Reflections in Mumbai... From Amsterdam :)

Such has been the norm for Internet luck this trip... Just as I'm ready to publish a post, I lose the connection :) We just arrived in Amaterdam for a short layover and are scheduled on time for Minneapolis @ 12:30 CST! 

Here is the reflection from approximately 9 hours ago:

As we sit here in the Mumbai airport, it's a surreal feeling reflecting back on the past few weeks. It's been both a fast trip, feeling like our arrival was only yesterday, and a long trip in looking back on everything we've done, everyone we've met, and all the places we've been. It's utterly exhausting, and wonderful, all at the same time. 

This morning we went to visit the Aga Khan Palace, where Ghandi was held from 1942-44 following his famous speech kicking off the "Quit India" movement in August of '42. It was a great way to end the trip, a humble monument for a humble leader. 

We also visited some gardens on the way back to UBS, but didn't stay long as the rain chased us away. After final packing and showering, we were invited to the home of Prem and Rachel Bagh, Mennonite faculty at UBS. It was wonderful sharing stories and hearing about both of their family's history in the growing Mennonite church in India. One example of many relationships we left wishing we had more time to invest in! However, they have some plans for Kate at Bethel College next year, so staying connected will be no problem :) 

After a long and rainy drive to the airport, check-in, immigration, and some waiting, we are now ready to board our flight to Amsterdam. Like I said at the beginning, this time for reflection has been welcome, and the reflection has only just begun. 

To start though, Madeline Troyer shared with me this reflection from our interaction yesterday with the Australians at the Mukti Mission. I think it's the perfect way to leave this blog as we prepare to board. 

So grateful. 

When we went to mukti mission there was a really awesome God connection that I was able to make. Just this past half a year I have changed what I have been wanting to study in college from physical therapy to sustainability with an agriculture focus. As I have been learning more about myself I realized I could enjoy studying and working as a physical therapist but I love learning about nature and sustainability more. 

When I tell most people this the first question I get is, "what is that and what can you do with that major?" My answer is always "...well, it is coming up with new ways to do agriculture in a way that is green and can be sustained. And when I have looked up jobs that you can get out of it nothing really comes up but what I would like to do is go over to other countries and help them with their crop production. I have no idea if this is a thing or what it would be like for a job but that is what I would like to do." After I say that, people either think that that sounds really interesting or they say that it sounds interesting but I can tell they are really just wishing me really good luck and think physical therapy would have much more job security and be more practical. 

Since I have decided that this is what I am feeling called to do with my life there have been some people who have really encouraged me and even given me ideas of what I could do out of college along the same lines of what I would like to do. 

Going to Mukti mission was something that was not planned in our trip but something we just decided to do. While we were driving there in my head I prayed a quick prayer that God would show us why we were going there and that we wouldn't just have a wasted day. Then at lunch there was a group of Australians who were doing a short term mission there. When I asked the one guy what he was doing he said that he works with agriculture and is here helping them with their agriculture program at the mission. After asking more questions we learned that he worked on a small all organic, work with the land, farm but that he has done many missions to third world countries to help them learn how to farm with the land and increase their production. You could tell he knew his subject well and was full of ideas. When I told him that he was doing exactly what I am feeling like I should do with my life he said that there is a great need for that kind of thing. Meeting him was really the perfect affirmation that I needed. He affirmed that this actually is a need and something that I can do. 

It is cool to see the connections God will put in your path once you become open to what he wants and you are willing to diverge from plans you may already have. 

- Madeline Troyer 

Mukti Mission and Celebrating with the UBS Community

After departing in the morning yesterday (Friday) from UBS, we did indeed run into traffic problems due to the annual Varkari pilgrimage. Because the main section of highway was closed, we had to drive an additional 30 km out of our way to get to Mukti - but we made it! 

The Mukti Mission sits 60 km outside of Pune, on 100 acres of land that were gifted to the mission in the 19th century, mostly because it was deemed as barren. Their vision is as "A Christ-centered home where destitute women and children irrespective of their background are accepted, cared for, transformed, and empowered to be Salt and Light in the society."

Our new friend and gracious host at UBS, Usha, joined us on our visit to the Mission today.  Through conversations over the past few days at UBS, she has shared with us her personal story of growing up with her sisters at Mukti. We were blessed to have her introduce us to various people who are serving, many of whom grew up with her at the Mission.  We visited with some of the women and young girls living there, listened to them sing and watched them work. From farming to cooking and administration, not to mention running a hospital (public), two schools (one in the regional language and one English Medium school), care for persons with special needs and a school for the blind, a nursing home for the elderly and a nursery for orphans and single mothers with small children, there's a lot of work to be done! The kitchen alone has a team that works to cook for and feed the almost 1000 women and children 3 meals a day, 7 days a week (we were told more than 50 KGs of wheat flour per day for chipatis alone!).

We shared a delicious lunch with volunteers serving at Mukti. One of these was an especially cool connection for Madeline, who is interested in Environmental Sustainability with an Agriculture focus - a gentleman from Austrailia happened to be there volunteering for a few weeks. His life work is bringing all of God's creation: energy, water, land and plants, climate, animals and humanity into harmony to provide for low cost natural, organic and efficient production. I could talk for awhile about his story and work alone, but for the group and Madeline especially, this was a neat example of the ways being intentional about our time and changing our perspective can make way for God to bring about incredible people into our lives. 

The most impactful learning for the day however was about the unsung matriarch of the Mukti Mission. Before today, none of us in the group had ever heard of Pandita Ramabai, or the legacy she has left behind. Not only did she found this mission in the 19th century, but was the first to translate the Bible from the original Greek and Hebrew into Hindi, the language which she was a strong advocate for making the national Indian language. Standing 4-foot nothing, Ramabai sounds like a force to have even reckoned with; a progressive in her day, she was a strong advocate for women's rights and provided shelter, food, and water for more than 2000 women and children during the famine early in the 20th century. The list seriously goes on and on with her, we will link the mission's website here on the blog and post more information somewhere to come.

This evening we were also given the opportunity to celebrate with the community at UBS for their annual "Freshers" Welcome! This is the time when they welcome all the first-year and certificate program participants on campus. It was a beautiful celebration of the various cultures represented from around India and a few from abroad. The team enjoyed the music and drama presentations as well as the tea and refreshments afterwards! This was the perfect end to our time here at UBS.

The whole story of how we even found out about Mukti in time to make space in our trip is surely an example of how this team has been open and perceptive to some of the ways God is working here in India. Celebrating with the community at UBS, and the presence of relationships and stories from Menno-Clinic in our discussion this evening are further examples of this. 

This morning is our last morning in Pune - we are planning to visit the Aga Khan Palace and a few other places before heading to the airport Mumbai. Aga Khan is where Ghandi was held under house arrest and will be a great way end our time in India. 

What an incredible Journey. 

Heading to Mukti

After a culmination of various conversations over the past few days, we decided late yesterday to change our plans drive the 60 km from here to visit the Mukti Mission today. Many of the staff and faculty at UBS have strong connections to the Mission and it seems like all signs are pointing to us trying to get out there. 

So, here we go :)

Kelsey and I are very proud of the girls for enthusiastically getting behind the schedule change and being flexible with our plans for today. We found out this morning that there is a large group on a religious pilgrimage called Varkari on the road between here and there - so we are hoping the way isn't blocked, but we are departing soon and will try! 

Looking forward to our day and to what God has in store for the team, we look forward to sharing the stories when we get back. 

For any interested, here is the Wikipedia link to the information on Varkari:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varkari 

Learning about all the various Ministries at UBS

An update from UBS in Pune! The girls got together this evening and wrote this entry - we learned so much! Also, we will be adding photos to these past few days' worth of posts when we have a bit more consistent connection. 

Our day started out with us leading the morning assembly for the Kline Memorial School that is associated with the Union Biblical Seminary. We led the children in an interactive activity where we made a human rain storm by leading through making sounds with their hands and feet. Our concluding point of this activity was that the sound effects from one person are not enough to make a rainstorm.  

We also used the verse 1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, behavior, love, faith and purity." We wanted to encourage them to be good examples and make a positive change in the world. 

After the assembly, we took a tour around the school and visited classes of all ages. We were both impressed and surprised by how well behaved and disciplined the children were. The atmosphere for every classroom was very welcoming and open, the school really seems to work like a well oiled machine. It was also interesting to learn that while the school was started about 10 years ago as a response to the need for a good local school for the children of faculty and students at UBS - it has now grown to 1240 students, over 90% of whom are from outside the UBS community. It has thus become another outreach for the seminary. 

Then, after another filling meal at the guest house, we talked to Rev. Dr. Shekhar Singh who gave us a grand overview of the history of the seminary. We then met up with Justin, another administrator, who gave us an extensive tour of the various ministries and missions around the campus that UBS is leading. These ministries consisted of a children's ministry, spouse's training, a community development program, and a music center. 

In addition to training leaders, the children's ministry leads bible school programs and other educational activities such as assemblies for the Kline Memorial School. The spouse's training program provided an opportunity for the wives of male students on campus to also receive training as their husbands enter into ministry. The community development program provides a daycare service for working parents and is currently focusing on expanding a tailoring class. Members of the community can come to receive affordable training in sewing to then turn into a source of income to support their families. They are also looking to expand the program so as to include a clinic and bakery training. 

All of the ministry training programs do a very good job at meeting people where they are in their lives by accommodating many different situations because of student's varying stages of life. This allows many professionals who couldn't otherwise attend seminary receive ministry training. We then sat down to tea with our guide and he told us about his story and his calling to ministry from God. Its was a good reminder to all of us to follow God's calling as we are looking into careers for the future. We then explored more of the campus before deciding our plans for tomorrow. 

As we have been going through our days here we have been hearing many different people tell us about the work that Mukti Mission is doing in the city. John made a connection with the librarian who invited us to supper and suggested we go visit this ministry tomorrow. We are all very exited about this opportunity. At supper, Usha, our host at the UBS guest house, informed us that she grew up there as an orphan and her time there had a significant impact on her faith journey. 

We ended our day with our brave leader John saving us from a large cockroach that had made its home in our bathroom. Hopefully all is well now. 

First day in Pune

Our first day in Pune has been full of wonderful surprises! After breakfast, we took care of some necessary documentation  and then headed down to the Kline Memorial School - which is the 1200 student K-10 primary school UBS also runs. 

We were surprised to find ourselves honorary guests at an all-school ceremony celebrating the school's newly elected Prefects, House Captains, and Head Boy and Girl. It was a wonderful celebration of leadership amongst the school and was a good opportunity to learn more about what they do. We will spend the next two mornings working there. 

After lunch, we were off to help with some tasks around the library - this included preparing some completed theses for archiving and reshelving books. 

This evening we able to join the community worship service, which happens each Wednesday night. There was singing, scripture, and a message given. The sermon, given from the letter to the 7th church in Rev. 3, was quite fitting for our group. In a short summary, the speaker encouraged everyone to open the door and let Jesus in, because with Jesus we are given a new perspective that helps us to more fully engage in the work God is doing around us. This has been my prayer for our group, that this trip gives us new eyes to see, experience, and join in the work that God is doing, everyday, in the world around us. 

This evening as we reflect on the day and look ahead to our plans for Saturday, Kate Cherveny offered the following reflection - A wonderful way to end this entry...

Life is too short. And more specifically, this trip is too short. 

As a first time traveler abroad, I inevitably get the feeling of missing home and being out of place here. But as we finally begin to feel the sense of settling in, we have to pick up and move on. Leaving Chiluvuru yesterday was especially hard, because we were just starting to form relationships with some of the village people. Coming to UBS was a bit unsettling for most of us since none of us knew what this place would be like or what we'd be doing here (and we still sort of don't know all the details). 

But since life is short and this trip is short, we must make the most of the time we have in each place. Four days in Chiluvuru flew by way too fast, and before we know it, the next three days here in Pune at UBS will be over and we will be heading home. So as we spent today meeting students and staff at the K-10 school, helping shelve books in the seminary's library, and attending the on-campus worship service, I kept reminding myself to make the most of the time we have left in India. Three days to strengthen these bonds that have been formed between all the members of the Youth Venture team, three days to learn and serve at UBS, three days to just soak up as much of India as possible. 

I hope we all can make these last three days count. And more than anything, my prayer for the six of us is that we can figure out how to channel this experience into our daily lives when we go back home. I pray that we let it reshape our perspectives and views of the ever-changing world around us. 

- Kate Cherveny

Amen, Kate.

Our arrival at Union Biblical Seminary in Pune

*Due to connectivity issues, our post for Monday was a few days late so don't forget to read about our final day in Chiluvuru!* 

Tuesday was another travel day for us, our last in-country travels before the journey home this Saturday. After an unexpected early departure from the Clinic in Chiluvuru, the team flew two short flights from the airport in Vijayawada to Pune, our final destination for the trip.

We have been blessed this trip with relatively smooth travel! Tuesday didn't stray from this pattern, with two representatives from Union Biblical Seminary (UBS) waiting to greet us at the arrivals hall. 

Our drive to the UBS campus had us loving Pune already, the mountains and trees combined with cooler weather were a wonderful welcome to us. We were then warmly received at the guest house by our host, Usha. Usha was wonderful to talk with - we learned about her role as host, about her family (her husband also works at the seminary as a professor), and shared stories about all of our pets, of which she has 4 dogs, 14 cats, and a pond full of fish! After tea we took a walk to explore campus, which is perched at the top of a hill in the old part of the city. 

Rev. Dr. Shekhar Singh greeted us at the conclusion of our walk, officially welcoming us to the UBS campus. Dr. Shekhar also gave us a brief idea of our daily rhythm for the rest of the week, for which we were grateful! Our evening was relaxed, consisting of a wonderful dinner followed by reflection time before heading to bed early - we are going to have to get into a new, nap-free rhythm! 

Last Day in Chiluvuru (a few days late)

*This was written Tuesday June 28 but we were without a good connection at the airports. We have since arrived at Union Biblical Seminary and are able to update again!*

Our last day in Chiluvuru was wonderful - but it's sad how fast our time here has gone! We are now sitting in the Hyderabad airport on our way to Pune, but here is a quick update from Monday:

Today is a special day - we've arranged an appreciation meal for the staff of the Clinic! The local Byriani expert arrived early in the morning to start preparations for the noon meal. Byriani is a special, well-known dish from this region - all the spices and any veggies and/or meat are cooked right in the rice, all done in one large pot - the blending of flavors is delicious! As we ate breakfast we watched him prepare a marinade for the chicken and cut up vegetables before we left for a morning out. 

This morning we enjoyed the cooler weather and took the long way to get to Pastor Gopao Rao's home. We passed by Bashu's and said hello, and walked past the Roman Catholic Mission School and orphanage on the edge of town, and went to the area on the other side of the canal by the Three Kings Church. The team talked about the concentration of Christian ministries in this particular part of the villages - where historically people in lower castes would have lived. 

Upon arriving at Pastor Gopao Rao's house, we were warmly greeted in the beautiful orchard that is their front yard... Later we would enjoy fresh-picked guavas! After the normal pleasantries and introductions (the previous night after church we had been interrupted), we asked him and his wife to tell us a bit about their story and how they got to the place they are now. 

 

Gopao Rao is incredibly passionate about his ministry in Chiluvuru, he is the pastor of the Church located at the clinic. He worked for the railroad for many years, his vocation he called it, but all the while he was preparing for his passion: full-time ministry. Soon after his retirement party 10 years ago, he made the switch and started putting all of his energy towards his passion. It was very energizing to hear their story and humbling to hear their words of affirmation to us - excited for the four young girls dedicating their time and money to their faith journey. After an hour and a half with them, drinking sodas and eating guavas, they prayed for us and we were on our way, back to the clinic for lunch!  

Lunch was incredible to say the least - and not just the food, it was good to share a meal together with the doctors, nurses, and other staff working at the clinic. The dessert was a new experience too! Fried sugar cane straws with molasses on the inside - nothing like balancing the savory spices with super sweets! Another example of India in extremes. :) 

 

 

The afternoon was spent packing and napping, as has been the usual for us in the village - and then at 5 a group of us headed downtown to play volleyball with some of John's friends from the village. After, still not hungry yet, we stayed late and chatted a bit - American movies, studies, and questions about hobbies and such were our focus, it was very good getting to know our neighbor's better, and to find out just how much we had in common! 

After leftover Byriani for dinner, we stayed up and debriefed our day and our whole experience in Chiluvuru. Many mixed emotions as we look ahead to Pune - anticipation in learning more about the work at UBS, but sad leaving Chiluvuru just as it seems like we are starting to build relationships. 

After a late night, the team was slow to assemble for breakfast in the morning... Though, the girls reminded us that 7 is still earlier than they would ever be up in the summer at home :) 

Unfortunately, we had to make a last-minute decision to bump up our departure from the clinic due to weather... This made our goodbyes harder than we anticipated because many of our new friends weren't yet there. But, nevertheless we took off for the Vijayawada airport to begin the last part of our time in India, with Union Biblical Seminary in Pune. 

Thank you for continuing to keep us in thought and prayer back home! 

Sunrise, Sunday School, and Sarees

Our morning started off early - with most of the group getting up in time to see the sunrise after a night of cooling rains. We enjoyed the cooler temperatures throughout this day - it was a nice change from the hot sun and humid air! 

Sunday morning in Chiluvuru means Sunday School in the chapel at the clinic! Normally an experience of organized chaos when we bring groups to join the kids, the team brought a fun atmosphere this morning! After singing a few songs, we brought the kids together to make friendship bracelets - an activity prepared by the team, inspired by their camp experiences... A big shout out to Mennonite Camping! :) 

 

The morning went great and the shared activity gave us a channel to communicate. We have more great pictures that will find their way to Facebook. 

 

After Sunday School, the women of the team were in for a treat! Some of the women working at the clinic had brought sarees and they spent about an hour getting all of the girls decked out in beautiful cloth, jewelry and flowers. They looked incredible! 

 

 

What the girls didn't plan on was wearing them the rest of the day :) After carefully eating lunch, a few tried to take naps while a couple of us decided to enjoy the cooler afternoon and help Mercy prepare some food for later in the week. Either way, it was a very restful afternoon. 

Church in the evening was a new experience for the girls - for most, it was their first time attending a service entirely in another language. Others commented on their worship style and service structure - that it reminded them of Amish services they had attended... Unison hymns sung with full voice, prayer, sermon, prayer, offering - and then sharing biscuits and chocolates which I guess could be compared to the sweet marshmallow cream peanut butter :) 

We shared a late supper with a few of the doctors from clinic, one of whom is also a pastor and had preached that evening. The girls were anxious to get out of their sarees, which they found surprisingly hot and uncomfortable, and we had our regular time of sharing and reflection. 

As I sit on the top floor this morning drinking my coffee, reflecting on the conversations and experiences we've already had in week one - I'm both grateful and also very much anticipating week two of our trip. Today is our last full day in Chiluvuru and we've all already expressed sadness in anticipation of leaving, but we are excited for the new experiences to be had at Pune and are looking forward to visiting the Union Biblical Seminary and school. 

Reflections from Chiluvuru

By Madeline Troyer

Our first day at the Menno Clinic was started off with Indian coffee, which is more like cream and sugar with a slight coffee flavor and some other spices. Besides the coffee, our morning at the clinic consisted of watching Latha, Jhansi and Mercy prepare coconut chutney for breakfast, and helping them cut up okra for our lunch.

 

The morning consisted of lots of talking, breakfast, and then staff devotions and prayer at 9. Then before the hottest part of the day, we went on a walk around the town and visited Bashu, a dear friend of John's father. As we talked with Bashu, it became very clear that he is passionate about promoting understanding between the different faith traditions, and to view them through our similarities rather then our differences. 

Bashu and his family are very devout Muslims and they are currently observing the holy month of Ramadan so we learned some more about that from him. He also wanted us to know that there is good and evil in this world and all the scriptures from Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (he was well studied in all of them) are teaching many of the same good values and trying to fight evil. He reminded us that a majority of Muslims around the world are more similar to us then different. They recognize Jesus as a prophet and are very peaceful people. We all left Bashu's house wiser.

 

 

We then walked around the town more and John told us some stories about things that happened as Menno Clinic was starting up and the background story  of how it began.  It's all a good reminder that God just needs us to be willing to do his will and he will touch more people then we could imagine. 

 

The meals have been something that I personally am growing to love. All the spices work together for something wonderful and then eating all the rice mixed with the curries and sides for flavor is a lot of fun and makes the eating experience better. After lunch a few of us went to get fresh coconut water before laying down for the mid day nap that everyone takes during the heat of the day here. I think we could all get used to this laid back village life and it is a good reminder that we need to find time to take breaks in our own busy lives we live at home. 

Overall, I personally have fallen in love with India and the culture. There is such a verity of colors, smells and religions all right next to each other and they all work together. I find it fascinating that we can be in a Mennonite clinic, sitting up after a supper that we thanked God for, which is right beside a Hindu temple, all while hearing the Muslim call to prayer. In the culture we live in and the news we hear from around the world it is refreshing to know that this can all still exist side by side. 

The more we learn about the culture, such as what plants in the area are used for, how the food is made, something new about one of the religions, or when we here a story of one of the workers at the clinic or stories of India's history, I am learning to love it all the more. 

Arrival in Chiluvuru

Catching the train this morning was a good experience for all! The bustling crowds at the station, watching the countryside roll by, vendors selling tea, coffee and all matter of things.

 

Padma, a friend of John through connections at Menno-Clinic, had joined us in Hyderabad and is coming along to Chiluvuru for the weekend. We were met at the Guntur station with a car and crammed in for the half hour drive to the Clinic. 

With her wonderful gift of hospitality, Amamma - meaning grandma in Telugu - welcomed us right away with lunch... Putting a few of us into an afternoon slumber. But the girls were full of energy! They went on their first walk through the village - already making some new friends along the way. 

Our evening was a relaxing one - tea on the roof, supper together, and reflecting on the first part of our trip. Answering questions for Padma and Amamma, and thinking back on our first impressions and how they've developed over the past few days. 

As we were winding down, a storm blew in, so as we head to bed this evening we enjoy the sound and relief that comes from the cool rains at the beginning of monsoon season. 

Departing for Chiluvuru!

Yesterday (Thursday) was our last day of in-country orientation and the team had a wonderful day in Hyderabad. 

Some of us were able to visit the Golconda Fort in the morning - a much older fort than those we visited in Agra and Dehi, construction on this began in the 9th century and continued over the next number of centiries. It was occupied and used as a governing place up through the middle of the 19th century! So much history as it passed between Hindu and Muslim rule. 

After the fort, the whole group was able to visit the Shriramam Emporium - a government sponsored market for hand-made crafts from all over India! It was both interesting to look at all the work from the different regions of the country, as well as spend a bit of time buying a gift or two for family or friends back home. 

Lately, we've been in a habit of eating two meals a day... A big breakfast and a big linner, or dunch, or whatever you want... Today's was king of the past few as the team was introduced to the beautiful regional dish called Byriani! Paradise is the name of the restaurant, and if you're ever in Hyderabad, don't miss it :) 

We ended the day with a beautiful sunset walk through the Birla Temple - pictures couldn't do it justice, and even if they could, they weren't allowed :) This beautiful temple was built recently, and has inscriptions from Islam, Judiasm, and Confuscism - the team noted that of all the scriptures to represent Christianity, selections from the Sermon on the Mount were chosen. 

This day provided for a great discussion before an early bed time in preparation for catching the early train this morning! Now we are headed for the train station for the 5 hour ride to Chiluvuru. 

Menno-Clinic, India, here we come!

Our Third Morning: Hyderabad

I know we said this yesterday, but it's hard to believe it's only our third morning in India. Between full days and taking a lot in, it's been a whirlwind since we've arrived - but the team is doing very well! 

If you've been following closely, you might notice the previous two days' posts were put up late after our arrival to HYD - the team is learning what it means to be flexible with our expectations here :) 

After a wonderful morning yesterday, we had a few frustrations in travel over the evening, but I believe it is a true sign of team development how the group has handled the unexpected together and generally faired ok! Through it all yesterday, we have laughed and laughed together, but it is good to wake up in Hyderabad! 

 

A more relaxed day, this final day of our in-country orientation time will have us visiting a few more religious and historical sites, experiencing an open market, and eating Byriani! We're a little bit excited :) It'll be nice to sleep in the same hotel tonight, and then after a train ride in the morning, we begin our time in Chiluvuru at Menno-Clinic India! 

So while it seems like we've been here awhile, we're only just beginning. Thanks for your prayers and support, we appreciate it greatly! 

Wednesday: Agra - is it only Wednesday?

After a good night's sleep, and still adjusting to the time, most of us beat our alarms awake this morning to visit the Taj Mahal. Visiting in the morning gave us good lighting to view the east wall, a lot of space as the crowds hadn't arrived yet, and best of all - we beat the heat! 

 

The things that stuck out most to the group were 1) The incredible attention to detail - from the intricate designs in the Makarana marble to the perfect symmetry and intentionality behind the architecture. It took 35 architects and over 20,000 laborers 22 years to complete. 2) The vastness and extravagance of the grounds in addition to the monument itself - to the west, a mosque, and on the east a copied building constructed for the sole purpose of symmetry. There were guest houses for visiting people paying respects, open fields and gardens. 

 

We also learned that many of the laborers were people who had been starving and were in need of work - for two decades those 20,000 men were given work that provided for over 100,000 people. Additionally, the artistry in the inlays has been passed down for 17 generations, still in the same family group. It was developed 200 years before the Taj Mahal and is still practiced today - more on this in a second. 

 

After two hours there, we returned to the hotel for breakfast - the team is really beginning to dive into the local flavor! After packing up, we checked out and made our way over to the Agra Fort.

On our way to the fort we stopped at a Pachankari Art Cooperative - Pachankari is the art form that is responsible for the inlay work on the Taj Mahal. We were able to see the process of how each piece is designed, cut, and then placed. It is an incredible art form that is still passed down and taught by apprenticeship to this day. 

Because our energy levels were higher this morning - and really because the cloud cover gave some relief - we were able to spend more time at the Agra Fort than we did at the Red Fort yesterday. This meant that we could take more time to see the technologies put in place for cooling, heating, water, and defense. We also felt here that we could get more of a sense of what life was like in the palace: pastimes, the courts, living areas, it was very interesting to see. 

Once again, similar to the Taj Mahal, the grandeur of the place was evident. Not only the size but the attention to detail - here with similar inlay work in marble, and also a room that had been painted with gold so it would illuminate at night. 

After a full morning we are now back in the car and headed to the airport in Delhi where we will catch a flight to Hyderabad this evening - one more day of orientation there before an early train on Friday to visit Menno-Clinic! The trip has gone very well so far, the team is getting more comfortable with the pace of life, the new culture, and even the effects of time change and temperature are starting to wear off - one girl said, "you know, the sweat isn't so bad anymore, it's actually cooling us off!" ...I guess we are doing ok :)

Tuesday: Delhi... And dealing with jet lag

After a late morning we began our first of a few days of an in-country orientation and adjustment to the culture, the heat, and the time zone. 

It should be said first that today was our first day with extensive driving in India - traffic was light at the late hour we were picked up from the airport. A new experience for most of the team, it took a bit of adjustment to trust that all would be ok! Our driver here for the first two days is Ravi, and he says you only need three things to be a good driver in India: 

1. A Good Horn
2. Good Brakes
3. And... Good Luck!

Later on we will try to post a video to try and show you what it's like to drive here.

We began at the Red Fort, which was built under Mogul rule in the 16th century. Picking out highlights of all the information, the group thought the most interesting were all the different technologies set in place and put to work (including cooling methods, preparing hot baths, and strategic entrances to everything. The team also talked extensively here about British Colonialism, both its destructive ignorance as they demolished royal, historical palaces to make way for military barracks to support their efforts; and how pivotal the Fort was in announcing independence from Britain - an important image of the ruling power returning to Delhi. 

 

 

From the Red Fort we made our way to the Lotus Temple - a very new site in Delhi compared to so much of the centuries' worth of history. The Lotus Temple is a Baha'i Temple, built specifically to be an open place of welcome and worship/meditation for all people regardless of their practicing faith. 

Our time here in particular gave opportunity for our guide, Jogeshwar (Joge - yo-gee), to explain more to the group about both the Hindu and Baha'i faith traditions. Most notable to the group was the seeming emphasis on tolerance and coexistence. The team discussed later that this reflected back on our time at the Red Fort - how Kings who were remembered as the greatest were those who upheld a variety religions outside of their own (in this case Islam), and those Kings who hadn't been as popular or seen as significantly successful had been more oppressive towards other religions. 

Another challenge from our discussions after our time at the Lotus Temple was concerning our faith in action. A few in the team described their observation of religion here so far to be that people are more concerned with living out their faith than identifying it or dividing into groups. After Joge's descriptions of the different religions, we were also challenged to practice more confidently sharing about the major principles of our faith. And, to also avoid describing our faith by what it is not - which is very easy to do as many are polarized right now. 

Anyhow, we have a picture of the exterior of the beautiful structure, but the inside was treated as sacred space so words will have to do. The building was cooled by air naturally flowing past pools on the exterior and through vents in the floor and cycling hot air out through the top. Inside, the walls were left plain with no pictures, sculptures or text so that persons of every religion might be able to enter into meaningful meditation and worship there. We were able to stay for a short moment, taking in with those around us the wonder of the place, and the silence with one another. It was a highlight of the day. 

 

After visiting these two places, we made the approximately 4 hour drive to Agra - it felt like we were battling our eyes to stay open. In order to get to bed sooner, we decided to eat at our hotel's restaurant. This turned out to be a great decision! They fed us on the rooftop family-style - with a few different curry dishes and ice cream for dessert. It was the perfect way to end a short, but very tiring day. 

Off to bed early as we will head to the Taj Mahal at 6am to beat the crowds and the heat. Looking forward to it!

First Morning in India!

Monday flew right by! 

Our flights and short layover in Amsterdam were thankfully uneventful and we arrived at the airport in Delhi at 01:30 local time - which meant that after navigating Immigration and a 20 min drive to the hotel, we weren't in bed until 03:30.

Needless to say, that meant the morning was a little slow going for some of us :) 

Shortly now, we will depart to visit a few places here in Delhi before driving to Agra for the night: The Red Fort and Lotus Temple are the two planned stops. 

We are so glad to be finally here! 

And we're off!

After an afternoon of rest and preparation for travel the team attended Third Way Church for Worship where they made space for us to briefly share about our upcoming journey and prayed over each of us and our our trip.

After a quick stop at the house for final packing - we were on or way to the airport! 

 

We are on the plane and headed for India! ...by way of Amsterdam. We're excited and anxious to start this journey! 

Orientation Day 2

The team woke up this morning in our host homes and all gathered at Groundswell - a local cafe - for brunch together with Denay and some hosts to start our day. Here is where we discovered that a majority of the team (who will go unnamed) have a different understanding of the proper timeframe for brunch.... But that's another story. 

After brunch the team took off on the light rail for an adventure to downtown Minneapolis! We visited the Guthrie theatre, took a view from the platform extending out over the river, and then walked across the stone arch bridge - leaning about the different industries that the Cities were built around. 

 

We finished off our time downtown with some ice cream at Izzy's! Sitting around the shop the team began to discuss some of the realities of power and privilege - both here at home and what we will encounter in India. 

We're now headed back to John and Denay's for naps, showers, and final preparations before joining Third Way Church (St. Paul) for Worship. Then we'll head to the airport!

Orientation Day 1

We have begun!

By planes, trains, and automobiles the team has arrived in Twin Cities!

After dropping bags off at John and Denay's in St Paul, we picked up some Bahn Mi and headed for farm country south of the Cities to Growing Hope Farms.

GHF is a local non-profit that works to provide organic produce to families who don't otherwise have access to it - primarily from some of the area's refugee population. Jim Kielsmeier told us a bit about the refugee communities, as well as educated us about the history of the land the farm stood on, having been taken from the Lakota Indians during the Civil War.

  

 

After about three hours in the sun pulling weeds and transplanting vegetables, the group headed back to the Cities for dinner - stopping at Afton State Park for a dip (washing up a bit) in the St Croix River!

 

John and Denay hosted the group for a barbecue before we went to a neighbor's to watch The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel to wrap up our day.

It's been great getting to know one another, serving together, and starting conversations that will prepare us for our departure tomorrow! Off to host homes for bed tonight, and a full day of orientation tomorrow before we depart.