Sunday, March 11, 2007
Hold on to your hats and glasses... this is a deep one
I’ve been observing the children that come by The Center and I was struck with the most amazing revelation, children are the same all around the world. I know so it doesn’t seem like that ground breaking of an idea but I have always wondered about the psycho-developmental feud of nature vs nurture and I think I have solved it in my own mind. Anyways it all began when my little pixy, Gangatree, came up to me crying and said, “Chepanie (that’s what she calls me) he pulled my hair.” Sound familiar? I hugged her, kissed her head, told her I was sorry, told the little boy that wasn’t nice and Ganga’s tears went away. And I thought to myself, man, I am in a COMPLETELY different culture, in a different country, that speaks and different language and yet the same exact sentence and scenario is said by little ones back home.
Maybe it was one of those ‘had to be there moments’ but it really got me thinking about deeper issues like prejudice, racism, and slavery. I was thinking how could anyone look at child running to their mommy when they hurt themselves, or have them ask you over and over to watch them do some silly thing, or watching kids care for even littler ones and not see the beautiful innocence that is in every child. And from that realize that we are all one creation not multiple creations with some more superior than others but the same. My only conclusion was fear, ignorance, and pride are tools of the Enemy to tear us apart and keep us from coming together to glorify God.
Then when I think about fear I think about driving in India. The chaos of bikes, cars, trucks, rickshaws, cow-drawn carts all weaving in and out so quickly passing each other with just centimeters of clearance. But yet it works! Yet in America if I passed by someone that close my passengers would scream and say, “Oh my gosh, you almost killed us!” The driver of the other car would yell profanities at me. Why? I didn’t touch his car, I didn’t hurt the people in my car.
Because of fear.
But I didn’t realize how much we are affected by fear, how much we modify our actions by fear. Now I am not saying that the way they drive in India is right but I just realize how much we as Americans take the fun or spice (pardon the poor Indian humor) out of life in the name of safety (fear). And as a result fail to see how much God protects us on a daily basis. I mean I have a hard time comprehending how I don’t pass dead bodies on the road every ½ kilometer. Then I realize even in our chaos God still holds things together. Look at the world; how bad it is, how many really sick individuals there are. Think about biological or chemical weapons. Think about religious militants. We could very easily kill ourselves off and yet somehow we keep going on. Chaos vs order, dark vs light, good vs evil, a constant battle. Remember that if you are in a place gripped by fear 2Timothy 1:7 tells us that, ‘God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline.’ And 1John4:18 tells us, “Perfect love drives out fear.”
...Phew... so I am glad I got that out!!!
A rather abrupt ending I know but that is all I had to say. I feel like C-3PO when he is in mid-sentence and he just shuts down. Oh well, good night!
**I swear I am not some crazy Star Wars nut...that was just a random thought, I swear!**
Maybe it was one of those ‘had to be there moments’ but it really got me thinking about deeper issues like prejudice, racism, and slavery. I was thinking how could anyone look at child running to their mommy when they hurt themselves, or have them ask you over and over to watch them do some silly thing, or watching kids care for even littler ones and not see the beautiful innocence that is in every child. And from that realize that we are all one creation not multiple creations with some more superior than others but the same. My only conclusion was fear, ignorance, and pride are tools of the Enemy to tear us apart and keep us from coming together to glorify God.
Then when I think about fear I think about driving in India. The chaos of bikes, cars, trucks, rickshaws, cow-drawn carts all weaving in and out so quickly passing each other with just centimeters of clearance. But yet it works! Yet in America if I passed by someone that close my passengers would scream and say, “Oh my gosh, you almost killed us!” The driver of the other car would yell profanities at me. Why? I didn’t touch his car, I didn’t hurt the people in my car.
Because of fear.
But I didn’t realize how much we are affected by fear, how much we modify our actions by fear. Now I am not saying that the way they drive in India is right but I just realize how much we as Americans take the fun or spice (pardon the poor Indian humor) out of life in the name of safety (fear). And as a result fail to see how much God protects us on a daily basis. I mean I have a hard time comprehending how I don’t pass dead bodies on the road every ½ kilometer. Then I realize even in our chaos God still holds things together. Look at the world; how bad it is, how many really sick individuals there are. Think about biological or chemical weapons. Think about religious militants. We could very easily kill ourselves off and yet somehow we keep going on. Chaos vs order, dark vs light, good vs evil, a constant battle. Remember that if you are in a place gripped by fear 2Timothy 1:7 tells us that, ‘God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline.’ And 1John4:18 tells us, “Perfect love drives out fear.”
...Phew... so I am glad I got that out!!!
A rather abrupt ending I know but that is all I had to say. I feel like C-3PO when he is in mid-sentence and he just shuts down. Oh well, good night!
**I swear I am not some crazy Star Wars nut...that was just a random thought, I swear!**
Saturday, March 03, 2007
An Update on Special Boy
Sorry for the late update...
Unfortunately it isn't good news. It didn't go so well with "Big Mamma." At the time of the incident we had a team visiting and as you can imagine many were shocked by the sight of Special Boy. So when Suresh asked to take Special Boy it didn't go the way I had hoped. I had advised that we make it sound like we were going to do "Big Mamma" a favor to take the problem child off her hands, instead she saw it as it was; a bunch of people passing judgement on her and trying to take something that she claimed was hers away from her b/c she is a bad person. So she made a huge scene and told us to stay out of her personal business and that she can do whatever she wants to her kids. Needless to say, Special Boy hasn't been around much (I think he has been ordered to stay away). However, he finds away to see me for a quick hug and a prayer.
Please continue to pray for Special Boy and for "Big Mamma," that God would soften her heart and let us take Special Boy.
Unfortunately it isn't good news. It didn't go so well with "Big Mamma." At the time of the incident we had a team visiting and as you can imagine many were shocked by the sight of Special Boy. So when Suresh asked to take Special Boy it didn't go the way I had hoped. I had advised that we make it sound like we were going to do "Big Mamma" a favor to take the problem child off her hands, instead she saw it as it was; a bunch of people passing judgement on her and trying to take something that she claimed was hers away from her b/c she is a bad person. So she made a huge scene and told us to stay out of her personal business and that she can do whatever she wants to her kids. Needless to say, Special Boy hasn't been around much (I think he has been ordered to stay away). However, he finds away to see me for a quick hug and a prayer.
Please continue to pray for Special Boy and for "Big Mamma," that God would soften her heart and let us take Special Boy.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Trotter, from Revolution, was gettin’ on me about needing to update my blog more but can I just tell you that that isn’t as easy as it sounds. For the past few days I have come to the internet café check my mail and than prepare to make a new post but the connection goes out. So I am sitting here at the café waiting until the connection returns (so far 30 minutes) because I WILL post today! Speaking of Internet, I paid $200 to have connection for Suresh and I in the house but that was 4 months ago. Yesterday a couple of guys from the internet company came to assess my room and said they would be back to make the installation at around 2 or 3pm but I knew better! I’ll keep waiting. It’s probably better this way, if I get internet in my room I will have nothing to blame for not posting more regularly.
The girls at the center are doing well. They are really enjoying the new project I gave them, a simple sling handbag with light hand-embroidery. Their sewing skill level is pretty elementary but the project I chose is simple and allows them to display their embroidery which they LOVE doing. I haven’t even told them about the money that they will make; I am afraid to do that because as it is I can’t get them out of the center to take lunch or close for the evening, once they find out how much they get from each bag they will be busting the locks to get in. Please join with me in praying that each girl would know how much the Lord loves them and wants the best for their lives.
Below are pictures of Special Boy’s burns (just so you would know how bad it really was).
The girls at the center are doing well. They are really enjoying the new project I gave them, a simple sling handbag with light hand-embroidery. Their sewing skill level is pretty elementary but the project I chose is simple and allows them to display their embroidery which they LOVE doing. I haven’t even told them about the money that they will make; I am afraid to do that because as it is I can’t get them out of the center to take lunch or close for the evening, once they find out how much they get from each bag they will be busting the locks to get in. Please join with me in praying that each girl would know how much the Lord loves them and wants the best for their lives.
Below are pictures of Special Boy’s burns (just so you would know how bad it really was).
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