Bill and Judy ride again!

Happy Christmas, everyone.

Hope you are having a lovely day.  I wonder what the weather is like? Still I can imagine that tucking up cozy and warm with delicious things and people you love, makes for a good Christmas afternoon!

This has been a lovely week of surprises for us, mainly involving delicious Indian food, (true Asha style!!) Shalini and Azad (they are the wonderful people who work tirelessly for Asha  in Ekta Vihar) organised a lovely home cooked lunch for us as a Christmas treat last Tuesday.  I then went off to the bus laden with guitar and 23 angels and 23santas to make with my Tuesday class, only to find the bus full of women from the two nearby slums, aged from 90-40ish - beautiful women - faces lined with every experience life has thrown at them.  It was an amazing sight and one I would have loved to photograph for you but it just wasn't right to intrude with a camera.  They were there to collect blankets - (Asha have had a massive 'blanket drive' - people have been bringing and sending blankets and donating money for blankets and then they are distributed to the 60 slums and those most in need.) Anyway, back to the bus - we had to wait for Soni to arrive, so as I had my guitar we sang songs together.  They loved joining in with clapping and some action songs quickly taught, and then the ladies sang a Hindi song together. It was lovely!  We still had a few minutes to fill so I pulled out the Christmas bingo (its been a real winner with the kids) and taught the women to play - they just loved it and kept screaming BINGO and falling about laughing - it was a little crazy but we all had a good laugh.  I was quite relieved to see Soni come up the steps of the bus and then we gave out the blankets.

Its really very cold now, especially in the evenings and early mornings - I can't imagine how miserable the slum homes must be at the moment! (Actually at any time!).

Ken had a very short lesson that day as well as we were both invited to the Asha staff tea which also involved singing carols, a short message from Freddie Martin and then all sorts of food ranging from samosas to cardamon rice pudding and Christmas cake - all delicious and different.

Thank you to all the staff at the 'new offices' for lunch on Wednesday (you see, I told you there is a lot of eating that takes place in Asha!).

The angels and santas were well received by my Wednesday group - they even managed to make crowns!

This morning we went to the Central Delhi Bible Fellowship Church with 4 of Ken's students.  It was a really lively service - great songs and message.  We were so pleased they came - the first time in a Christian service for 3 of them.

After the service, a very fast tuk-tuk ride took us to Lodi Gardens where we had arranged to meet any of our students who wanted to spend Christmas Day with us.

We said we'd be there with a bring and share picnic from 12 noon - 25 turned up! We were so pleased as we know that Christmas Day is not always a special occasion for them. The weather was amazing, thank goodness - recently the sun has tried to break through the pollution, without success, but today it was beautiful, warm and sunny - perfect to be out picnicking.  We played a friendly rugby game (although they are very competitive) and another crazy Indian game that sounded like "cuppa tea" but no tea in sight, sadly, and lots of running!

Lodi Gardens are very historic with 15th century tombs belonging to the Lodi family - none of our students had ever been there and were so impressed and had such a lovely day.  Being here with these guys continues to be a most enjoyable and humbling experience.

Kishan and Ajay came by bike - we just had to have a go!!! So, here's our  'Judy and Bill look alike' moment! (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel...)

Now we're home and need to pamper our colds and coughs and hopefully get over them quickly as we are off to Goa on Sunday morning and Molly and Elliot will be meeting us there for a few days holiday together.

We are really ready for a good rest.

Sending you lots of love and best wishes for the New Year.

Heather and Ken xx

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Our Christmas Letter

Subtitle - ‘Its all about me’ (Ken probably thinks its always all about me!)

Christmas is really all about Him, Jesus.  Some slogans say, “Put Christ back into Christmas”.  Jesus is often lost amongst all the shopping, planning, parties, food, drink and frantic rush that seems to happen even if you are the most well prepared person – those last few days always bring a slight panic that all is not ‘ready’ and more must be done!! What is it all about?  Why get into this frenzy? Why do we allow ourselves to be drawn into the commercialization of Christmas? 

This year we haven't got a Christmas tree, so we decorated our door!

 We wanted to share a few key moments of this last year – and it has been perhaps a very key year for me (Heather) particularly – so perhaps the subtitle is ok, (this once!).

2015 began with us making a firm decision to apply to Asha to work as volunteers, teaching English to the slum children and students. Our visa would allow us to stay in India for 6 months.  Asha agreed to have us and further plans began.

I celebrated a ‘significant’ birthday in June with a very lovely surprise party in Morden Park.   

I now was able to begin my official retirement and so resigned from my two part-time teaching jobs in July.

July brought all family members together from Switzerland, France, Ireland, Italy, to celebrate Simon and Katie’s wedding.  It was a beautiful day.  Strawberry Hill College was a stunning setting and everyone had a wonderful and memorable time.

Ken continued to have students from abroad to teach and home/stay until July and then we set our sights on preparing the house to be ‘let’, gather all we needed for our teaching time here in Delhi, and try to think of everything that needed doing before we flew here in September.

Now we are here, perhaps you have been following our work and play in our weekly blogs – all Delhi news is there!

All the family are well.  Molly is in Manchester, but not for long as she and Elliot are flying to Goa on 27^th and meeting us there for a few days holiday together.

Simon and Katie have just moved into their first house in Twickenham.

Sophie is living in our home in Morden with two lovely tenants – they are all getting on well.

Matt and Stacey are in Cambridge and possibly planning to come out to Delhi in the New Year and see a bit of our life here.

Living in Delhi and walking into the Ekta Vihar slum everyday is certainly a ‘wake up call’ to us, to value all we have, to look at what is really important, to see how these intensely close communities share and live by incredible values and to take very seriously how we can share our gifts, talents, joy and love with all whom we meet. 

Putting Christ back into Christmas, finding a simple expression of the love, peace, joy, and freedom He came to bring and seeing the children acting out their nativity plays and singing with every breath they have with smiles and gratitude, was very humbling today but certainly the things we will be pondering on this Christmas day.

Asha promotes 10 values in their teaching with the women and children.  They are written on the candy canes on our Christmas card.  We hope you will pick one to think about this Christmas. 

      (Generosity, Compassion, Gratitude, Simplicity, Optimism, Empowerment, Nonviolence, Justice,   Dignity, Joy)

 Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year

Heather and Ken xx

Missing Waitrose?

Hi.

Ken is writing and Heather is butting in in brackets ( ).

We thought we would just tell you a little about our local shops, i.e. the ones we can walk to for the basics. For other things we go by auto rickshaw to Modern Bazaar in Vasant Vihar or Big Bazaar in Vasant Square Mall.

Below is a photo of the shops immediately opposite our flat: believe it or not this small area has two little general stores, a chemist, a hairdresser, a stationers, an electrical shop, a veg stall, a bank and a tailor! (Opening times are a little bizarre so have to just go and hope they are open).

  
 There's a little, old man across the road who sells veg from his stall, (I am getting to know him well - he loves to persuade me to buy all kinds of veg and fruit whether I want it or not - I am a bit too soft and always succumb!!) but for a larger variety of fruit and veg (and for water) we walk a few yards up the road to this stall, run by a dad and his two sons. The younger of the two boys is called Indra. (Indra's face lights up when we come as he loves to carry whatever we buy back to our flat - its usually a box of 12 water bottles, on his head, and two carrier bags of veg- he wont let us carry anything, neither will his dad who sends Indra off with our shopping. We always give him a tip so he makes sure his brother doesn't come too!  Indra and his brother are there from very early morning till late evening having been to market at 3am - he is 9 and his brother, 16 - no schooling for them! They are learning the family business!) 

The dad is very friendly and always feeds us with bananas and guava while we're shopping, which is very welcome at the end of the afternoon of teaching - ( he is so generous and also very knowledgeable about what needs peeling, deseeding before cooking, and enjoys giving me some cooking tips -very helpful as there are some extraordinary veg here - all spiky and and almost plastic looking - I bought some having been told what to do with them - going to have a go tomorrow.)

Further up the road is the Liquor Shop, which is a very popular shop when it's just had a delivery. (Traffic jams are intense and usually cars triple park along the road whilst they queue for their whiskey etc.) Ken has been a few times to buy some Kingfisher beer, which is also welcome after a long day.
The Liquor Shop is part of another group of shops,where you can buy some of the basics, including Coca Cola, stationery, light bulbs and (we discovered today) Christmas decorations (they were really Diwali decorations which had been put deep, deep into a cupboard obviously not expecting anyone to ask whether they had any 'bling' for decorating at Christmas time.  Anyway, I think he was delighted to flog us the rest of his stock - he said we were getting a 'good price' but actually I suspect we were just doing him big a favour. Now I'm looking forward to decorating our balconies, (we have 3) and also our front door - its good to let everyone know we celebrate Christmas),

These are a couple of the little shops.  (Its actually really nice to have a 'simple'  approach to shopping.  Shopping for the day, not the week as I used to do at home.  Also eating according to the season is such a pleasure - its pees and beans, cauliflowers, cabbages  and really delicious new potatoes that have just come on to the stall this month. Sadly my favourite, Singhara ( water chestnuts) have just finished so I will have to wait till the weather warms up - its now too cold for them so I am told!)

(We have just met an Asha volunteer, Carly, from England, who arrived in Delhi last Saturday and will be with Asha until the 18th Dec.  She has come to take drama workshops in one of the Asha slums.  It is so nice to have her here and get to know her.  She came for supper last night and we talked and talked about all her plans to travel as well as the work we are doing and how we could support her as she settles in.  I think that talking with Carly helped us realise that we are 'at home' here now and able to help someone else settle in. We are making progress!!

We are looking  forward to the weekend. Ken's off on Sunday with two of his students to see the Indian National Museum and Planetarium, but having had a very heavy cold and almost flu symptoms during the last two weeks, I shall cosy up with a book and rest.(Perhaps I should pick up a bottle of the Whiskey from down the road tomorrow as we pass it could be just what I need- !!)  Next week I know is going to be very busy with Nativity plays and parties so need to be on top form!! )

Happy shopping!!

Ken and Heather

Jaipur

Last Saturday we finished our teaching early, at lunchtime - it's still exam time for Ken's college students - and wanted to get home as soon as possible to get ready for the following week before packing for our trip to Jaipur in Rajasthan. So, we hailed an auto-rickshaw, agreed the fare and off we went. However, our driver was a little odd. He started talking to himself - fine, we can live with that. Then when we confirmed, yet again, our address, D1 VK, he made up a little song, "D1, D1, D1". Not that imaginative, but novel for a driver. He also kept looking back and touching his CNG tank (auto-rickshaws run on gas, not petrol). It appeared that he was very low on CNG, so we then had to take a detour to the nearest CNG station. There was a long queue and when our man was served he indicated he wanted us to pay! We gave him our agreed fare, but made it clear that was it.   It took us about an hour to get home with our poor, singing driver. We actually gave him a tip, because it had been a terrible journey - and he had given us an unusual drive home.

5 am Sunday morning. The alarm goes! Up we get to be ready for Freddy Martin. He was driving us to Jaipur for the weekend. We left at 6 am and there was incredibly thick fog for the first hour or so of our journey, which didn't seem too bad or that long really (it's a 4 hour trip in light traffic). Thanks Freddie for brilliant driving and the unusual breakfast stop!

We visited:

- the Amer (or Amber) Fort, near Jaipur, where we had a elephant ride up to the Fort - Heather loved it, although she spent most of it arguing with someone trying to sell her a quilt cover. I wasn't so keen on the ride - but that's another story. Something to do with being very close to a sheer drop and the fear of death!

 The three of us captured in the mirror.

 

- Jal Mahal.

- Nahargarh Fort at sunset, with views over Jaipur. The Fort is at the top of a high hill. Great views. A bit scary!

 - the City Palace. Marvellous.

- Janter Manter (Sawai Jai Singh's Observatory). Fascinating is the word. 

- Hawa Mahal (only from the outside). The Palace of winds.

It was an amazing weekend and great to be with Freddy as he knows Jaipur so well. We enjoyed wonderful local guides as well as Freddy's knowledge of the best jewel shops and his favourite sweet shop!! Sweet and savoury kachoris! 

On Wednesday it was the birthday of one of my students, so Tuesday evening we went to the Supreme Cake Shop in R K Puram Sector 8 to buy a cake. No problem getting there, but we just couldn't get an auto-rickshaw to take us home. They were all full. However, a kind lady stopped her car and asked where we were going. When we told her she said she had a flat in the same area and would take us there. A very kind woman.

By the way the next day my lesson was a birthday party. We did no work at all. The cake was very good, and we all drank too much fizzy drink.  My students were very noisy, but you can't have a quiet party when you're dancing, singing, acting and telling jokes in Hindi (I wasn't telling the jokes - just trying to understand them). 

Truthfully, we are looking forward to the end of the working week tomorrow, as we are both feeling very tired and a little under the weather (as many Diliwallas are). We are going to take it easy this weekend and chill out.

         

Six men in a hole

Not six men in a metaphorical hole, but six men in a real hole: the Delhi Electricity Board (or was it the Delhi Telephone Company?) fixing a problem. We saw this as we were waiting to go to the Asha HQ from Asha's new offices in Bikaji Cama Place, after having a wonderful birthday lunch with Ayesha Seymour. Fantastic tandoori momos, and a lot more food, as well as a birthday cake! It was a wonder that we could go and then teach all afternoon. It would have been very easy to sit in the new office's comfy chairs and drop off for a few zzzzs, but no - we taught as planned. Thanks again, Ayesha.

However, we were a bit later arriving at Asha HQ for our teaching (I had to dash off to get to the bus - children were all excitedly waiting - its a lovely welcome.)  Ken went to the Ekta Vihar dispensary, where he teaches all week, to find that there was a clinic going on (and the other room was being used for computer lessons): the clinic was to give injections to young babies, who weren't very happy about needles (who is?). So, the class was moved to the corner of the dispensary next to the door to the physio room. Then we had a power cut! But Ken's students took it all in their stride. A memorable day for many reasons!

Heather is very creative, and when she gets an idea into her head she spends lots of time and energy working on the idea - often late into the evening (well, morning, sometimes) - making all sorts of things for the children the next day. The children are very lucky to have her as their teacher! (thanks Ken - I am in my element and just love being able to dream up some fun things for the kids.  They so deserve all we can give them and more!!!  Here's a photo of the shakers we made from recycled water bottles and lots of feathers and bling!) 

Our 'english' learning this week was prepositions so having played a fun game using  these words, they had to make a paper sculpture picture which used, over, under, around, on top etc.  Here are some of the results.  They loved it. 

Last Saturday was a short teaching day for us as most of Ken's college students have exams at the moment, so they couldn't get along to lessons. This Saturday is the same, but that's working out quite well as we're off to Jaipur on Sunday morning to Monday evening, so we need Saturday afternoon to do the preparation we would normally do on Monday (and get an early night too, as we're off Sunday morning at 6 am). We'll tell you about Jaipur next week.



      

Chharth puja

This week India celebrated Chhath puja, a festival dedicated to the Sun god, Surya and Chathi Maiya. It's really for people from Bihar State, but as Biharis seem to have spread all over India, and certainly are in Delhi in abundance, it probably takes place all over India. One of my students told me that he and his family got up at 3 am on Wednesday this week and bathed, before walking to the temple, bearing very large and heavy bowls of fruit and vegetables as offerings. Then they headed to water for sunrise, to worship the Sun. As many celebrants as possible went to the River Yamuna, but I guess that the River is too far for my student's family. In fact there had been celebrations on Tuesday, but by 8 am on Wednesday the festival was over. We actually heard music and singing at about 5 am on Wednesday morning as well as, yes, you're right, fireworks. On Thursday, Heather was given a special Chhath biscuit by one of the children in her 'bus' class (it was yummy when dunked 'English style' in a hot cup of chai - I was also given a banana and stick of sugar cane!!  My lucky day!!)

Looking back though, last Sunday morning we jumped on the Metro and an auto-rickshaw and went to church at Delhi Bible Fellowship. Afterwards we were invited to a birthday celebration with Shamilla (Jyoti Bannerjee's sister) and Randall, her husband, together with Prasoon and his American wife, Julianne (it was her birthday), as well as their two lovely, young children. We had a really enjoyable afternoon together, eating lots of tandoori chicken and other delicious food plus birthday cake (with forever lighting candles, which amazed the children) and sweets, and more sweets. Thanks Shamilla and Randall.

Heather will tell the story of going to a shop with Shamilla to buy (more) shawls before the birthday party. Wow! what a shop!!  3 floors of the most beautiful shawls I have ever seen. Each floor specializes in  a different weight and texture of material.  They definitely know how to DO shawls!!  We only had a few minutes to buy the shawl Shamilla wanted but it was long enough for me to know that this is a place I need to return to when I have a few hours to spare and Ken has a long book with him!! (Thankfully, I spotted a chair where probably other husbands choose to sit and read and wait as their wives 'shop'!) Now I just have to work out how to get there again!

The rest of the week has been pretty routine, although we did have a trip to Asha's new and very smart office for the operational staff in Bhikaji Cama Place. It was lovely to see them all settled and catch up with them again. The offices are not far from Asha's HQ, but it's a little lonely (and much quieter) at HQ now they've gone!

It's now Friday at 21.29 and there's been a sudden outburst of fireworks. Not sure why. Maybe the last of the stock from the last few weeks? ( I really doubt its the last, next Thursday is Constitution Day so definitely an opportunity for more fireworks.)

I have booked an appointment for a hair cut this weekend - a bit of an adventure going somewhere completely new but going to give it a try - I might be avoiding photos for a while depending on the outcome!  There again, perhaps a new shawl will make everything alright?!  Hmm. I will need a cut soon and I know where I will be going. Sadab, are you ready?

Our flat seems to be a very attractive place to have babies - well, for pigeons - Heather has found more eggs and some more baby pigeons on two of our balconies. Where will it all end?

And it is definitely getting cooler. I say cooler, because to us it's noticeably cooler, but at 28 degrees during the day it's not cold, but our students feel it's cold.  Lots of my young ones are wearing fleeces and woolly jumpers but the little ones we pass in the slum have barely nothing on - I am wondering how they survive the winter and cold evenings? 
Today as we finished our teaching, outside our building two women were sitting with their great grand child - a beautiful site of caring, adoring love.  They were so pleased I took a photo of them and loved seeing it too.  

Walking back after our lessons this afternoon.

   

Diwali Party time

On Saturday we had a party with the bal mandel groups and some of our other,older, students in the Asha centre in Ekta Vihar to celebrate Diwali, which actually took place on the Wednesday 11th November. Heather's students had made lanterns and Happy Diwali cards, which had been put up in the main room of the centre as decorations. Everyone was impressed! The children love to dance and so everyone was entertained with music, singing and dance.   Both of us joined in the dancing with the older students - much to the amusement of the children who laughed and clapped.  Heather and her students sang songs, some of which weren't in English or Hindi (or any known language - great for anyone to join in with). Gifts were given and the children took home boxes of hot samosas and sweets for their lunch. It was really happy time.     

Ken has been missing green grass, green trees and tranquility, so on Sunday we headed off to Lodi Gardens, which was great. And it was quiet, despite the numbers of Indian families there.The day was lovely and we felt very refreshed afterwards.

After our walk in the gardens we went looking for somewhere for a coffee and ended up finding the India Habitat Centre. We realised we'd been there before, last October for an Asha celebration and on a separate occasion for a meal in the All American Diner. Ah, we thought, coffee, and a meal, while we're out. The coffee was good, but Ken's Classic Double Cheese Burger was a disappointment: it took 30 minutes to come, cold, and then another 10 minutes or so for a hot one to arrive.  And it wasn't that great. Only meal Ken's been disappointed with.

On Chotti Diwali (Diwali eve) we went shopping in Vasant Square Mall and enjoyed a meal in a restaurant which was also frantically selling hundreds of boxes of sweets for Diwali. Our meal was delicious, Choley Bhatura and Mutter Kulcha, inexpensive and good. The moral of this story is when in Delhi eat Indian (well, KFC is ok too).After eating we popped across the road to the outdoor market. We were met with the most amazing displays of lights and decorations. Beautiful. Diwali is celebrated in a similar way to Christmas, with houses lit with lights, friends and family visiting each other and sharing gifts, new clothes worn and lots of music.  It also comes with the most enormous fireworks being let off continually through the night.  We were warned, but didn't imagine quite how loud they would be (and all night meant all night).  

For Heather, the week carried on with another party with the 'bus' kids.  Before we went to the venue (a nearby field) Soni took me and a few children into the slum where the children live, to give gifts to an elderly couple, decorate their home with marigold garlands and light a candle in diyas the children had painted for them.  We also visited a home of a young mother who had a few days before accidentally poured boiling water onto her leg and hand.  She had two young children so we gave them sweets and good wishes for their diwali celebrations.

It was a very special visit for me, as I was able to enter in a tiny way, into the world that the children I am teaching on the bus each week, live. Those memories will remain with me and they make me even more glad to be here doing what we are doing!

For the party, we took 40 or so children to a nearby field (occupied by goats, but they didn't seem to mind, and nor did we) and again we enjoyed lots of dancing, singing and retelling of the Rama and Sita story.  It was great fun and all the children so well behaved!  The children had all brought fireworks with them - stuffed in their pockets, matches too - and then at a certain moment, they all let them off!!  (Health and safety would have had a heart attack and I was a little concerned.) They all seemed to know what to do and even kindly offered me firecrackers, and what looked like home made sparklers etc.  We all enjoyed a picnic together and then back on the bus and back home again for the children - happy and tired (well I was anyway).

India is full of special days to celebrate something - lots of reasons to party!!

We joined in with decorating our balcony for Diwali with lights and a Mandala pattern.

It ain't as 'ot as it used to be mum!

On waking on Tuesday morning we found that the morning was cold and overcast, and then in mid-morning it rained!

We took it easy over the weekend as we were very tired and Ken was feeling a bit under the weather (a cold or similar, nothing terrible and life threatening - and not tummy trouble). A lot of the students have been getting "fever", although we think from what they say it is a cold type thing (for some 'though, it's definitely more). They blame it on the change in the weather - and it has certainly changed! Ken wore his coat on Tuesday to go to the shops for milk. Quite refreshing really.

We have been talking about Diwali, which is coming next week - it seems it's a festival that goes on for a while, starting with Dusserha about 10 days ago. We're having a little party in Ekta Vihar with the bal mandel (the children's group) and some of our students this Saturday morning, before Ken teaches in the afternoon. We're also looking around for what to do on Diwali itself (next Wednesday, 11th November - another public holiday). Whatever happens it going to be noisy - we've read you should wear earplugs on Diwali! We shall see (and hear). Ken told his students about Guy Fawkes Night yesterday. Hope everyone has a good Guy Fawkes Night back home (probably this Saturday, rather than last night - there's a fireworks display in Morden Park tomorrow!).

Oh a further tip if you're thinking of coming to India - do not bring Travellers Cheques!

We brought them for a specific purpose, which is fine. However, on one occasion something didn't go according to plan so we had to find somewhere to cash some of them. It seems that most Indian banks do not cash TCs, except for their account holders. You really have to find a Thomas Cook, which is fine in central Delhi, but elsewhere... well, I guess that would be much more difficult (much more). So don't bring them. They're old hat now anyway. Many banks in the UK don't do them anymore.   


Hi. Ken has filled you in (above) on some of our week.  It's such a joy to feel a bit cooler!!

We have told you in previous blogs about where we have been and somethings about our teaching - it's not easy to put into words the rawness of life that is all around - it makes no sense but imprints itself on our hearts!
I thought I would share with you some thoughts.

They are expressed in my more 'poetic style' - not sure how else to express them!

Three moments yesterday when travelling to and from Ekta Vihar /working in the slum and on the mobile bus.

1.

I saw you:

A boy being forced to wash - roughly treated - behind a wash area, out of view from most, with his father, but I saw you and will always remember you.  A passing moment caught in my gaze and given to me:

No one can see the life I live - the future that seems to have no sense
but I was caught in your gaze  on your way home and you saw me -
But when I close my eyes, I sleep and then I am free in a land that only I can see - my world becomes a place I want to be and I can be all things - I can be free - I can reach the heights that you and I believe.

Alone - where am I going? - born into a land, a world where hope and light is taken from my view
Born into a land, my eyes are clouded - I am roughly held

But only when I sleep....  and soon I must awake again to face another day

(No one sees the life I live - the future that seems to have no sense
but when I was caught in your gaze, you saw me, a moment you won't ever forget).

A new day dawns and dreams must cease - I step away into the day - a bright new sky now dawns -
What will there be?
Who can I trust?
I have no say - one day I must... find a voice to take me from this - find a hope that brings my dreams to life.
Does everyone dream?
Have I a right to dream?
Dare I dream?
You saw me.


2.
I saw a mother -
very squalid conditions,
on the side of the noisy, dusty street,
sitting - alone - until
she drew her tiny child to her and kissed him tenderly

3.
I saw a father,
next to the stalls at the Mohan Singh Market
we pass every day - beside the slum.
He turned to his son,
Embraced him
Picked him up,
A kiss, a word shared.


There is injustice, poverty, roughness, and many dreams -
There is also love, tenderness, care and belonging.


Why am I so moved by the acts of kindness, love and caring I see in these situations?  They are so much the basics of humanity and even when all else is taken away and so difficult, love remains and can be expressed so gently.

It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13 v 13. 'And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love'.

Sometimes it's hard to know what to do with all that we see.......

Let's not forget to show love to everyone we meet.

With love,
Ken and Heather x

Did the earth move for you?

Amanda and the youth team from St Stephen's arrived last Friday and we met up on Saturday at Asha's offices. It was lovely to see them all and we met again on Sunday evening to eat Indian style in the YWCA and to watch the World Cup Rugby semi final between Australia v Argentina. We guess you all know the result. Some were happy; some weren't.

But back to the question: Did the earth move for you?

Well, it certainly did for Ken last Monday. Monday is our day off, so he was having an afternoon nap and felt the bed tremble a few times - later that evening we heard that there had been an earthquake in Afghanistan and it had been felt pretty strongly in Delhi as well - apparently people in the centre of Delhi ran out into the streets due to the tremors! So it wasn't in his imagination (or his dreams!).

Just to deal with the other domestic issue for those following previous blogs. You will be aware of my ' trouser/material'  problem and be glad to hear that the tailor did a wonderful job! The original trousers are now pretty sleeves, and the new trousers match perfectly and fit! In fact, the 'outfit' was worn at the Asha celebration last night.

Asha hosted a concert  to say thank you to the three teams of volunteers who have been here for the last ten days. It was called 'EAST MEETS WEST'. 

Dr Kiran Martin opened the evening with a selection of Old Lata Mangeshkar songs - some of you may have been at the concert at St. Stephens a few months ago and will know how enchanting listening to Kiran is.

Our team from St. Stephens, and two teams from Northern Ireland, Ballymena and Armagh, performed songs, dances, and musical items. We were also entertained with Rajasthani and Punjabi folk dances and a Bollywood dance all performed and choreographed by Asha students from Zakhira, Peeragarhi and Seelampur slum colonies.  Dilip and Ajay from Ekta Vihar slum colony sang beautifully together and Sandeep, (one of Ken's students who showed us around Delhi a week or so ago) gave a speech thanking all the volunteers for coming to Delhi and for all their work during the 10 days they have been here. It was a wonderful way to join together and celebrate all the skills and talents these young people have.  Afterwards we were invited to have dinner altogether - there must have been over 100 of us all enjoying a buffet of delicious Indian dishes.  It was a wonderful evening and enjoyed by all. Many thanks to all the Asha staff who worked so hard to organise this event.
 

 The contemporary Bollywood dance by students from Seelampur.

A glimpse of the Punjabi folk dance, Bhangra, by students from Peeragarhi slum colony.

St. Stephens with friends from Jeevan Nagar and Seelampur slum colony.

Winter is on its way here! We have noticed a big difference in the temperature especially as we travel home in the auto-rickshaw each evening - it is definitely a chillier ride and I can see that a cardi is going too be needed soon ( Ken's already thinking about his woolly hat!).

Update on the 'nests' - we now have two pigeon nests, both with two chicks and all growing rapidly. We also had a visit from two beautiful parrots who landed in the tree just by our balcony.  Ken spotted them - they were so well camouflaged tho' that the photo doesn't do them justice but you could play the game 'where's the parrot?' 

One is visible, but the other hid behind a branch.  Did you spot him? Clue: he's sitting on the branch to the right of the long seed pod dangling down.

Talking of things being hidden/invisible, we had a very amusing time the other day trying to find a bank!  You can find banks on Google telling you they are here in Delhi and there are many large banners around advertising banks, but when you go, they seem to have disappeared or not be the sort of banks we are used to where you can actually talk to someone and change money etc.  Anyway, after a very long adventure which took us up and down dubious lanes, roads and in and out of shops....(help!)....  looking for a money changer called 'Ameris' (whom we were reliably told everyone knew, but no one we asked seemed to, although they would helpfully direct us in one direction or another with the wave of the hand and sideways nod) we abandoned our search and returned home having had a fruitless journey - we did feel tho' that we had delved into another unknown area of Vasant Kunj.  It happened to be the end of the school day (1.30pm) and we encountered 'home time' when 1000's of young school children all try to cross the busy road at once.

We have just got home after having our Friday teaching groups.  It happens to be the day for wives to celebrate their husbands. They fast all day, pray for long life for their husbands and then, after sunset they make 'puja'. They can eat again once they can see the moon. It's a Hindu festival called Karvachoth. The festival was held just outside our teaching rooms - fabulous colours, smells and community spirit. The women seemed very amused and pleased that I wanted to take photos.  We are learning so much here, and feeling very privileged to be part of this community.

Love

Ken and Heather xx

Asha and chocolate cake!!

Chocolate cake and ASHA!!

Big warning, don't have a birthday if you work in the Asha office or let anyone make you a chocolate cake -  they have the messy tradition of smearing you with the cake  - such lovely people with such a nasty habit!! We've been witness to this twice now! Just glad my birthday is in June ( oh dear, Ken's is in January!) In fact whilst talking about cake, whenever Ken and I arrive at the office before going to teach, they are all always eating!   The Australian volunteers, who have just left, had baked delicious fudge cakes, millionaires shortbread and other tray bakes which have been enjoyed by all and then there's the delicious smells of curry lunch ...... and birthdays ..... It just goes on and on. The Australians have set the bar rather high but I am determined to master a bake of something in our microwave to keep their spirits up!

Today, Thursday is a national holiday to celebrate the festival of Dussehra. The festival recalls the story of when Ram killed Ravanna, the demon King in the story of Rama and Sita. The recitation of Ram's life story is called the Ramlila and begins at 6 am and continues until late at night. It's accompanied with lots of music and loud drumming. As we were leaving Etka Vihar last night we got caught up in a parade through the slum making its way to the Hindu Temple.

We have had a good time with our students - these are my lively Wednesday class:

We did some language work around 'shape' names and using shapes to make pictures. They loved it - for some of the younger ones it was a challenge as they don't get to do this sort of creative work - they were thrilled with their achievements, and so was I. These are just a few - some left early to go to be with family for this festive occasion.

Last Sunday, Sandeep, one of Ken's students, wanted to take us to some special places in Delhi.  He came to church with us first and then we went to the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, Delhi's biggest Sikh temple.  We removed our shoes, covered our heads and  wandered around the peaceful, cool courtyards.  We went into the temple and heard the live devotional singing as worshippers sat.  We saw large numbers of people waiting for a meal of rice, vegetable curry and chapattis which is served three times a day, free of charge - anyone can volunteer to help prepare, serve, clear plates etc. and many bring offerings of food.  We met Sandeep's granny who was there helping to prepare vegetables.

Some people were enjoying the cooling, healing waters.

Sandeep has immense energy (he obviously thinks we have too) and then took us to see the famous Swaminarayan Akshardham.  It is quite breathtaking in beauty epitomizing 10,000 years of Indian culture.  It was built in 5 years, by 11,000 sadhus, volunteers and artisans taking 300 million man-hours to carve 300,000 stones to create the entire complex! It was finished and opened in 2005. If you are interested have a look at a YouTube clip. We weren't allowed to take cameras, mobiles, or bags in so no photos to share with you. Thank you, Sandeep, for a brilliant day. 

We are really looking forward to Amanda and the youth team arriving tomorrow for a 10 day stay here in Delhi. They will be working in Jeevan Nagar slum, helping to renovate and paint the Asha centre as well as working with the children and students.  We will meet up with them for some events and hopefully to watch some rugby together!

Off now to make the most of our extra free day!

Love and best wishes,
Heather and Ken x