balloon the construction workers use."
J: "Oh that, yes." (Still no idea, but wanted to hear more of what happened."
A: "Well, some people stole it."
J: "Oh, so were they trying to get it back today."
A: "They called the witchman to come."
J: "OH. Ok, so what happened."
A: "You know, he had them drink some potion - some water with some magic in"
J:" Ok, so what happened?"
A: "Well, the people who were the thieves they are just sitting still."
J: "What? they can't move."
A: "They're sitting, not moving, not talking. You know if they don't pay the witchman, they will surely die."
J: "What - they're dying?"
A: "Ah... you know they have to pay, and then they will be given the potion to reverse it, but if they don't pay, if their families don't get there in time, ah, they will surely die."
J: "WOW! really."
A: "Yes, you know this magic is strong."
J: "Yes."
A: "But you know it's very bad to steal. It's better to sweat than to steal."
J: "You mean it's better to work and sweat than to steal?"
A: "Yes, it's better to sweat than to steal."

So, as we passed by the area where this was happening, there was a HUGE crowd walking on the path to and from where it was happening. He said that many people had come to watch. I asked why the thieves would drink it if they knew they were guilty. He said, they were just thinking nothing would happen. Wow... interesting story.

Ok, night everyone. ~ Janine

Welp it's December.... How did that happen?




Here's a look back on a few fantastic events! THANKSGIVING in Kenya!!!!

Remember those turkeys from the other blog... well, this is them ;) Delicious!
Rebecca crafted this spit and commissioned it to be built especially for this task.

4 hours on the spit... Mateo and Thomas kept the turkeys lookin so right!
Of course it threatened rain all day, so the tarp was a must. (The gray bag is the Kenyan charcoal bag.)

Such an awesome meal! Everyone helped to serve each other. 

Delicious meal complete with fun Thanksgiving napkins thanks to mom and dad's box!

Rebecca spearheaded our Thanksgiving celebration - complete with deep dish pumpkin pie! We had a cooking schedule for all our food - Rebecca mapped it all out - which burner to use (only 4) and only one make shift oven (made out of pots and rocks and water).

We made turkeys for everyone and we wrote what we were thankful for about each other. 

The day after thanksgiving equals CHRISTMAS TIME!!! :) these shirts were also in the box mom and dad sent. We set up the projector and watched Christmas movies and ate Thanksgiving leftovers. It was a GREAT weekend!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. And we've been enjoying the upcoming Christmas season with Christmas movies ;) There was another great thing to celebrate - Nelly (the Program Leader for Healthcare) delivered a healthy baby boy on Nov. 23rd.

This is Nelly and Maroa - Maroa is Nelly's son. Here he is less than a day old.

Mom, these are the Christmas booties ;) 

Nelly is a PROUD mother of 4 - Maroa, Enid & Cheril (her 2 daughters), and Larry (her first born son)!

It was SUCH a blessing to visit Nelly and Maroa on Thanksgiving Day - the day after Maroa was born! SUCH a cutie! I loved visiting her, praying over her, & praising God with her for her Son. That morning she had sent me a text saying that she delivered a son - and how God had given her the desire of her heart. 


We are doing great here. We are getting ready for a 5 week break from Kenya. We'll be in India - and are really excited for that journey and opportunity. We will be on vacation for 3 weeks, and working from there our last 2 weeks before we return to Kenya. 


I have a birthday coming up - next weekend - Dirty Thirty ;) hahaha. Actually, I'm thrilled to be in Kenya for my 30th. It's a blessing to be doing a job that I'm passionate about and feel called to do, and to do it all alongside my husband. Amazing really! ;) The weekend will be a welcome change as this week will be CRAZY. It's our last 5 days of work with our Kenyan staff. LOTS to do!