Thursday, September 29, 2011
Singing New Songs
Dear friends,
Even though I just posted that last post, it's a few days since I wrote it. I have been feeling a bit better since then and am experiencing not as much anxiety. I'm still having sleeping issues, though, so please continue to pray for me to be "normal" as soon as possible.
I had about two weeks here at CMS with very little activity, and that's been very challenging for me! As you know, I like to be busy and involved and suddenly I was confronted with the anxiety I feel when I do not feel engaged, purposeful, or active. This, though uncomfortable, is important to identify and to work towards fixing. One must be able to relax!
But now, after about two weeks here, some of my responsibilities have begun! Let me tell you about them:
Yesterday I taught my first conversational English class. It was just a half hour, and was for the girls of the Home Science department. We worked on introducing ourselves and it went really well! There were seven girls that attended.
Yesterday I also began rehearsing the Hostel Choir, which I am in charge of. Each year they perform a Christmas concert of traditional carols and Malayalam songs. I can't tell you how excited I was to begin practice with them yesterday! 24 girls showed up and I started to teach them the song, "Go, Tell it On the Mountain." I will lead Hostel Choir from 6-7 on Tuesday & Thursdays, and teach conversational English classes at the hostel at the same time on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The college choir meets every day from 1:30-2 and from 4-5, and so I have begun rehearsing with them and leading the sopranos. I have also met a talented 15 year-old singer with whom I will soon start private lessons.
On this coming Tuesday, I will begin teaching conversational English and music to the girls of Baker's Girls School, ages 10-17. Though I have no idea what to expect and what the classes and girls will be like, I'll prepare as best as I can and am looking forward to it. I will spend one full day of each week at Baker teaching.
Additionally, some other opportunities around campus have surfaced. I met with a boys a cappella quartet to help them learn a song for the upcoming quartet competition, (I'll be one of the judges of the competition) and found out that they love to sing worship music! So I'm going to begin doing worship music with them whenever they have some free time. I am extremely happy to have found a group of students on campus who love contemporary worship music!
This morning also was the first day of a Vocal Training Program for Faculty which my supervisor and other faculty have arranged for me to lead. Today about 10 faculty members showed up, along with the chaplain, who prayed over the program before it began. For 45 minutes on Tuesday & Thursday mornings, I will meet with faculty members to work on tone production, vocal training, breathing, music fundamentals, and sight-reading. Most of the members sing in their local church choirs but do not read music-so there will be a lot to teach! There are very few people here who have any formal music training-all of the choir directors I have met work in another field and just direct the choir with knowledge gained from experience; no one here that I've met has a music degree, and most are very excited about scheduling time for me to come work with their choirs!
Leading warm-ups and vocal training with the various choirs has been amusing and challenging. As you may or may not know, in learning to sing, you have to do a lot of seemingly silly vocal and physical exercises. Singers are used to this, but if you're not a singer, being asked to do these exercises with your bodies and voices and make strange sounds can be considerably uncomfortable for people. In order to learn to sing, you very much have to abandon your boundaries and embarassment of awareness of all parts of your body and be willing to try anything sound-wise. This is challenging for people even at home, especially older people, and anyone that hasn't done these exercises before. Add on top of that the cultural sensitivity to the physical body present here which is much greater than in the US, and you'll get some sense of the barriers to surmount before proper vocal production can be achieved. Thankfully, the members of the group seem excited and dedicated to learn, but it may take some time before these physical exercises become comfortable. I'm very excited to continue with this program and anticipate the progress we will make together.
This week at church and also at college chapel, I will sing a solo, and I have started to be invited to conduct various workshops for local choirs, the first of which will be a day-long session this coming Wednesday.
I am very excited about all of these opportunities. It is difficult to schedule things, as the students have class from 10am-4pm, so I can't really do anything during that time.
I have begun to meet a lot more of the students around the campus and am beginning to master SOME of their names, which are all very new names to me! I am now used to being asked multiple times a day to sing a song randomly for groups of students anywhere and anytime, and it doesn't phase me anymore. I cannot express properly in words how kind everyone is to me. I have recently begun hanging out with the girls at the hostel in the evenings and bringing my books outside of my room to read nearby them, which invariably leads to wonderful conversation with them. These exchanges about cultural differences are both entertaining and enlightening.
This past weekend, Gigi Sir invited me to his home to stay on Saturday night as I have joined his church choir and will be attending church there on Sunday mornings. The Sunday service was a 2 and a half hour service entirely in Malayalam! I must confess that these long services in a language I do not understand and in a worship style entirely different from my own are challenging. But worship is worship! And I have to continually remind myself to be patient and open-minded about my responses and reactions.
Funny story: On Sunday after the service, we had church choir practice. The CSI Ascension choir has about 100 members! The director asked me to lead warm-ups, (which, as aforementioned, were greeted with many giggles) and then we began to rehearse some of the music for Christmas. At one point a few minutes into rehearsal the director asked me if I had any suggestions. I came up and began to work on some pronunciation, and he encouraged me to continue. So I started working on the piece with them, continually checking with the director if he still wanted me to keep going, who kept encouraging me to rehearse them, and I ended up rehearsing them the entire rehearsal, completely unprepared, for one hour!!! This was a great surprise, but very welcome!
I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be beginning to get involved in the lives and music of the people here-it was very difficult sitting back for awhile! All of this is just beginning. I know that the Lord has plans for me here, and I'm thrilled to receive confirmation of this.
Please continue to pray for relief from anxiety and for my sleeplessness! Thank you!
Thank you, Father, for these new ways with which to love and be loved by Your people. Thank you for arranging these activities, and thank you so much for the help of the many faculty here who have been incredibly kind to me. Father, I have never known such kindness from so many people. Thank you for these beginnings, and may I not lose sight of You or Your purposes. Amen.
Even though I just posted that last post, it's a few days since I wrote it. I have been feeling a bit better since then and am experiencing not as much anxiety. I'm still having sleeping issues, though, so please continue to pray for me to be "normal" as soon as possible.
I had about two weeks here at CMS with very little activity, and that's been very challenging for me! As you know, I like to be busy and involved and suddenly I was confronted with the anxiety I feel when I do not feel engaged, purposeful, or active. This, though uncomfortable, is important to identify and to work towards fixing. One must be able to relax!
But now, after about two weeks here, some of my responsibilities have begun! Let me tell you about them:
Yesterday I taught my first conversational English class. It was just a half hour, and was for the girls of the Home Science department. We worked on introducing ourselves and it went really well! There were seven girls that attended.
Yesterday I also began rehearsing the Hostel Choir, which I am in charge of. Each year they perform a Christmas concert of traditional carols and Malayalam songs. I can't tell you how excited I was to begin practice with them yesterday! 24 girls showed up and I started to teach them the song, "Go, Tell it On the Mountain." I will lead Hostel Choir from 6-7 on Tuesday & Thursdays, and teach conversational English classes at the hostel at the same time on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The college choir meets every day from 1:30-2 and from 4-5, and so I have begun rehearsing with them and leading the sopranos. I have also met a talented 15 year-old singer with whom I will soon start private lessons.
On this coming Tuesday, I will begin teaching conversational English and music to the girls of Baker's Girls School, ages 10-17. Though I have no idea what to expect and what the classes and girls will be like, I'll prepare as best as I can and am looking forward to it. I will spend one full day of each week at Baker teaching.
Additionally, some other opportunities around campus have surfaced. I met with a boys a cappella quartet to help them learn a song for the upcoming quartet competition, (I'll be one of the judges of the competition) and found out that they love to sing worship music! So I'm going to begin doing worship music with them whenever they have some free time. I am extremely happy to have found a group of students on campus who love contemporary worship music!
This morning also was the first day of a Vocal Training Program for Faculty which my supervisor and other faculty have arranged for me to lead. Today about 10 faculty members showed up, along with the chaplain, who prayed over the program before it began. For 45 minutes on Tuesday & Thursday mornings, I will meet with faculty members to work on tone production, vocal training, breathing, music fundamentals, and sight-reading. Most of the members sing in their local church choirs but do not read music-so there will be a lot to teach! There are very few people here who have any formal music training-all of the choir directors I have met work in another field and just direct the choir with knowledge gained from experience; no one here that I've met has a music degree, and most are very excited about scheduling time for me to come work with their choirs!
Leading warm-ups and vocal training with the various choirs has been amusing and challenging. As you may or may not know, in learning to sing, you have to do a lot of seemingly silly vocal and physical exercises. Singers are used to this, but if you're not a singer, being asked to do these exercises with your bodies and voices and make strange sounds can be considerably uncomfortable for people. In order to learn to sing, you very much have to abandon your boundaries and embarassment of awareness of all parts of your body and be willing to try anything sound-wise. This is challenging for people even at home, especially older people, and anyone that hasn't done these exercises before. Add on top of that the cultural sensitivity to the physical body present here which is much greater than in the US, and you'll get some sense of the barriers to surmount before proper vocal production can be achieved. Thankfully, the members of the group seem excited and dedicated to learn, but it may take some time before these physical exercises become comfortable. I'm very excited to continue with this program and anticipate the progress we will make together.
This week at church and also at college chapel, I will sing a solo, and I have started to be invited to conduct various workshops for local choirs, the first of which will be a day-long session this coming Wednesday.
I am very excited about all of these opportunities. It is difficult to schedule things, as the students have class from 10am-4pm, so I can't really do anything during that time.
I have begun to meet a lot more of the students around the campus and am beginning to master SOME of their names, which are all very new names to me! I am now used to being asked multiple times a day to sing a song randomly for groups of students anywhere and anytime, and it doesn't phase me anymore. I cannot express properly in words how kind everyone is to me. I have recently begun hanging out with the girls at the hostel in the evenings and bringing my books outside of my room to read nearby them, which invariably leads to wonderful conversation with them. These exchanges about cultural differences are both entertaining and enlightening.
This past weekend, Gigi Sir invited me to his home to stay on Saturday night as I have joined his church choir and will be attending church there on Sunday mornings. The Sunday service was a 2 and a half hour service entirely in Malayalam! I must confess that these long services in a language I do not understand and in a worship style entirely different from my own are challenging. But worship is worship! And I have to continually remind myself to be patient and open-minded about my responses and reactions.
Funny story: On Sunday after the service, we had church choir practice. The CSI Ascension choir has about 100 members! The director asked me to lead warm-ups, (which, as aforementioned, were greeted with many giggles) and then we began to rehearse some of the music for Christmas. At one point a few minutes into rehearsal the director asked me if I had any suggestions. I came up and began to work on some pronunciation, and he encouraged me to continue. So I started working on the piece with them, continually checking with the director if he still wanted me to keep going, who kept encouraging me to rehearse them, and I ended up rehearsing them the entire rehearsal, completely unprepared, for one hour!!! This was a great surprise, but very welcome!
I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be beginning to get involved in the lives and music of the people here-it was very difficult sitting back for awhile! All of this is just beginning. I know that the Lord has plans for me here, and I'm thrilled to receive confirmation of this.
Please continue to pray for relief from anxiety and for my sleeplessness! Thank you!
Thank you, Father, for these new ways with which to love and be loved by Your people. Thank you for arranging these activities, and thank you so much for the help of the many faculty here who have been incredibly kind to me. Father, I have never known such kindness from so many people. Thank you for these beginnings, and may I not lose sight of You or Your purposes. Amen.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Waiting on the Lord
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14
Dear friends,
Whew.
What a time this has been-a time of very intimate reliance on the Lord. Since I last posted, it feels like it's been a very long time. For those of you that don't know, I have struggled with anxiety issues in the past and though these have been dormant for a long time, they have surfaced here. Because my serotonin levels in my brain are absolutely all over the place right now, that means that I have had some rough days-not at all because of what is going on around me, but only because of what is going on inside my own mind. Because these chemicals are fluctuating, this means that my mood is all over the place and my sleeping is affected. This is a very hard place to be, because for those of you who haven't experienced anxiety issues, when the chemicals in your brain are shifting around it makes you feel really horrible sometimes. HOWEVER these are merely chemicals-not truth!- and God is ALWAYS good. I anticipate that soon we will have my anxiety and sleeping stabilized and I absolutely can't wait until we do!
So please be praying very hard for relief from anxiety, deep restful sleep, and wisdom from the doctors whose care I am under. This will not last long and is nothing abnormal-I did, after all, move across the world for a year!-and I am so excited to continue to see the Lord's hand at work in the life of my own mind and anticipate His healing touch! Please be praying for me right now as this is a difficult time. Your notes of encouragement and emails and comments right now are INCREDIBLY encouraging! I am so very thankful for each and every one of you!
Emotions and silly frustrating brain adjustment stuff aside, the Lord's hand has been ever present in my life and in my heart, spurring me on to forget my own discomfort and to walk more closely with Him. After all, anything I am suffering or struggling with is nothing, NOTHING compared to what He suffered for me. And so I press on, despite my own unreliable emotions, to serve Him and to rejoice in His mighty power which is so visible right now.
"I WILL exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths...O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent." Psalm 30: 1,2,11
Dear friends,
Whew.
What a time this has been-a time of very intimate reliance on the Lord. Since I last posted, it feels like it's been a very long time. For those of you that don't know, I have struggled with anxiety issues in the past and though these have been dormant for a long time, they have surfaced here. Because my serotonin levels in my brain are absolutely all over the place right now, that means that I have had some rough days-not at all because of what is going on around me, but only because of what is going on inside my own mind. Because these chemicals are fluctuating, this means that my mood is all over the place and my sleeping is affected. This is a very hard place to be, because for those of you who haven't experienced anxiety issues, when the chemicals in your brain are shifting around it makes you feel really horrible sometimes. HOWEVER these are merely chemicals-not truth!- and God is ALWAYS good. I anticipate that soon we will have my anxiety and sleeping stabilized and I absolutely can't wait until we do!
So please be praying very hard for relief from anxiety, deep restful sleep, and wisdom from the doctors whose care I am under. This will not last long and is nothing abnormal-I did, after all, move across the world for a year!-and I am so excited to continue to see the Lord's hand at work in the life of my own mind and anticipate His healing touch! Please be praying for me right now as this is a difficult time. Your notes of encouragement and emails and comments right now are INCREDIBLY encouraging! I am so very thankful for each and every one of you!
Emotions and silly frustrating brain adjustment stuff aside, the Lord's hand has been ever present in my life and in my heart, spurring me on to forget my own discomfort and to walk more closely with Him. After all, anything I am suffering or struggling with is nothing, NOTHING compared to what He suffered for me. And so I press on, despite my own unreliable emotions, to serve Him and to rejoice in His mighty power which is so visible right now.
"I WILL exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths...O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent." Psalm 30: 1,2,11
Thursday, September 22, 2011
True Kindness
I have now been at CMS College, the oldest college in India, for 10 days. What exactly have I been doing?
I've been learning about true kindness, that's what. I've also been learning to relax!
I've already written about the many kindnesses shown to my during my insomnia bout, and that is just one example of so very many.
Since last Thursday, I've been making my way around the campus, being shown around by Gigi Sir, my supervisor, or Ann, my other supervisor and friend. I've mostly just been meeting everyone in all of the departments and seeing the campus.
I joined the college choir, and found myself the next day in charge of rehearsing the soprano section! They have beautiful voices and I'm very excited to work with the college choir. Most of them do not read music, so one has to teach in a kind of call-and-response fashion. I also have met with the college choir director, Vimal, and chaplain, Roy, about beginning a vocal training program for faculty and students of the college. I was invited to join Kottayam Mixed Voices, a Christian community choir, and went to my first rehearsal on Sunday. Next Sunday I will be leading warm-ups for this choir. I am very excited to get involved in the musical community of the campus!
I've been taken around to buy things that I need for my place or just in general, and yesterday went shopping with Ann and my new friend Sheny, who teaches Chemistry at the college. We spent the day out at the shops and then visited Ann's aunt and uncle nearby. I attended a wedding this past Saturday and went to the local CSI (Church of South India) Cathedral the next morning. On Monday, a bus strike was happening, and so everything was closed and we couldn't go anywhere, so I just hung out with the girls and studied some Malayalam. Wednesday also was a holiday, Sri Naranaya Guru day, so everything was also closed then. So many holidays! The pace of life is much slower here-I must learn to slow down and to relax (something I've always been bad at.)
Also, on Sunday of this past week there was a very special concert: the inaugural concert of the Harp & Lyre Western Classical Concert Series! (Harp & Lyre is a local music studio where students and faculty study music.) A Western classical concert-I was SO excited! There was an Indian pianist who played many favorite pieces (including Gershwin's Preludes for Piano and Debussy's Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum) and a Swedish baritone, who sang many songs I knew! It was a rather humorous situation to find myself in: sitting with an Indian audience of hundreds, very few of whom are familiar with any of this music or style, following along to translations of Erlkonig and Du bist die Ruh just like I was sitting at school listening to one of my classmates perform. I met them both afterwards, and commented to him what a particular joy and a comfort it was to hear familiar lieder so far away from home. Praise the Lord for this specific and amusing comfort!
A little more about my setting: At the college, classes are from 10am-4pm. They offer both undergraduate and postgraduate studies in subjects such as English literature, Chemistry, Physics, Zoology, Botany, Biotechnology, Home Science, Commerce, Sociology, Malayalam, Hindi, and Mathematics. There is not a music department, but I hope to be involved with as many of the musical activities around campus soon! The college has about 1500 students. Undergrate degrees take 3 years to complete, and most go right on to their PG, or postgraduate studies, which take 2 years. I am amazed at how educated everyone here is-everyone has at least an undergraduate degree and most have their PG as well. (I feel very undereducated compared to many here, but then I remember that my undergraduate degree took 4 and a half years, haha).
I have begun to develop a bit of a daily routine which is extremely helpful: I am at college from 10am-4pm meeting people, conversing, learning my way around the college, visiting the departments, and going on the internet when I can. Tea is always at 4, though I usually don't go to it, as I enjoy being out of the hostel during the day while I can be.
I have to be back at the hostel and inside by 6 pm, and this is the time I get to spend with the wonderful girls of the hostel. It's certainly a challenge for me to have to be in by 6 pm, as here a girl seen outside unaccompanied past 6 or 6:30 is considered disreputable. This is the first time in my life I've had to be in by any time, really, let alone by SIX pm, let alone because of my gender! But this is humbling-and I must live as one of the girls here, and also it affords lots of rich time in the evening to get to know the girls.
So how about some funny stories: I worked out for the first time the other day, which the women here generally don't do. As I couldn't go outside of the hostel, I ran around in circles in the hostel yard, and every girl was watching me and laughing from her window. I waved at them and kept on running. :)
It's really funny to be the subject of so much attention: everywhere I go the girls follow me. They stand when I walk by and I have to insist that they don't need to. They call me "Claudie Chechi," Chechi meaning "older sister." They even walk to their doors just to watch me walk by. I'm just walking! If I go on the swing, they'll gather to watch me swing. At meals and all the time, I am always watched. Everyone can see all that I do- this is new... but this means that I have to always make sure that I am very pleasant and smiling and greeting everyone! I am continually reminding myself of a favorite Philippians passage: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:4-7)
I am VERY visible-more visible than I've ever felt-but this affords me continual opportunities for conversations that I hope are seasoned with salt and interactions that I pray are God-centered. And everywhere I go the girls always ask me to sing a song for them, particularly the song from Titanic, which I do not know, and I will NOT learn, otherwise I'd have to sing it constantly.
Another funny moment: the other night, I walked back from college with a guitar, the one Jim left (thank you, Jim! Love that the brand of the guitar is JIMM, haha). Later that evening after dinner, I came downstairs with the guitar. IMMEDIATELY about 40 girls ran over to me. Awestruck, they watched me play and sing and I taught them, "How Great is Our God." Let me tell you-what an incredibly special moment that was: to hear 40 or 50 voices, Hindu and Christian, in broken English, lifting their voices to sing this glorious praise. It was all I could do to keep from crying, it was so beautiful. They are so eager, such impressionable, truly beautiful girls-and they picked songs for me to play until the warden told us that we needed to stop.
I pray for continued sharing of worship like this-it's really a treasure and I absolutely hunger for moments like this. Right now are college exams, so the girls are all trying to study, so I can't do too much music. I'm already a big enough distraction already, I feel like. I have, however, found a few people who are fans of worship music, and I gladly share my music with them! As mom would say, PTL! :)
Never have I encountered such kindness in so many people. One hundred and forty lovely girls, their beautiful eyes, their smiling faces...they look like Him to me. And they bring me gifts-sweets and treats to eat. The other night, a whole group of 7 girls excitedly presented me with a plate of biscuits (cookies) all arranged in a pretty pattern on a plate. I was choked up-they find such JOY in giving of the little they have. For they give sacraficially-those biscuits they gave me meant that many fewer biscuits for them. Their little tokens, though just cookies and a single piece of candy, are incredibly rich gifts, for they come from the heart.
And every night, after dinner, the cook boils some milk especially for me. I sing to the girls, "Goodnight, My Someone" as a goodnight song. I feel so surrounded by love. And I'm just floored by all of this true kindness.
Thank you, Lord, for placing me in this new home, a home not only with many conveniences others don't have, but more importantly, surrounded by true kindness. Thank you for my 140 smiling, giggly neighbors. Thank you that you are so visible in their lovely faces, and may my face reflect Yours. May I represent You well, Lord God. Thank you for the selflessness of all those I've encountered. Lord, I've yet to see pride here. May I learn from those around me how to love others.
So much more to share, but later. For now, some specific prayer requests:
1) The food. The food here is all very spicy to me and it's hard to adjust. We have rice for every meal, and with curries. I eat with a smile on my face, but I feel like I have to force myself. Please pray that I might find foods I like and that my taste buds would adapt to be able to enjoy all of this food! And that I might always be very grateful for the food that I have!
2) PATIENCE- I feel like I have so much free time right now and this is a challenge for me. As you all know, I like to be really really busy! Pray for patience during this time when all the students are taking their exams and I can't really do much but walk around and smile and begin to build friendships and converse. This is a very important part of my journey but I'm getting kind of antsy-so please pray for patience and for God to provide peace through reading and journalling, and casual interactions with the students and faculty. Pray that there might be manifold opportunities to talk about Him.
3) OPPORTUNITIES- Please pray for opportunities to surface for me to use my gifts, and for God to keep sustaining me until these opportunities are found out and begin!
Love you all. Peace & blessings.
I've been learning about true kindness, that's what. I've also been learning to relax!
I've already written about the many kindnesses shown to my during my insomnia bout, and that is just one example of so very many.
Since last Thursday, I've been making my way around the campus, being shown around by Gigi Sir, my supervisor, or Ann, my other supervisor and friend. I've mostly just been meeting everyone in all of the departments and seeing the campus.
I joined the college choir, and found myself the next day in charge of rehearsing the soprano section! They have beautiful voices and I'm very excited to work with the college choir. Most of them do not read music, so one has to teach in a kind of call-and-response fashion. I also have met with the college choir director, Vimal, and chaplain, Roy, about beginning a vocal training program for faculty and students of the college. I was invited to join Kottayam Mixed Voices, a Christian community choir, and went to my first rehearsal on Sunday. Next Sunday I will be leading warm-ups for this choir. I am very excited to get involved in the musical community of the campus!
I've been taken around to buy things that I need for my place or just in general, and yesterday went shopping with Ann and my new friend Sheny, who teaches Chemistry at the college. We spent the day out at the shops and then visited Ann's aunt and uncle nearby. I attended a wedding this past Saturday and went to the local CSI (Church of South India) Cathedral the next morning. On Monday, a bus strike was happening, and so everything was closed and we couldn't go anywhere, so I just hung out with the girls and studied some Malayalam. Wednesday also was a holiday, Sri Naranaya Guru day, so everything was also closed then. So many holidays! The pace of life is much slower here-I must learn to slow down and to relax (something I've always been bad at.)
Also, on Sunday of this past week there was a very special concert: the inaugural concert of the Harp & Lyre Western Classical Concert Series! (Harp & Lyre is a local music studio where students and faculty study music.) A Western classical concert-I was SO excited! There was an Indian pianist who played many favorite pieces (including Gershwin's Preludes for Piano and Debussy's Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum) and a Swedish baritone, who sang many songs I knew! It was a rather humorous situation to find myself in: sitting with an Indian audience of hundreds, very few of whom are familiar with any of this music or style, following along to translations of Erlkonig and Du bist die Ruh just like I was sitting at school listening to one of my classmates perform. I met them both afterwards, and commented to him what a particular joy and a comfort it was to hear familiar lieder so far away from home. Praise the Lord for this specific and amusing comfort!
A little more about my setting: At the college, classes are from 10am-4pm. They offer both undergraduate and postgraduate studies in subjects such as English literature, Chemistry, Physics, Zoology, Botany, Biotechnology, Home Science, Commerce, Sociology, Malayalam, Hindi, and Mathematics. There is not a music department, but I hope to be involved with as many of the musical activities around campus soon! The college has about 1500 students. Undergrate degrees take 3 years to complete, and most go right on to their PG, or postgraduate studies, which take 2 years. I am amazed at how educated everyone here is-everyone has at least an undergraduate degree and most have their PG as well. (I feel very undereducated compared to many here, but then I remember that my undergraduate degree took 4 and a half years, haha).
I have begun to develop a bit of a daily routine which is extremely helpful: I am at college from 10am-4pm meeting people, conversing, learning my way around the college, visiting the departments, and going on the internet when I can. Tea is always at 4, though I usually don't go to it, as I enjoy being out of the hostel during the day while I can be.
I have to be back at the hostel and inside by 6 pm, and this is the time I get to spend with the wonderful girls of the hostel. It's certainly a challenge for me to have to be in by 6 pm, as here a girl seen outside unaccompanied past 6 or 6:30 is considered disreputable. This is the first time in my life I've had to be in by any time, really, let alone by SIX pm, let alone because of my gender! But this is humbling-and I must live as one of the girls here, and also it affords lots of rich time in the evening to get to know the girls.
So how about some funny stories: I worked out for the first time the other day, which the women here generally don't do. As I couldn't go outside of the hostel, I ran around in circles in the hostel yard, and every girl was watching me and laughing from her window. I waved at them and kept on running. :)
It's really funny to be the subject of so much attention: everywhere I go the girls follow me. They stand when I walk by and I have to insist that they don't need to. They call me "Claudie Chechi," Chechi meaning "older sister." They even walk to their doors just to watch me walk by. I'm just walking! If I go on the swing, they'll gather to watch me swing. At meals and all the time, I am always watched. Everyone can see all that I do- this is new... but this means that I have to always make sure that I am very pleasant and smiling and greeting everyone! I am continually reminding myself of a favorite Philippians passage: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:4-7)
I am VERY visible-more visible than I've ever felt-but this affords me continual opportunities for conversations that I hope are seasoned with salt and interactions that I pray are God-centered. And everywhere I go the girls always ask me to sing a song for them, particularly the song from Titanic, which I do not know, and I will NOT learn, otherwise I'd have to sing it constantly.
Another funny moment: the other night, I walked back from college with a guitar, the one Jim left (thank you, Jim! Love that the brand of the guitar is JIMM, haha). Later that evening after dinner, I came downstairs with the guitar. IMMEDIATELY about 40 girls ran over to me. Awestruck, they watched me play and sing and I taught them, "How Great is Our God." Let me tell you-what an incredibly special moment that was: to hear 40 or 50 voices, Hindu and Christian, in broken English, lifting their voices to sing this glorious praise. It was all I could do to keep from crying, it was so beautiful. They are so eager, such impressionable, truly beautiful girls-and they picked songs for me to play until the warden told us that we needed to stop.
I pray for continued sharing of worship like this-it's really a treasure and I absolutely hunger for moments like this. Right now are college exams, so the girls are all trying to study, so I can't do too much music. I'm already a big enough distraction already, I feel like. I have, however, found a few people who are fans of worship music, and I gladly share my music with them! As mom would say, PTL! :)
Never have I encountered such kindness in so many people. One hundred and forty lovely girls, their beautiful eyes, their smiling faces...they look like Him to me. And they bring me gifts-sweets and treats to eat. The other night, a whole group of 7 girls excitedly presented me with a plate of biscuits (cookies) all arranged in a pretty pattern on a plate. I was choked up-they find such JOY in giving of the little they have. For they give sacraficially-those biscuits they gave me meant that many fewer biscuits for them. Their little tokens, though just cookies and a single piece of candy, are incredibly rich gifts, for they come from the heart.
And every night, after dinner, the cook boils some milk especially for me. I sing to the girls, "Goodnight, My Someone" as a goodnight song. I feel so surrounded by love. And I'm just floored by all of this true kindness.
Thank you, Lord, for placing me in this new home, a home not only with many conveniences others don't have, but more importantly, surrounded by true kindness. Thank you for my 140 smiling, giggly neighbors. Thank you that you are so visible in their lovely faces, and may my face reflect Yours. May I represent You well, Lord God. Thank you for the selflessness of all those I've encountered. Lord, I've yet to see pride here. May I learn from those around me how to love others.
So much more to share, but later. For now, some specific prayer requests:
1) The food. The food here is all very spicy to me and it's hard to adjust. We have rice for every meal, and with curries. I eat with a smile on my face, but I feel like I have to force myself. Please pray that I might find foods I like and that my taste buds would adapt to be able to enjoy all of this food! And that I might always be very grateful for the food that I have!
2) PATIENCE- I feel like I have so much free time right now and this is a challenge for me. As you all know, I like to be really really busy! Pray for patience during this time when all the students are taking their exams and I can't really do much but walk around and smile and begin to build friendships and converse. This is a very important part of my journey but I'm getting kind of antsy-so please pray for patience and for God to provide peace through reading and journalling, and casual interactions with the students and faculty. Pray that there might be manifold opportunities to talk about Him.
3) OPPORTUNITIES- Please pray for opportunities to surface for me to use my gifts, and for God to keep sustaining me until these opportunities are found out and begin!
Love you all. Peace & blessings.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
A Room With a View
(Yes, being a dork, I have now used two different titles of E.M. Forster books as blog titles.:)
When I moved in, the first thing I was told was, "You have a room with a view!" So here it is: A room with a view. A view of my room.
Scarves draped on my bed. I had to buy blankets, as most Indians do not use blankets at night. I use two :)
The patio
Wardrobe, and photos of friends and family, along with some Monet
My cabinets and table (all covered with pictures-friends and family surrounding me!)
There are three rooms: the bedroom, and this a little kitchenette area, with a WASHING MACHINE!?
Reading corner
My bathroom. Bucket baths-thought I wouldn't like them, but they're really quite enjoyable! And I have a hot water heater!
Drying rack on the patio
I've begun my Malayalam lessons and try to have one every day-notice the title of the one book: "Learn Malayalam in 30 Days." Yeah right!
Now I need to tell you something: at first when I moved into my room, I thought, "Well, okay, this is nice." But I quickly learned that this room was SO much more than nice: it was entirely done up, refurnished, and rewired just for me. It is BY FAR the nicest room in the building. The wardrobe is new, everything cleaned...they even repainted the room and retiled the bathroom for me. I can't believe how much special treatment this room received.
I have a washing machine. No one else in the building has a washing machine. I have a hot water heater. Every other person in the building takes cold bucket baths. I have a PATIO-a complete luxury. I have a power generator for some extra minutes of power when the power goes out. Drying rack, sinks, some dishes, even some fluffy towels, extra plastic chairs for guests... Everything was bought and set up for me: cleaning supplies, cabinets, shelves, all set up for me.
I am just so humbled. This room, with all of this love and care and work having prepared it, is an absolute palace in this place. I really don't deserve all of this special treatment, but I am so very grateful for everyone who prepared this place for me and strives to make me feel as home as possible. I feel surrounded by love and kindness in this room, knowing all the love that was put into preparing it.
When I moved in, the first thing I was told was, "You have a room with a view!" So here it is: A room with a view. A view of my room.
Now I need to tell you something: at first when I moved into my room, I thought, "Well, okay, this is nice." But I quickly learned that this room was SO much more than nice: it was entirely done up, refurnished, and rewired just for me. It is BY FAR the nicest room in the building. The wardrobe is new, everything cleaned...they even repainted the room and retiled the bathroom for me. I can't believe how much special treatment this room received.
I have a washing machine. No one else in the building has a washing machine. I have a hot water heater. Every other person in the building takes cold bucket baths. I have a PATIO-a complete luxury. I have a power generator for some extra minutes of power when the power goes out. Drying rack, sinks, some dishes, even some fluffy towels, extra plastic chairs for guests... Everything was bought and set up for me: cleaning supplies, cabinets, shelves, all set up for me.
I am just so humbled. This room, with all of this love and care and work having prepared it, is an absolute palace in this place. I really don't deserve all of this special treatment, but I am so very grateful for everyone who prepared this place for me and strives to make me feel as home as possible. I feel surrounded by love and kindness in this room, knowing all the love that was put into preparing it.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
In His Hands
Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go to the heavens, you are there,
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea
Even then Your hand will guide me
Your right will hold me fast.
From Psalm 139
There is a reason that there was a long break in between my blogs earlier, and that only now am I detailing the events of our final days of orientation and of my arrival at CMS, where I've been for almost a whole week.
How awesome it is to be on this side of the valley and to thank you all so much for your prayers during this challenging time, and I would ask for your continued prayers.
As I previously posted, last weekend was our last days of orientation. At some point in there I began to experience some anxiety and stopped sleeping. I think this is because of a continual uprooting that's been happening. I am a person who attaches quickly and does not let go lightly. I left home almost a month ago, being completely uprooted from my home and family, where I came to New York for a week with the other YAVs and got settled in there, putting down roots and forming relationships. And then that was uprooted, and it then became the community of just the India YAVs and Achen's family at his house. Somewhere in all of that continual trying to put down roots and having to be uprooted yet again, I developed some anxiety.
We arrived at our sites on Monday morning after trying to register with the state department, and I bid farewell to my teammates and to Achen. I was completely exhausted, having not slept and spent all day meeting people and moving in, and just couldn't wait to be alone to sleep. But sleep never came, and not for the next two nights either.
I did my best to attend meals, to attend what I was to go to, and to meet everyone, but eventually I had to keep lying down more and more because of how dizzy and exhausted I was. By Wednesday, I really couldn't do anything except eat and lay in my bed, too tired to even finish thoughts or converse with people. Even though I was utterly and completely exhausted, I could not find sleep.
It was kind of a scary place to be (not to mention inconvenient when one is supposed to be meeting lots of people and going around to lots of things!) I hadn't struggled with this issue in a long time and didn't think it would crop up here.
But I have to tell you: though this was a difficult period, I can't believe how visible the Lord's hand was in all of it.
First of all, even though it was initially anxiety that triggered the insomnia, after that I experienced hardly any anxiety. Usually this kind of sleeplessness would really shake me and result in panic. But night after night I listened to music, tried to read, and just clung to God's word, and repeated Scripture to myself in my head when I couldn't keep my eyes open to read it, and His deep peace settled in my heart. I knew the entire time that even though I was in pretty bad shape that God's hand was upon me. I have never experienced such a deep peace during a period like this-it was straight from Him.
Secondly, how can I begin to express the gratitude towards those who took care of me: Ann and Gigi Sir, my supervisors. They were there to hold my hand, to take me around to buy whatever I needed, and checked on me constantly. I felt really safe in their hands and opened up immediately to them about my issue instead of trying to deal with it on my own. They were very understanding and kind, insisting that I eat, and helping me to go to as much as I could, but also respecting my need of rest.
On Wednesday, we decided it was time to do something since I still hadn't slept, and so Achen arranged an appointment for me with a doctor he's friends with in Kottayam. Ann and Gigi Sir spent their entire afternoon waiting at the doctors with me, as did fellow teammate, Nicole. These people, and many others, bent over backwards to help me, time and time again, so that I could be well. What an incredible manifestation of grace! I was given a prescription, and as we were driving back from the doctor's, there was a special moment, one of many these past few days that I vaguely remember but that was really special.
We were driving in Gigi Sir's car, and he stopped to pick up some things I needed, insisting on buying them for me. And as we were driving he turned on his music player in his car, and it was a violin, playing the hymn "Morning Has Broken." And just as I was thinking it, Gigi Sir said, "We'll have to buy you a violin soon!" Let me tell you, that music was like a balm to my soul. It was like God saying loudly to me, "Claudia! I'm right here! I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you!" So here I was, careening through these crazy crowded streets, having not slept for four days, and singing along to these hymns, happy as can be. I just felt extreme joy in my heart-joy beyond circumstance, joy beyond exhaustion, deep joy that didn't make any sense because it comes only from Him and Him alone. I felt like laughing, because God had the victory!
I can't express in words what it feels like to find yourself in such caring hands, to find yourself in a completely foreign land, to be so tired that you can barely stand, to have escaped anxiety, to be in this little car playing hymns amidst the honking horns, and to be singing, and to just be ridiculously happy.
God is just so good, ALL the time. His hand never left me, not for one moment. And I've seen Him so clearly in Ann and in Gigi Sir and in all the girls at the hostel, who came and visited me just to smile and meet me, in Korah Sir, the principal of the college, who called me to wish me a good night's sleep, in all of your messages from home spurring me on...His fingerprints have been everywhere.
Moments like these last forever. I remember laying on my bed, exhausted, waiting for Ann and Rinsy and Sheni to come and get me for dinner. And as I was laying there, I realized that I now had friends. And that this was exactly like how I used to wait for friends to come and get me for dinner in college. And I closed my eyes, a gentle breeze blowing through the room, and the voices that gently called my name could have just as easily been Suzie's, or Zeb's, or Em's. And suddenly I thought, "This feels familiar. This is my new home." It made me deeply happy.
I remember another moment, the day after I arrived at Lea Hostel, and it was my first time to dinner. I was dizzily tired, but eating near Ann and my dear new friends Rinsy and Sheni. At dinner here, the girls must be silent. And so the entire meal was just rows of girls glancing over at me and smiling, and it was everything I could do to not burst out laughing. Each smile warmed my heart. We couldn't communicate, not yet at least, and yet their smiles meant a thousand words apiece. I don't think they know how badly I needed those smiles or how much they meant to me right then.
And after dinner, we went outside into the courtyard, where there is a big swing in celebration of Onam. Someone motioned that I should try it, and I thought, "Oh, why not?" And when I sat down on the swing, there was thunderous applause from every girl, watching from her window or door!!!!! And I swung, higher and higher, crying with laughter, deeper and deeper into every smile and the fragrant air and touching the tip of God's great sky.
Healing. Peace.
Abandoning my anxiety far below me on the ground...
If we suffer in this world, from anxiety or whatever it is, it is a privilege to suffer it in Christ's name. It is a privilege, an honor to be sleepless, to be uncomfortable, yet to remain in Him. To be in a new land, and to feel momentarily alone and afraid, but to be always with Him. Because our sufferings are so brief! Too brief to even think much on! I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us! says Paul in Romans 8:18! We are joyful in our sufferings! says Paul. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-6. AMEN AND AMEN!
Christ has conquered! The victory is already won, so who am I to linger in anxiety? For if God is for us, then who can be against us?
My friends, thanks be to God for His mighty healing. Since then, I have been resting deep and well, and sleeping amazingly. I am still on medication that is assisting me, but I am on a lower dosage now and I would appreciate your prayers very much for the ability to quickly get off this medication and to sleep normally. I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and messages to me, they mean so very much to me at this time.
Lord, I can't thank you enough for how greatly you manifested Yourself through this time of trial. Your hand never once left me. You put me into the hands of people who took care of me, who took me exactly where I needed to be when I needed to be there. I can't do anything on my own here. I can't eat, I can't even cross the street on my own. Thank you for this weakness. Thank you that I so continually need the help of others. Thank you for Your great strength in my weakness, and for never for a second abandoning me. Thank you for this, my new home, and my new family, who all look a lot like You.
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go to the heavens, you are there,
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea
Even then Your hand will guide me
Your right will hold me fast.
From Psalm 139
There is a reason that there was a long break in between my blogs earlier, and that only now am I detailing the events of our final days of orientation and of my arrival at CMS, where I've been for almost a whole week.
How awesome it is to be on this side of the valley and to thank you all so much for your prayers during this challenging time, and I would ask for your continued prayers.
As I previously posted, last weekend was our last days of orientation. At some point in there I began to experience some anxiety and stopped sleeping. I think this is because of a continual uprooting that's been happening. I am a person who attaches quickly and does not let go lightly. I left home almost a month ago, being completely uprooted from my home and family, where I came to New York for a week with the other YAVs and got settled in there, putting down roots and forming relationships. And then that was uprooted, and it then became the community of just the India YAVs and Achen's family at his house. Somewhere in all of that continual trying to put down roots and having to be uprooted yet again, I developed some anxiety.
We arrived at our sites on Monday morning after trying to register with the state department, and I bid farewell to my teammates and to Achen. I was completely exhausted, having not slept and spent all day meeting people and moving in, and just couldn't wait to be alone to sleep. But sleep never came, and not for the next two nights either.
I did my best to attend meals, to attend what I was to go to, and to meet everyone, but eventually I had to keep lying down more and more because of how dizzy and exhausted I was. By Wednesday, I really couldn't do anything except eat and lay in my bed, too tired to even finish thoughts or converse with people. Even though I was utterly and completely exhausted, I could not find sleep.
It was kind of a scary place to be (not to mention inconvenient when one is supposed to be meeting lots of people and going around to lots of things!) I hadn't struggled with this issue in a long time and didn't think it would crop up here.
But I have to tell you: though this was a difficult period, I can't believe how visible the Lord's hand was in all of it.
First of all, even though it was initially anxiety that triggered the insomnia, after that I experienced hardly any anxiety. Usually this kind of sleeplessness would really shake me and result in panic. But night after night I listened to music, tried to read, and just clung to God's word, and repeated Scripture to myself in my head when I couldn't keep my eyes open to read it, and His deep peace settled in my heart. I knew the entire time that even though I was in pretty bad shape that God's hand was upon me. I have never experienced such a deep peace during a period like this-it was straight from Him.
Secondly, how can I begin to express the gratitude towards those who took care of me: Ann and Gigi Sir, my supervisors. They were there to hold my hand, to take me around to buy whatever I needed, and checked on me constantly. I felt really safe in their hands and opened up immediately to them about my issue instead of trying to deal with it on my own. They were very understanding and kind, insisting that I eat, and helping me to go to as much as I could, but also respecting my need of rest.
On Wednesday, we decided it was time to do something since I still hadn't slept, and so Achen arranged an appointment for me with a doctor he's friends with in Kottayam. Ann and Gigi Sir spent their entire afternoon waiting at the doctors with me, as did fellow teammate, Nicole. These people, and many others, bent over backwards to help me, time and time again, so that I could be well. What an incredible manifestation of grace! I was given a prescription, and as we were driving back from the doctor's, there was a special moment, one of many these past few days that I vaguely remember but that was really special.
We were driving in Gigi Sir's car, and he stopped to pick up some things I needed, insisting on buying them for me. And as we were driving he turned on his music player in his car, and it was a violin, playing the hymn "Morning Has Broken." And just as I was thinking it, Gigi Sir said, "We'll have to buy you a violin soon!" Let me tell you, that music was like a balm to my soul. It was like God saying loudly to me, "Claudia! I'm right here! I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you!" So here I was, careening through these crazy crowded streets, having not slept for four days, and singing along to these hymns, happy as can be. I just felt extreme joy in my heart-joy beyond circumstance, joy beyond exhaustion, deep joy that didn't make any sense because it comes only from Him and Him alone. I felt like laughing, because God had the victory!
I can't express in words what it feels like to find yourself in such caring hands, to find yourself in a completely foreign land, to be so tired that you can barely stand, to have escaped anxiety, to be in this little car playing hymns amidst the honking horns, and to be singing, and to just be ridiculously happy.
God is just so good, ALL the time. His hand never left me, not for one moment. And I've seen Him so clearly in Ann and in Gigi Sir and in all the girls at the hostel, who came and visited me just to smile and meet me, in Korah Sir, the principal of the college, who called me to wish me a good night's sleep, in all of your messages from home spurring me on...His fingerprints have been everywhere.
Moments like these last forever. I remember laying on my bed, exhausted, waiting for Ann and Rinsy and Sheni to come and get me for dinner. And as I was laying there, I realized that I now had friends. And that this was exactly like how I used to wait for friends to come and get me for dinner in college. And I closed my eyes, a gentle breeze blowing through the room, and the voices that gently called my name could have just as easily been Suzie's, or Zeb's, or Em's. And suddenly I thought, "This feels familiar. This is my new home." It made me deeply happy.
I remember another moment, the day after I arrived at Lea Hostel, and it was my first time to dinner. I was dizzily tired, but eating near Ann and my dear new friends Rinsy and Sheni. At dinner here, the girls must be silent. And so the entire meal was just rows of girls glancing over at me and smiling, and it was everything I could do to not burst out laughing. Each smile warmed my heart. We couldn't communicate, not yet at least, and yet their smiles meant a thousand words apiece. I don't think they know how badly I needed those smiles or how much they meant to me right then.
And after dinner, we went outside into the courtyard, where there is a big swing in celebration of Onam. Someone motioned that I should try it, and I thought, "Oh, why not?" And when I sat down on the swing, there was thunderous applause from every girl, watching from her window or door!!!!! And I swung, higher and higher, crying with laughter, deeper and deeper into every smile and the fragrant air and touching the tip of God's great sky.
Healing. Peace.
Abandoning my anxiety far below me on the ground...
If we suffer in this world, from anxiety or whatever it is, it is a privilege to suffer it in Christ's name. It is a privilege, an honor to be sleepless, to be uncomfortable, yet to remain in Him. To be in a new land, and to feel momentarily alone and afraid, but to be always with Him. Because our sufferings are so brief! Too brief to even think much on! I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us! says Paul in Romans 8:18! We are joyful in our sufferings! says Paul. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-6. AMEN AND AMEN!
Christ has conquered! The victory is already won, so who am I to linger in anxiety? For if God is for us, then who can be against us?
My friends, thanks be to God for His mighty healing. Since then, I have been resting deep and well, and sleeping amazingly. I am still on medication that is assisting me, but I am on a lower dosage now and I would appreciate your prayers very much for the ability to quickly get off this medication and to sleep normally. I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and messages to me, they mean so very much to me at this time.
Lord, I can't thank you enough for how greatly you manifested Yourself through this time of trial. Your hand never once left me. You put me into the hands of people who took care of me, who took me exactly where I needed to be when I needed to be there. I can't do anything on my own here. I can't eat, I can't even cross the street on my own. Thank you for this weakness. Thank you that I so continually need the help of others. Thank you for Your great strength in my weakness, and for never for a second abandoning me. Thank you for this, my new home, and my new family, who all look a lot like You.
Weekend Adventures
Last weekend, Saturday and Sunday, were our last days at Achen's house for orientation. Here are a couple of tidbits about what we did and some pictures of our adventures.
(Additionally, I can't believe in my last post that I forgot to mention that teammate Rachel safely arrived after 10 days! Though she did not have the time to adjust that we all did, she is doing extremely well and we are so very thankful for her safe arrival and for the completion of our team!)
On Saturday, we drove to go see some elephants. Initially the elephants were out bathing, and so while we were waiting for them to finish we went to a zoo at the complex. Sadly, the place no longer hosts elephant rides, but here are some photos of our large wrinkly friends:
Some other new events were:
1) Seeing our first Malayalam film...entirely in Malayalam. This was certainly an adventure, and I enjoyed making up for myself what the characters were saying...especially when it was most likely not at all what they were saying.
2) We enjoyed together at home an Onam sadhya, or meal, eaten off of a banana leaf, with a wide variety of curries and chutneys. It was delicious. I'm finding the food here to be extremely different from anything I've eaten in the states. When I've travelled before I've at least had a sense of some familiarity with the food, such as "this is some kind of meat" or "this is some kind of fruit." But here, wow. Initially I never knew what I was eating. It is a matter of trust! Now I'm beginning to recognize the foods, but the flavors are really very different, many flavors that I have never tasted anything like in the states. It is all very new.
3) On Sunday, our last day together before going to our sites, we had many adventures. We travelled to Cochin to go to church, and while there, Binu, Rachel, and myself sang "The Summons" during the service and it was such a blessing for me to be able to share in this way. After church, we began our tour of the many sites in Cochin, first by visiting a synagogue and then proceeding to the Dutch Palace, a 16th century Portuguese palace that was then taken over by the Dutch. Inside were many portraits and historical artifacts to see from the early colonial period. The power also went off when we were inside the museum!!!! which meant that we got to look at everything in the dark, and I was so excited! (For those of you that know about my museum obsession, I also greatly enjoy power outages, so the intrigue of maneuvering through the manikins and portraits in the dark was delicious!)
This was St. Francis, a 16th century church where Vasco da Gama used to be buried.
We visited Fort Kochi, a swirling mass of people and drums and fish stalls and sea air-as well as tourists-the first white people we've seen since we arrived! They fish with huge Chinese fishing nets, and the four of us tried our hand(s) at fishing, though admittedly our catch was rather meager. :)
We also stopped to take photos at a gorgeous lookout over the backwaters. Later in the day, we hurried to get more errands done-shopping at Fabindia, a rather fashionable clothing store, and getting passport photos to be able to register with the state department.
And then we spent our last evening together for the time being, though I was very excited to get to my site! It has been a rich and wonderful time, and I will miss Achen's insightful teaching, Kochamma's warm laugh, our favorite gecko friends on the wall...I'll even miss the call to prayer which at first always made me jump! I'll miss watching movies and playing worship songs with Binu, and this wonderful home-away-from-home. I can't imagine having had a better introduction to Indian culture nor a warmer welcome.
And now, onward & upward!
(Additionally, I can't believe in my last post that I forgot to mention that teammate Rachel safely arrived after 10 days! Though she did not have the time to adjust that we all did, she is doing extremely well and we are so very thankful for her safe arrival and for the completion of our team!)
On Saturday, we drove to go see some elephants. Initially the elephants were out bathing, and so while we were waiting for them to finish we went to a zoo at the complex. Sadly, the place no longer hosts elephant rides, but here are some photos of our large wrinkly friends:
Some other new events were:
1) Seeing our first Malayalam film...entirely in Malayalam. This was certainly an adventure, and I enjoyed making up for myself what the characters were saying...especially when it was most likely not at all what they were saying.
2) We enjoyed together at home an Onam sadhya, or meal, eaten off of a banana leaf, with a wide variety of curries and chutneys. It was delicious. I'm finding the food here to be extremely different from anything I've eaten in the states. When I've travelled before I've at least had a sense of some familiarity with the food, such as "this is some kind of meat" or "this is some kind of fruit." But here, wow. Initially I never knew what I was eating. It is a matter of trust! Now I'm beginning to recognize the foods, but the flavors are really very different, many flavors that I have never tasted anything like in the states. It is all very new.
3) On Sunday, our last day together before going to our sites, we had many adventures. We travelled to Cochin to go to church, and while there, Binu, Rachel, and myself sang "The Summons" during the service and it was such a blessing for me to be able to share in this way. After church, we began our tour of the many sites in Cochin, first by visiting a synagogue and then proceeding to the Dutch Palace, a 16th century Portuguese palace that was then taken over by the Dutch. Inside were many portraits and historical artifacts to see from the early colonial period. The power also went off when we were inside the museum!!!! which meant that we got to look at everything in the dark, and I was so excited! (For those of you that know about my museum obsession, I also greatly enjoy power outages, so the intrigue of maneuvering through the manikins and portraits in the dark was delicious!)
This was St. Francis, a 16th century church where Vasco da Gama used to be buried.
We visited Fort Kochi, a swirling mass of people and drums and fish stalls and sea air-as well as tourists-the first white people we've seen since we arrived! They fish with huge Chinese fishing nets, and the four of us tried our hand(s) at fishing, though admittedly our catch was rather meager. :)
We also stopped to take photos at a gorgeous lookout over the backwaters. Later in the day, we hurried to get more errands done-shopping at Fabindia, a rather fashionable clothing store, and getting passport photos to be able to register with the state department.
And then we spent our last evening together for the time being, though I was very excited to get to my site! It has been a rich and wonderful time, and I will miss Achen's insightful teaching, Kochamma's warm laugh, our favorite gecko friends on the wall...I'll even miss the call to prayer which at first always made me jump! I'll miss watching movies and playing worship songs with Binu, and this wonderful home-away-from-home. I can't imagine having had a better introduction to Indian culture nor a warmer welcome.
And now, onward & upward!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
A New Creation
It has been quite awhile since I've posted. Since I last wrote, life has been quite a whirlwind, a whirlwind of color, emotions, confusion, anxiety, and God has been so clearly in the midst of it all, the only steadying factor in this rush of new life and new experiences. I'm feeling myself stripped down to my core, being made aware of parts of myself I never knew about, expectations unbeknownst to me, and finding my new identity in Christ alone.
Before I detail what I've been up to at my site at CMS, let me recount the events of the last week of our orientation at Achen's house.
We continued to have classes each day on many subjects. Dr. Kuhnikrishnan, a professor and friend of Achen's, discussed with us the history of India, specifically Kerala's social history. We also learned from Binu and Achen about the history of Christianity in Kerala, the history of the various churches, and the issues facing the church in Kerala currently as well as current large-scale social issues. We watched various documentaries about faith and social justice and enjoyed discussions on these and many such topics. In the afternoons, we had our first lessons in Malayalam.
We had our first trips into town with Binu to buy various things, such as our first churidars! A churidar is comprised of baggy pants and a long tunic, with a shawl worn over the shoulders. Most of the women here wear saris or churidars, though I get the sense that churidars are more popular with the younger women. Nicole and I had a blast picking our fabrics and then having these beautiful outfits made for us.A funny aside about the churidars is that the tops were tighter than I expected and I got stuck in mine trying to get it off! It took Kochamma and the lady at the store to get me out. Since then, Kochamma adjusting the stitching a little so that I can get in and out of it. :) We've also bought some things for our rooms once we're at our sites.
We took our first trip to the Arabian Sea, which was very VERY wet because it was pouring down rain while we were swimming! The water was very warm, but the waves were very strong and I got knocked over a bit! We've also had our first dining-out experiences which have been wonderful. Here, you go to a hotel to eat. A hotel is like a restaurant, I think, and sometimes they have lodging, but I think usually a place to stay is called a lodge.
We were excited to go see the final rounds of the National Judo Championship held at UC College close by, but sadly, they were already over. While Ian and Binu went into town to get new glasses for Ian, Nicole and I were on our own in Aluva for the first time-so we went jewelry shopping! I have to confess to you that I did in fact buy a set of bells to wear on my ankles. :) As if I'm not already noisy enough, now you can hear whenever I'm coming or going!
It was in the jewelry store that I had a moment of realizing a cultural difference-here, you can't go into stores and just browse around, you go in with what you're purchasing in mind, and you find it and then buy it. I was trying very hard to just look at all of the items in the store and wherever I went, the clerk stood right in front of me, frequently right in front of what I was trying to look at! This is their way of being helpful, and they are extremely helpful, just more so than we're used to back home, but it was challenging because I inherently just wanted some space to look around. Interesting. I'm so acutely aware right now of my personal space bubble and my cultural notions that are just inherently a part of me, and are now being challenged. It's a fascinating process to become aware of your own unconscious values and expectations by their being challenged; to realize many things about yourself that you never knew!
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
Before I detail what I've been up to at my site at CMS, let me recount the events of the last week of our orientation at Achen's house.
We continued to have classes each day on many subjects. Dr. Kuhnikrishnan, a professor and friend of Achen's, discussed with us the history of India, specifically Kerala's social history. We also learned from Binu and Achen about the history of Christianity in Kerala, the history of the various churches, and the issues facing the church in Kerala currently as well as current large-scale social issues. We watched various documentaries about faith and social justice and enjoyed discussions on these and many such topics. In the afternoons, we had our first lessons in Malayalam.
We had our first trips into town with Binu to buy various things, such as our first churidars! A churidar is comprised of baggy pants and a long tunic, with a shawl worn over the shoulders. Most of the women here wear saris or churidars, though I get the sense that churidars are more popular with the younger women. Nicole and I had a blast picking our fabrics and then having these beautiful outfits made for us.A funny aside about the churidars is that the tops were tighter than I expected and I got stuck in mine trying to get it off! It took Kochamma and the lady at the store to get me out. Since then, Kochamma adjusting the stitching a little so that I can get in and out of it. :) We've also bought some things for our rooms once we're at our sites.
We took our first trip to the Arabian Sea, which was very VERY wet because it was pouring down rain while we were swimming! The water was very warm, but the waves were very strong and I got knocked over a bit! We've also had our first dining-out experiences which have been wonderful. Here, you go to a hotel to eat. A hotel is like a restaurant, I think, and sometimes they have lodging, but I think usually a place to stay is called a lodge.
We were excited to go see the final rounds of the National Judo Championship held at UC College close by, but sadly, they were already over. While Ian and Binu went into town to get new glasses for Ian, Nicole and I were on our own in Aluva for the first time-so we went jewelry shopping! I have to confess to you that I did in fact buy a set of bells to wear on my ankles. :) As if I'm not already noisy enough, now you can hear whenever I'm coming or going!
It was in the jewelry store that I had a moment of realizing a cultural difference-here, you can't go into stores and just browse around, you go in with what you're purchasing in mind, and you find it and then buy it. I was trying very hard to just look at all of the items in the store and wherever I went, the clerk stood right in front of me, frequently right in front of what I was trying to look at! This is their way of being helpful, and they are extremely helpful, just more so than we're used to back home, but it was challenging because I inherently just wanted some space to look around. Interesting. I'm so acutely aware right now of my personal space bubble and my cultural notions that are just inherently a part of me, and are now being challenged. It's a fascinating process to become aware of your own unconscious values and expectations by their being challenged; to realize many things about yourself that you never knew!
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Onam Festivities & Various Humorous Experiences (Including surprise singing and my unsuccessful debut as a concert pianist :)
Has it really only been a few days? What wonderful, rich, and exciting, and humorous days they have been!
Great news-we're all over jet lag! Still tired at moments, but now on the Indian +9 and a half hours time zone. I'm feeling great-I thought that adjusting to the time change would be really difficult for me, and I asked a team of you to pray specifically for that (THANK YOU!!!!) , and God is SOO good because thanks to your prayers I had no difficulty adjusting at all! In fact, by the third day I was good to go-so thank you so much!
Please continue to keep teammate Rachel in your prayers-she finally received her visa after all these weeks but also got sick in the process and went home. She won't be arriving until some time this week and will be arriving about a week into orientation-please be praying for her health, for her journey here-a long journey to make on one's own, and for her adjustment here.
So what all have we been up to? Well, Riba and her husband and their three little precious girls left and we miss them already. They were such a delight to play with and made our arrival and first two days joy-filled days. Since then, we have begun a little study of Malayalam, Bible study, and cultural orientation. Ian and Nicole and myself sit out on the veranda and sing songs, study, and learn from Achen. We've only just begun orientation and I'm looking forward to learning so much more.
On Friday, we left Achen's house for the first time since we got here and went to Chattala to Bishop Moore Vidyapith, where Ian's site will be. Right now the festival Onam is happening in Kerala and it is a very big deal-I think it's up there with Christmas! All of the schools have Onam celebrations and we went to Bishop Moore on their day of Onam festivities. As we arrived, we saw hundreds of children dressed in beautiful traditional Onam dress, each girl with her hair done up and laced with flowers and ornamented with many jewels, each girl, from the littlest to the oldest. Orange and yellow flowers were everywhere. It was an absolute explosion of color. We began to tour the school and as we did, all the students stared at us, smiled at us, followed us, and touched us. Some even handed us paper to get our autographs! Everywhere we went, smiling and giggling faces decked in the most beautiful outfits peered out at us.
The Onam festival lasts for ten days, and there are many traditions associated with the festival. One such tradition is the making of elaborate designs on the ground out of flower petals. At the school, the students compete in the flower design competition, and many other competitions ranging from martial arts to flower-arranging!
Shortly after our arrival we were kind of processed in to the large assembly through a row of people decked in flowers, and led up to the stage in front of all the students where we sat with the headmasters! Mind you-we were wearing t-shirts and feeling most under-dressed for the occasion! Some speeches were made and each of us was introduced to the multi-colored cheering throng and given a bouquet of flowers from a little girl! We were led up to the front of the stage to assist with the lighting of the traditional Onam lamp, and then were seated as the guests of honor in the very front row for the grand Onam performance- a vibrant and fascinating performance consisting of traditional dance, song, and drama related to Onam tradition. It was fascinating: in a song called the butterfly dance a girl in the middle representing the butterfly swooned while the girls around her chanted and sang. A children's choir with an unbelievably uniform sound sang, and there was a sort of 'boat race' where kids from each of the four houses of the school 'raced' in little cardboard boats...it was hilarious. The students were funny and charming in the final closing number where everyone came on stage, including a little girl and a little boy dressed up as 'foreigners' with shopping bags, binoculars, and sunglasses! Hilarious!
After the performance, we watched a traditional Onam game kind of like the pinata, and then were greeted by swarms of students, all asking us our names and how we like Kerala. It was wonderful to meet them and such a joy to be surrounded by so much love, warmth, and smiles. They were all very polite, asking "How do you do?" and offering their hand. (Random aside: at Bishop Moore they have prefects, Head Boy & Head Girl, and four competing houses, just like at Hogwarts! )
We were taken to an office where we enjoyed a traditional Onam meal eaten on a banana leaf (though our banana leaf at the time was actually one made of wax paper!) The people who served us watched us eat, which is something to get used to. In general, we are treated with such honor with lavish introductions and much special treatment-it is rather overwhelming, and extremely generous.
We spent most of the day at the school and then returned to Achen's place, and in the evening Nicole and I were taken by Achen and Kochamma to select the fabric for our first churidars (traditional dress). They will be sewn for us and we will pick them up in a few days.
Surprise singing! Today was another whirlwind day of many new exciting things. This morning we attended church together at Holy Trinity Church of South India where Achen assists. It was a two-hour service mostly in Malayalam. (Aside-barefoot church is quite enjoyable.) Breaking from his Malayalam in the middle of the service, the pastor suddenly introduced Ian, Nicole, and myself, and then asked me to sing a song for everyone. ?! I was pretty unprepared-Achen had told me this might happen but I thought he meant just in interactions with people, not in the middle of a sermon in the middle of a very liturgical service. I said, "Now?" and Achen encouraged me to come up to the microphone! I did not have a song planned, but suddenly thought of "How Great Thou Art" and sang only the chorus to it because I was too shocked right then and there to remember the verses. They were most appreciative and started humming along-turns out this was a good choice because this hymn in well-known here. And then I sat down shaking. Turns out nothing shocks you out of jetlag faster than being asked to unexpectedly sing a song in the middle of a two-hour service in Malayalam. Whew.
It was wonderful to meet people after church, and from there we went to a wedding that Achen was officiating-interestingly, a marriage between a Christian woman and a Hindu man. Here, I went with Binu (Achen's son) to sing with the little choir at the wedding. There were three hymns-two of which Binu and I had practiced last night together. The service was in English, and as it was being filmed there was a man holding a REALLY bright light that he shone behind the videographer.
There was an extremely funny moment when we sang the second hymn, which I did not know at all. The videographer came over and filmed the choir with the blaring light behind him. So here I was, standing with about five other singers, being filmed in this blaring light, and I didn't know the song at all.
I was shaking with silent laughter at the thought that when the couple looks back on their wedding video, in the middle of the choir stands a clueless blinking white girl who is trying really hard not to laugh and has no idea what is going on. Captured forever on film. Too funny.
After the wedding, we were taken to a wedding reception for a different couple. Here wedding receptions, at least for Christian weddings, consist of just a lunch, but you invite everyone you know! It was HUGE-held in a big auditorium. We enjoyed lunch and then had a chance to meet and congratulate the couple.
First choir rehearsal and my highly unsuccessful debut as a concert pianist: Later in the day, Binu was going to a choir rehearsal for a local choir and invited me to come with him. This choir of about 20 people has already begun rehearsing for their Christmas concert, and I was very interested to come and observe how this particular choral rehearsal was held and to perhaps participate. (Perhaps, haha.) Again, during a time of prayer, I was asked to sing a song. You'd think I'd be more prepared this time, but not really. From now on, I'm just going to be ready anytime, anywhere!!!!
The choir started rehearsing, and the director asked me if I wanted to help at the keyboard. I sat down and he said, "What a treat to have a full-time pianist with us! We are always using tracks and we so excited to have you play the accompaniment for us!" He also said that I would be joining them each Sunday night for rehearsal.
Whoops.
I told him that I can play parts but not really accompaniment...and it was a spiritual and a song I'd never seen before. So I flubbed all over the piano as they watched me try to play the accompaniment. The choir didn't know where to come in because I couldn't play it correctly, and it was just a mess, and I was causing a lot more confusion than being helpful. I did my best to just play the bass line, but even then if I messed up, they'd sing whatever note I played, so I was not really helping. We had to stop because I couldn't keep a steady beat, so I really just played melody and took things in smaller chunks. Eventually, the choir director turned on a loud steady beat that pretty well drowned out what I was playing, fortunately, and gave them a steady beat to keep them together. It was both embarassing and also really funny. I just kept smiling and trying to play something. The choir director was very gracious with me, as was the entire choir, and very understanding, but I was nonetheless happy to get away from the keyboard. So I'll think twice next time I offer to play keyboard. I don't know, I felt like a real fool, but sometimes I can actually play- I just don't know if I can play it or not until I'm up there and see the piece! Thanks to the warmth and great friendliness of the choir, and my profound apologies, I was able to laugh really hard about it with them. After rehearsal, I had the chance to meet many of them and felt very warmly welcomed. This turned out to be a great moment of humanness, of failure, and of laughter.
God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good-ESPECIALLY TODAY!
Lord, thank you so much for the love of the people here, for the ability to laugh and the many opportunities to do so. Thank you for the unexpected requests to sing and the opportunity to flub all over the piano. Thank you for my humanness, and for others' forgiveness. Thank you for the many celebrations of life today. Thank you for the unexpected, and for the exhaustion of a day filled with surprises and memories. Amen.
Great news-we're all over jet lag! Still tired at moments, but now on the Indian +9 and a half hours time zone. I'm feeling great-I thought that adjusting to the time change would be really difficult for me, and I asked a team of you to pray specifically for that (THANK YOU!!!!) , and God is SOO good because thanks to your prayers I had no difficulty adjusting at all! In fact, by the third day I was good to go-so thank you so much!
Please continue to keep teammate Rachel in your prayers-she finally received her visa after all these weeks but also got sick in the process and went home. She won't be arriving until some time this week and will be arriving about a week into orientation-please be praying for her health, for her journey here-a long journey to make on one's own, and for her adjustment here.
So what all have we been up to? Well, Riba and her husband and their three little precious girls left and we miss them already. They were such a delight to play with and made our arrival and first two days joy-filled days. Since then, we have begun a little study of Malayalam, Bible study, and cultural orientation. Ian and Nicole and myself sit out on the veranda and sing songs, study, and learn from Achen. We've only just begun orientation and I'm looking forward to learning so much more.
On Friday, we left Achen's house for the first time since we got here and went to Chattala to Bishop Moore Vidyapith, where Ian's site will be. Right now the festival Onam is happening in Kerala and it is a very big deal-I think it's up there with Christmas! All of the schools have Onam celebrations and we went to Bishop Moore on their day of Onam festivities. As we arrived, we saw hundreds of children dressed in beautiful traditional Onam dress, each girl with her hair done up and laced with flowers and ornamented with many jewels, each girl, from the littlest to the oldest. Orange and yellow flowers were everywhere. It was an absolute explosion of color. We began to tour the school and as we did, all the students stared at us, smiled at us, followed us, and touched us. Some even handed us paper to get our autographs! Everywhere we went, smiling and giggling faces decked in the most beautiful outfits peered out at us.
The Onam festival lasts for ten days, and there are many traditions associated with the festival. One such tradition is the making of elaborate designs on the ground out of flower petals. At the school, the students compete in the flower design competition, and many other competitions ranging from martial arts to flower-arranging!
Shortly after our arrival we were kind of processed in to the large assembly through a row of people decked in flowers, and led up to the stage in front of all the students where we sat with the headmasters! Mind you-we were wearing t-shirts and feeling most under-dressed for the occasion! Some speeches were made and each of us was introduced to the multi-colored cheering throng and given a bouquet of flowers from a little girl! We were led up to the front of the stage to assist with the lighting of the traditional Onam lamp, and then were seated as the guests of honor in the very front row for the grand Onam performance- a vibrant and fascinating performance consisting of traditional dance, song, and drama related to Onam tradition. It was fascinating: in a song called the butterfly dance a girl in the middle representing the butterfly swooned while the girls around her chanted and sang. A children's choir with an unbelievably uniform sound sang, and there was a sort of 'boat race' where kids from each of the four houses of the school 'raced' in little cardboard boats...it was hilarious. The students were funny and charming in the final closing number where everyone came on stage, including a little girl and a little boy dressed up as 'foreigners' with shopping bags, binoculars, and sunglasses! Hilarious!
After the performance, we watched a traditional Onam game kind of like the pinata, and then were greeted by swarms of students, all asking us our names and how we like Kerala. It was wonderful to meet them and such a joy to be surrounded by so much love, warmth, and smiles. They were all very polite, asking "How do you do?" and offering their hand. (Random aside: at Bishop Moore they have prefects, Head Boy & Head Girl, and four competing houses, just like at Hogwarts! )
We were taken to an office where we enjoyed a traditional Onam meal eaten on a banana leaf (though our banana leaf at the time was actually one made of wax paper!) The people who served us watched us eat, which is something to get used to. In general, we are treated with such honor with lavish introductions and much special treatment-it is rather overwhelming, and extremely generous.
We spent most of the day at the school and then returned to Achen's place, and in the evening Nicole and I were taken by Achen and Kochamma to select the fabric for our first churidars (traditional dress). They will be sewn for us and we will pick them up in a few days.
Surprise singing! Today was another whirlwind day of many new exciting things. This morning we attended church together at Holy Trinity Church of South India where Achen assists. It was a two-hour service mostly in Malayalam. (Aside-barefoot church is quite enjoyable.) Breaking from his Malayalam in the middle of the service, the pastor suddenly introduced Ian, Nicole, and myself, and then asked me to sing a song for everyone. ?! I was pretty unprepared-Achen had told me this might happen but I thought he meant just in interactions with people, not in the middle of a sermon in the middle of a very liturgical service. I said, "Now?" and Achen encouraged me to come up to the microphone! I did not have a song planned, but suddenly thought of "How Great Thou Art" and sang only the chorus to it because I was too shocked right then and there to remember the verses. They were most appreciative and started humming along-turns out this was a good choice because this hymn in well-known here. And then I sat down shaking. Turns out nothing shocks you out of jetlag faster than being asked to unexpectedly sing a song in the middle of a two-hour service in Malayalam. Whew.
It was wonderful to meet people after church, and from there we went to a wedding that Achen was officiating-interestingly, a marriage between a Christian woman and a Hindu man. Here, I went with Binu (Achen's son) to sing with the little choir at the wedding. There were three hymns-two of which Binu and I had practiced last night together. The service was in English, and as it was being filmed there was a man holding a REALLY bright light that he shone behind the videographer.
There was an extremely funny moment when we sang the second hymn, which I did not know at all. The videographer came over and filmed the choir with the blaring light behind him. So here I was, standing with about five other singers, being filmed in this blaring light, and I didn't know the song at all.
I was shaking with silent laughter at the thought that when the couple looks back on their wedding video, in the middle of the choir stands a clueless blinking white girl who is trying really hard not to laugh and has no idea what is going on. Captured forever on film. Too funny.
After the wedding, we were taken to a wedding reception for a different couple. Here wedding receptions, at least for Christian weddings, consist of just a lunch, but you invite everyone you know! It was HUGE-held in a big auditorium. We enjoyed lunch and then had a chance to meet and congratulate the couple.
First choir rehearsal and my highly unsuccessful debut as a concert pianist: Later in the day, Binu was going to a choir rehearsal for a local choir and invited me to come with him. This choir of about 20 people has already begun rehearsing for their Christmas concert, and I was very interested to come and observe how this particular choral rehearsal was held and to perhaps participate. (Perhaps, haha.) Again, during a time of prayer, I was asked to sing a song. You'd think I'd be more prepared this time, but not really. From now on, I'm just going to be ready anytime, anywhere!!!!
The choir started rehearsing, and the director asked me if I wanted to help at the keyboard. I sat down and he said, "What a treat to have a full-time pianist with us! We are always using tracks and we so excited to have you play the accompaniment for us!" He also said that I would be joining them each Sunday night for rehearsal.
Whoops.
I told him that I can play parts but not really accompaniment...and it was a spiritual and a song I'd never seen before. So I flubbed all over the piano as they watched me try to play the accompaniment. The choir didn't know where to come in because I couldn't play it correctly, and it was just a mess, and I was causing a lot more confusion than being helpful. I did my best to just play the bass line, but even then if I messed up, they'd sing whatever note I played, so I was not really helping. We had to stop because I couldn't keep a steady beat, so I really just played melody and took things in smaller chunks. Eventually, the choir director turned on a loud steady beat that pretty well drowned out what I was playing, fortunately, and gave them a steady beat to keep them together. It was both embarassing and also really funny. I just kept smiling and trying to play something. The choir director was very gracious with me, as was the entire choir, and very understanding, but I was nonetheless happy to get away from the keyboard. So I'll think twice next time I offer to play keyboard. I don't know, I felt like a real fool, but sometimes I can actually play- I just don't know if I can play it or not until I'm up there and see the piece! Thanks to the warmth and great friendliness of the choir, and my profound apologies, I was able to laugh really hard about it with them. After rehearsal, I had the chance to meet many of them and felt very warmly welcomed. This turned out to be a great moment of humanness, of failure, and of laughter.
God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good-ESPECIALLY TODAY!
Lord, thank you so much for the love of the people here, for the ability to laugh and the many opportunities to do so. Thank you for the unexpected requests to sing and the opportunity to flub all over the piano. Thank you for my humanness, and for others' forgiveness. Thank you for the many celebrations of life today. Thank you for the unexpected, and for the exhaustion of a day filled with surprises and memories. Amen.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Sleep Over Bahrain
The evening hangs beneath the moon
A silver thread on darkened dune.
With closing eyes and resting head,
I know that sleep is coming soon.
There are moments in your life where you just know that God is right beside you, moments where you can just imagine Him with you. There are moments that takes your breath away, like the feeling of a hand slipping into your own unexpectedly. Moments where nothing moves.
I had one of these moments on our flight to Bahrain the other day. I was flipping through the radio channels on the airplane. There was the recitation of the Qu'ran channel, other Arabic music, a pop channel... We were somewhere over Turkey. I had just put my earphones in and was going through the channels when suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard Eric Whitcre's "Sleep." (If you haven't heard this piece, please listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xn_Qo_WXMg, or the virtual choir version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhWDCw3Mng&ob=av2e)
For those of you that know me, you know that this piece is probably one of my top favorite five pieces ever. First of all, I've never once heard this on radio in the US at any time. For me to just put my earphones on in the middle of a flight and hear this right between the reading of the Koran and Middle Eastern pop...I couldn't even breathe. It's like a three minute song-but it just happened to be on right then.
I honestly felt like God had that song play there just for me. The voices yearned and stretched to new heights, the harmonies breathlessly close together, soaring, achieving more height and depth and width as we soared through the clouds and golden rays of sun somewhere above the Middle East. I felt each note reach all the way into me like a drop of hot liquid, warming my soul. I couldn't move or breathe.
It was like God had just sat down next to me and took my hand. He knows exactly what He's doing. He is right here with me, with us, and right there with you where you are, too.
A silver thread on darkened dune.
With closing eyes and resting head,
I know that sleep is coming soon.
There are moments in your life where you just know that God is right beside you, moments where you can just imagine Him with you. There are moments that takes your breath away, like the feeling of a hand slipping into your own unexpectedly. Moments where nothing moves.
I had one of these moments on our flight to Bahrain the other day. I was flipping through the radio channels on the airplane. There was the recitation of the Qu'ran channel, other Arabic music, a pop channel... We were somewhere over Turkey. I had just put my earphones in and was going through the channels when suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard Eric Whitcre's "Sleep." (If you haven't heard this piece, please listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xn_Qo_WXMg, or the virtual choir version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhWDCw3Mng&ob=av2e)
For those of you that know me, you know that this piece is probably one of my top favorite five pieces ever. First of all, I've never once heard this on radio in the US at any time. For me to just put my earphones on in the middle of a flight and hear this right between the reading of the Koran and Middle Eastern pop...I couldn't even breathe. It's like a three minute song-but it just happened to be on right then.
I honestly felt like God had that song play there just for me. The voices yearned and stretched to new heights, the harmonies breathlessly close together, soaring, achieving more height and depth and width as we soared through the clouds and golden rays of sun somewhere above the Middle East. I felt each note reach all the way into me like a drop of hot liquid, warming my soul. I couldn't move or breathe.
It was like God had just sat down next to me and took my hand. He knows exactly what He's doing. He is right here with me, with us, and right there with you where you are, too.
Our Passage to India (yes, I did just use that title)
(I'd just like to say for the record that I planned on using this title a long time ago and I'm so happy I finally get to use it! :)
Well, we're in India! I feel as though so much has happened-was it only Monday that I typed my last post? Interestingly, I am still wearing the clothes I was wearing on Monday even though today is Thursday. No, I'm not that crazy about my outfit; the fact is that our luggage is currently floating around Bahrain somewhere and so we are all sporting rather familiar outfits by this point. Hope our bags are enjoying Bahrain, haha.
We left on Monday evening for our first flight. It was a very long but very smooth journey the whole way for the most part-two whole days of travel! Our flight to London was delayed for 2 and a half hours-once we were on the plane we were told we needed to deplane because there was a crack in the plane somewhere that required repair. Once we were all off the plane, we were told to come back on because the plane had still received approval to fly. (I was enjoying the image of our airbus soaring over the Atlantic, duct-taped. How else could they have fixed it so fast?) And then once we were back on the plane, we had to wait awhile because there was a hard-of-hearing passenger wandering around the airport somewhere who the attendants had to go find since he hadn't heard the announcements. It was a rather bizarre and amusing beginning to our journey. I didn't sleep a wink all the way to London, but enjoyed watching lots of TV and movies on the plane, as well as spending about an hour trying to figure out what language the people next to me were speaking, which sounded like it kept changing.
Because of our flight delay, once we got to London we had to book it! As we were going through security, they examined and waved a wand over every item in my purse and cosmetic bag, and threw some things out. We were really in a rush and I had forgotten to empty my water bottle so I downed the whole bottle right then and there. Additionally, I was having an allergic reaction I think because of the leaks in my room at Stony Point, so my eyes were watering the whole trip. Ian and I made a rather mad dash through the airport with my eyes watering and things all over the place and we were the last ones to board our flight to Bahrain. Whew!
We were only in Bahrain very briefly, where we ate at a Chili's (random) before our last flight from Bahrain to Cochin. This was the shortest flight-the other two had been between 6 and 7 hours. I sat next to a precious 7-month-old and watched a rather strange Bollywood movie. After two days of travel, we arrived in Cochin at about 4 am. I was surprisingly energized for having only slept a few hours the whole time; I was awake for most of the flights. When we entered the airport, there was a little boy gawking at us with his hands on the glass and his mouth literally hanging open. Thomas John met us, sans luggage, and he and his son Binu drove us to his wonderful house nearby.
It's been a very interesting and amusing few days-lots of laughs and warm welcomes. It's been kind of fun not having any stuff with me-makes me realize how little I actually need. To be honest, I completely forgot that we don't have our bags. When our flight arrived to Cochin, the luggage on the belt was from a flight from the day before. We have been provided with everything we need.
Since we arrived, we have mostly been sleeping on and off and spending time with Thomas John's daughter's family who are visiting from Bahrain. They have three adorable daughters with whom we have been spending most of our time. We are beginning to see glimpses of life here-but it has been pouring for two days straight and we can't really go anywhere (there was respite from the rain ever so briefly yesterday that allowed for a brief walk). We are learning to take bucket baths and to eat with our hands. I can't imagine having been more warmly welcomed by Thomas John, his wife Betty, and their family. They are so kind, letting us have lots of rest and helping us slowly adjust to our new lives here. The girls are so sweet and we love playing with them!
I'm feeling great and very excited about getting out and about once the deluge ceases...there's so much to see and explore! Thanks for all the prayers! God is so good! I'll leave you with a few interesting tidbits/random thoughts about India or Indian culture.
1) The little girls here wear bells on their ankles all the time-it's absolutely darling, and you always know where they are. Also, they were jewelry even at a very young age and love playing with it.
2) I've seen a bug here that moves very strangely-instead of crawling in a straight-forward line, it zig-zags around. Odd & seemingly inefficient. Hmm.
3) There are geckos on the walls sometimes but they eat the bugs, so they're valuable.
4) Last night, two of Thomas John's brothers came over for dinner and we enjoyed a time of music afterwards. Binu played guitar and we all sang; I chose songs from a huge song book that had hundreds of songs organized by funny categories such as "The Sea" and "Men." It was really fun to find some songs we knew to sing, such as Amazing Grace, some old hymns, and Danny Boy (shout out to mom).
5) In general, I am fascinated by all that I'm seeing here and all I've seen so far is the house we're staying in. Everything is just different. Even the things you wouldn't think would be different are, like the shapes of chairs, the bathrooms, the little sounds the kids make. The plants, the sky, the colors, the smells-it's all entirely new and fascinating.
Sorry for the length of this-but the Indians aren't concise and so maybe I can openly embrace my verbose nature here even in writing! Will post again soon. Prayers for our luggage and for continued rest are appreciated. Also please keep our teammate Rachel in your prayers-she could not travel with us because her visa still has not arrived and she's stuck at Stony Point. We're hoping and praying for her to come as soon as possible.
Love and blessings to you all.
Namaste,
Claudia
Well, we're in India! I feel as though so much has happened-was it only Monday that I typed my last post? Interestingly, I am still wearing the clothes I was wearing on Monday even though today is Thursday. No, I'm not that crazy about my outfit; the fact is that our luggage is currently floating around Bahrain somewhere and so we are all sporting rather familiar outfits by this point. Hope our bags are enjoying Bahrain, haha.
We left on Monday evening for our first flight. It was a very long but very smooth journey the whole way for the most part-two whole days of travel! Our flight to London was delayed for 2 and a half hours-once we were on the plane we were told we needed to deplane because there was a crack in the plane somewhere that required repair. Once we were all off the plane, we were told to come back on because the plane had still received approval to fly. (I was enjoying the image of our airbus soaring over the Atlantic, duct-taped. How else could they have fixed it so fast?) And then once we were back on the plane, we had to wait awhile because there was a hard-of-hearing passenger wandering around the airport somewhere who the attendants had to go find since he hadn't heard the announcements. It was a rather bizarre and amusing beginning to our journey. I didn't sleep a wink all the way to London, but enjoyed watching lots of TV and movies on the plane, as well as spending about an hour trying to figure out what language the people next to me were speaking, which sounded like it kept changing.
Because of our flight delay, once we got to London we had to book it! As we were going through security, they examined and waved a wand over every item in my purse and cosmetic bag, and threw some things out. We were really in a rush and I had forgotten to empty my water bottle so I downed the whole bottle right then and there. Additionally, I was having an allergic reaction I think because of the leaks in my room at Stony Point, so my eyes were watering the whole trip. Ian and I made a rather mad dash through the airport with my eyes watering and things all over the place and we were the last ones to board our flight to Bahrain. Whew!
We were only in Bahrain very briefly, where we ate at a Chili's (random) before our last flight from Bahrain to Cochin. This was the shortest flight-the other two had been between 6 and 7 hours. I sat next to a precious 7-month-old and watched a rather strange Bollywood movie. After two days of travel, we arrived in Cochin at about 4 am. I was surprisingly energized for having only slept a few hours the whole time; I was awake for most of the flights. When we entered the airport, there was a little boy gawking at us with his hands on the glass and his mouth literally hanging open. Thomas John met us, sans luggage, and he and his son Binu drove us to his wonderful house nearby.
It's been a very interesting and amusing few days-lots of laughs and warm welcomes. It's been kind of fun not having any stuff with me-makes me realize how little I actually need. To be honest, I completely forgot that we don't have our bags. When our flight arrived to Cochin, the luggage on the belt was from a flight from the day before. We have been provided with everything we need.
Since we arrived, we have mostly been sleeping on and off and spending time with Thomas John's daughter's family who are visiting from Bahrain. They have three adorable daughters with whom we have been spending most of our time. We are beginning to see glimpses of life here-but it has been pouring for two days straight and we can't really go anywhere (there was respite from the rain ever so briefly yesterday that allowed for a brief walk). We are learning to take bucket baths and to eat with our hands. I can't imagine having been more warmly welcomed by Thomas John, his wife Betty, and their family. They are so kind, letting us have lots of rest and helping us slowly adjust to our new lives here. The girls are so sweet and we love playing with them!
I'm feeling great and very excited about getting out and about once the deluge ceases...there's so much to see and explore! Thanks for all the prayers! God is so good! I'll leave you with a few interesting tidbits/random thoughts about India or Indian culture.
1) The little girls here wear bells on their ankles all the time-it's absolutely darling, and you always know where they are. Also, they were jewelry even at a very young age and love playing with it.
2) I've seen a bug here that moves very strangely-instead of crawling in a straight-forward line, it zig-zags around. Odd & seemingly inefficient. Hmm.
3) There are geckos on the walls sometimes but they eat the bugs, so they're valuable.
4) Last night, two of Thomas John's brothers came over for dinner and we enjoyed a time of music afterwards. Binu played guitar and we all sang; I chose songs from a huge song book that had hundreds of songs organized by funny categories such as "The Sea" and "Men." It was really fun to find some songs we knew to sing, such as Amazing Grace, some old hymns, and Danny Boy (shout out to mom).
5) In general, I am fascinated by all that I'm seeing here and all I've seen so far is the house we're staying in. Everything is just different. Even the things you wouldn't think would be different are, like the shapes of chairs, the bathrooms, the little sounds the kids make. The plants, the sky, the colors, the smells-it's all entirely new and fascinating.
Sorry for the length of this-but the Indians aren't concise and so maybe I can openly embrace my verbose nature here even in writing! Will post again soon. Prayers for our luggage and for continued rest are appreciated. Also please keep our teammate Rachel in your prayers-she could not travel with us because her visa still has not arrived and she's stuck at Stony Point. We're hoping and praying for her to come as soon as possible.
Love and blessings to you all.
Namaste,
Claudia
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