I can't believe that almost two weeks have passed since I last posted on my blog!!! I am back in what used to be my cyber cafe of choice, but it has now become my least favorite. The other was was full. This key board isn't too bad, though, and some of the things that annoy me here seem not to be present at the moment! Those things include too much Bengali conversation, and too much noise from the traffic! Tonight there are lots of mosquitoes, but so far they aren't biting!
Christmas at Jeevan Joyti Fellowship was pleasant. Several people, including me, shared about what Christmas means to us. Thinking about that has made me ponder, with working among the poor in Kolkata, Jesus giving up heaven to come to earth . . . must have been worse for Him than I think it would be to live in one of the slums here!!! We also enjoyed a delicious meal together outside in the warm sunshine!!! (We won't be saying that in a couple of months.)
There are so many sparrows that fly around Pauline Bhavan, and a couple of times, I have actually had one fly into the apartment. Around Christmas time the weather went much colder than I had expected it to. I was sort of kicking myself for not bringing more warm things. Then, the weather went much milder. Somehow, it just reminded me afresh not to worry so much about what I am going to put on, etc!!! Of course, it might get colder again, but . . .
Tonight we should return to our full strength in numbers at Pauline Bhavan. About half of the children went to visit family for part of the vacation, and they have been trickling back this week. The more that return, the nosier it becomes! We have had a few cozy times up in my apartment with the smaller group including a special Christmas evening meal on the 25th and party with games on the 23rd. I have been reading THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE to them. It has sparked some great conversations about anything from what is hot chocolate to how Satan pulls us into temptation like the White Witch did Edmund with the Turkish delight! One of the other exciting things for me was that I pulled out some embroidery that I have been traveling the world with since 1990!!! I only worked on it a few nights, but hope to pull it out again soon!!!
Things were a bit slower lately with the Christmas holidays, but they are gearing up, and should be at a very busy pace now for awhile!!! The Jadavpur Child Development Center, an afternoon project that is run at the school, has restarted. I am involved with that in sort of an advisory capacity while their director is away. We had Kids' Camp with the younger ones today and will have it with the older ones tomorrow. School reopens on the 9th. I have started leading the women's Bible study at the office on Thurs afternoon. We are studying Ruth, using the same materials as the women in my home church are using. This past Tues I started conversational English classes with some of the adults in the ministry. They want to meet twice a week, so next week we are going to do Tues and Fri. It doesn't mean that I am such a good teacher, it means that they want to improve their English that much!!! This means that I will need to make three trips a week over to Ripon Street. I have gotten getting over there down pat now . . . even on the bus . . . it only costs Rs. 6 which is so small that you can't translate it into American money. It's less than a nickel. But, getting home, mostly because of the jam packed conditions of public transportation . . . well, it is "interesting". I'm not sure what my involvement is going to be at Calcutta Emmanuel School when it reopens. We are expecting a lot of foreigners in the next two months including Naomi, a young British girl who is going to live with me in the apartment. I think she is 18 and is planning to stay for 6 months . . . a very British thing to do is "take a year out" between finishing school and starting university. I am just guessing that she is perhaps doing that. The plan is for her to work at the school. She wants to be a teacher.
I have finished reading Prashanto's paper(for his Master's in Theology). So much has been going on with him. The Gov't of W. Bengal has asked EMC to help them open some Night Shelters, for the homeless; and another project is about to open near Howrah (the biggest railroad station in the city) that will be working with women and children. He is involved in both up to his neck. The circles under his eyes tell the tale, but he remains a joy to be around! One of those little brothers that I always wanted!!!
Think I'd better stop how as the mosquitoes are beginning to nibble!
Happy New Year!!!
Christmas at Jeevan Joyti Fellowship was pleasant. Several people, including me, shared about what Christmas means to us. Thinking about that has made me ponder, with working among the poor in Kolkata, Jesus giving up heaven to come to earth . . . must have been worse for Him than I think it would be to live in one of the slums here!!! We also enjoyed a delicious meal together outside in the warm sunshine!!! (We won't be saying that in a couple of months.)
There are so many sparrows that fly around Pauline Bhavan, and a couple of times, I have actually had one fly into the apartment. Around Christmas time the weather went much colder than I had expected it to. I was sort of kicking myself for not bringing more warm things. Then, the weather went much milder. Somehow, it just reminded me afresh not to worry so much about what I am going to put on, etc!!! Of course, it might get colder again, but . . .
Tonight we should return to our full strength in numbers at Pauline Bhavan. About half of the children went to visit family for part of the vacation, and they have been trickling back this week. The more that return, the nosier it becomes! We have had a few cozy times up in my apartment with the smaller group including a special Christmas evening meal on the 25th and party with games on the 23rd. I have been reading THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE to them. It has sparked some great conversations about anything from what is hot chocolate to how Satan pulls us into temptation like the White Witch did Edmund with the Turkish delight! One of the other exciting things for me was that I pulled out some embroidery that I have been traveling the world with since 1990!!! I only worked on it a few nights, but hope to pull it out again soon!!!
Things were a bit slower lately with the Christmas holidays, but they are gearing up, and should be at a very busy pace now for awhile!!! The Jadavpur Child Development Center, an afternoon project that is run at the school, has restarted. I am involved with that in sort of an advisory capacity while their director is away. We had Kids' Camp with the younger ones today and will have it with the older ones tomorrow. School reopens on the 9th. I have started leading the women's Bible study at the office on Thurs afternoon. We are studying Ruth, using the same materials as the women in my home church are using. This past Tues I started conversational English classes with some of the adults in the ministry. They want to meet twice a week, so next week we are going to do Tues and Fri. It doesn't mean that I am such a good teacher, it means that they want to improve their English that much!!! This means that I will need to make three trips a week over to Ripon Street. I have gotten getting over there down pat now . . . even on the bus . . . it only costs Rs. 6 which is so small that you can't translate it into American money. It's less than a nickel. But, getting home, mostly because of the jam packed conditions of public transportation . . . well, it is "interesting". I'm not sure what my involvement is going to be at Calcutta Emmanuel School when it reopens. We are expecting a lot of foreigners in the next two months including Naomi, a young British girl who is going to live with me in the apartment. I think she is 18 and is planning to stay for 6 months . . . a very British thing to do is "take a year out" between finishing school and starting university. I am just guessing that she is perhaps doing that. The plan is for her to work at the school. She wants to be a teacher.
I have finished reading Prashanto's paper(for his Master's in Theology). So much has been going on with him. The Gov't of W. Bengal has asked EMC to help them open some Night Shelters, for the homeless; and another project is about to open near Howrah (the biggest railroad station in the city) that will be working with women and children. He is involved in both up to his neck. The circles under his eyes tell the tale, but he remains a joy to be around! One of those little brothers that I always wanted!!!
Think I'd better stop how as the mosquitoes are beginning to nibble!
Happy New Year!!!
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