Bridging the Gap

I love introductions. I always have. I think if I saw people from different plays suddenly ending up on the same stage together, it would make me so happy. I love people meeting people and lives meeting lives. When I was young, I used to write stories about characters from different favorite books meeting one another and what would happen when they did. At my college graduation party, I was overcome with joy at seeing people from the different sets and scenes of my life interact, college, high school, father's side friends and family interacting with mother's side friends and family...It was unbelievable! Do you know what I mean? That very special kind of joy that you feel when you see two people talking together that you never even imagined talking together? I just love that feeling.

Sometimes, I fantasize about heaven being just a huge, never-ending collection of these kinds of thrilling introductions between people. All the people you have known from all the different places you've traveled suddenly being in the same place and talking together. Do you ever fantasize about that? That great meeting-place, heaven, where we'll all get to be together and talk and worship together, forever? I love to think about the girls of the hostel chatting with my high school friends, with all the students I've taught in India hanging out and laughing with the American students I've taught. I think about my family members with the addicts I met in Berlin, talking about God together. With coworkers playing guitar with all of the friends from the German youth group, or the orphans from that orphanage in Mexico meeting the people from my recent trip to Honduras. Does anyone else out there fantasize about these kinds of meetings in heaven?

When two people from entirely different places, both followers of Christ, come together, it is a beautiful thing. It is the bridging of gaps, the closing of chasms, the closer tyeing-up of heartstrings. The culture shock falls away in light of smiles and understanding. Hearts are open and accepting, voices discerned, ideas exchanged. It's a beautiful, godly, thing-godly in the sense that God spans all these barriers and distances. For what do we have in common but Christ? He is the great Connector, drawing believers of all nations into His loving arms.

Since I arrived in India, HERE and HOME have existed as complete opposites in my mind, diametrically spanning the globe as well as the world of my experiences. They were completely separate and neither knew the other. With the visit of my mother and sister to India, I felt like this gap was in some ways bridged. I felt like understanding flowed in large quantities. I felt like all the things that I had told them that sounded so crazy weren't so far-fetched anymore and they tangibly experienced what I had struggled to paint with words. I felt healing in my heart happening. I sank deep into my their openness, their warmth towards all they met, sank deep into their smiles. I felt understood and known both here and there. I felt peace.

I have had the wonderful privilege of having my family visit me the past couple of weeks. I can't believe how blessed I am that I could go halfway around the world and still be visited by my family! I realize what a rare and extraordinary visit this was- I am really really lucky, and so thankful that they were able to make it.

Check out my Facebook album of their trip here.
Check out my sister's album (taken with a really nice camera) here.

My sister, after spending some time visiting my cousin in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, flew to Cochin on December 29th. My mother arrived a day late the next day. The first moment I saw my sister, I absolutely could not stop crying with joy and relief. To be so far away from home for so long, and to suddenly be with family was quite a shock! It took me a few days to get used to being with them again. It also was quite a shock to go from staying in the hostel to staying in hotels, to dressing in Western dress, and to being with other Westerners as a tourist for a little while! After getting over the shock of actually being in the same room as my sister, I promptly took, and enjoyed (understatement) my first shower since August. :)

After the initial delirium and shock of simply being in one another's presence after travelling from three different continents, with all of us actually safely arrived and together, we began some sight-seeing. We stayed in Cochin for a few days where we visited Fort Kochi and other sites around Cochin. We bought churidar material and had churidars made for Joce and my mom-this was a blast. With all three of us wearing churidars, we went to Achen's house in Aluva where we all spent New Year's Eve together-Mom, Joce, and I, Kochamma, Achen, Binu, Rachel, and Ian. After a delicious dinner and some rounds of Catchphrase, we welcomed in the New Year together.

Joce and Mom in their brand-new churidars, stitched that day, on New Year's Eve

The whole group on New Years at Achen's house

On the first day of the year, we left Aluva to travel to Guruvayoor to see the famous temple there, and then went to Cheruthuruthy, where initially we were supposed to see some performances at a renowned arts academy there. Because it was a Sunday, it was closed. Our travel to Cheruthuruthy took three times as long as expected because of many CPI-M rallies going on (CPI-M is Communist Party of India-Marxist: delays due to these rallies were to become a theme for our trip.) We had huge chunks of driving in the car on our trip, but this was good catch-up time. Also, I was on my second round of antibiotics from having a sinus and lung infection so I was thankful for as much rest as possible while family was here.

Santa is a communist?

At the elephant park near Guruvayoor, where keep 40-50 sacred temple elephants live.

We went from Cheruthuruthy to Allepey, where we had an overnight stay on a houseboat that travelled from Allepey to Kumarakam. Kumarakam is one of the most touristy places in Kerala and is filled with stunningly beautiful backwaters. Mom, Joce, and I had a houseboat all to ourselves for the day, where we cruised through the sunlit water and enjoyed wonderful food cooked on the boat. We even stopped at a waterside fish stall where we picked out the prawns for our dinner! Watching the sunset from the boat, and later, the glimmering stars reflected in the water amidst other lantern-lit houseboats, was truly peaceful and memorable. It was a glorious day, sitting and enjoying the beauty of the backwaters with my family.

Dinner!

sunset over the paddy fields

From Kumarakam, we came to Kottayam, where I got to introduce my mother and sister to my new family and friends here. We visited the hostel, college, and local schools where I teach together. It brought me such deep joy to see the girls of the hostel conversing with my mom, or watching Jocie hang her laundry on the line near the girls. Deep within me, some chasms were breached. HERE and HOME had met, and I felt two worlds converge in their meeting.

Joce's time here was very brief, and she left on the night of the 4th/5th early morning. Before she left, we had a big family dinner together with my old and new families, with Gigi Sir, Sunita, Gigi's father Jacob and son Joe. We also were blessed to have dinner another night with the Principal of CMS, Korah Sir, and his wife.

New and old family meeting-with my Indian father, Gigi Sir, his wife Sunita, father Jacob, and son Joe

Joce left to get back to beginning her clinical trial in Malawi, and my mom and I left for Munnar, a mountainous hill station. We enjoyed three days in beautiful Munnar at a home stay overlooking the mountains. We couldn't believe the view right outside our window when we saw it-and spent the first evening there just speechlessly soaking up His presence in such a magnificent display of His handiwork.

home stay

One of the fun things about staying at a home stay instead of a hotel was that we got to meet and eat with the other people staying at the home stay; during our time there we befriended a Canadian couple biking through India and an Australian couple. Our evenings were blessed by reflective conversations with them as well as some much-needed early nights! In Munnar we enjoyed visiting the Tea Museum and learning about the history of tea growth as well as its processing. We visited the tea factory and saw how the tea was made before sampling some. It was also so refreshing to be with other foreigners. I know I'm a dork, but in the museum I was just staring blankly at the exhibits as I enjoyed the mellifluous sounds of French and German being spoke simultaneously all around me.

During our day in the town of Munnar, we also visited a flower garden and a nearby dam. It was much cooler up in the mountains than in Kottayam; we even needed wool blankets at night. That evening, we saw a performance of Kathakali dance, a traditional art form of Kerala. Kathakali is the acting out of Hindu legends from the Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita, incorporating dance, drama, instrumental and vocal music, and highly elaborate makeup and costumes. This was a highly unique experience- I've never seen any art form that even resembled Kathakali.

Leaving our wonderful home stay in Munnar, we stopped at an elephant-riding place! My mom and I rode the same elephant, Lucky, for a half hour through the jungle! We will never forget this amazing experience! Our time in Munnar was especially picturesque, restful, and memorable.

tea plantations

 



My mother and I returned to stay in Kottayam again for a couple of nights. On Sunday we spent a whole day visiting: we had a wonderful spaghetti and pizza lunch (?!?!) made for us by Cinny Miss, a friend and English professor at CMS. Afterwards, we hung out and played and sang worship songs with her son, Nick. From there, we went to Jemima's family's house for a visit, where Mom finally got to meet these wonderful people I had told her so much about! A funny moment was watching mom try to eat with her hands; one didn't work, so she tried both. :) Jemima sang for us all while her brother Jovan played. It was such a treat to sit with my mother and listen to her beautiful voice. This is so much of what this visit was about-the things I have told my mother about actually coming to life for her-the names now have faces, the singer's have songs...This India that I have been struggling so fiercely to relay was suddenly....right there before her. And I could sit back, relax, and watch her soak in all that I have struggled to convey. To sit and watch her listen to Jemima and experience the beauty in these moments. They were all the more beautiful for having her there to witness them.

After Jemima's, we concluded our day of visiting with dinner at Gigi Sir's house. Joe and I played and sang worship music while Mom joined in on harmony. For a long time, we smiled at one another, recognizing the familiar harmonies we used to sing together. It was an incredible privilege to be with her as we ate in their home together, in the home that has become like a home to me as well. Mom was also there for their family prayer, which they have twice a day. We had a truly worship-filled day with much worship music, laughter, and conversation. Getting to introduce my mom to the people I have come to know and love, and mostly be known and loved by, was so beautiful and warmed my heart deeply.

With Cinny Miss and son, Nick

With Jovan, Johnson Sir, Jancy Miss, and Jemima

Mom eats with her hands!

Lunch with Ann, Sheny, and Rinsy

Kovalam Beach

The next day we left Kottayam and travelled all day to Kovalam Beach, near Trivandrum, Kerala's capital, at the southern tip of Kerala. We spent three relaxing days at Kovalam-soaking up the sun and sand and waves, enjoying good food and a live Carnatic music performance each night at the hotel... The day after we arrived, my mom and I even had ayurvedic massages which we really enjoyed. We toured Trivandrum, visiting a temple, two museums, and botanical gardens. Before leaving, we also visited the Trivandrum Zoo, which had a variety of animals, most notably hippos, lions, tigers, and an impressive collection of quirky and vibrant Indian birds.

I have always labeled my mother and I as "beach people," whatever that means. We spent time soaking in the sun, sand, and waves together. We laid on the beach together as she read to me from her devotional and shared with me the truths God has been revealing to her. We spent our sunsets there, and one morning watched the fishermen pull in their catch. We got knocked around by the Arabian Sea and got water up our nose together, all before breakfastime. It was exhilarating. God spoke to me through truths revealed to my mother, and spoke to me of surrender to Him as I stared out into the limitless waves.

She left about a week ago now, and since then I realized more and more what a great trip we had together. It has been such a blessing to introduce her and my sister to my new life here, such a privilege to show them this new world! It shed new light on my perspectives and the judgments I had formed since being here, whether conscious or unconscious. I was pleasantly surprised at realizing what great attachments I have to the people and places here-very deep bonds. I was amazed anew at how abundantly God has provided for me and led me every step of the way, amazed at the many people who take care of me and who have befriended me. Mostly, amazed at the abundance of relationships I have been blessed with here. I got a fresh look at all that I have here and all that He is doing.

Thinking of and praying for you all. Ask my mother about her trip and invite her to share her experiences! Thank you again for your overwhelming support and constant flow of encouragement.

Love & blessings,
Claudia