India baby... !! :)

I can't believe I have waited so long to write about my India trip. I've been really busy since our return, lots going on, especially with my new job and the holidays.  No reason, no excuse, I just need to learn to prioritize.  Anywho...

Myself, Joe, Narissa, Nirup, Smyrna, Praneeth, Beth, Brad, Hannah and Shirley

The trip was absolutely amazing!!  I'll skip the details about almost missing our flight out of Chicago, about how we had to run all the way to board the train. I'll also skip the part about how the person leading our trip had to fly out a day later then we did because of an expired visa, lol.  I'm even going to skip the part about how the 7 of us land in Chennai, India (6 of us with luggage) at 4:30am, with our van nowhere in sight, the only one that knows the language is flying out a day later, being surrounded by the locals trying to give us a ride, not having a contact number for those who were suppose to pick us up...I'm not even going to tell you about how bad I had to go the bathroom and the only bathroom in the airport was isolated from anything AND anyone else, about how there was just a few men standing around there, or that the floor was soaking wet and of course not any toilet paper.  Nope, not going to tell you about all that. I will tell you though that after about 30-40 minutes or so of waiting, looking for our van drivers they did show up.  We loaded up and headed to the YWCA, where we stayed while we were there.  The traffic in India was unbelievable.  No matter how hard I tried there is just no way of describing it.  What should be a 2-lane street is a 4-way street, constant beeping, you could literally reach out and shake hands with the people in the vehicle next to you. A "bump" by your neighbor would typically just warrant a wave and mouthing the words, "I'm sorry," but in Tamil, not English of course. During the drive to the Y, my eyes are glued to the city, the traffic, the people, the buildings, the garbage everywhere, the animals roaming free, the noise, etc.  It was like nothing I've ever seen. What in the world are so many people doing out and about at 5:30am?  Now this is a city that never sleeps.  To give you some sort of idea on the population of Chennai; in New York City, there are approximately 2,050 people per sq km, in Chennai there are 14,350 per sq km.  Crazy crowded huh?!  Watch where you walk, seriously.

I could write a book on my experience there, so I'll try to keep it as minimal as possible.  Our accommodations at the Y weren't bad at all.  There is a high cement wall all the way around the grounds, a gate at the entrance, along with a 24 hour security guard.  The grounds were beautiful, very well maintained with a tree out front that I feel in love with. I was dying to climb it. In the mornings I would sit out by the tree on a bench and do my devotions. If you know anything about me, you know I love nature!

Told ya it was a cool tree!! :) 

Branthi and Kaveri

Every morning our driver would pick us up and take us wherever we needed to go before heading to the Home of Love aka: the home (the orphanage).  The girls...OMGoodness, they were amazing!!  I think about them now and I still tear up.  I miss them terribly.  I seemed to connect better with the younger girls, 8 and under.  Everyday when we would arrive the ladies would serve us lunch while the girls were in school. After getting to know a few of the girls it was really hard for me to not march upstairs while they were in class just so I could sit with them. I couldn't wait for them to get out of school so I could see them and spend time with them.  Our time with the girls was spent doing many things.  We played games, puzzles, memory games, board games, several craft projects, outside we would play dodge ball, cricket, play on the playground, just sit and talk or let them braid for my hair for the hundredth time. Our group also spent a few hours for 2 days painting their classrooms, but other then that it was pretty much girl time while we were at the Home. It only took about a day to become very attached to a few of the girls. I could have easily brought home a handful of them. 

Branthi and Maya

We would leave the Home around 6:30pm every evening.  Depending on traffic it would take us around an hour or so to back to the Y.  It wasn't unusual to take an hour and a half.  To me it felt like 15 minutes.  I can't explain it, but I was totally fascinated with this city, ALL of it!  I was always glad when no one else wanted to sit up front, so I could.  While everyone else would relax and sleep on the ride back I would be wide awake, soaking up everything that I possibly could. It was comical to see the reaction from the locals.  We were always stuck in traffic and like I said before, we were very close to the vehicles next to us.  They would look at us, look away and then it was like they realized they just saw white people and they would whip their head back around to look at us again.  It would be easy to think that many of them weren't very friendly, because you don't see them smile very often.  I didn't know one word in their language, but there are at least 2 signs that are universal no matter where you are.  A smile and a wave.  They may look at you like you're a foreigner, but I can't recall one of them that did not wave when I waved or smiled back when I smiled. We went to the beach one day and as we were walking back to the van, our guide/leader from our church group, Nirup (who lived in India till he was 14) started laughing. He said a lady that was walking towards us with her son said, "Look, white people." Lol. Twice we ran into a group of people that wanted a picture with us.  Once at the beach and another time at a shopping mall.  It was fun to see their reaction to us.

I can't speak for the others, but not once did I feel scared, unsafe or even nervous while over there. Walking down the street was probably the unsafest thing we did.  You definitely had to watch where you were walking.  Many times the sidewalk was so broke up we had to walk in the street. Other times there was just so much litter or even someone sleeping on the sidewalk that you had to walk around. So not only did you have to watch where you stepped, you also had to watch where you were going and watch the traffic coming at you or behind you.  Crossing the street was hilarious.  I think we counted on the others in our group to be our eyes in the back and side of our head.

Our time there went way to quick.  I wasn't ready to leave the girls.  I wasn't ready to say good-bye. I wasn't ready to leave, but the time came anyway.  I tried really hard to not cry in front of the girls.  I think I would have made if it hadn't been for 2 of the girls I was clinging too hadn't started crying.  My tears started falling shortly after seeing their tears. By the time I had to leave, all 5 of us were crying. It was so hard to tear myself away from them and walk away.

I've had several people ask me if it was life changing. I'm not always sure how to answer that question.  I'm not sure what kind of answer they're looking for.  Did it change my life?  Sure it did. I've always seen how we take our health for granted, how we take our relationships for granted and so many other things, but until you experience something like this it's just not possible for me to explain to anyone how many other things we take for granted.  Things that we don't even think about.  I won't complain about a public bathroom in america again that's for sure, lol. They aren't in a hurry to get anywhere over there.  As crazy as the traffic is over there you don't see road rage either, not like you would here anyway.  Why are we always in a hurry?  Have you ever been in such a hurry you sped by someone, giving them a dirty look as you drive by cause they are going so slow or they did something to tick you off, only to get to the next stop light and have that exact same car sitting right next to you at the light? Yeah, we're really not getting anywhere any quicker then the next car, but I guarantee you, YOU are the one that's ticked off, stressed out and in a bad mood, NOT the one you flew by cause they weren't driving how you liked.  So slow down, quit complaining and enjoy the ride of life.  Enjoy the scenery, enjoy your quiet time, hug your family, fall in love, count the stars... and whatever you do, take the time to smile at a stranger. We have to slow down and quit taking so many things for granted. We can't ever know what others are going through.  That person in front of you driving to slow or not paying close attention, may have just lost their job, found out their spouse is cheating, lost a loved one, got in a fight with their spouse, boss, parents or their kids, the list goes on and on.  I'm ranting now...  Just be patient and realize everyone handles things in a different way. No matter how fast or slow we get there, we all end up in the same place, so you might as well enjoy the trip there!!  I'm totally ranting and getting off subject here.  :)

I better quit before this blog post turns into a chapter book.

I don't feel that going back is an option, I feel it's a necessity.  I can't imagine not being able to see those girls again.

Till next time...Slow down...Love life...Be YOUtiful...Have a very happy and safe New Year!! :)

Mark 16:15 (NIV) He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

"If we move through life too fast and fail to slow down and appreciate life, we will miss out on what God has in store for us.  We must wait on Him and let him guide us."