Memories of India
(I apologize for the poor quality. I was using an old digital camera and it was all new to me!)
Christmas of 2004 was the first time I went to India. I was content just going to the grocery store. And God calls me to India! The sunami occurred but we didn’t hear word of it nor did we even know what a sunami was. I spent 3 weeks at a Christian boys orphanage and returned in the winter of 2006 for another 3 weeks. I pray for the chance to return, but for now my health keeps me here. It’s a strange thing; although life in India is NOTHING like in the USA, I love it there. I love the slow pace of life. I love the sense of community. I love the smiles :). I love the generosity. I love the markets. As I was traveling to the airport on my return trip home the last time, tears were falling from my face and I kept asking myself what I could love about a place so dirty and so primitive.
A still small voice whispered to me;
The people!
My first day at the orphanage. I’d been traveling for 16 hrs of course after the 24 hr flight. All the children ever wanted to do was sit and be loved. I was more than happy to hold my babies.
This is the multipurpose building which the children slept in, ate in, worshiped in, and of course played in.
The main kitchen was built a yr after this picture, until then the ladies cooked in a metal shack behind this building.
This was work on the directors home.
This is the old kitchen. I spent a lot of time hanging out here trying to communicate with the matrons. They loved it when I would sit on the floor and help them cook. Mostly they tried to feed me.
They napped here and kept most of their belongings here.
This is rebar. The men would spend ALLLLLL day and the next and the next, pounding the rebar to cut it to size.
The construction of the new dining hall and kitchen. Much improved from the tin shed.
The women from a near by village worked at sifting the sand for mortar. They sifted allllll day long!
Herds of cattle, goats or camels passed by the orphanage daily. They were usually heading for the Sunday market called “the bizzar”. I loved waking to the sounds of their bells and bellowing!
The directors wife affectionately called, “Mommie” by the children.
Typical scene at meal time. This is a group of the little boys who don’t attend public school. They were having lunch. This was my first day and I was so amazed at how orderly and polite the boys were.
Going anywhere took a long time. In Mumbai it was crowds of people, in the rural area it was animals!
Our first job was to go to town for some decent India attire. I also purchased a Sari for Christmas.
As you can see, I was just making it in that get up. BUT, it was not easy finding everyday Punjabi Dresses (pants and long tunic) that were modest and not dressy. I hated being asked “how much?”
Our group went into the local shop leaving our shoes at the door…. most were afraid someone would steal their new Nike’s. You can see we began to attract a crowd. Since we were in rural India, it’s not often that they see white Americans. We were for sure the minority. We loved it.
The crowd grew! As you can see we were an oddity. Wind was over 6 feet tall…not typical for an Indian and his cousin had long blond hair.
No matter where we were the children and adults alike loved to have their pictures taken.
The boys always sat in lines by their age/grade. They affectionately called me “Auntie” and plead for my place on the mat. The children soon found out that I had 10 fingers; one for 10 children. And that I was the “Auntie” who passed out kisses like candy! Chocolate candy!!!!!
My modest room at the guest cottage. All of the orphanages and colleges we visited had guest rooms or hostels. Ours was always clean and the food was prepared for us their to protect our tummies.
The Christmas Story of the birth of Christ was presented by the children….and to our surprise even Santa visited baby Jesus!!!! Too cute!!
A very skinny Santa!
These are two of the matrons who live at the orphanage with the boys. You can’t find bigger hearts!
This is the nurse and her husband with their little daughter. They are dressed like it’s freezing outside. It was in the 60’s and we thought it was great, but they were all very cold!
The orphanage is gated and this is the gatekeepers daughter. They family at this time; mother, father, two brothers and this young lady lived in a one room shed seen directly behind her.
It was always clean, and there was one bed. The mother was miraculously healed from a large stomach tumor and from that testimony came to know Christ as Saviour. Since these photos the family has moved “up”. They now have several rooms in the water tower. They are thankful!
The boys are attending the gardens. The health clinic is located in the distance.
All of the work at any of these orphanages in India and all around the world are made possible by donations from those of us who have been given much. While in India I visited 2 other orphanages. One with 400 children and the other 200 girls. I’ve chosen to keep the identity private as to protect them from extremist.
Believe me, I have a million more pictures. I may post more another day.
Filed under: About, Faith | Tagged: boys orphanage, India, Mumbai | Leave a comment »
Peaceful Acres 
