Archive for 2010
Final 3 days in Kerala
Wednesday, December 29th, 2010
I am finally beginning the journey home; we spent 3 days in Kerala which was supposed to be filled with much deserved Rest and Relaxation yet the reality most of it wasn’t. Our first night was at a hotel on the outskirts of Cochin and was simple and clean, far different than what was advertised by the tour operator but seeing it had a pool the kids were excited.
Day 2 involved what we thought was a 1 hour taxi ride to the houseboat for our day on the backwaters of Kerala cruising in a 2 bedroom houseboat complete with cook, driver and captain. The drive turned into 3 hours and included sightseeing and shopping which our driver insisted we participate in. Seeing we were captive we went along and after what seemed like forever we finally made it to the houseboat and checked in.
The houseboat was the real deal and if you are ever in Kerala and want something to do, go cruise the backwaters, it’s well worth the time and expense. Just remember you want to have AC regardless of the time of year and be sure to talk to them about the menu to avoid any surprises come meal time.
Day 3 was spent in a car driving. It took us over an hour to get to our next “resort” which turned out to be less a ”resort” and more of just simple bungalows in the middle of palm groves close to the ocean. As mentioned we arrived somewhat hopeful of a really nice property and were quickly disappointed in that it lacked pretty much everything we were looking forward too expect it did have hot water. After checking in we settled in and about 30 minutes later I was told by the front desk manager that the next day all the taxi drivers were going on strike and it would be advisable for us to leave at midnight to ensure we could make it to the airport without incident. I didn’t have to think to long to know we were checking out immediately and so we did.
The taxi driver was called and he returned and 3.5 hours later we were in Cochin at the airport trying to find a flight out. All the flight were booked and so I got 2 rooms at the airport in their transit hotel and we settled in for the night relieved that we weren’t having to face any striking taxi drivers who might be blocking the roads and causing havoc. (Something I have witnessed first hand from prior trips to Kerala and striking taxi drivers.)
Today, Wednesday, was filled with waiting and flying. Our flight to Chennai was 2 hours delayed and our arrival at the Radisson was hurried but alas we made it only to be reminded that we can’t really enjoy the stay. Shower, dinner and a quick nap before leaving for the US.
Was the extra 3 days worth it after a splendid 10 days at Light of Love and New Life Children’s Home? In retrospect, sure, I would take the 3 days but choose to stay much closer to Chennai or whatever airport I am flying home from. I would also not work with a tour operator again; I just can’t trust their hotel suggestions. They got it right on the houseboat but that was it. Live and learn. Next time I have 3 free days to spend relaxing with the family in India it will be at a nice hotel in or near the city and it will have a pool.
One last note, we finally did receive Carrie’s luggage from British Airways, today, delivered to our hotel just 6 hours before we leave for the US. Talk about timing and red tape. If you have a choice to fly and it includes British Airways – skip em, it’s not worth the cheaper fare. Their poor handling of baggage has plagued them for awhile now and it appears they still don’t know how to solve their problem.
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Water and Life
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
Yesterday our team consisted of 18 people crammed into 3 vehicles traveling down some pretty bumpy roads. After about 1.5 hours a driving we finally made it to our first water project dedication. The greeting we received from the villagers was fantastic and just the fact that the village was enjoying their very own water pump was tremendous to witness.
As the day wore on and we travelled from village to village navigating the roads, pot holes, goats and cows, not to mention the crazy drivers which are coming at us or flying past us, the day was rich in experience. For me the final project we dedicated was the most rewarding. We arrived at this place after lunch and we shed the entire team but me and 3 others and as we exited the vehicle we were immediately surrounded by the villagers. You could immediately sense there was something different about this place and the people as the joy they were expressing was unbelievable. They walked with us down their streets very proud to show off their new hand pump well.
We gathered around the project my wife Carrie carried out the dedication, her first ever in the 10 years of Wells for Life existence, but not too bad for being a first time visitor to the interior places of India. As the curtain displaying the dedication stone was drawn and the ribbon on the pump handle was cut you could just sense God’s presence in that place.
This was particularly evident after they sat us down and the children started singing. I think there were 3 maybe 4 different songs being sung with the last one being a young woman with a quite yet beautiful voice sing Hallelujah. I can’t think of a better dedication than one in which the recipients are truly grateful for the gift that they have been given.
The gift of water is really a gift. A gift giving by generous people who understand the value of a life and its preciousness and they further understand that without the act of giving their talk of being concerned for the poor and less fortunate is nothing more than meaningless babble. I often wonder why our talk is so cheap and why is it that people don’t back up their claims and the only thing that I can come up with is that it is just easier to talk a good “game” than to actually not say anything and just allow one’s actions to do the talking for them.
When I see all the pain, suffering, and need in rural India, my heart breaks because my hands are tied. Could I do more, most definitely. Why don’t I? Because I am limited only in resources, yet I take solace in the fact that God holds the keys to my resources and so He knows when the time is right for an increase to come. In the meantime I remain focused and steadfast in my mission to bring life through water to the poorest of the poor here in India.
Back to the village; as we stood to leave we were rushed upon with hands and arms outstretched, clamoring for a touch, a hug, a chance for a prayer and to be blessed. Is there anything better than this, being in community despite being strangers just 10 minutes previous?
Love is a very powerful thing, and when it is experienced within the context of community and a common bond, it is so amazing and something that I wouldn’t trade for all the money in the world.
Water truly is life and God truly is the giver of all life!
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Clean water in India
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
It’s Tuesday morning and day 3 here at New Life Children’s Home. We are about 30 minutes south of Tuni and about an hour and 15 minutes from the Visak airport.
Yesterday I took about half the team to dedicate 4 water projects in the interior places and hopefully when I can find a dedicated internet connection I can begin to upload some photos.
In the interest of the internet connection that I can obtain which I believe is slower than dial up, remember those days of AOL? A
nyway here are a couple of links to some blog posting of those traveling with me. These posts are amazing and I hope you read them as they paint a wonderful picture of what we are experiencing here in India!
http://badgerlandexpress.blogspot.com
http://adelantecourtney.blogspot.com/2010/12/they-called-it-loveand-now-i-know-its.html
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Bollywood H2O is coming again, Spring 2011
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
Bollywood H2O – A Wells For Life Benefit
The Meeting of Two Great Oceans – Featuring Sidewalk Prophets – April 16, 2011 – Sonoma Country Day School – - tickets available soon
Check back for more details; mark your calendars, this is going to be a great event!!!
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Just in time for Christmas
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
Who would have thought a trip to India for Christmas would have happened in my lifetime? After all when you are married and have children the only place they want to be on December 24 is tucked into their beds all roasty toasty waiting for the crack of dawn Christmas morning. Dad and mom however would much rather sleep in but that’s a different story.
So how did I pull off convincing the family that Christmas in India would be a really cool thing and would be the experience of a lifetime?
Not sure, I am still trying to figure out the answer to that question but regardless of whether or not I come up with something that causes my kids little brains to compute that this trip is a good idea, the fact remains were going and in only 9 short days.
Unfortunately for them all they can focus on for now is the fact that they are missing school Christmas parties and that dad is a scrooge! Oh well, life’s tough. For them that is.
My wife and I however are really looking forward to this trip and can’t think of a better way to spend the Christmas season than with friends and over 1,000 orphan children. In addition to being with the kids, we are going to carry out 8 water project dedications in some tribal villages and if the rain would just stop where we are going to be, we could get these projects completed.
So is there any part of the trip that I am not looking forward to? Yup, the part where my kids and others keep asking me, “Are we there yet?” Granted, the trip is really long, but really, or as my 9 year old says, “Seriously!” get a clue people were going to India and that takes a long time, even for an airplane traveling more than 350 mph, would you rather do the trip on a boat?
Alright, I’ll move on, India over Christmas is going to be grand! I can’t wait to get there and I can’t think of a better way to expose others to what the rest of the world is really like even on Christmas morning. I can only hope that my kids get a glimpse of what other children experience on Christmas morning, which isn’t a tree decorated with lights, bulbs and tensile, wait, that tensile stuff is so outdated, ok, just lights and bulbs, and a lot of presents. Nope; where we are going and in most villages in India, no tree, no lights, no bulbs, and usually no wrapped presents.
“So what is Christmas then?” is a question I hope they ask as that can produce the ahh ha moment that all parents want their children experiencing. For me, it will be when I can answer the question of “What is Christmas?” with the story of a child sent from God; that my friend, is Christmas.
The greatest gift that has ever been given was given to us by God in the form of a child named Jesus. Thankfully the magnitude of this gift continues to grown in me and hasn’t become like last year’s gifts – broken, discarded, or sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
No, this gift that God gave continues to do some strange things inside of me…. like spending Christmas with my family at an orphanage in India.
Man, I can’t wait!
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