Thursday, March 5, 2015

The Best Part of the Journey


The Taj Mahal is amazing.  Rightfully renowned as one of the manmade wonders of the world.  It is truly unlike anything else in the world; a thing of beauty, a piece of history, an act of love of a grieving husband.  22 years to build, craftsmanship unseen on such a scale; there are clear and compelling reasons people say not to miss it.

The Taj is so amazing most people forget to mention what it takes to get there.  Agra, the home of this wonder, is not a major city, and is not the hub of anything on a global scale.  I'm sure you can travel to and from Agra in a fully insulating tour where you are more or less protected from the dust, noise and chaos of Indian travel - but no matter who you are, it is a trip and a half to get there.



Our trip to Taj Mahal was amazing!  It pales in comparison, however, to the truly amazing part of our trip.  Here's the reality:
Photo 1: Waiting in line to enter the Taj at opening.  
Time stamp:  8:10am

Photo 2:  Waiting for Jen to get through security.  
Time stamp: 8:26 am

Photo 3:  First view as we enter through the main gate. 
Time stamp: 8:43am

Photo 4:  One of 139 photos on the grounds.  
Time stamp: 9:13am

Photo 5:  Walking from the Taj grounds.  
Time stamp: 10:25am

First entrance onto the grounds to walking away:  
Total time - 1 hour 42 minutes.

It was a beautiful day, our private guide did not rush us at all, we saw many details and learned the history - and it was less than two hours.  This is typical.  While a few undoubtably stay longer on a perfect day like we had (warming to an ideal 72 as the sun reflected off the cool marble), I imagine in typical tropical heat, most do not tarry.

After two hours we were ready to leave.  This contrasts profoundly with 181 hours in Likabali, at which point we had to pull ourselves away, we had tears of joyous grief in our eyes, and our kids asked if we had to go.  Emersed in the deep richness of human relationships, rather than cold monuments of stone, we find what is truly worth finding in our travels and journeys.  

If we had spent just two hours in Likabali, meeting Steward, Nyapu, Angel, and the dozen students at the Bible Centre, we could have left easily.  We would have felt more emotion at the grand marble tomb, than in a rural town at the ends of the earth.  But we didn't, we spent a week.  We ate with them, celebrated with them, worshiped with them, met their friends, shared their lives, and heard their stories.

Had we traveled a total of one and a half days by plane, and half a day by car, to visit a handful of amazing ancient sites for an hour or two each - we would have something to tell our friends about back at home.  We would have the bragging rights of seeing places most only dream of seeing.  We would feel like richer more well rounded people for having seen the world.  But we would not be changed - we would only be more of who we already are - privileged people in the top 5% of the entire world.

I am so glad to have seen the Taj Mahal, but I rejoice all the more that it was an afterthought - a side trip - to the main adventure.  The adventure of people.  The depth of meaning which comes from touching the joys and sorrows of someone else - and not pulling away.  The
first few days in Likabali were awkward; we felt distant, especially from the Bible students.  But after sharing with them, singing with them, having our kids connect with them, and celebrating with them - even through the language barrier - by the end of the week, our lives were changed.  They will forever be with us, and us them.

This is what life is about!  I have been more places and seen more sites than most people - a blessing for which I am grateful - but that is not what has enriched my life.  No building, garden or view has changed my life - but people have touched me forever.

Where are your travels taking you?

Jennifer was truly touched by visiting the Tah Mahal,
but forever touched by people in Likabali


The biggest surprise in all of India

There are many well educated people in India.  In fact, for international businesses it is a selling point: utilize the Indian work force - smart workers who work for less.  Admittedly my sample size makes any generalization suspect - but all the same, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this educated work force is not coming from public education in the rural northeast.

Typical sight at public schools we passed
I was shocked at what is available for public education where we were visiting in Assam and Aranachal.  We drove past multiple public school buildings, everyone in poor condition; marked by physical dilapidation, a large number of children not in classrooms, and no teachers in sight.  While we did not visit any of the government schools personally - people from the area attested to the state of the schools.  Many children, a teacher who is not engaged, and almost no instruction.  I was shocked!  Elementary public education  is nothing more than a place for children to go to pass the time.

This diagnosis is supported when you travel through the area; you see a continual stream of children of all ages flowing along the dirty edges of the roads, wearing private school uniforms.  In the larger towns, the morning streets are filled with kids biking to private schools.  Due to the lack of government provided education, the private school industry is booming.  Having been privileged to spend time in the two small private schools started and run by our hostess Nyapu - all I can say is that the public schools must be far worse than even I can imagine as the private schools are light years behind American norms.


Oxford Brook Schools - simple but different


Each of the schools we visited has about 150 students in grades 1 to 6.  What these schools have, and about all they have, are teachers who care.  The classrooms are nothing but cement cells, with open windows and one wall which can be used as a blackboard.  The desks hold three to five children each, and can best be described as rustic.  Throughout the school you see no bins filled with books, craft supplies, or toys - actually, there are no bins at all.  Other than a few resource posters on a couple of the walls, there was nothing.  It is hard to image this reality when you are familiar with  any school in America.


How spartan is it you may ask?  It is so barren that we had the idea of making cut out snow flakes with the kids to talk about winter in New York.  It sounds like a simple time filling activity in schools I'm familar with.  However, to make it happen in Likabali, it was a different story:

  • We had to bring our own globe to show where NY is - no real surprise, we had an inflatable one packed.
  • We stopped at a little store with a photocopier in town (copy center) to buy a ream of white copy paper - because there was no paper available at school.
  • We said it required scissors - we were given one pair.   As the staff saw what we were doing in the classroom - more scissors arrived.  In the end we had five pairs - all of the scissors from the entire school!


Dormitory Room
The children each have a workbook for the subject they are working on, and that is all you will see in this school - and this is what parents seek out and pay for.  In fact, in the main school approximately 50 students (ages 5 to 12) board at the school.  Once again, it is impossible for me to imagine what the home situation surrounding the town of Likabali must be like if staying in the bare dorm room, and receiving such basic instruction is worth the tuition and sacrifice that both the parents and students make.

Jen with the teachers
Nyapu has started both of these schools.  They improve the lives of children, and make a difference in the community.  The boarding school is also an opportunity for ministry.  The school instruction is given as secular teaching, however, those who stay at the school are given Christian instruction, worship opportunities andcaring staff who show the love of God to these precious children.


School on left - church on right - fun in the middle
The other school was started at request to the new fellowship of Christians of the rural town in which it is located, and is on the same property where the church meets.  This is a church which is very young, and families who are part of this church are first generation Christians, and the pastor is a graduate of Steward's Bible Institute.  They are putting their faith into action in their town.

It is shocking that the Indian government is not doing more to educate the children - but this deficiency provides an opportunity for Christians to meet a need, and share God's love.  It was an amazing opportunity to see these schools, play with the kids, and even share some Valentine's Day candy with the message that each one of them is loved.  Steward and Nyapu are doing amazing things with the resources God has entrusted to them.

Jashton sharing with the boarding students one evening


Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Brick by Brick

 How do you build a Bible training center?  One brick at a time.

Steward came from the Christian state of Manipur, India as a missionary.  After serving in other areas of Assam he came to Likabali.  Here he met Nyapu, the daughter of a bi-vocational pastor from the town.  She knew better than to be interested in a poor missionary - but all the same - God brought them together in marriage and ministry.
Steward and Nyapu with a recent graduate
Living in a mission built home next to the church, training began of students so they could take the good news of Jesus to the many tribes of northeast India.  It quickly became clear this arrangement for living and classroom space would not be the best.  Nyapu's family had a large amount of land in the area, including a hillside plot which was given to Nyapu.  With very little money, and very little experience the two of them began - making bricks.

construction of new women's dorm
Bricks take nothing more than cement, sand, stone and a simple box mold.  Daily the two went up to the property and began making bricks.  Then they started going up with the students God entrusted to the center.  And each day a little more work was accomplished. This was 2004.


Now it is 2015
Chapel (white) and men's dorm building
Ten years later, they have a lovely simple home, a chapel hall for teaching and worship, a one room dormitory for men, a guest house for teachers, a storeroom, and now a woman's dorm nearing completion.  Beyond these permanent structures there are traditionally constructed thatch buildings for cooking, eating, and the soon the be retired women's room.   They build what they have the funds, energy and help to build.  There is no master plan, no strategic initiative, no 5 or 10 year goal - just a vision to train willing servants for the work of God.

Since starting the training center, over 300 ministry workers have graduated from this program.  Becoming pastors, evangelists, teachers and in countless ways building up the kingdom of God.  And it happened because of God's call, and a couple willing to start making bricks in faith.
This year's graduation - 12 more workers for the harvest fields

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Spoiled at the ends of the earth

When you arrive in the evening, the morning is a surprise.  It was dusk as we entered Steward and Nyapu's home, just enough light to give impressions, but not to really know the world we were stepping into.  As we had no real concrete information of what our living conditions would be, we were pleasantly surprised.  Would we be sleeping on the floor, all sharing a room, or surrounded by things which would make Jen's skin crawl? We did not know.

The main house
our guest house
A small guest house is our home, with a room for the boys with two beds, and a private room for Jen and me.  It is a warm climate, so the windows are glass free, but they do have curtains for privacy (where necessary).  Each bed is equipped with a solid (no foam or springs) mattress, small pillow, mosquito net and a wonderfully soft, thick and fuzzy blanket which takes care of the cool mountain air in the evening. (it is winter after all)













The biggest difference requiring a definite adjustment in the day to day is related to the bathroom realities.  For the home and the guest house there is one closet sized room with a squatting toilet.  This is the place for everything bathroom related - or at least it was - until lunch time on day one.
A room where there was no room.  

As the sun rose early in the morning, we were awakened by ducks, trucks, horns, songbirds, and anything else which could make some noise to announce the new day.  [note: there is only one time zone in the entire country of India - here in the northeast the sun always rises early and sets early]  With anticipation we opened the door and entered our new world.  We could look over the entire town of Likabali.  We could examine the poinsettia trees, bamboo stands, and the structures which make up the Himalayan Bible Training Centre.

During the tour of the small plot of rugged land where so much ministry happens, Steward says he is thinking of building us a bathroom for our visit.  I didn't know exactly what he had in mind, but he gathered some of the students, pointed at some bamboo lying around, and set them to work.  Within hours, wedged behind one building, and next to another; a floor of wooden planks, surrounded by a wall of black plastic, became a washroom with a ceramic pedestal sink and a 30 gallon bucket of water.

This created space has been one of many little blessings as we have been spoiled here.  A place to wash our teeth, comb our hair, and even pour buckets of heated water over us to clean off the dust of the day.

It has been wonderful to see the boys focus on the hospitality we have been receiving more than the conveniences we are going without.

  • A maid providing tea and cookies before breakfast and in the afternoon.  
  • Special food prepared for a seven year old boy who's taste buds had been overwhelmed with spices.  
  • Stains washed from clothes which an inexperienced handwasher could not get out.
  • Countless bags of chips and snacks provided as American boys explore Indian junk food.  
  • Private rooms to sleep in when the students sleep in common rooms.
  • Battery powered lights for the many times when the electricity turns off.
  • and the list could go on....


Yes, this is a very different world, but we could not be treated any better.
Prince Corbi

The best beginning in Likabali

We have been staying at the edge of Assam, in the border town of Likabali, (technically within Aranachal Pradesh) for almost a week now.  There has been so much to assimilate in this very unfamiliar place that writing has not come to me.  Additionally, I have been responsible to hours of teaching to prepare for and deliver, and we have been seeking to encourage and learn.  Now, after a week, with the teaching I came to do now past, I am ready to face the challenge of sharing this experience with you.  I want you to know how amazing the people are, the place is, the experience is.  How amazing and humbling it is to be here with my family, and connect with my larger spiritual family.

There is no clear beginning, but walking out of the doors of the airport in Dibrugarh is as good as any (although the adventures of getting on the flight out of Delhi are a story as well).  In faith, we tell the eager taxi drivers we have a ride coming - as we scan over their heads for the one familiar face we know in 2000 mile radius.  In a time like this, you find yourself pushing back the thought, "What do we do if he isn't here?"  A few minutes later relief comes as you see the familiar walk of a foriegn friend coming across the parking lot.  We are not alone...

And we were less alone than we knew.  Pastor Steward informed us that his army officer friend was coming to meet us at the airport as well.  You roll with what comes.  Minutes later a small 4x4 arrives with a plackard on the front indicating a commander is in the vehicle.  A well built man in aviator sunglasses and business casual attire steps out of the passanger side.  We are introduced to Ashish, told he just arrived from Delhi as well and will help give us a ride back to Steward's home.  Before we knew which way the breeze was blowing; Jashton and Tobiah were in the 4x4 with Ashish and his driver, and the rest of us were loaded in Steward's mini-mini van.  On our way....

We saw little of Dibrugarh as we headed out of town down reasonable quality two lane roads like you would find in any rural area of America.  But it was clear we were not in America.  We were in Assam - famous for its tea.  And that is exactly what we saw in the flat land we drove past - tea fields.  That's what tea bushes look like - who knew?

Then, after an hour or two of driving we were no longer on a paved road.  The developing world ritual of rolling up and rolling down the windows of your vehicle began.  Paving does a wonderful job of controlling dust.  Without it, every passing vehicle is another cloud of dust seeking to get anywhere that dust hasn't yet arrived.  The dirt roads were result of road work, actually bridge work, actually bridge construction - that is far from complete even though it began 20 years ago.  When complete, the bridge will be the longest in all of India - but it isn't done yet, so we bomb along rutted, silted roads through the flood planes of the river we must cross.

Then we come to the "village" temporary shelters on the current banks of the river.  This time of the year the water is low, and it is only a 30 minute ferry ride.  Other times it can be three times as long.   It was here we learned benefit number two of Ashish.  As a commander in the Indian army, a ferry was waiting for him, left as soon as both vehicles were on board, and we were served water, tea and cookies, and coke before we made it to the other side.  (I'll let the photos describe these hand built wooden ferries)
Guess which one is Ashish...
After a total journey of close to four hours, through farm land, trading centers and small towns, the flat plains of the river valley turned upwards, turned green, and minutes later we turned into the property of Steward and Nyapu.  Our home for this week is perched on the foot hills of the Himalayan mountains.  No, you cannot see any mountains, but we are on the edge of new terrain - looking out over the flat and barren, surrounded by the rugged and green - plams, bamboo, trees and plants of every variety burst from the ground here in the forest of Likabali.
the final stretch before the muntains begin
And this was just our first few hours in the new and wonderful place.