JAIPUR

REST STATION FOR PILGRIMS

PILGRIMS

MONKEYS

TRUCK TAILGATE

BARBER IN PINK CITY

BLACK MARBLE ENLAID ON WHITE MARBLE

BLOCK PRINTING

PRINT

FLOWERS

CAMEL CART

HOTEL LOBBY

DANCERS

ELEPHANT

SHEER HAPPINESS

HOME FOR THE DAY

JEWELER'S LAMP

NEWLY WEDS

TRADITIONAL VS MODERN DRESS

FRINGING RUGS

TORCHING RUG

KNOTTING RUG

SPINNING YARN

CHARMING COBRAS

SHEER ENJOYMENT

300 YEAR-OLD STAIN GLASS

JAIPUR
Thursday we toured Delhi visiting many of the most famous sites both ancient and modern. Friday we had an equally interesting tour as we traveled seven hours by car from Delhi to Jaipur. Our driver was so very informative and kind slowing down for pictures at the most opportune times and explaining the traditions and culture along the way.
Saturday we toured Jaipur, the second capitol of the Hindi regime, with an excellent guide! He took us through the pink city which was first painted pink for the visit of Prince Albert. Every tenth year they refurbish the city façade and repaint it taking 10,000 workers six months to compete. It is all pink with white trim. Then we traveled through the gorge to the Amber City on elephant back. The city was the original home of the royals here in Jaipur dating 300 years before the Pink City. Its facades are mostly amber in color and it lies in a valley surrounded by mountains. The mountaintop wall surrounding the city stretches for miles and miles. The airconditioning system of the kings kept them cool in the summer months while the mirrors of the winter home reflected light in the day and candles at night helping to warm them from the cold.
We toured the royal palace near the end of the day, but only after visiting the scientifically astounding astronomers’ haven! The three hundred year old instruments were used to tell time and position of celestial bodies. It was amazing to see how much the ancients have been able to accomplish during the eighteen generations of Hindi rajas. In the palace we found a newlywed couple and watched local dancers preparing for harvest festival of colors coming on March 8^th.
During the day we also visited several artisan’s workshops where we were able to witness the age-old art of wood block printing, rug knotting, gem cutting and painting on silk, rice paper and cottons.
Today the colors of India amazed and thrilled us as we drove the streets and walked the trails of the ages.

The Beauty of India

Ancient Tower in Delhi

Mall attached to our hotel in Delhi

Sports Stadium in Delhi

Customary Leis upon arrival

Saree modelling

Beautiful sarees

Segway Ride

Butterfly &
Blossoms

Monkeys along the road

Killdeer Birds

Beauty among the Blossoms

Beauty in Wisdom

Chips to deliver to a small village store
Or Who's been to SAMS?

Customs are Beautiful

The most beautiful anywhere-a child's smile!

Today was a seven hour long drive down the highways of Northern India. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of this busy country.  We passed ancient ruins and modern skyscrapers, tiny villages and two-year-old communities of wealthy technological buffs, groves of herbal medicine trees and fields of mustard and beets, workshops where they make buses in their own front yards and technology Colleges, hospitals with the best equipment and doctors available and pharmacies lined with every drug you can imagine. The highways are very nice-mostly divided often six lanes.
Driving may seem chaotic to the westerner unfamiliar with India’s driving culture, but there are relatively few wrecks or scrapes. The cars are mostly very smooth and dent-free! We have been amazed how home-made eighteen wheelers, cabs, tricycles, bikes, carts (pulled by child, adult, oxen, horse, camel or burro) can share a road, a highway or a path without causing many more accidents. We have only seen a total of two one-vehicle accidents. Neither had more than scrapes and bruises. The drivers of India say there are three things needed when driving… a good horn, a good set of brakes and good luck! I think you need a very skilled driver as well! Our driver for the week is very courteous, quite skilled and very informative! He rarely uses his horn, but often signals with blinkers or flashes his lights to indicate his plans to other drivers. We feel very blessed to have him escorting us throughout our tri-city tour.
The people of India are beautiful! Their faces radiate with joy, pride and dignity. There are billions of people here, and they walk all walks of life, but each one takes his place in society and labors to be a proud, productive member of his country. The faces…the clothing…the customs are some of the most colorful in the world! Everywhere we have gone, the individuals we have met have been most helpful and kind to us. They greet us with smiles. They ask to have their photos made with us. They wave from street corners, passing cars, fields and windows of their homes. We have been most comfortable in each situation we have encountered.
The customs of India enhance a day! Today we saw hundreds of farmers, their wives, their children and neighbors marching down the highway in their best clothing heading on a pilgrimage to a Hindu shrine celebrating the harvest to come this week. They carried large silk pennants with glittering fringe waving in the breeze. Others joined the march from side streets. There were never more than thirty in a group, often as few as a father and son. Frequently, a pickup truck drove in front of them filled with revelers and music for the pilgrims to sing and dance as they hiked. About every mile, there was a rest station set up for them to spend the night, take a nap, grab a cup of water or an orange, or just get a bit of encouragement along the way. These were colorful and manned with friendly groups of people ready to meet their needs.
The clothing of India is beautiful! We have admired the sarees, the suijers and scarves of all ilk. The men are as interestingly dressed as the women!
The flowers and flowering trees are delightful. The bougainvillea, daisies and marigolds are among the prettiest. The flame trees, cotton silk trees, magnolias, mangos, tulip trees and poinsettia trees are in bloom now. They are artful in using the blossoms to decorate stores, hotel lobbies, roadsides and their homes.
India’s architecture is amazing. Whether you are looking at a home or school made totally of woven bamboo or one of the most modern office buildings in a suburb of Delhi, the people have taken great pride in their handiwork. The patterns of architecture will astound you…even dating back to the 1100’s!
We love our new hotel with all of the modern amenities. We love our tours of ancient India and the modern. But we miss our friends in the Bagdogra and Manikpur areas. WE feel saudade this evening as we think of what they might be doing back home. We would love to have had the opportunity to tuck wach little one into bed one night…to have said prayers with them beside their beds…to have kissed them good morning and sent them off to school…to have taught them more lessons from the Bible to sustain their lives forever. But they are hundreds of miles away now…do you think they might be thinking of us as they snuggle together in their big beds?

Wednesday Becomes Thursday

Thursday was a travel day for us. And when I say travel day, I mean the entire day! We spent four and a half hours packed like sardines in the Little Flower School vehicle traveling from Bangaigaon to the airport in Guwahati. Dimbeswar and the driver in the front seat, Mamu, Maram, Jonnie and I in the middle seat with our backpacks and Michael in the back seat with seven suitcases! Then we had three hours in the airport before a three hour flight wedged into the seats with literally eight inches between seats. After arriving in Delhi at a most beautiful airport with cut flowers lining the hallways and lobbies, floating in ponds of water, set up on pedestals or in pots on the floor, we were met by our travel agent here in India. He had vouchers for each of our hotels along the way for the next week and leis of marigolds to drape around our necks. He called for the driver who drove right up and gathered us into his car for the forty-five minute trek across Delhi to our hotel. We have now gotten a glimpse of the other side of India. We are spending two nights in the Svelte Hotel executive suite on the top floor! We have pillow-top mattresses, and full kitchen and a den. Our hotel is connected to a lovely modern mall. Needless to say, we were glad to fall into bed and sleep Thursday night.
Friday morning our guide for the day met us in the lobby after we had enjoyed a full breakfast buffet. The driver had arrived at nine, but the guide was very punctual to arrive at the set time of 9:30 to gather us for the city tour of Delhi. He was quite knowledgeable about the history and culture of India, and we enjoyed our day with him tremendously. Jonnie and I both like history and knew very little about the history of India. There have been eight cities of Delhi dating back to the early 12^th century. We toured several historical sites including the India Gate and the great Tower.
After they dropped us off at the hotel, Jonnie and I walked the length of the mall twice. We stood wide-eyed at the three stories of name-brand shops, stopped in at a tailor-made women’s clothing shop and made a couple purchases at Pantaloons which I would compare to Sears or Penney’s back home. We stopped for gelato and a Segway ride for me before returning to the hotel for a rest before sleep! I was pleased to find my sleep bag had been freshly washed and ironed and sealed in plastic sitting on the end of my bed-ready for another journey into the unknown!
We will leave Delhi Friday morning at 9:00 heading to Jaipur.

STRIKE DAY

Purmilla

Bat Tree

Poised and Pretty

The Doctor's Daughter

Sunset in Bagaigaon

Houseparents and Teacher

James Connection School

Duck Duck Goose

This morning Michael picked us up at the hotel after he and Nitu had delivered Mama, James and his mother to the train station to return home. The mother has refused to accept medical help for the baby’s heart problem and is opting to return home to the medicine man for traditional sacrifices and charms. Fortunately, Dimbeswar was able to intervene on the older children’s behalf by contacting their father. The children are doing very well in school and were two of the very first children to enter the home. The mother came to check on her children after other Nepalese children returned home in December.
We left the hotel early this morning due to the 12 hour strike imposed on all of India. Dimbeswar wanted to be sure we were out in Manikpur away from any issues that might have arisen here in the city today. The city was unusually quiet as we rolled out. The sun was peeking above the tree tops, and the birds were singing louder than any other noises. No train horns sounding an approach. No large trucks beeping around the next turn. Very few carts clacking their way over the cobblestones. The bicycles outnumbered all other vehicles combined, and their numbers were eerily low. We were uncertain what awaited us as we approached the day.
Nitu and Michael made much better time than Dimbeswar had expected. When he called Mama at 2:00 this morning to ask him to escort the mother and child back to Nepal, he thought he had a few hours to catch a short nap before we arrived at his home! He was surprised when Michael awoke him announcing our arrival, but quickly set everything in motion there to prepare breakfast for us. We had time to roam around the grounds making a final documentation of all of the buildings, construction, flora and fauna to share with Brother GARYTATE when we return home. We documented a tree we had never seen before. From a distance it looked like a kapok tree with large kapoks hanging from its bare branches, but looking with a more discerning eye, we realized those kapok were squirming and twitching in their sleep. Our best guess is that it is a bat tree, for over a thousand bats hung with closed eyes waiting for the strike to end so their mosquito hunts can begin again! Other trees were more concealing of their daily guests for their branches are not completely bare of leaves as this one is.
All shops, government buildings, commerce and transportation were shut down from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Private schools were free to make their own decision about operation, but Dimbeswar knew the attendance of his teachers and students would be sparse, so he chose to cancel school. Michael and Nitu stood outside the gates to send students and parents home as they approached on bicycle, foot and “bike”.
At 9:00 we were taken over to James Connection School where a church member is principal. Unfortunately, his father had taken a turn for the worse during the night and he was unable to be there today. Three of his teachers had visited worship service Sunday and invited us to their school, so we were well received and entertained. Unfortunately, only 9 of their 26 students were in attendance today. We entertained them with our four standard songs and the Hokey Pokey. Then the children each recited a nursery rhyme in English for us. Two of the little girls showed us part of a dance they had learned, a teacher sang a worship song he knew and the children recited the Lord’s Prayer. We had a prayer with them before returning to Dimbeswar’s home at the Little Flower School.
Lunch was served us as royally as it has been served each day this week. We had fried chicken, rice, “potatolets”, and fried plantains.
Mamu and Maram visited with us a few minutes. We took pictures of her with her book bag and then had a prayer for little Maram.
Dimbeswar and Michael took us over to Ruth Gunter Home to spend the afternoon with the precious children there. We had fun reviewing the songs and teaching them some new games. Dimbeswar made sure the teachers joined us so that these games and songs will be part of their weekly routine in the future. They enjoyed the Holey Pokey completely as most are familiar with English terms for the basic body parts. It was fun today to change up the fun games by injecting various vocal intonations. Then we had a fun time playing London Bridge…Jonnie and I opted to be the bridge!) Duck, Duck, Goose became a quick favorite. We chose to introduce the more gentle version where you simply race to the location--no tagging needed. To calm down the group in preparation for our departure and their evening routines, we changed up an old childhood favorite, “Doggie, Doggie, Where’s Your Bone?” to fit the culture…”Hen, Hen, Where’s your Egg?” A smooth egg-shaped stone from the construction pile served well as an egg.
As the children caught on quickly to this game, Dimbeswar helped us interview the newest of the RGH children. Then Michael served as photographer while Jonnie and I called each child for a picture with us.
A final prayer with our precious Ruth Gunter family closed our time together. As Jonnie and I began to shake each child’s hand and voice our blessings to them individually, the children followed suit and the circle became a snake with children shaking and blessing children all around the group! What a special bond God has built! Never will these lives be the same.
We approached Bangaigaon as we witnessed the sun fall behind its trees for the last time this trip. We are amazed at the dexterity of these people as they maneuver the roads home in the evening whether it be young boys pulling carts loaded with bamboo six times their height or women perched daintily side-saddle on the back of a bicycle holding a young sleeping child! Something tells me our ties will bring us back again one day to see the young children mature.
We enjoyed tea in the home of two former Little Flower teachers before returning to the Shivaly Hotel for dinner and an evening of packing and weighing bags for our early morning departure to Guwahati Wednesday morning.
As you eat dinner in Texas this evening, think about us arising, Dimbeswar, Mamu, Maram and Michael arriving with Nitu to collect us from the hotel and us all traveling down the NE Indian roads to Guwahati. You will be snuggled deep in sleep by the time we reach the city. Our flight to Delhi will take place while you dream. Then as you arrive at work Wednesday morning, we will arrive in Delhi and check into a hotel for a cozy night’s sleep!
Thursday morning we will begin another adventure seeing a different side of India as Jonnie and I will vacation in central India. Join us then for a tour of this beautiful and diverse land God has made!

Little Flower School

This was such a day of blessing as we shared the day at the Little Flower School. Dimbeswar runs a school of approximately 250 students ages 3-16. We visited in some of the classes early in the morning. The children jumped to attention as we entered each room giving a salute and a crisp “Good morning, Miss!” They were each one eager to shake my hand and ask, “How are you?” then respond back “I am fine, thank you.” It reminded me of the days I took Spanish in elementary school and so enjoyed the opportunity to speak to “real” Spanish speakers in Puerto Rico while visiting my grandparents. Classes were interrupted in the bamboo rooms lining the school yard as the echoes from classes nearby gave hints to the approaching American women visiting their school. Children grinned from ear to ear as we took the time to shake hands and to call Ruth Gunter children by name as we recognized them in the rooms.
After visiting and greeting teachers and students in each of the classrooms, we were set up in a larger room that doubles as the kitchen for the school and home, dining room for church meetings, bedroom for guests and auditorium for smaller groups. There we taught music for most of the day as several classrooms would convene to learn songs from America. We taught the basic four songs to each class…65 6-8 year olds, 78 3-5 year olds, 57 9-12 year olds and about 20 13-16 year olds. We started by placing stickers on their hands of a frog and a butterfly to teach “Bullfrogs and Butterflies” in our own short version. This has been repeated daily with our Ruth Gunter children, so they were able to serve as leaders for their groups at school. We have shortened greatly the song “Make a Heart for Jesus” to four lines, but it is a calming and comforting song after B&B. Then we used “Head and Shoulders” to get them into TPR (Total Physical Response) strategies for learning a second language. I enjoyed teaching “If You’re Happy and You Know It” to each group. I think they enjoyed it too. Then we ended each session with “You are a child of the King” playing on the CD while we shook each child’s hand. I asked their names and then spoke my only Assomese sentence, “Jesue ama morom koree’” which was greeted by all but the last student with great grins. The last child was actually the best English speaker in the school, and had been the MC for Saturday’s program. She grimaced at my attempt to speak her language, then realized that I must be speaking Assomese. She is from Nepal and does not speak Assomese, so only communicates in her new homeland in English. Thus, a wonderfully strong English has developed for her! Our last group was both small enough and old enough to venture into one additional song/game. We introduced them to the “Hokey Pokey” much to their delight. (B&B had been a bit slow to draw them into our band.)
The children dismissed at 2:00. The busses loaded up and headed in several directions. Recently I had seen the Indian school bus on an internet site, but here we found them act ually being used. They are three-wheel cyles with metal cages on the back lined with two two-by-fours for seats. I can only imagine the experience of being transported in such a vehicle over rock and gravel roads! Other children walked home or road with the Ruth Gunter students back to the village of Chakihali some ten minutes away by car.
Jonnie and I then met with the lady teachers of Ruth Gunter to present them the lovely book bags made by Donna and her friends and gifts such as the Bible study guides written by Yvonne and bound by Carolyn. The ladies were honored and reciprocated by presenting us with a traditional Indian token of honor- a gamosa or bihuwan which is a stole or towel draped over the shoulders. They also pinned us with a replica chapi--a hat used by the rice farmers during the rainy season to protect head and body from the rain instead of using an umbrella. We shared teaching strategies and Jonnie shared the Cds and posters of the butterfly and bullfrog life cycles she had brought for them.
We had been served lunch in Dimbeswar and Mamu’s home by Mamu. It was a delicious rice with cashew nuts, fried eggplant, corn and the tiniest potatoes sliced and grilled that I have ever seen! Then she brought us a bowl of corn flakes for dessert! Mamu also presented us at that time with a suijer and dupatta which she had had made special for us. We enjoyed wearing them the rest of the day.
After the teachers had to leave, Dimbeswar took us to visit the Ruth Gunter Home again. We were too late to be able to share with the teachers there, but left their bags for them to receive tomorrow. The children were sprucing up for our visit as they awoke from afternoon rests. Some were still eating lunch. Others were out bathing in the water hose and washing their morning clothing to be hung to dry for the morning to come. Older children were helping to groom the younger ones. Coconut oil was used in abundance to tame bed-tossed hair and to smooth dry skin. They were thrilled to show off their cubbies and their backpacks of belongings…some shared among the throng, others specific to the individual. Mostly they share.
We had another time with the children and shared with them some more trinkets-bookmarks, markers, stickers, etc. and a last piece of bubble gum! We loved on them, sang with them and toured their home and grounds. Jonnie even got to meet Beauty and her reluctant calf! They were proud to herd the ducks and hens around for us to see. Dimbeswar, Jonnie and I were served tea while we visited outside with the children. The sun was low in the dusty sky as we said good-bye to the children.
Dimbeswar accompanied us back to town to our hotel with stories of the day spilling over the seat to us in the back. He seemed very pleased with the week we have shared and the reactions he has received from his church members, teachers, students, houseparents and the Children of Ruth Gunter. Dimbeswar will pick us up early tomorrow at noon. “No Wheels Turning” is the slogan for twelve hours across India in protest of high prices.
Thankfully, we will be driving the four hour trek to catch our flight on Wednesday and not tomorrow!
As we left the dining room of our hotel, the principal of James Connection School and his wife and his child were waiting to visit with us. They drove over an hour from Manikpur to Bongaigaon spent twenty minutes waiting for us to finish eating to approach us and only about fifteen minutes visiting us before they headed back home…and all after dark on very busy streets. We were honored with another gamosa by his wife and left with a letter to Gary Tate.

Bullfrogs and Butterflies

Mamu's dinner on brass plate

Little  Flower Female Staff

Priscilla & Daniel

Derhasta

Dainty tea sippers

Our day was complete…a spiritual and emotional blessing that will accompany us through eternity!