Recently there has been a lot of change in my life, I am starting some new things that are going to take up a lot of my time and I will need to focus. Something has gotta give. No fear, some dear friends of mine here will be taking my place, and you can look forward to many exciting posts!

Just want to say a big thanks to Mike and also Justin (it was great meeting you and your family!!) Keep up the good work. To my fellow bloggers: Keep living the creed! Love you, goodbye, and God bless!

Ps: Congratulations for Vas and Joni on your beautiful baby girl. I really admire both of you!

Houses being rebuilt

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Village mother outside her home

Me at the orphanage

Front door of a village home

I like this picture

I took this while driving home

Took about a four hour drive to a small village. Stopped at a small orphanage/shelter home for women. The same people are also running a school for about 600 children so we went to the school as well. They needed sponsorship for a new building as the attendance goes up every year, and some classes were studying outside in a shed like building.

Visited another project that The Family International is working on, the building and reconstruction of about 60 houses. Houses are the main security for these people, and many of them only make enough money to eat for one day and cannot afford to have a house (house = 1 semi large room that contains the kitchen, bedroom, and sitting room, and one bathroom)

I learned something very new on this trip. I learnt that giving people what they need is not easy. The sponsors usually have a certain project or concept in mind, but out there on the field there is a different picture. Evaluating who to give to, what to give them, how to give it to them, and executing all the work is no small task…whew! I have so much admiration for my dad who has put hours, days, weeks, and months of time and patience into this.

PS: something interesting…the house papers are all in the women’s names as many of the men drink a lot and fail to support their families. The women take care of the children and work, so they get the house!

Click for pics!

Not enough classrooms!

Sunrise over Chennai beach

We arrived at lunch time, and after lunch a few phone calls, took a short drive to a school where The Family International is sponsoring the building of one more floor. The School is not large enough to hold the influx of students so many of them are sitting outside under the trees. Or in the hallways for class, I though it a very worthwhile project. The Government recently got quite strict about the structure, hygiene standard and fire safety of Schools, Many old school buildings have been condemned and torn down, without being immediately replaced, Across the road they are working on a big school building to fit the almost 1600 student. Of course projects like this cost a lot of money, much of which still needs to come through.

Our home for the next few days is the provincial house of the nuns that we are working on this project with. They are wonderfully kind and hospitable.

My parents have known this family for like eons. They live right beside the beach, before anything else took a walk down the beach and only ended up home one and a half hours later (with a couple nice photographs).

Had a nice dinner with them and a rock’m’sockem (in true 80’s family lingo) inspiration. Quite tired so I feel asleep almost immediately.

Spent most of Sunday morning smiling, singing and generally having a pretty good time. This coming Sunday is my last week singing (after a whole year) so I’ll take some pictures and post a couple.

After lunch headed into the Shopping Center side of the hotel, into the book store/Chai Bar (Chai is tea with lotsa milk and sugar). Flipped through some books with awesome photography which I greatly enjoyed. I didn’t realize how long I’d been there till I got outside it was pouring cats and dogs, like if I was in the rain I would’ve been drenched in less than a minute After sitting around in the lobby for over half an hour and thinking about how much I wanted to get home. I borrowed an umbrella from the hotel parking lot, (it was huge). Its too bad I couldn’t take a picture to show you, but Bangalore roads don’t have storm drains, and they were like mini rivers, lotsa cars stalling, and I was in a auto rickshaw so it was a miracle that I got home at all. But I still love India!

Stayed awake pretty late watching “The Island”, kind sci-fi/futuristic but interesting nevertheless.

Oh yeah I packed before the movie for my trip, gonna spend five days traveling the coast to visit tsunami effected areas where The Family International has done extensive work.

It was neighbour’s sixtieth Birthday party, a very new experience for me. This party wasn’t designed to be fun (although I thought it was quite fun!) The purpose is to invoke the blessings of God. Inviting godly people increases the flow of God’s blessings. And so amongst the other 50 people invited, she wanted all of us to come (I mean everyone in our home, 24 ppl). Her house isn’t that big so my mom wisely brought the number down to around 13 (still a crowd).

Since they live just down the road, I got dressed in a Salwar Kameez (one of the many ethnic costumes) and went to her house. Before I even reach the door I hear rhythmic music greeting me, the house was packed full already I doubt it could fit barely one more person. Her husband motioned me to one last free space on the floor. I sat down unceremoniously, and
realized I was sitting directly in front of a very loud speaker (the kind u plug into the wall..J). I enjoy most music here in India, but this was ‘live’ which made it special.

The Band was a group of 16 ppl. All sitting very close to each other on the floor, with various instruments, and microphones scattered between them. The percussion is my favourite, and it is not as easy to play as it looks, for example when playing the ‘tabla’ they hit a specific note with each beat. The beat ranges from slow and mild to a wild frenzy that make you want to get up and dance (I restrained myself)! They were singing bajaans (songs of praise to Gods).

After about an hour of this devotional music, the priest did a short Pooja, after which the crowd headed out to the garden for a traditional south Indian dinner cooked by Brahmin’s. (Brahmin’s are the highest caste, and some staunch Brahmins will only eat if another Brahmin cooks the food). Ate way to much Idly,(fermented steamed rice, that might not sound
good but it is!!!) sambar (lentils) Uttapam (Onion dosa), chutney, and of course it wouldn’t be complete without the Ghee sweets (there were plenty). On my way out, I got a gift wrapped coconut J along with all the other guests. I love India!

The last five months all the 12-16 year olds have been part of a competition to see who could get the highest number of Activated subscriptions. I have been taking the teens out occasionally, and following their progress. For this last month all the teens have been meeting up at one home, praying and then dividing into groups of three (two teens and one adult).

Last night was the last night of the Race, so the air was quite electric and everyone wanted to do the best they could. In two hours my team won eight souls, got out ten tracts, and sold 30 magazines. Many of the other teams got subscriptions too. By 9:00 we took the teens to an Ice-cream parlour and they compared stats and just chatted with each other. Haven’t done that for awhile so it was refreshing, and also wonderful to see the young teens so bold and excited about Activated.

I guess its easier to be somewhere where everybody relates to and supports you and stay committed, and quite a different story otherwise.

At the end of the day, there is one real reason why I want to stick with this life. And that is… no matter how many other roads there could be or paths that I could take, I’m drawn to this path. I’ve gone so far down this way now and I’m not going back just because I can’t see what’s ahead, just because its unusual, just because sometimes I don’t feel I can take one more step. I believe the really great people are the people that can work without recognition. It is so much more meaningful when something comes straight from the heart and it’s not for fame, money, position, or praise, but rather for love, because they love what they are doing.

That kind of greatness is my goal. I have great days and bad days just like everyone else. But deep down I know… its love that’s keeping me going!

I have a question too. “What keeps you doing what your doing? (whatever it may be) What is the motivating factor in your life, the main goal and purpose?” Be great to hear some replies!