Most of the group has headed off to a trip to the mountains today. They will be well cared for by our gracious hosts, Rev. Sam Mathew and Rev. George Jacob. These two pastors could not have been kinder and more welcoming. I feel like they have become dear friends, after spending so much time with them two years ago and now these past two weeks. We laugh easily. We learn from each other. We have all been in the care of the larger church. How comforting to arrive at the train station here in Kottayam in the middle of the night, and find on a crowded platform the friendly face of Rev. Sam dressed in his white cassock. What a contrast to the throng of male Hindu pilgrims dressed in their black and saffron garments.
We have read about the stampede tragedy that occurred several days ago, not far from here. (We were in Tamil Nadu when it took place on Friday night) There was talk of inadequate safeguards for large crowds. We had to chuckle. All we see are large crowds, and safeguards not in great quanity.
I know that our Plymouth pilgrims will each be returning to the states with their own unique experiences of transformation. At some primal level, I think it is fitting and appropriate and by no means prideful that they can feel proud, " I did this! I traveled to and in India for over two weeks. Our Plymouth pilgrims have encountered this nation at a level of depth that few tourists ever see. Yes, open air second class trains. Yes, taking the hands of orphans and singing together the "Hokey Pokey", Yes, being invited into the homes of simple villagers with their open cooking fires and their livestock and goats and chickens right in their living room. Yes, guests, into the homes of families who are Vatsala's students at her school. Yes, from their meager belongings, we were offered food and nourishment (wisely, I believe, we had to refuse for our own health reasons)
My hope is that each of us take some of the energy of this ancient but future looking nation and bring it to bear in our own country, lending a hand where we can, contributing to the general welfare of all, offering our voices in praise, and doing good where and when we can.
In the end, for this traveler, it is all about the relationships that are built and nurtured. From taking my sponsored child Saranya's hand into my (she wrote a letter to Chris, Dan and Linda and signed her name as "Saranya Luckey") to the warmth we have received here from the Bishop, we realize that this is what makes life the gift that it is.God's grace is in and through all of it.
It is perhaps the sense of "being on the edge here" that makes us all the more aware of moments of grace.
Tonight the two rotarians of the group (myself and Marguerite) will be attending Rotary. We are the program. Our local rotary club in Lawrence has joined with the Kottayam club to engage in a special project of distributing household composting units in people's homes here in Kottayam. Tonight my mission is to learn about how this project is fairing so I can bring back new to the noon Rotary group.
A side note: Our host, George Mathew is the Immediate Past District Governor. When I spoke to him this morning he said to me, "Rev. Peter, you were in our local paper yesterday"
Yes. he said, you were sitting next to the Bishop at the annual convention of the CSI church. Many of my friends will find this not the least bit surprising:) Being in the paper that is!
This has been a great group to be in India with. I know we have felt support and love of Plymouth Church throughout. And when you have heard enough about India from us, we will understand.
Peace
Peter Luckey
Monday, January 17, 2011
some last thoughts
We are nearing the end of our trip - and I think we are all becoming tired. We've packed so much into these two plus weeks. And tomorrow we are taking one last trip - up into the mountains (and then back down).
We've been back in Kottayam for the last two days - our time here has been filled with church events. Peter preached at a service just hours after we got off an all night train. We went to support him. Last night was the kick off for the Church of South India's annual convention. We were guests to the opening. And this morning/afternoon - we were invited to the outgoing bishop's new house warming. I guess it's an appropriate way to spend our last days - in the churches and homes of our guests, sharing prayer.
One thing that has struck me at these events - language and ritual. We, of course, cannot understand anything when it is in Malayam - which means the 2 hour church service, the 2 hour opening service for the convention and most of the prayers at the bishop's house were unintelligible to us. And for weary travelers - we thought we may not make it through parts without nodding off a bit.... And when we are asked to speak - I suspect that very few Indians understand our words. But the rituals - they are familiar and meaningful. During the church service, we passed peace to one another and took communion. At the house blessing, I felt the significance of the marking of a cross in each room at the Bishop's new home. Beyond words - the symbols and rituals of the christian church make it possible for us to have meaningful prayer together. And sung music is beautiful in any language. Music is present at all these events.
For me, the communion was especially meaningful. When I took communion with the people - kneeling next to women in beautiful saris - women so different than myself, with different backgrounds, different language skills and much different life stories - there is a common bond in the bread and the juice/wine. How we break the bread, what kind of bread we use, the theology behind each church's communion service - all of these are different - but we know the ritual, we know it's origins, and we can find meaning in it. And we know that we are sharing the ritual. And that is powerful and uniative. And I think finding community with people so unlike ourselves was one of the main missions of this trip.
This may be my last entry. We will be in the mountains all day tomorrow. And then off to the airport Wednesday morning.
We are unsure how many people out there are reading - I think there may be a few, though. Thank you for checking in on us. And thank you for all your support. It's been a wonderful, meaningful trip. And a very different trip for each traveler. We look forward to seeing you all soon. And we hope you will be patient with us when we resturn as we barrage you with stories!
Please pray for our safe travels!
Peace,
Heather
We've been back in Kottayam for the last two days - our time here has been filled with church events. Peter preached at a service just hours after we got off an all night train. We went to support him. Last night was the kick off for the Church of South India's annual convention. We were guests to the opening. And this morning/afternoon - we were invited to the outgoing bishop's new house warming. I guess it's an appropriate way to spend our last days - in the churches and homes of our guests, sharing prayer.
One thing that has struck me at these events - language and ritual. We, of course, cannot understand anything when it is in Malayam - which means the 2 hour church service, the 2 hour opening service for the convention and most of the prayers at the bishop's house were unintelligible to us. And for weary travelers - we thought we may not make it through parts without nodding off a bit.... And when we are asked to speak - I suspect that very few Indians understand our words. But the rituals - they are familiar and meaningful. During the church service, we passed peace to one another and took communion. At the house blessing, I felt the significance of the marking of a cross in each room at the Bishop's new home. Beyond words - the symbols and rituals of the christian church make it possible for us to have meaningful prayer together. And sung music is beautiful in any language. Music is present at all these events.
For me, the communion was especially meaningful. When I took communion with the people - kneeling next to women in beautiful saris - women so different than myself, with different backgrounds, different language skills and much different life stories - there is a common bond in the bread and the juice/wine. How we break the bread, what kind of bread we use, the theology behind each church's communion service - all of these are different - but we know the ritual, we know it's origins, and we can find meaning in it. And we know that we are sharing the ritual. And that is powerful and uniative. And I think finding community with people so unlike ourselves was one of the main missions of this trip.
This may be my last entry. We will be in the mountains all day tomorrow. And then off to the airport Wednesday morning.
We are unsure how many people out there are reading - I think there may be a few, though. Thank you for checking in on us. And thank you for all your support. It's been a wonderful, meaningful trip. And a very different trip for each traveler. We look forward to seeing you all soon. And we hope you will be patient with us when we resturn as we barrage you with stories!
Please pray for our safe travels!
Peace,
Heather
From Karen Vespestad and Laura Munson
Usually I am not this technologically challenged, but I was a little overwhelmed by the process so this is the first time I have posted a blog.
Being in India for the first time is a sensory bombardment of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. My sister, Laura, and I decided to come on this trip together for a large part to visit Vatsula and the Family Village Farm, but there has been so much more. We have visited hospitals, schools, churches, temples, and even experienced a dog show. The spirit of the people, despite all their challenges, is amazing. Their gracious hospitality seems infinite. Our lifestyles are so different yet have so much in common.
Laura and I were so impressed by the comprehensive program that Vatsula administrates and we will never forget the lovely children, their liquid brown eyes, and their joyful laughter. We stayed close to the children. Our room was in the nursery and preschool cottage. We loved hearing their chatter and watching them play and getting to know their names.
It has been such a spiritual blessing for us to be a part of this trip.
Peace and Love, Karen Vespestad and Laura Munson
Being in India for the first time is a sensory bombardment of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. My sister, Laura, and I decided to come on this trip together for a large part to visit Vatsula and the Family Village Farm, but there has been so much more. We have visited hospitals, schools, churches, temples, and even experienced a dog show. The spirit of the people, despite all their challenges, is amazing. Their gracious hospitality seems infinite. Our lifestyles are so different yet have so much in common.
Laura and I were so impressed by the comprehensive program that Vatsula administrates and we will never forget the lovely children, their liquid brown eyes, and their joyful laughter. We stayed close to the children. Our room was in the nursery and preschool cottage. We loved hearing their chatter and watching them play and getting to know their names.
It has been such a spiritual blessing for us to be a part of this trip.
Peace and Love, Karen Vespestad and Laura Munson
the total cultural immersion experience
If you are looking for a total cultural immesion experience this group of Plymouth travelers in the sub continent may be just your ticket! There have been so eye opening moments that surpassed by last trek through India in the fall of 2008.
Number one, the ride on the rails. As you may know, our experience has included a 600 kilometer overnight train journey from lush, fecund Kerala to the drier, more arid Tamil Nadu. I had done this trip before but never in a Non Air conditioned, second class, "open air" compartment. When we walked into the rail car at Kottayam, I admit, my jaw dropped. Not what I had expected. (because of the thousands of Hindu Pilgrims coming to the holy shrine at Sabarimala, the trains are packed. tickets are hard to come by)
Yes, we had seats that could be converted into three deck bunks. But fancy? No. Had you wanted to travel across this ancient land in an open air compartment so you could "smell " you way from the Malabar coast to the Bay of Bengal, then this is for you. As I lied in my bunk I could look up at star studded sky, and watch the half moon follow our journey. The smells! from a thousand cooking fires, the stench of unregulated emmisions from a paper plant, from the sweet smell of food to the oderous and unwelcoming smell of a slum.
We smelled it all. All across India.
Picture our environment. A rail car packed with grandmothers and families with children and babies being bed by mothers, people in their saris trying to catchsome sleep. people asleep on the dirty floors between the cars. And food. People bring all their Indian cuisine onto the train, and their Indian music. Its all there.
Sat next to a young man who grew up in a village in Tamil Nadu without electricity, running water,etc.
Now he works for Hewlett Packard, his wife for IBM. He does soft war work for them from a remote location. Bright. So articulate in English. I broke the ice by saying to him the tamil word for thank you which is NUNDRI. we talked politics. He thinks very highly of Obama. We talked about what his goals are inlife. He wants to make a different for the village in which he grew up, he wants to give back.
My thought: America: pay attention to these young Indians, so ambitious, so filled with a great work ethic competing for the same jobs as our American youth.
The rail travel may not have been very fancy. (And we all we constantly checking when our stop was due because station stops are unannounced and we are not good at reading Tamil) but what an education.
As the sun was setting, and casting a warm yellow over the day, I could see Hindu Temples decorated with bright lights (like Christmas lights) because this was a special Hindu holiday in Tamil known as Bongal.
I thought, for all the craziness of this country, its lack of safety, its inconvenniences that are on a scale most well off Americans could not imagine,there is something here to love. And I do.
Peter Luckey
Number one, the ride on the rails. As you may know, our experience has included a 600 kilometer overnight train journey from lush, fecund Kerala to the drier, more arid Tamil Nadu. I had done this trip before but never in a Non Air conditioned, second class, "open air" compartment. When we walked into the rail car at Kottayam, I admit, my jaw dropped. Not what I had expected. (because of the thousands of Hindu Pilgrims coming to the holy shrine at Sabarimala, the trains are packed. tickets are hard to come by)
Yes, we had seats that could be converted into three deck bunks. But fancy? No. Had you wanted to travel across this ancient land in an open air compartment so you could "smell " you way from the Malabar coast to the Bay of Bengal, then this is for you. As I lied in my bunk I could look up at star studded sky, and watch the half moon follow our journey. The smells! from a thousand cooking fires, the stench of unregulated emmisions from a paper plant, from the sweet smell of food to the oderous and unwelcoming smell of a slum.
We smelled it all. All across India.
Picture our environment. A rail car packed with grandmothers and families with children and babies being bed by mothers, people in their saris trying to catchsome sleep. people asleep on the dirty floors between the cars. And food. People bring all their Indian cuisine onto the train, and their Indian music. Its all there.
Sat next to a young man who grew up in a village in Tamil Nadu without electricity, running water,etc.
Now he works for Hewlett Packard, his wife for IBM. He does soft war work for them from a remote location. Bright. So articulate in English. I broke the ice by saying to him the tamil word for thank you which is NUNDRI. we talked politics. He thinks very highly of Obama. We talked about what his goals are inlife. He wants to make a different for the village in which he grew up, he wants to give back.
My thought: America: pay attention to these young Indians, so ambitious, so filled with a great work ethic competing for the same jobs as our American youth.
The rail travel may not have been very fancy. (And we all we constantly checking when our stop was due because station stops are unannounced and we are not good at reading Tamil) but what an education.
As the sun was setting, and casting a warm yellow over the day, I could see Hindu Temples decorated with bright lights (like Christmas lights) because this was a special Hindu holiday in Tamil known as Bongal.
I thought, for all the craziness of this country, its lack of safety, its inconvenniences that are on a scale most well off Americans could not imagine,there is something here to love. And I do.
Peter Luckey
Friday, January 14, 2011
Sustainability in Tamil Nadu
We took the overnight “Chennai Express” train west from Kottayam and into the state of Tamil Nadu. As one of 28 states in India
The Tamil Nadu climate is much drier than Kerala, and since we are not in monsoon season, the climate can be considered “semi-arid”—think westernKansas or western Texas Western Ghats serve as a barrier to much of the rain that Kerala otherwise receives. This can leave Tamil Nadu in a state of severe drought. As far as I can tell, this is a major concern among the village people living here around Vellore
Monsoon rains serve to recharge the water table, but deeper and deeper wells are expensive to drill and are not economical. This is because the nature of the sandstone bedrock here creates a situation very much like western Kansas and the Ogallala aquifer—as water is extracted from the earth, the sand grains that once held water collapse together, thus making the sediment impenetrable for the water recharging process in the future, thus requiring deeper drilling or new wells. Since we have been here we have tried our best to preserve water at the Family Village Farm—that means no flushing and few and quick showers. We hope that better methods of preserving water will come to Tamil Nadu so that the droughts will have less impact, and we hope that in some way our group can make a difference when it comes to this concern.
--Laura Murphy
The Tamil Nadu climate is much drier than Kerala, and since we are not in monsoon season, the climate can be considered “semi-arid”—think western
Monsoon rains serve to recharge the water table, but deeper and deeper wells are expensive to drill and are not economical. This is because the nature of the sandstone bedrock here creates a situation very much like western Kansas and the Ogallala aquifer—as water is extracted from the earth, the sand grains that once held water collapse together, thus making the sediment impenetrable for the water recharging process in the future, thus requiring deeper drilling or new wells. Since we have been here we have tried our best to preserve water at the Family Village Farm—that means no flushing and few and quick showers. We hope that better methods of preserving water will come to Tamil Nadu so that the droughts will have less impact, and we hope that in some way our group can make a difference when it comes to this concern.
--Laura Murphy
The Hospitality Continues
I know that Heather has previously written a post about the unbelievable hospitality we have witnessed during our travels but I simply cannot stop thinking about how much these people are willing to provide for us - especially when they have so little for themselves. It is truly a sight to behold and it has brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.
Our hosts in every part of our trip, from the pastors from the Church of South India in Kerala to the administration of the school and orphanage at Family Village Farm, have served as our shepards and providers - offering us food, shelter and kindness far and above the call of duty. But what strikes me even more is the hospitality we have seen from complete strangers. Never before have I been cared for in this manner. From the kind stranger on the train who helped me and Sean feel more comfortable and safe (we were separated from our group by 9 train cars) to the local villagers offering us a meal in their home on a sacred Hindu holiday that is taking place this weekend - the hospitality is like nothing I have ever experienced before.
Never before have I witnessed the message of Jesus - hospitality - in such a pure, genuine way. I am humbled, grateful and inspired in equal measure. My prayer today is that upon my return to the US I can find ways and opportunities to provide such hospitality to friends, neighbors and even strangers within our community. I have been blessed with extraordinary gifts in my life - many more tangible resources than anyone I have met during this trip. I hope that I can open my heart in the way that many hearts have been opened here for us.
Our hosts in every part of our trip, from the pastors from the Church of South India in Kerala to the administration of the school and orphanage at Family Village Farm, have served as our shepards and providers - offering us food, shelter and kindness far and above the call of duty. But what strikes me even more is the hospitality we have seen from complete strangers. Never before have I been cared for in this manner. From the kind stranger on the train who helped me and Sean feel more comfortable and safe (we were separated from our group by 9 train cars) to the local villagers offering us a meal in their home on a sacred Hindu holiday that is taking place this weekend - the hospitality is like nothing I have ever experienced before.
Never before have I witnessed the message of Jesus - hospitality - in such a pure, genuine way. I am humbled, grateful and inspired in equal measure. My prayer today is that upon my return to the US I can find ways and opportunities to provide such hospitality to friends, neighbors and even strangers within our community. I have been blessed with extraordinary gifts in my life - many more tangible resources than anyone I have met during this trip. I hope that I can open my heart in the way that many hearts have been opened here for us.
Summary Words &Hello, from Marguerite Carlson
Greetings from Family Village Farm in Vellore, India.
Several words convey whole categories of impressions and stories for me:
Kaliedescope, Cacophony, Crowded, Lush, Congenial, Industrious, Optomism, Serene, to name my top eight.
The constant parade of colors and shapes and designs is overwhelming and never ending day and night. The only people wearing black seem to be Muslim women. They must be hotter than the other ladies. Posters and billboard signs appear on every vertical walls. This includes private walls in front of Upscale houses. No doubt the owner gets paid?
The sound level is huge from every possible source. The children in school use full volume when reading out loud. The emphasis is on LOUD. They are learning English in every school we have visited. It is amazing what 5 year olds can read and recite. The teachers in our group say their 5 year olds are not at this level yet. That is an informative comparison.
Traffic sounds are also loud and various. The book Geraldo gave us at the commissioning service states that "in India a driver is better off with no brakes than with no horn". We believe it now ( though we have not experienced no brakes). The horns are the communication path of the traffic flow. I have begun to recognize different patterns of toots tell other drivers what our next move will be and thanks after they coordinate moves with ours. This allows all vehicles to move faster on very crowded streets and highways.
Crowded yes. Trucks loaded to the hilt, public busses likewise (some look like no single person could be added). Plus cars, smaller trucks, smaller busses like ours, small motorcycles, and crowds of people on foot. Courtesy is everyplace in all of this.
Lush vegetation: Tropical plants which we grow in pots grow wild here and huge. Elephant Ears, for example, have been sighted with leaves over 4 feet long. Spotted gold dust plant is a 4 foot hedge along the driveway at the Retreat Center in Kerala. Banana palms are planted below coconut palms which grow very tall and provide the shade for good bananas. Everything is lush and green even in yards of very poor homes. However here in South East India, Vellore, this is less so because of low rainfall over 7 years now.
The last four words interconnect within the population as a whole.. The optomism is palpable everyplace in ways we do not feel in the US. From Posters, to the plans and dreams the students have for their lives it is very pervasive.
More impressions another day. For now know that we feel the support of your prayers and are sharing Plymouth love here for you.
Peace and Namaste,
Marguerite
Several words convey whole categories of impressions and stories for me:
Kaliedescope, Cacophony, Crowded, Lush, Congenial, Industrious, Optomism, Serene, to name my top eight.
The constant parade of colors and shapes and designs is overwhelming and never ending day and night. The only people wearing black seem to be Muslim women. They must be hotter than the other ladies. Posters and billboard signs appear on every vertical walls. This includes private walls in front of Upscale houses. No doubt the owner gets paid?
The sound level is huge from every possible source. The children in school use full volume when reading out loud. The emphasis is on LOUD. They are learning English in every school we have visited. It is amazing what 5 year olds can read and recite. The teachers in our group say their 5 year olds are not at this level yet. That is an informative comparison.
Traffic sounds are also loud and various. The book Geraldo gave us at the commissioning service states that "in India a driver is better off with no brakes than with no horn". We believe it now ( though we have not experienced no brakes). The horns are the communication path of the traffic flow. I have begun to recognize different patterns of toots tell other drivers what our next move will be and thanks after they coordinate moves with ours. This allows all vehicles to move faster on very crowded streets and highways.
Crowded yes. Trucks loaded to the hilt, public busses likewise (some look like no single person could be added). Plus cars, smaller trucks, smaller busses like ours, small motorcycles, and crowds of people on foot. Courtesy is everyplace in all of this.
Lush vegetation: Tropical plants which we grow in pots grow wild here and huge. Elephant Ears, for example, have been sighted with leaves over 4 feet long. Spotted gold dust plant is a 4 foot hedge along the driveway at the Retreat Center in Kerala. Banana palms are planted below coconut palms which grow very tall and provide the shade for good bananas. Everything is lush and green even in yards of very poor homes. However here in South East India, Vellore, this is less so because of low rainfall over 7 years now.
The last four words interconnect within the population as a whole.. The optomism is palpable everyplace in ways we do not feel in the US. From Posters, to the plans and dreams the students have for their lives it is very pervasive.
More impressions another day. For now know that we feel the support of your prayers and are sharing Plymouth love here for you.
Peace and Namaste,
Marguerite
Family Village Farm
It is hard to capture in words the sense of peace one finds at the Family Village Farm. I awake everymorning to the sounds of birds, and the voices of children laughing. So little they have, and yet they find so much occasion for laughter. ( I brought an ipod and this morning I had fun passing out the earphones as the children listened to my sound track from Slumdog Millionaire. "Jai Ho" they are knew!)
How I will treasure last night. This amazing group from Plymouth Church led the children in the "Hokey Pokey" and "Kum ba Ya" We shared our gifts. I spend time handing out the presents of everyong at Plymouth who had sent gifts along. The Lesnikowski's little boy Valen, the Fry's two children, Barb Watkins child. Many pictues and moments of laughter. I have had time with our sponsored child Saranya. she is now in a secretarial school in a city called Combatore, about five hours train ride from here. she came to the the Family Village Farm just so we would have this time together. I am completely confident that the Family Village will watch over her until she is able to procure gainful employment.
Vatsala, our wonderful host and school principal, was overjoyed at receiving the gifts we brought for her school, pocket calendars and so many supplies that Karen, Heather and Marguerite had purchased and schlepped to the other side of the world.
Hard to captue it all: monkeys in the trees, spending times in some of the nearby village homes, small two or three bedroom homes, with one room given over to a Hindu shrine. Peacefull, buccolic country side, rice padis, many cows, goats, ox driven carts.
Today is a holiday. Pongal. A Hindu holiday. Its a day of revering the homes. children are dresed in new clothes. smile on their faces.
Tonight we bid farewell to our children and board the train for Kerala.
Soon our journey will bring us back home to the USA. This has been a great group.
Peter Luckey
How I will treasure last night. This amazing group from Plymouth Church led the children in the "Hokey Pokey" and "Kum ba Ya" We shared our gifts. I spend time handing out the presents of everyong at Plymouth who had sent gifts along. The Lesnikowski's little boy Valen, the Fry's two children, Barb Watkins child. Many pictues and moments of laughter. I have had time with our sponsored child Saranya. she is now in a secretarial school in a city called Combatore, about five hours train ride from here. she came to the the Family Village Farm just so we would have this time together. I am completely confident that the Family Village will watch over her until she is able to procure gainful employment.
Vatsala, our wonderful host and school principal, was overjoyed at receiving the gifts we brought for her school, pocket calendars and so many supplies that Karen, Heather and Marguerite had purchased and schlepped to the other side of the world.
Hard to captue it all: monkeys in the trees, spending times in some of the nearby village homes, small two or three bedroom homes, with one room given over to a Hindu shrine. Peacefull, buccolic country side, rice padis, many cows, goats, ox driven carts.
Today is a holiday. Pongal. A Hindu holiday. Its a day of revering the homes. children are dresed in new clothes. smile on their faces.
Tonight we bid farewell to our children and board the train for Kerala.
Soon our journey will bring us back home to the USA. This has been a great group.
Peter Luckey
Sustainability in Kerala--Part II
Our group has learned a lot more about sustainable issues in Kerala since my last post. First we met with a Church of South India (CSI) young adult group for an evening discussion at the Retreat Center Plymouth Church
Our group visited the Asha Bhavan Centre near Kottayam. Asha Bhavan means “house of hope”; it is center for women with mental and physical disorders and disabilities. It is a beautiful facility where the women can make jewelry, textiles, jam, etc. to sell. I purchased a necklace and bracelet that were made by the women, and those funds go back to support the center. The woman who runs Asha Bhavan has an autistic child herself, and the goals at the center hit home: “help those first who have the least”--those who need protection and support in the community. Since it is a new facility, they are working on ways of becoming self-sustaining. For example, the women will wash clothes and linens from local hotels to earn money. However, what was impressive to us was their rain catchment system that provides water to the center, as well as their sustainable compost area below ground. All food waste is deposited in large pits covered with rectangular slabs of concrete. The methane gas that is produced from the composting is used to heat the stoves for cooking—none of us in the group have heard about this practice happening in the states! We also learned from the husband of the woman who operates Asha Bhavan that rain catchment and solar panels are becoming required for all new construction in Kerala, which was very exciting to hear!
On our last night in Kottayam, we visited with the CSI Bishop, Thomas Samuel, at the Bishop’s house near the CSI retreat center. We asked him to share his thoughts about ecological issues in Kerala. He told us that ecological and sustainability issues are a top priority-- one of the 3 main mission pillars of the CSI. They encourage recycling and sustainable farming practices, and each year CSI gives awards, some for being the most green at schools and in the community, as well as a sustainable farmer’s award. I thinkPlymouth ’s own Green Team can take some of these award ideas and apply them to our own community in Lawrence
--Laura Murphy
Our group visited the Asha Bhavan Centre near Kottayam. Asha Bhavan means “house of hope”; it is center for women with mental and physical disorders and disabilities. It is a beautiful facility where the women can make jewelry, textiles, jam, etc. to sell. I purchased a necklace and bracelet that were made by the women, and those funds go back to support the center. The woman who runs Asha Bhavan has an autistic child herself, and the goals at the center hit home: “help those first who have the least”--those who need protection and support in the community. Since it is a new facility, they are working on ways of becoming self-sustaining. For example, the women will wash clothes and linens from local hotels to earn money. However, what was impressive to us was their rain catchment system that provides water to the center, as well as their sustainable compost area below ground. All food waste is deposited in large pits covered with rectangular slabs of concrete. The methane gas that is produced from the composting is used to heat the stoves for cooking—none of us in the group have heard about this practice happening in the states! We also learned from the husband of the woman who operates Asha Bhavan that rain catchment and solar panels are becoming required for all new construction in Kerala, which was very exciting to hear!
On our last night in Kottayam, we visited with the CSI Bishop, Thomas Samuel, at the Bishop’s house near the CSI retreat center. We asked him to share his thoughts about ecological issues in Kerala. He told us that ecological and sustainability issues are a top priority-- one of the 3 main mission pillars of the CSI. They encourage recycling and sustainable farming practices, and each year CSI gives awards, some for being the most green at schools and in the community, as well as a sustainable farmer’s award. I think
--Laura Murphy
We are in Tamil Nadu - from Heather
Hello and greetings from Tamil Nadu!
The group took an overnight train from Kerala across southern India. This was quite the adventure. Because it is pilgrim season in Kerala and also harvest festival time in Tamil Nadu - there are LOTS of people on the train. We did not get the air conditioned car like we expected, but instead got to ride with "the people" in the cheaper sections of the train. We were able to experience a side of India that we didn't expect. People in crowded, uncomfortable conditions. We did this for one night. People in India do it for their entire life. We are unsure still which car we will be riding in for our return trip.
Last Sunday at the church service we attended (which was in English), we stood for the gospel, and it was the passage about the rich young man, who asks Jesus what he must do. Sell everything, Jesus says, and give it to the poor. The rich young man walks away sad - we dont' know what choice he made. I stood there and listened and thought, "I am standing here in India hearing this Gospel passage - standing as a rich person among the poor." I felt like this passage was directed straight towards me. It is a passage that regularly haunts me, even when I am not in India. But that morning it seemed more poignant.
Yesterday, when we arrived in Tamil Nadu at the Family Village Farms, we found a beautiful facility, run by loving, Christ-centered people, who care for some of the poorest people in the world - the orphans of India. The orphans life have certainly been made better by love and financial interest. They have a school, a bus that picks them up in the morning and takes them home, regular meals, people to care for them, people who will help them become productive, giving adults in the Indian society. But still, the teenage girls sleep 9 in a small room, on the floor. The nursery of young children is teeming with little ones with old clothes and short hair cuts (I am supposing to keep out the lice). We, in contrast, were given comfortable living conditions during our short stay and are being treated like royalty. As I walked around the orphanage and the school, the words of the gospel haunted me even more strongly. Was there a reason we heard that passage on our stay in India? Do these words of Jesus have special meaning for us living the affluent, western lifestyle? I think the parts of the gospel that haunt us most are the parts that we feel deeply inside of us, but are most scared to put our faith in.
I suspect that I will come home from India a changed person in ways I did not expect. Thank you again for supporting us in this mission. We are truly having life-changing experiences and hope that we will be able to share some of this with you as well.
Peace,
Heather
The group took an overnight train from Kerala across southern India. This was quite the adventure. Because it is pilgrim season in Kerala and also harvest festival time in Tamil Nadu - there are LOTS of people on the train. We did not get the air conditioned car like we expected, but instead got to ride with "the people" in the cheaper sections of the train. We were able to experience a side of India that we didn't expect. People in crowded, uncomfortable conditions. We did this for one night. People in India do it for their entire life. We are unsure still which car we will be riding in for our return trip.
Last Sunday at the church service we attended (which was in English), we stood for the gospel, and it was the passage about the rich young man, who asks Jesus what he must do. Sell everything, Jesus says, and give it to the poor. The rich young man walks away sad - we dont' know what choice he made. I stood there and listened and thought, "I am standing here in India hearing this Gospel passage - standing as a rich person among the poor." I felt like this passage was directed straight towards me. It is a passage that regularly haunts me, even when I am not in India. But that morning it seemed more poignant.
Yesterday, when we arrived in Tamil Nadu at the Family Village Farms, we found a beautiful facility, run by loving, Christ-centered people, who care for some of the poorest people in the world - the orphans of India. The orphans life have certainly been made better by love and financial interest. They have a school, a bus that picks them up in the morning and takes them home, regular meals, people to care for them, people who will help them become productive, giving adults in the Indian society. But still, the teenage girls sleep 9 in a small room, on the floor. The nursery of young children is teeming with little ones with old clothes and short hair cuts (I am supposing to keep out the lice). We, in contrast, were given comfortable living conditions during our short stay and are being treated like royalty. As I walked around the orphanage and the school, the words of the gospel haunted me even more strongly. Was there a reason we heard that passage on our stay in India? Do these words of Jesus have special meaning for us living the affluent, western lifestyle? I think the parts of the gospel that haunt us most are the parts that we feel deeply inside of us, but are most scared to put our faith in.
I suspect that I will come home from India a changed person in ways I did not expect. Thank you again for supporting us in this mission. We are truly having life-changing experiences and hope that we will be able to share some of this with you as well.
Peace,
Heather
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
On the road and Hindu temples - from Heather
We are leaving on a train tonight - an overnight ride to Tamil Nadu - this is the state directly east of Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, we will be the guest of Family Village Farms. This is an orphanage and women's home that Plymouth supports and several of our congregants have adopted children from there. In my backpack, I am carrying two kickballs and a pump from the Fry family to give to their adopted children. I am wondering if the children have ever played kickball and am determined to teach them.
I am hoping that internet access will be as accessible in our next location as it has been in Kottayam - but if it's not, we will try to seek one out. Be patient with us!
Some of our recent adventures:
Yesterday, we spent the afternoon visiting some local Hindu temples. There was one in our town of Kottayam and one about 10 km outside of town.
I found these spots intriguing - these are very different spots than Christian churches. I am still trying to discern the spiritual experience I had there. I have visited temples before in both India and in the US - and some places I have had deeply spiritual experiences, and some I have felt a bit uncomfortable or even unsettled. Yesterday was somewhere in between.
Both of the temples were mostly outdoor spaces. There were large outer courtyards. People, mostly men, were lounging outside of the temples. Many of them wearing a wrap around their lower body and no shirt. I think that if you go into the inner sanctum of the temple (which we were not able to do), men cannot wear shirts. This is how the temple priest dresses. I am not sure of the dress codes for women. I have read that they must be completely covered.
After crossing through the outer courtyard, we then went through a door in a wall that surrounded an inner courtyard - also an open air courtyard. You cannot wear shoes inside this door of the temple - we learned the hard way that they will kick you out. Some of our group did not get to see the inside courtyard of the second temple, because they were unsure where to take off their shoes. They got kicked out. A couple of other members were wearing socks - they were allowed to stay at first, but eventually got kicked out too. Sara and I seemed to take off our shoes at the correct time and were not wearing socks - we were able to stay, but the temple security kept looking at our feet to make certain.
Once inside the walled courtyard - there was a path that let to an enclosed building in the center of the courtyard - this is where we were not allowed to go. One of the pastors here called this space, "the holy of holies". In fact, none of the visitors seemed to be able to go there at those moments, as they were locked off. But I could see that there was some type of flame inside. And I suspect either a statue of a god or an element of nature. Someone told me that there was a large rock inside of the 2nd temple spot. I think that Hindu temples often grew up around a sacred natural spot.
There was a sidewalk around the closed off sanctuary. Along the sidewalk, there were little shrines, where we saw people offering prayers and offerings. In the first temple - we saw banana leaves with some type of natural offerings on them. In both temples, there were small statues with tumeric covering them - I assume as an offering.
At the first temple, two nice women motioned to us for how to proceed around the temple. It was greatly appreciated, as we were unsure about how to proceed and if we were doing anything that was offensive.
The biggest surprise we had was when we turned the corner at the back of the first temple and we saw an elephant! Yep, you read that right - there was an elephant in the back corner. Peter and I had a conversation about how we hoped it was tethered in some manner - because it wasn't behind bars or in a cage or anything, just kind of hanging out on a cement pad. I then noticed that it was tethered with a chain around it's back leg. Our group took lots of photos, so I am sure you will see it upon our return. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to be taking pictures, as a temple person called over to us when he saw the cameras out. But most of the group was so enthralled with the elephant that they didn't notice. I then saw him kind of give up on trying to get their attention, in sort of an "oh well" way. I felt a little better when soon after, the same people from the temple came up to us and started taking our pictures, asking us where we were from and being very friendly.
I asked why the elephant was at the temple - the best I understood was that it was a gift to the temple (and you thought it was a big deal to donate stained glass!) and used for spiritual processions, among other things. And that it was a very sacred part of the temple.
The second temple had cows in the same spot. They inspired a bit less awe in our group. But I saw a temple worker being very kind and caring for the cows - I am sure they were revered as well.
The other interesting site at the 2nd temple was the throngs of pilgrims that were there. Since the moment we've arrived in India - we have seen men dressed in black, mostly shirtless. There is a major pilgrimage -happening right now - our guide book says it is the largest pilgrimage in the world - and it's only for men. The pilgrims were stopping at this temple on the way to their main stop. It has been interesting to see them. First of all - they are so exotic looking. All in black, several of them have religious markings on their forehead, no shirts, no shoes. But some of them have spoken to us - and we have realized they are men (and boys) from all parts of india, all ages, and all different socio-economic backgrounds. I have been told they may be on our train tonight - maybe we'll get to know a bit more about why they are journeying.
I am not sure what more to say about the temples - exept for they are fascinating and clearly are part of an ancient religion and culture that is still thriving today. A culture that is so very different from the one that I am from. And I suspect that is why I am a bit uncomfortable sometimes when I am in that space. But when you are able to witness the adherents - see them give offerings, bow and prostrate in prayer, come on pilgrimage or even take care of a cow - it is clear that they too, like us, are searching for that thing in the world that is larger than us. Praying to God for the same human reasons we are praying. Making a space for the holy in their lives, just as we are making space.
Thank you again for your prayers. We leave in a few hours. Hopefully, our next letters will come soon.
Peace,
Heather
I am hoping that internet access will be as accessible in our next location as it has been in Kottayam - but if it's not, we will try to seek one out. Be patient with us!
Some of our recent adventures:
Yesterday, we spent the afternoon visiting some local Hindu temples. There was one in our town of Kottayam and one about 10 km outside of town.
I found these spots intriguing - these are very different spots than Christian churches. I am still trying to discern the spiritual experience I had there. I have visited temples before in both India and in the US - and some places I have had deeply spiritual experiences, and some I have felt a bit uncomfortable or even unsettled. Yesterday was somewhere in between.
Both of the temples were mostly outdoor spaces. There were large outer courtyards. People, mostly men, were lounging outside of the temples. Many of them wearing a wrap around their lower body and no shirt. I think that if you go into the inner sanctum of the temple (which we were not able to do), men cannot wear shirts. This is how the temple priest dresses. I am not sure of the dress codes for women. I have read that they must be completely covered.
After crossing through the outer courtyard, we then went through a door in a wall that surrounded an inner courtyard - also an open air courtyard. You cannot wear shoes inside this door of the temple - we learned the hard way that they will kick you out. Some of our group did not get to see the inside courtyard of the second temple, because they were unsure where to take off their shoes. They got kicked out. A couple of other members were wearing socks - they were allowed to stay at first, but eventually got kicked out too. Sara and I seemed to take off our shoes at the correct time and were not wearing socks - we were able to stay, but the temple security kept looking at our feet to make certain.
Once inside the walled courtyard - there was a path that let to an enclosed building in the center of the courtyard - this is where we were not allowed to go. One of the pastors here called this space, "the holy of holies". In fact, none of the visitors seemed to be able to go there at those moments, as they were locked off. But I could see that there was some type of flame inside. And I suspect either a statue of a god or an element of nature. Someone told me that there was a large rock inside of the 2nd temple spot. I think that Hindu temples often grew up around a sacred natural spot.
There was a sidewalk around the closed off sanctuary. Along the sidewalk, there were little shrines, where we saw people offering prayers and offerings. In the first temple - we saw banana leaves with some type of natural offerings on them. In both temples, there were small statues with tumeric covering them - I assume as an offering.
At the first temple, two nice women motioned to us for how to proceed around the temple. It was greatly appreciated, as we were unsure about how to proceed and if we were doing anything that was offensive.
The biggest surprise we had was when we turned the corner at the back of the first temple and we saw an elephant! Yep, you read that right - there was an elephant in the back corner. Peter and I had a conversation about how we hoped it was tethered in some manner - because it wasn't behind bars or in a cage or anything, just kind of hanging out on a cement pad. I then noticed that it was tethered with a chain around it's back leg. Our group took lots of photos, so I am sure you will see it upon our return. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to be taking pictures, as a temple person called over to us when he saw the cameras out. But most of the group was so enthralled with the elephant that they didn't notice. I then saw him kind of give up on trying to get their attention, in sort of an "oh well" way. I felt a little better when soon after, the same people from the temple came up to us and started taking our pictures, asking us where we were from and being very friendly.
I asked why the elephant was at the temple - the best I understood was that it was a gift to the temple (and you thought it was a big deal to donate stained glass!) and used for spiritual processions, among other things. And that it was a very sacred part of the temple.
The second temple had cows in the same spot. They inspired a bit less awe in our group. But I saw a temple worker being very kind and caring for the cows - I am sure they were revered as well.
The other interesting site at the 2nd temple was the throngs of pilgrims that were there. Since the moment we've arrived in India - we have seen men dressed in black, mostly shirtless. There is a major pilgrimage -happening right now - our guide book says it is the largest pilgrimage in the world - and it's only for men. The pilgrims were stopping at this temple on the way to their main stop. It has been interesting to see them. First of all - they are so exotic looking. All in black, several of them have religious markings on their forehead, no shirts, no shoes. But some of them have spoken to us - and we have realized they are men (and boys) from all parts of india, all ages, and all different socio-economic backgrounds. I have been told they may be on our train tonight - maybe we'll get to know a bit more about why they are journeying.
I am not sure what more to say about the temples - exept for they are fascinating and clearly are part of an ancient religion and culture that is still thriving today. A culture that is so very different from the one that I am from. And I suspect that is why I am a bit uncomfortable sometimes when I am in that space. But when you are able to witness the adherents - see them give offerings, bow and prostrate in prayer, come on pilgrimage or even take care of a cow - it is clear that they too, like us, are searching for that thing in the world that is larger than us. Praying to God for the same human reasons we are praying. Making a space for the holy in their lives, just as we are making space.
Thank you again for your prayers. We leave in a few hours. Hopefully, our next letters will come soon.
Peace,
Heather
Monday, January 10, 2011
Hospitality - from Heather
Greetings again from India.
I write to you this morning with a full stomach - compliments of Indian hospitality.
One aspect of this trip that I think the group has been very surprised, delighted and a little embarrassed by is the hospitality that we are shown where ever we go. I say embarrassed, because it seems that people are extending extreme hospitality towards us, and we are not sure we deserve it and not sure that our culture would do the same to an Indian group traveling in the United States.
Just one story of hospitality - this morning, Sara, Laura Murphy, Peter and myself set out for breakfast. We had heard there was a restaurant in the blood bank, which is a clinic sponsored by the Rotary Club here in Kottayam. Peter had met the director of the blood bank in his previous trip and wanted to stop in to say hi and eat at the restaurant there. We were understandably a little unsure when we walked by signs that read things like, "urine samples" looking for a restaurant. We found Peter's friend first. We never actually found the restaurant, and I am not convinced it exists. Instead, we ended up in the director's beautiful apartment that was in the top floor of the building housing the blood bank, and were being cooked breakfast by his wife. While breakfast was cooking, we got a tour of the facility.
Sara's quote: "This is the first time I've set out for breakfast and ended up at a Rotary Blood Bank!"
The blood bank was not a shiny as one you might see in the states, but the facility was very impressive and clean. And it seemed to mark a change in medical treatment in India. Our host told us that in the past, if you needed blood you would be responsible for finding it. Now the responsibility shifts onto the community to supply it for those in need.
After the tour, we returned to the director's home for breakfast - the table was beautiful and bountiful. The director and his wife had stopped everything they were doing this morning and extended to us wonderful hospitality. It was both humbling and wonderful. And it was not the first time that we have been on the receiving end of such extravagant welcome. It is my hope that we can bring at least a bit of this practice of hospitality home with us.
I hope you are all staying warm in snowy Lawrence. We think of you all often.
Peace,
Heather
I write to you this morning with a full stomach - compliments of Indian hospitality.
One aspect of this trip that I think the group has been very surprised, delighted and a little embarrassed by is the hospitality that we are shown where ever we go. I say embarrassed, because it seems that people are extending extreme hospitality towards us, and we are not sure we deserve it and not sure that our culture would do the same to an Indian group traveling in the United States.
Just one story of hospitality - this morning, Sara, Laura Murphy, Peter and myself set out for breakfast. We had heard there was a restaurant in the blood bank, which is a clinic sponsored by the Rotary Club here in Kottayam. Peter had met the director of the blood bank in his previous trip and wanted to stop in to say hi and eat at the restaurant there. We were understandably a little unsure when we walked by signs that read things like, "urine samples" looking for a restaurant. We found Peter's friend first. We never actually found the restaurant, and I am not convinced it exists. Instead, we ended up in the director's beautiful apartment that was in the top floor of the building housing the blood bank, and were being cooked breakfast by his wife. While breakfast was cooking, we got a tour of the facility.
Sara's quote: "This is the first time I've set out for breakfast and ended up at a Rotary Blood Bank!"
The blood bank was not a shiny as one you might see in the states, but the facility was very impressive and clean. And it seemed to mark a change in medical treatment in India. Our host told us that in the past, if you needed blood you would be responsible for finding it. Now the responsibility shifts onto the community to supply it for those in need.
After the tour, we returned to the director's home for breakfast - the table was beautiful and bountiful. The director and his wife had stopped everything they were doing this morning and extended to us wonderful hospitality. It was both humbling and wonderful. And it was not the first time that we have been on the receiving end of such extravagant welcome. It is my hope that we can bring at least a bit of this practice of hospitality home with us.
I hope you are all staying warm in snowy Lawrence. We think of you all often.
Peace,
Heather
the cacophany Of INdia
It is really hard to put into words the sights, the sounds, the colors of this country. Yesterday we had the Arabian sea wash over our toes as we watched the sun set in the west (over East Africa, a few thousand miles away). then minutes later we were walking into the church of St Stephen and stopping by a Hindu shrine then watching the local fishermen use their ancient chinese fishing nets to scoop up prawn and fish.
We see pilgrims coming from all over India getting arriving at the local train station for their annual pilgrimmage to the Hindu shrine at Sabramimala. Thousands, dressed in black and orange, all fasting, happy, festive. like K staters comign to town for a KU K State showdown at Memorial stadium. HM? What be our religious pilgrimmages if not journeys to football stadiums. Then we learn: the Hindus, many of them, on their return from the Hindu shrine stop also at many of these famous Christians churches, because Hindus, many of them, have a deep respect for Christ. The spirituality here is thick and public and multi faceted. And here in Kerala, mostly harmonious. Every hour brings a new adventure here. I am fortunate to have such intrepid travelers along for the journey
Peter Luckey
We see pilgrims coming from all over India getting arriving at the local train station for their annual pilgrimmage to the Hindu shrine at Sabramimala. Thousands, dressed in black and orange, all fasting, happy, festive. like K staters comign to town for a KU K State showdown at Memorial stadium. HM? What be our religious pilgrimmages if not journeys to football stadiums. Then we learn: the Hindus, many of them, on their return from the Hindu shrine stop also at many of these famous Christians churches, because Hindus, many of them, have a deep respect for Christ. The spirituality here is thick and public and multi faceted. And here in Kerala, mostly harmonious. Every hour brings a new adventure here. I am fortunate to have such intrepid travelers along for the journey
Peter Luckey
Education Policy
As a teacher in the US I was extremely interested to come to India to learn about the ways in which the schools here differ from ours, but also the ways in which they are the same. Back home I teach K-8 general music, band and choir at Topeka Lutheran School. But I am also a doctoral student at KU studying Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.
During the past few days we have visited several different schools - some that are aided (meaning that they are supported by the government) as well as those that are non-aided (meaning that they are not supported by the government but that instead parents pay tuition for the children to attend). This aided vs. unaided system is like that of our public and private system in the US. But with one main difference - religious organizations (Christian, Hindu and Muslim) manage and run the administration of government aided schools. In the US the separation of Church and State keeps this from happening in any way and people in our communities would be up in arms if religious organizations tried to have influence in the way that publicly funded schools operate.
The schools we have been visiting are those managed by the Church of South India (C.S.I.) and yet many of the students that attend these schools are either Hindu or Muslim. As a teacher in a Lutheran school we often have students of a different denomination of Christianity but it would be very rare for us to have students of drastically different faiths such as Hindu or Muslim. As others in our group have previously written and will continue to write on our blog I am both shocked and humbled by the ways in which these three religions live harmoniously in Kerala. In Kerala 50% of people are Hindu, about 25% are Christian and about 25% are Muslim. These three faith backgrounds are visibly intertwined throughout the communities but to me there is no better way to see the acceptance and tolerance than in the schools we have visited.
Some of the schools we have seen are very poor, with few resources and less than adequate (by American standards) achievement. Many of these situations leave me feeling guilty about the tangible resources that many of our schools in the US have and equally humbled that some of the schools here are able to do so much with so little. But we have also visited some schools whose students reading ability and academic achievement is extremely impressive compared to students in our country. These schools leave me feeling hopeful for the future of India and the global economy. Many of these young people say they want to be engineers, doctors etc. After listening to them speak it is clear that they are both extremely bright and motivated in equal measure.
As I return to the US I hope that I can keep the memory of these schools in my mind both as I teach in my classroom and study at KU.
God bless.
- Sarah Oatsvall
During the past few days we have visited several different schools - some that are aided (meaning that they are supported by the government) as well as those that are non-aided (meaning that they are not supported by the government but that instead parents pay tuition for the children to attend). This aided vs. unaided system is like that of our public and private system in the US. But with one main difference - religious organizations (Christian, Hindu and Muslim) manage and run the administration of government aided schools. In the US the separation of Church and State keeps this from happening in any way and people in our communities would be up in arms if religious organizations tried to have influence in the way that publicly funded schools operate.
The schools we have been visiting are those managed by the Church of South India (C.S.I.) and yet many of the students that attend these schools are either Hindu or Muslim. As a teacher in a Lutheran school we often have students of a different denomination of Christianity but it would be very rare for us to have students of drastically different faiths such as Hindu or Muslim. As others in our group have previously written and will continue to write on our blog I am both shocked and humbled by the ways in which these three religions live harmoniously in Kerala. In Kerala 50% of people are Hindu, about 25% are Christian and about 25% are Muslim. These three faith backgrounds are visibly intertwined throughout the communities but to me there is no better way to see the acceptance and tolerance than in the schools we have visited.
Some of the schools we have seen are very poor, with few resources and less than adequate (by American standards) achievement. Many of these situations leave me feeling guilty about the tangible resources that many of our schools in the US have and equally humbled that some of the schools here are able to do so much with so little. But we have also visited some schools whose students reading ability and academic achievement is extremely impressive compared to students in our country. These schools leave me feeling hopeful for the future of India and the global economy. Many of these young people say they want to be engineers, doctors etc. After listening to them speak it is clear that they are both extremely bright and motivated in equal measure.
As I return to the US I hope that I can keep the memory of these schools in my mind both as I teach in my classroom and study at KU.
God bless.
- Sarah Oatsvall
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Sustainability in Kerala
As a member of Plymouth's Mission Board and Green Team, as well as a student of climate change, I have been struck by what seems like a lack of sustainable practices in India. Climate change is a social justice issue, that does not simply impact those living in the United States. I have been wondering how climate change will impact the over 2 million people living here along the coast in Kerala, and around the backwaters in particular. Unfortunately, not everything is beautiful here-- it would not be wise for us to only talk about the immense beauty that is around us, but to also discuss the darker side.
On the road to where we would board our boat for our own special backwaters trip, we passed a group of men who were stripping old computers; breaking them down to recyclye their metals and other parts. This is the only "recyling" I have witnessed, and as I understand it, this practice is not a healthy one because of the contact with toxic chemicals.
The backwaters of Kerala is an extremely fragile ecosystem which special exoctic plants, fish, birds, and reptiles that inhabit that brackish (mix of salt and fresh) coastal lagoons (along the Arabian Sea).
Once we boarded our boat, I noticed that the number one piece of floating trash in that waters, particularly near commercial centers, was plastic bottles. Bottles, bottles everywhere. Our group is guilty of consuming at least 2 liters of bottled water daily--it is what we have to do to remain healthy. But there is no way to recycle them, which has been hard for us. Seeing all the bottles floating in the otherwise beautiful water made me sad-- these are mostly likely from all the tourist boats going through the area.
What is more depressing is that, in a need to fuel the tourist market, more and more motorized boats are on the backwaters, which means more oil seeps into the water--there are virtually NO eco-friendly boats on the waters. Futhermore, modern agricultural fertilizers are used on the rice patties adjacent to the backwaters, and machines are used to harvest the rice. These practices have lead to a significant decline in fish species and a 50 percent reduction in bird species on the water. 50 percent!!! This is a travesty, since the birds we did see were truly amazing--black cormorants, egrets, small eagles, kingfishers, waders, divers, and other small shore birds. Finally, the backwaters are full of an invasive African moss from South America--they look kind of like lilly pads with purplish flowers--these plants have choked off sunlight and oxygen to the native fish species. African moss moved in due to the agriculural practice of flushing out the salt water.
So yes, this is all very depressing, especially when we saw all the families living along the backwaters just trying to go about their everyday lives--bathing, doing dishes, and doing laundry in the water--a major, major dichotomy from the rich tourist resorts that dot the backwaters as well.
But I will end with a message of hope. In the Mumbai newspaper, I saw an article by a woman on a call for better coastal practices and sustainability. She fears that progress has been too slow since the Tsunami and hopes that better action to secure the fragile coast will increase in the future. But, what was even more promising and moving is that when we visited the Baker girls school here in Kottayam, we saw that the girls had set up an eco-garden with a sign that read "Put an end to the use of plastic".
Laura Murphy
On the road to where we would board our boat for our own special backwaters trip, we passed a group of men who were stripping old computers; breaking them down to recyclye their metals and other parts. This is the only "recyling" I have witnessed, and as I understand it, this practice is not a healthy one because of the contact with toxic chemicals.
The backwaters of Kerala is an extremely fragile ecosystem which special exoctic plants, fish, birds, and reptiles that inhabit that brackish (mix of salt and fresh) coastal lagoons (along the Arabian Sea).
Once we boarded our boat, I noticed that the number one piece of floating trash in that waters, particularly near commercial centers, was plastic bottles. Bottles, bottles everywhere. Our group is guilty of consuming at least 2 liters of bottled water daily--it is what we have to do to remain healthy. But there is no way to recycle them, which has been hard for us. Seeing all the bottles floating in the otherwise beautiful water made me sad-- these are mostly likely from all the tourist boats going through the area.
What is more depressing is that, in a need to fuel the tourist market, more and more motorized boats are on the backwaters, which means more oil seeps into the water--there are virtually NO eco-friendly boats on the waters. Futhermore, modern agricultural fertilizers are used on the rice patties adjacent to the backwaters, and machines are used to harvest the rice. These practices have lead to a significant decline in fish species and a 50 percent reduction in bird species on the water. 50 percent!!! This is a travesty, since the birds we did see were truly amazing--black cormorants, egrets, small eagles, kingfishers, waders, divers, and other small shore birds. Finally, the backwaters are full of an invasive African moss from South America--they look kind of like lilly pads with purplish flowers--these plants have choked off sunlight and oxygen to the native fish species. African moss moved in due to the agriculural practice of flushing out the salt water.
So yes, this is all very depressing, especially when we saw all the families living along the backwaters just trying to go about their everyday lives--bathing, doing dishes, and doing laundry in the water--a major, major dichotomy from the rich tourist resorts that dot the backwaters as well.
But I will end with a message of hope. In the Mumbai newspaper, I saw an article by a woman on a call for better coastal practices and sustainability. She fears that progress has been too slow since the Tsunami and hopes that better action to secure the fragile coast will increase in the future. But, what was even more promising and moving is that when we visited the Baker girls school here in Kottayam, we saw that the girls had set up an eco-garden with a sign that read "Put an end to the use of plastic".
Laura Murphy
Different yet so very familiar
Greetings Plymouth!
This morning we attended Cathedral Church, which is one of the two main congregations in Kottayam that are part of the Church of South India - our host. Peter delivered the sermon - so we all felt quite at home during that portion of the service.
In fact, I felt right at home throughout the entire service! I grew up in North Carolina in the Episcopal Church and the service today was exactly the same! The parts of the liturgy that I had memorized from my childhood came right back to me. The service was in English (thank goodness) - but they actually spoke the prayers much faster than we are accustomed to doing. The first hymn was "For the beauty of the Earth" nothing like starting the morning off with one of my favorite hymns. After travelling more than 8,000 miles little familiarities are such a comfort!
We are all having a wonderful time - such a fantastic experience. I am deeply honored and humbled to be a part of this experience and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all when we return.
And don't worry Plymouth, Peter represented us well this morning and I was so touched by his message!
- Sarah Oatsvall
This morning we attended Cathedral Church, which is one of the two main congregations in Kottayam that are part of the Church of South India - our host. Peter delivered the sermon - so we all felt quite at home during that portion of the service.
In fact, I felt right at home throughout the entire service! I grew up in North Carolina in the Episcopal Church and the service today was exactly the same! The parts of the liturgy that I had memorized from my childhood came right back to me. The service was in English (thank goodness) - but they actually spoke the prayers much faster than we are accustomed to doing. The first hymn was "For the beauty of the Earth" nothing like starting the morning off with one of my favorite hymns. After travelling more than 8,000 miles little familiarities are such a comfort!
We are all having a wonderful time - such a fantastic experience. I am deeply honored and humbled to be a part of this experience and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all when we return.
And don't worry Plymouth, Peter represented us well this morning and I was so touched by his message!
- Sarah Oatsvall
water day - from Heather
Greetings again from India! We had a great saturday today - the theme was water!
the plan for the day was to float down the backwaters of Kerala - taking us through villages and communities that live life along a series of waterways - maybe something like the bayou in Louisiana, but with rice patties. The group was all really excited and waiting for the bus, when we were told - first we would go to a baptism! Karen claimed it was the first time she'd ever dressed for a boat trip and ended up at a baptism. And that's exactly what happened.
The baptism seemed quite the event for this community. The ceremony was officiated by about 8 priests, and maybe 100 people were in attendance. It was a beautiful ceremony, and clearly a very important event in the life of the church. After the ceremony, we learned the baptism was for the first grandchild of one of the priests - grandpa was proud indeed! And seemed to love it that we were in attendance. they invited us to the hall next to the church for a catered breakfast - which was curry and rice, with some sort of vegetable roll on the side. And then insisted that we take a photo with the family - we hope this one will make the ROCK. We were really happy to be part of this event. And then happy to be on the bus to the river afterwards.
The next water event was an all day boat ride through the back waters of Kerala. This was fascinating. As we meandered through the backwaters, we saw traditional villages and the people living there. Women were washing their clothes in the river, men were fishing in the waters, basic life was happening all around. Everyone looked busy, but no one seemed hurried. The children waved and yelled at us as we passed. we wondered what life would be like here - a life so different than our own.
On the water, we stopped at one of the small churches that belongs to the diocese of the church of south india. It was a small church with a tiny, poor school attached. I think the pastor was surprised to see us. He was a young pastor - who was not yet finished with seminary. It seems they send young people out to the small churches on "probation" - a win-win situation. The young people get good on the job training and the small villages get a pastor. we wondered whether this would work in the KO Conference.
After we returned to the boat, our conversation turned towards the people who live in these areas - who goes to this church and very small, poor school? Our host told us that the lineage of these people was probably of the untouchable caste. This has been a theme throughout our stay - the Church of South India seems to have reached out to the "untouchables" - we've seen it whereever we go - they reached out with education, social service programs and churches that love and nurture them. Their motto is, "So that all may be one." sounds familiar. It seems a wonderful association for Plymouth - these churches that focus on education and welcoming all peoples, no matter where they are on life's journey, or maybe in this case, what family they were born in to.
Well that's all i have for the day. Tomorrow - Peter preaches in the Cathedral. And the group is going to see a Hindu shrine. So there will be more to come!
Thank you again for your prayers. And again - keep them coming!
Peace from India,
Heather
the plan for the day was to float down the backwaters of Kerala - taking us through villages and communities that live life along a series of waterways - maybe something like the bayou in Louisiana, but with rice patties. The group was all really excited and waiting for the bus, when we were told - first we would go to a baptism! Karen claimed it was the first time she'd ever dressed for a boat trip and ended up at a baptism. And that's exactly what happened.
The baptism seemed quite the event for this community. The ceremony was officiated by about 8 priests, and maybe 100 people were in attendance. It was a beautiful ceremony, and clearly a very important event in the life of the church. After the ceremony, we learned the baptism was for the first grandchild of one of the priests - grandpa was proud indeed! And seemed to love it that we were in attendance. they invited us to the hall next to the church for a catered breakfast - which was curry and rice, with some sort of vegetable roll on the side. And then insisted that we take a photo with the family - we hope this one will make the ROCK. We were really happy to be part of this event. And then happy to be on the bus to the river afterwards.
The next water event was an all day boat ride through the back waters of Kerala. This was fascinating. As we meandered through the backwaters, we saw traditional villages and the people living there. Women were washing their clothes in the river, men were fishing in the waters, basic life was happening all around. Everyone looked busy, but no one seemed hurried. The children waved and yelled at us as we passed. we wondered what life would be like here - a life so different than our own.
On the water, we stopped at one of the small churches that belongs to the diocese of the church of south india. It was a small church with a tiny, poor school attached. I think the pastor was surprised to see us. He was a young pastor - who was not yet finished with seminary. It seems they send young people out to the small churches on "probation" - a win-win situation. The young people get good on the job training and the small villages get a pastor. we wondered whether this would work in the KO Conference.
After we returned to the boat, our conversation turned towards the people who live in these areas - who goes to this church and very small, poor school? Our host told us that the lineage of these people was probably of the untouchable caste. This has been a theme throughout our stay - the Church of South India seems to have reached out to the "untouchables" - we've seen it whereever we go - they reached out with education, social service programs and churches that love and nurture them. Their motto is, "So that all may be one." sounds familiar. It seems a wonderful association for Plymouth - these churches that focus on education and welcoming all peoples, no matter where they are on life's journey, or maybe in this case, what family they were born in to.
Well that's all i have for the day. Tomorrow - Peter preaches in the Cathedral. And the group is going to see a Hindu shrine. So there will be more to come!
Thank you again for your prayers. And again - keep them coming!
Peace from India,
Heather
Children in God's Kingdom
Another day has left me thinking - we visited a school today - an all girl's school managed by the Church of South India. At the morning assembly there were Christian, Hindu, and Muslim girls side-by-side.
It was as if we were rock stars. The girls seemed so excited to see us. Afterward, a bunch of them swarmed around us, asking our names. Their amazement was striking. The girls were elementary and middle school age. Then we met the principal of the older girls' section of the school, like our high school, and spoke with her. She then took us around to the various classrooms to meet with the classes. The girls, around ages 14-18 we so amazed to see us! Their eyes lit up.
Jesus' words from Luke 18:17 came to mind during all of this: "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." Contrasted to the reactions that adults had when meeting us (Peter spoke briefly to a marriage counseling class), children were much more impressed, in general. This observation isn't really about us, however, as I don't think we're really that impressive. One could say the adults had it right. They probably have encountered more white people than the children had, and may also be more aware of differences due to our privileged place as Americans within the world order (I'm not sure). We had the same experience boating today, when the children from the shores were consistently so excited to see us.
But the sense of wonder is what amazed me. It's not specifically about the way that Indian children greet this little group from Plymouth Church but about the way that all of us greet the world. And being here has so reminded me that I don't usually feel like a little child - wondered, amazed, open - not limited by the boundaries of what the world says is "possible" or what "makes sense" or "works." But I do feel that way here in India. And it is so wonderful. It seems that that's exactly what Jesus was talking about. My experience tells me he was right. I feel closest to God's Spirit and to the Kingdom here, when I feel like a child, when everything in the world is new and beautiful and the possibilities are limitless. When we can end poverty, hunger, sickness, disease, hatred. Even though conventional, "adult" wisdom says otherwise.
I've been so impressed with the Church of South India. I hope that when I come home, I might be able to remain open, like a child, to God's work in Lawrence, Kansas around the world. I feel renewed already by this beautiful place in the world called India.
Sean Weston
It was as if we were rock stars. The girls seemed so excited to see us. Afterward, a bunch of them swarmed around us, asking our names. Their amazement was striking. The girls were elementary and middle school age. Then we met the principal of the older girls' section of the school, like our high school, and spoke with her. She then took us around to the various classrooms to meet with the classes. The girls, around ages 14-18 we so amazed to see us! Their eyes lit up.
Jesus' words from Luke 18:17 came to mind during all of this: "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." Contrasted to the reactions that adults had when meeting us (Peter spoke briefly to a marriage counseling class), children were much more impressed, in general. This observation isn't really about us, however, as I don't think we're really that impressive. One could say the adults had it right. They probably have encountered more white people than the children had, and may also be more aware of differences due to our privileged place as Americans within the world order (I'm not sure). We had the same experience boating today, when the children from the shores were consistently so excited to see us.
But the sense of wonder is what amazed me. It's not specifically about the way that Indian children greet this little group from Plymouth Church but about the way that all of us greet the world. And being here has so reminded me that I don't usually feel like a little child - wondered, amazed, open - not limited by the boundaries of what the world says is "possible" or what "makes sense" or "works." But I do feel that way here in India. And it is so wonderful. It seems that that's exactly what Jesus was talking about. My experience tells me he was right. I feel closest to God's Spirit and to the Kingdom here, when I feel like a child, when everything in the world is new and beautiful and the possibilities are limitless. When we can end poverty, hunger, sickness, disease, hatred. Even though conventional, "adult" wisdom says otherwise.
I've been so impressed with the Church of South India. I hope that when I come home, I might be able to remain open, like a child, to God's work in Lawrence, Kansas around the world. I feel renewed already by this beautiful place in the world called India.
Sean Weston
Friday, January 7, 2011
The Ancient and the Modern Collide in Kerala-- from Laura
Hello from a internet cafe on a busy, bustling street in Kottayam! Kottayam is in the state of Kerala in south India, and it is more bustling and busy than I could have ever imagined. Busses, rickshaws, motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians crammed together-- where rules are suggestions and beeping is second nature. The population is between 60 and 70 thousand, and here they speak Malayalam, which is a derivative of the ancient Sanscrit-- as I recall from my archaeological studies at KU, ancient Sanskrit moved into the region about 1500 BCE during Aryan migrations east. To me, when I hear Malayalam spoken, I feel a sense of connection to the archaeological past--to a time when words were only passed down through oral traditions before Sanscrit was written. Today, over 80 originial Sanskrit words remain in the Malayalam language.
Today we visited a local all girls school here in Kottayam that was set up by a christian woman in the early 1800s. I was most impressed by the teachers and the curriculum of the High School. The female instructors teach computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, botany, and zoology. I wish I had been exposed to all of those science courses in high school!! Most of the students will go on to college to become doctors, nurses, engineers, etc.... The students sang for us several times, so it was funny when our group was caught a off-gaurd when we were asked to share a song! Under pressure, I suggested Plymouth's own Gathering of Grace version of "God be with you til we meet again..." we pulled it off, and we were better the second time around, but we vowed to do a little more practicing before tomorrow!!
It's almost dinner time here and we are going to try and find a good local place to dine out for the evening. Tomorrow we will take an all day boat tour through the backwaters of Kerala--one part of the trip I have been looking forward to!
Cheers!
Laura Murphy
Today we visited a local all girls school here in Kottayam that was set up by a christian woman in the early 1800s. I was most impressed by the teachers and the curriculum of the High School. The female instructors teach computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, botany, and zoology. I wish I had been exposed to all of those science courses in high school!! Most of the students will go on to college to become doctors, nurses, engineers, etc.... The students sang for us several times, so it was funny when our group was caught a off-gaurd when we were asked to share a song! Under pressure, I suggested Plymouth's own Gathering of Grace version of "God be with you til we meet again..." we pulled it off, and we were better the second time around, but we vowed to do a little more practicing before tomorrow!!
It's almost dinner time here and we are going to try and find a good local place to dine out for the evening. Tomorrow we will take an all day boat tour through the backwaters of Kerala--one part of the trip I have been looking forward to!
Cheers!
Laura Murphy
Thursday, January 6, 2011
the group arrives - from Heather
We are here safe in India! It took us 41 hours to get from our doors in Lawrence to the retreat center at Kottayam. We've taken three planes, two cab rides through Mumbai and a 3 hour bus ride to get to the retreat center of thc Church of South India. Needless to say we are a bit travel weary, but our spirits are good.
The place we are staying is lovely - a bit of an oasis in the center of a very busy city. I think the group has already been surprised by the things they have seen - even in our short time. We spent three hours today in a small bus driving through Kerala towards Kottayam. So we saw a lot of countryside and city life in Kerala. This is my second time in India, so many memories are coming back to me. All the people in the street, the crazy cab rides through the cities, the beautiful, colorful clothes worn by the women, the fresh fruit, Hindu temples along the road, the spicy food, hearing the Muslim call to prayer wafting through the streets at 6am, the trash, the stray dogs, the cows. the list could go on and on.
We will write more tomorrow, I think. Tonight we have rooms and time to collect ourselves. thank you all for your prayers. Please keep them coming!
Heather
The place we are staying is lovely - a bit of an oasis in the center of a very busy city. I think the group has already been surprised by the things they have seen - even in our short time. We spent three hours today in a small bus driving through Kerala towards Kottayam. So we saw a lot of countryside and city life in Kerala. This is my second time in India, so many memories are coming back to me. All the people in the street, the crazy cab rides through the cities, the beautiful, colorful clothes worn by the women, the fresh fruit, Hindu temples along the road, the spicy food, hearing the Muslim call to prayer wafting through the streets at 6am, the trash, the stray dogs, the cows. the list could go on and on.
We will write more tomorrow, I think. Tonight we have rooms and time to collect ourselves. thank you all for your prayers. Please keep them coming!
Heather
in the tropics
We are here in Kottayam at last! Aftrer how many miles of trvel. We are staying at the retrreat centre which is quite simple, spartan conditions. tomorrow we are headed off to be part of the morning assembly at a girls high school. Tonigyht we are headed out to eat at a local restaurant. Many moments of "whew" along the way, like seeing our hosts Rev. Sam Mathew at the airport to greet us in Kochi. Also lnding in Mumbai last night and finding our clip board with our nme on it for a ride to the hotel. We ahad some excitement this morning with a problem with one of the tickets that seem to involve half of India in tryhing to resolve. Resolve it was just in the nick of time for us to get on the plane leafving Mumbai for Kerala.
But we are here. all 8 of us. safe. focus on the basics: hydration, eating and time for rest. Will be adventures to come.
Peter Luckey
But we are here. all 8 of us. safe. focus on the basics: hydration, eating and time for rest. Will be adventures to come.
Peter Luckey
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