I walked into my English class in CHEP at the slum this morning and began to teach about family. I have struggled with the consistency of my students, and with only five today there weren't quite enough to effectively complete the competition i'd prepared for them. So, i stopped teaching to talk frankly with them.
"My goodness, where is everyone today?" I asked. "We need more people!" Since all the students live in the same vicinity, they know what's going on in each others' lives. I decided to single one out. "Where is Nitin?"
--"He won't coming today ma'am."
I sighed inwardly. "REA-lly? And why not?"
--"Well, because his house is fall down."
Suddenly, my sigh turned to panic. I prayed that his family was not hurt. Incredulous, I asked if everything was going to be alright. The kids seemed to exhibit a good deal of pity but very little concern over the situation.
Today i realized the sacrifice and focus that is needed to value an education in the type of life that these kids lead. What is a second language in the type of life where it's commonplace for your house to fall in on your head at any moment?
Their constant struggle breaks my heart. Their unbreakable spirit is simply inspirational.
After our Bible study tonight, I found out that Heather had been invited to go to a Sikh gurudwara, or temple, with a lady she's been getting to know named Nitu. She has been inviting Nitu to church, so she wanted to give Nitu good reason to trust her and reciprocate so she decided to go and make chapatis (flatbread) with the women as a part of the 40-day observance of a deceased Sikh Guru. I participated in the same holiday three years ago in a different gurudwara and made the flatbread which was served in a meal to the homeless later on that day. Heather told me i was welcome to come, and i took her up on it because i remember being very intrigued by the followers of the religion before. Today was somewhat different since we were going to meet a specific friend - we went not as tourists, but as the invited. It was evident that the ladies working together to make the chapati were very close - they come every night for forty days to make food to serve together. India has made them family just like India does.
Nitu seems to be a very devoted Sikh, as she is at the gurudwara every night and brings her son. One thing i found interesting was the way Nitu responded when I asked whether Sikhism had any similarities with Hinduism - she was offended and denied any relation between the two. I find this interesting because of the fact that Sikhism was born out of Hinduism according to all I've heard and studied, and also because of the way that Nitu related Sikhism to Christianity very freely while we were there. There are more disparities i feel strongly around Sikhs, too; one of them is how the congregation seems to value peace and sacredness so highly while they are born and bred antagonistic fighters from the warrior caste. One of the five sacred items which they must keep with them at all times is a dagger to exemplify this very fact.
It's hard for me not to like them when they serve one transcendent Being - do all in the name of the One Unknown God, and value beauty in relationship and character. They place great stress on ethics, morality, and values. They feed the poor. To me, they feel like the evolutionary step in the journey of a Hindu to find the peace in Truth.
When I am with them, i always have a very imminent sense of "almost".
it breaks my heart and gives me hope at the same time.
pray, pray for peace to the warriors,
and tranquility to them who battle endlessly with poverty.
Love from Delhi,
Julie.
peace be with them, and peace be with you.
"My goodness, where is everyone today?" I asked. "We need more people!" Since all the students live in the same vicinity, they know what's going on in each others' lives. I decided to single one out. "Where is Nitin?"
--"He won't coming today ma'am."
I sighed inwardly. "REA-lly? And why not?"
--"Well, because his house is fall down."
Suddenly, my sigh turned to panic. I prayed that his family was not hurt. Incredulous, I asked if everything was going to be alright. The kids seemed to exhibit a good deal of pity but very little concern over the situation.
Today i realized the sacrifice and focus that is needed to value an education in the type of life that these kids lead. What is a second language in the type of life where it's commonplace for your house to fall in on your head at any moment?
Their constant struggle breaks my heart. Their unbreakable spirit is simply inspirational.
After our Bible study tonight, I found out that Heather had been invited to go to a Sikh gurudwara, or temple, with a lady she's been getting to know named Nitu. She has been inviting Nitu to church, so she wanted to give Nitu good reason to trust her and reciprocate so she decided to go and make chapatis (flatbread) with the women as a part of the 40-day observance of a deceased Sikh Guru. I participated in the same holiday three years ago in a different gurudwara and made the flatbread which was served in a meal to the homeless later on that day. Heather told me i was welcome to come, and i took her up on it because i remember being very intrigued by the followers of the religion before. Today was somewhat different since we were going to meet a specific friend - we went not as tourists, but as the invited. It was evident that the ladies working together to make the chapati were very close - they come every night for forty days to make food to serve together. India has made them family just like India does.
Nitu seems to be a very devoted Sikh, as she is at the gurudwara every night and brings her son. One thing i found interesting was the way Nitu responded when I asked whether Sikhism had any similarities with Hinduism - she was offended and denied any relation between the two. I find this interesting because of the fact that Sikhism was born out of Hinduism according to all I've heard and studied, and also because of the way that Nitu related Sikhism to Christianity very freely while we were there. There are more disparities i feel strongly around Sikhs, too; one of them is how the congregation seems to value peace and sacredness so highly while they are born and bred antagonistic fighters from the warrior caste. One of the five sacred items which they must keep with them at all times is a dagger to exemplify this very fact.
It's hard for me not to like them when they serve one transcendent Being - do all in the name of the One Unknown God, and value beauty in relationship and character. They place great stress on ethics, morality, and values. They feed the poor. To me, they feel like the evolutionary step in the journey of a Hindu to find the peace in Truth.
When I am with them, i always have a very imminent sense of "almost".
it breaks my heart and gives me hope at the same time.
pray, pray for peace to the warriors,
and tranquility to them who battle endlessly with poverty.
Love from Delhi,
Julie.
peace be with them, and peace be with you.
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