Saturday, March 31, 2007
Who needs a truck
Who needs a truck? Not yours truly!
I've given mattresses to a few patients now. Sometimes when they are very thin it can help them to rest, and not get pressure-sores. The mattresses are thin, and stuffed with cotton, sort of like a 3-4 inch thick quilt. They are quite cheap- about £5. I've delivered 2 mattresses in this way on my bike! It's not as impressive as some of the other loads you see, but I thought It'd be fun to show you.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Un-Holy mess
This is a picture taken of Alistair and I after a recent festival called Holi (Hindu festival of colour).
Most Christians here choose to seperate themselves from such occasions, and stay indoors. Of course, many of them are from a Hindu background, and so it is important for them to have closure on the old way of life.
I understand this view, and I feel it is important for Christians to be set-apart, and willing to stand for their faith. However I decided that it was a good way to make friendships and build bridges to take part. It reminded me of paul in athens. He first found out about the local ways, and then told the story of their "unknown God".
I asked some friends what Holi was about. Apparently there was a boy who did something and the people wanted him destroyed, so they put him in the arms of a woman who was impervious to fire and tried to burn him. However, because his heart was pure, and he had been wrongly accused or something (sorry the details are a bit sketchy) he was spared but the lady was burned. On the eve of the "festival of colour" people burn bonfires. I was able to share with a few people the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego.
The next day is when lots of people go out with coloured powder and water-pistols, and get rather messy!
As we are white we were everyone's target, although we were only outside for 1/2 an hour, we were messier than most!
Most Christians here choose to seperate themselves from such occasions, and stay indoors. Of course, many of them are from a Hindu background, and so it is important for them to have closure on the old way of life.
I understand this view, and I feel it is important for Christians to be set-apart, and willing to stand for their faith. However I decided that it was a good way to make friendships and build bridges to take part. It reminded me of paul in athens. He first found out about the local ways, and then told the story of their "unknown God".
I asked some friends what Holi was about. Apparently there was a boy who did something and the people wanted him destroyed, so they put him in the arms of a woman who was impervious to fire and tried to burn him. However, because his heart was pure, and he had been wrongly accused or something (sorry the details are a bit sketchy) he was spared but the lady was burned. On the eve of the "festival of colour" people burn bonfires. I was able to share with a few people the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego.
The next day is when lots of people go out with coloured powder and water-pistols, and get rather messy!
As we are white we were everyone's target, although we were only outside for 1/2 an hour, we were messier than most!
Mobile Phones
I would like to say a big thankyou to those of you who answered my email asking for mobile phones. We received 15 phones, 12 of which we have received, and we will collect the other 3 in the summer. So far, 8 are working, and 5 have been sent to good homes!
The biggest advantage is that I have given 3 phones to colleagues who work as social workers. I bought lifetime validity for their sim-cards, so it means that they will be able to get incoming calls always. It is a great "productivity multiplier" as Andi who runs the AIDS project said. He often comes out with some pretty cool turns of phrase using long words!
The biggest advantage is that I have given 3 phones to colleagues who work as social workers. I bought lifetime validity for their sim-cards, so it means that they will be able to get incoming calls always. It is a great "productivity multiplier" as Andi who runs the AIDS project said. He often comes out with some pretty cool turns of phrase using long words!
Footprints
You'll see in the next posting after this one, that I am also quite a poet! however, seriously, this is a great poem, and it doesn't rhyme either! One of my favourites.
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.”
Mary Stevenson
Oh me oh my!
I think many f you know the situation with my eye- basically alistair badly scratched my eye in July 2006, and until December I had had 15 spontaneous recurrences. Very painful and debilitating actually. At the beginning of December 2 of the leaders from our church prayed for my eye, and I had no further problems for 3 months, and was pretty chuffed. However at the beginning of March I had another recurrence, and I was feeling really sorry for myself.
Later that day I went into work, and there was a man there who has AIDS, and no house, and pneumonia. (we have now treated his pneumonia, he is taking medicines for AIDS, and we have also found him a house). When I saw him it put my problems into proper perspective, and I was filled with hope and joy as I counted my blessings, and stopped focusing on small problems!
I think it is a good lesson to try and focus on our many blessings at at times.
I once wrote a poem, so I thought I'd give it a go again; Jo says that I have no talent, but I'll let you be the judge of that. I'm quietly confident in my abilities-
"I had a sore eye
Oh me oh my
I think I'll die
What a disaster
Pass me a plaster
Why do poems mostly rhyme?
Seems to me a waste of ..."
I expect the publishers will be queing up now?...
...Anyone?
Later that day I went into work, and there was a man there who has AIDS, and no house, and pneumonia. (we have now treated his pneumonia, he is taking medicines for AIDS, and we have also found him a house). When I saw him it put my problems into proper perspective, and I was filled with hope and joy as I counted my blessings, and stopped focusing on small problems!
I think it is a good lesson to try and focus on our many blessings at at times.
I once wrote a poem, so I thought I'd give it a go again; Jo says that I have no talent, but I'll let you be the judge of that. I'm quietly confident in my abilities-
"I had a sore eye
Oh me oh my
I think I'll die
What a disaster
Pass me a plaster
Why do poems mostly rhyme?
Seems to me a waste of ..."
I expect the publishers will be queing up now?...
...Anyone?
On line again!
We have not had internet for a couple of weeks at home.
There are two reasons for this
1) We didn't pay our phone bill on time- oops! This meant that our outgoing calls and internet were stopped. However, it took them 10 days to reconnect us, even though they said it would happen the evening I paid my bill!
2)And here begins my weary tale...
...A couple of months ago my hard drive packed in, and was replaced. We had all our stuff backed up thankfully. Anyway, I gave the guy in the shop my discs to load my pukka copy of windows XP, but he decided that he'd load a pirate copy for me. I don't know why! Maybe I have the look of a lawbreaker about me!? anyway, I asked him to remove the illegal copy and put my copy back on. He did this, and all the internet settings on my computer were lost, and I had not taken a copy of them. We had to get someone from our ISP to come and reconfigure the settings on our computer, then we were back on line again....
...then we got a virus on our computer designed to infiltrate computers that do not contain service pack 2 for windows XP. My disc did not contain service pack 2. I took my computer back to the shop, and they said they would load SP2 from disc. I left the computer with them, but the next day they explained that they had needed to download the software from windows update...
...To do this, they had obviously changed all my internet settings so that they could go on line in the shop with my computer! And you've guessed it, they didn't think to take a note of my original settings!!...
...Therefore we had to get the man to come from our ISP to reconfigure our computer again...
...That happened yesterday, and so we are back on line again.
I have taken a note of our internet settings!
these sorts of things happen all the time in India. I'm actually not that bothered any more. You learn pretty fast that everything will take 10 times as long as in the west, and that nothing will be straight forwards. The story actually had a couple of other twists in it, but I've kept it simple!
There are two reasons for this
1) We didn't pay our phone bill on time- oops! This meant that our outgoing calls and internet were stopped. However, it took them 10 days to reconnect us, even though they said it would happen the evening I paid my bill!
2)And here begins my weary tale...
...A couple of months ago my hard drive packed in, and was replaced. We had all our stuff backed up thankfully. Anyway, I gave the guy in the shop my discs to load my pukka copy of windows XP, but he decided that he'd load a pirate copy for me. I don't know why! Maybe I have the look of a lawbreaker about me!? anyway, I asked him to remove the illegal copy and put my copy back on. He did this, and all the internet settings on my computer were lost, and I had not taken a copy of them. We had to get someone from our ISP to come and reconfigure the settings on our computer, then we were back on line again....
...then we got a virus on our computer designed to infiltrate computers that do not contain service pack 2 for windows XP. My disc did not contain service pack 2. I took my computer back to the shop, and they said they would load SP2 from disc. I left the computer with them, but the next day they explained that they had needed to download the software from windows update...
...To do this, they had obviously changed all my internet settings so that they could go on line in the shop with my computer! And you've guessed it, they didn't think to take a note of my original settings!!...
...Therefore we had to get the man to come from our ISP to reconfigure our computer again...
...That happened yesterday, and so we are back on line again.
I have taken a note of our internet settings!
these sorts of things happen all the time in India. I'm actually not that bothered any more. You learn pretty fast that everything will take 10 times as long as in the west, and that nothing will be straight forwards. The story actually had a couple of other twists in it, but I've kept it simple!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
And she's off!
A parting shot... I really like this photo of the kids with my Mum and Dad outside Mumbai airport, just before we said goodbye. It was hard to say goodbye but we have plenty of happy memories and good photos...
A visit from 'Gran and Pop'
We spent one afternoon at our 'local' beach (about 1hrs drive) which Alistair particularly loves going to. Even better when you've got Pop to build sandcastles and play bat and ball with!
There was plenty of time for me and Mum to catch up on chat too!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
By "Godincedence"
A good friend of mine recently said something to me in an email about coincidence. The following is a bit about what brought Jo and I to India, and the reply that I sent him in an Email. I realise that I don't think I've told this story on the Blog before, and it is an important tale to us.
I started using the term godincidences instead of coincidences when we were thinking of coming to India.
Jo and I were coming here on holiday, and a few weeks before we left the UK by "godincidence" someone spoke at our church about Lok Hospital. We therefore decided to fit a visit to the hospital into our holiday.
We were only in Thane for about 36 hours, but the only evening we spent there properly Dr Stephen (who runs the hospital) by "godincidence" had organised a meeting with about 15 local church leaders to discuss setting up an AIDS project
By "Godincedence" I had worked in an AIDS project in Chennai during the summer of 1998 as a medical student, and so I went to the meeting with Stephen.
So by "Godincidence" I was a few thousand miles away from home and part of the first meeting to discuss setting up the project that I am now attached to.
The first person in the UK that I spoke to about my thoughts of going to India longer term by "Godincidence" had just finished reading a book that had a chapter in it about a hospital in India, and he suggested that I read the book. By "Godincedence that chapter in that book was unbelievably about the same hospital that I had been to visit. (and now work in).
We then visited a Church we had never been to before to say goodbye to a friend of my sisters who was emigrating to Canada. By "Godincedence" a man there who We had never met stood up and prophesied that Jo and I would be going overseas on mission, and that after 18 months things would be starting to come together. By "Godincedence" 18 months later we were booking our flights.
Once we had decided to come for sure, a friend suggested we look for an organisation to help give us some support while we were in India. By "Godincedence" the first organisation we approached was EMMS (or Emmanuel Healthcare as they are now known), and by "Godincedence" the week before we saw them they had signed a cheque to pay for the construction of the AIDS project I now work in!!
I had always told Dr Stephen that I was most interested in the AIDS work here in India. However, when I arrived in India Dr. Stephen had still not told Andi who runs the project that I was coming. I was therefore a bit nervous the first time I visited the AIDS project. Incredibly, by "Godincedence" Andi and Sheba had decided that they needed another Doctor, and so they had prayed and asked God to provide someone within the next 30 days. 30 days later I walked through their door!
Yesterday I was having a game of pool with one of my friends who lives in the same apartment complex as us. He had recently been given a new job, and he asked me "do you believe in things happening for a reason?" I replied "I believe in God"! "That's a good answer" he said.
Adam
I started using the term godincidences instead of coincidences when we were thinking of coming to India.
Jo and I were coming here on holiday, and a few weeks before we left the UK by "godincidence" someone spoke at our church about Lok Hospital. We therefore decided to fit a visit to the hospital into our holiday.
We were only in Thane for about 36 hours, but the only evening we spent there properly Dr Stephen (who runs the hospital) by "godincidence" had organised a meeting with about 15 local church leaders to discuss setting up an AIDS project
By "Godincedence" I had worked in an AIDS project in Chennai during the summer of 1998 as a medical student, and so I went to the meeting with Stephen.
So by "Godincidence" I was a few thousand miles away from home and part of the first meeting to discuss setting up the project that I am now attached to.
The first person in the UK that I spoke to about my thoughts of going to India longer term by "Godincidence" had just finished reading a book that had a chapter in it about a hospital in India, and he suggested that I read the book. By "Godincedence that chapter in that book was unbelievably about the same hospital that I had been to visit. (and now work in).
We then visited a Church we had never been to before to say goodbye to a friend of my sisters who was emigrating to Canada. By "Godincedence" a man there who We had never met stood up and prophesied that Jo and I would be going overseas on mission, and that after 18 months things would be starting to come together. By "Godincedence" 18 months later we were booking our flights.
Once we had decided to come for sure, a friend suggested we look for an organisation to help give us some support while we were in India. By "Godincedence" the first organisation we approached was EMMS (or Emmanuel Healthcare as they are now known), and by "Godincedence" the week before we saw them they had signed a cheque to pay for the construction of the AIDS project I now work in!!
I had always told Dr Stephen that I was most interested in the AIDS work here in India. However, when I arrived in India Dr. Stephen had still not told Andi who runs the project that I was coming. I was therefore a bit nervous the first time I visited the AIDS project. Incredibly, by "Godincedence" Andi and Sheba had decided that they needed another Doctor, and so they had prayed and asked God to provide someone within the next 30 days. 30 days later I walked through their door!
Yesterday I was having a game of pool with one of my friends who lives in the same apartment complex as us. He had recently been given a new job, and he asked me "do you believe in things happening for a reason?" I replied "I believe in God"! "That's a good answer" he said.
Adam
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Some encouragement
Jo's teaching session today at the hospital went really well. She was expecting around 20 people, and therefore I think thought that less than that would come- BUT 34 PEOPLE CAME!! and so she feels really encouraged.
I also did teaching with our staff at the aids project today. I had to move our teaching forwards to their lunch hour (they still got lunch afterwards though) so that it didn't clash with Jo's teaching. However one of them said "if you are teaching, then a late lunch is our pleasure", and then afterwards I asked if they had any questions, and the same person said "you teach us so perfectly that we have no questions". I was also really encouraged!!
This morning I did a bible study on forgiveness with our staff (we have a bible-study every morning). Anyway, I started crying as I was speaking about Christ in agony on the cross saying "father forgive them for they know not what they do". Several other members of staff were moved, and the lady who prayed afterwards was also in tears.
I felt that God was really speaking through me this morning, and I was really humbled that he should choose to use a sinner like me.
I also did teaching with our staff at the aids project today. I had to move our teaching forwards to their lunch hour (they still got lunch afterwards though) so that it didn't clash with Jo's teaching. However one of them said "if you are teaching, then a late lunch is our pleasure", and then afterwards I asked if they had any questions, and the same person said "you teach us so perfectly that we have no questions". I was also really encouraged!!
This morning I did a bible study on forgiveness with our staff (we have a bible-study every morning). Anyway, I started crying as I was speaking about Christ in agony on the cross saying "father forgive them for they know not what they do". Several other members of staff were moved, and the lady who prayed afterwards was also in tears.
I felt that God was really speaking through me this morning, and I was really humbled that he should choose to use a sinner like me.
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