yeeeeeeeeesh!
bad day, all. I had to buy the wrong milk, I let the chai boil over, I ripped my beautiful new pants (right where you don't want to rip your pants), and I stink at playing the piano. You should know that every Indian has music in his bones, so when they hand you a keyboard and say, "Remember that one song? That's what we're playing," it means they're going to turn around and begin without giving you lyrics, chords, or a key. COOL GUYS. IM FRUM UMMERKA.
I keep telling them just to let me sing instead of sing and play, but they need a keyboardist, so keyboard i will.
There are bad days. But there is redemption.
Today I got to go back to Pathshala for the first time. This tutorship program for kids age 2-9 is one of my very favorite things to be a part of. I led a craft for these sweet-faced loves, with translation from a new friend named Sofia. Now, you may not remember anything about Lakshmi, Shiva, Aarti, Chandan, or Lolli, but I certainly do. To see their faces, aged two years but still round, dark, and eager, was almost too much for me. I sat looking into all of these precious babies' upturned faces and love spilled out of my heart. They have options. They are being given the truth. And they matter greatly in the lives of those around them, in the grand scheme of their generation, and in the mobilization of their friends, families, and those who will follow them. Choose life, children. Choose hope.
My aunt and uncle, who sponsor Aarti through the Child Scholarship Program, sent her a little gift for me to give her. I told her how they pray for her, care about her, and how they are giving her gifts because they heard about her and her friends from me. She stifled a grin when she saw the bracelet and the necklace they had sent, and walked out of the room glowing after posing in composure for my lens. These children can change things for India. And by equipping them, we can change things for them. It warmed my heart to see her happy, and it encourages me to know that she won't have to struggle to find an education. When the time comes, her college will be provided for; she will have what she needs in order to live a productive life, and she can be at her lowest potential a contributing member of Indian society, and at best, who knows? I love her sweet, calm spirit and her leadership among the children. Just look at her face. You love her too, i know you do.
Also among the high points of my day was the weekly care group meeting of the Family tonight. I got a good taste of some of the fellowship that has always caught my attention among the believers here. We played games all together and studied a passage that reminded me not to sweat so much (ha! get it? it's hot! i'm sweating all the time!) about the small stuff. Bad days are great reminders not to love the things of the world, but to cultivate in our hearts instead the love of the Father. The world is passing away, but the one who does the will of the Father abides.
Fun fact - in my English class we are learning about the present continuous tense. The phrase "is passing" is a great example of that. Our world is presently decaying before our eyes, and will continue to do so. How can we expect that naturally things will be easy or good for us here? We are interminable souls in a transient situation.
No wonder we have bad days.
Love from Delhi,
julie the grumpy.
bad day, all. I had to buy the wrong milk, I let the chai boil over, I ripped my beautiful new pants (right where you don't want to rip your pants), and I stink at playing the piano. You should know that every Indian has music in his bones, so when they hand you a keyboard and say, "Remember that one song? That's what we're playing," it means they're going to turn around and begin without giving you lyrics, chords, or a key. COOL GUYS. IM FRUM UMMERKA.
I keep telling them just to let me sing instead of sing and play, but they need a keyboardist, so keyboard i will.
There are bad days. But there is redemption.
Today I got to go back to Pathshala for the first time. This tutorship program for kids age 2-9 is one of my very favorite things to be a part of. I led a craft for these sweet-faced loves, with translation from a new friend named Sofia. Now, you may not remember anything about Lakshmi, Shiva, Aarti, Chandan, or Lolli, but I certainly do. To see their faces, aged two years but still round, dark, and eager, was almost too much for me. I sat looking into all of these precious babies' upturned faces and love spilled out of my heart. They have options. They are being given the truth. And they matter greatly in the lives of those around them, in the grand scheme of their generation, and in the mobilization of their friends, families, and those who will follow them. Choose life, children. Choose hope.
Also among the high points of my day was the weekly care group meeting of the Family tonight. I got a good taste of some of the fellowship that has always caught my attention among the believers here. We played games all together and studied a passage that reminded me not to sweat so much (ha! get it? it's hot! i'm sweating all the time!) about the small stuff. Bad days are great reminders not to love the things of the world, but to cultivate in our hearts instead the love of the Father. The world is passing away, but the one who does the will of the Father abides.
Fun fact - in my English class we are learning about the present continuous tense. The phrase "is passing" is a great example of that. Our world is presently decaying before our eyes, and will continue to do so. How can we expect that naturally things will be easy or good for us here? We are interminable souls in a transient situation.
No wonder we have bad days.
Love from Delhi,
julie the grumpy.
No comments:
Post a Comment