Monthly Archives: August 2008

Our last day in India

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Posted by Randy on August 7, 2008 – 11:13 am
Filed under India

Today was our last day in India, and a very cool one. We started out the morning by going to the AG school and Craig spoke in their assembly. We all introduced ourselves. The principal told us there were more than 1400 students in attendance, it was awesome! Then we headed to the church staff morning devotion, were we again introduced oursleves. They welcomed us and gave each of us Indian garlands. It was very sweet.

We had a few hours until what we thought was a late lunch, and I went with Lenelle, Angela, and Esther to my favorite market in Kolkata, Gariahat. We got a text while we were shopping that we needed to return to the hospital because the CEO wanted to take us for lunch. He took us to an absolutely amazing hotel called the Taj Bengal. He then gave us all a print of a photo that the team had taken at the Floatel where we ate on Sunday. The CEO is an amazingly gracious man, and a true Godly leader.

We then had some free time in the afternoon, and although I expected to get a knock on my door asking me to go shopping, there was none. It seems the whole team was tired, and almost all of us slept the afternoon away. We had planned on going to a light and sound show, but it was outdoors, and the monsoons caused it to be cancelled. So we had dinner here at the hospital. Mr Prasad (CEO) showed up again, and brought us more gifts. We each received a picture book of the work that Mercy Hospital is doing. It was a very sweet gesture.

We’re leaving at 8.30am tomorrow for Bangkok, Thailand. I’m really excited to be heading home, I miss my beautiful wife and little boy. I can’t wait to see them. We’ll be in Bangkok for two days, and get to meet with a friend of mine who I consider a man who walks very close with God.

Today, I nearly cried

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Posted by Randy on August 6, 2008 – 9:21 am
Filed under India

Today was an emotional one. We began the day with our team devotions, and then headed to the Bible school’s morning devotion. Craig spoke, and it was really good. We then went and had tea with the students. It was fun to talk with them and hear their dreams. I really hope that they get to realize their dreams!

We had two open hours up to lunch, so Esther and Angela wanted to try a new market, so I went with them. It was by far the most crazy one yet. Lots of beggars, lots of Coolies, (guys who work in the market who aggressively try to “help” you). Noisy and hot, I really didn’t like it. I prefer the first market we went to at night over all of them.

After lunch, we planned on going to Mother Teresa’s to take the training so that we could work with the Sisters of Charity the next day. First we arrived at the tomb of Mother Teresa, it was so intense. This women loved the people of Kolkata so much, and did so much. It was very overwhelming and humbling. I know that her heart was so in tune with God – she was an amazing woman. I strive to be as humble and compassionate as she was, what an example of Christ.

Then we got to the place where you get the training to find out that they are not open to helpers on Thursdays. It was really a bit frustrating, but then one of the Sisters was kind enough to take us through the orphanage, and let us play with the kids a bit. It was so precious!

After that, we had some more free time before bed, and we went shopping again… just around our place, there is a small market near the hospital, and was pretty fun to go to. You could really tell they rarely have foreigners in this market, almost no one spoke English. It was tough but some of my Hindi numbers that I learned on my trip to Delhi came back to mind, and we made it.

Starting to wind down this trip

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Posted by Randy on August 5, 2008 – 9:17 am
Filed under India

So today, I bucked up, got dressed in scrubs, and headed into the Operating Room (here it’s called the Operating Theatre). I got to see a man who had some nasal blockage and a nasal fracture have his nose broken and reset. It really is amazing what they can do to you when you’re knocked out. It was fun to see, and although I’m hesitant, I think watching surgeries is kinda interesting. Weird huh?

Then we took another crazy long bus ride to a clinic that’s in the building phase. It was neat to see it’s foundation being laid. Pastor Craig and the team prayed a blessing over the building and dedicated it to the work of God. That’s some really cool stuff.

Then we went shopping. I got what I needed. The women got all kinds of cool stuff, and everyone was super excited. Tomorrow we’ll go for Mother Teresa’s training to work with her folks, I’m super excited about that!

It’s all in the Journey

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Posted by Randy on August 4, 2008 – 6:55 pm
Filed under India

Today was a lot of fun, we spent 3 hours in a bus, went to a clinic in a village north of Kolkata, then spent 3 hours driving back. It really is amazing how draining driving is… The girls brought balloons to the clinic, and everyone wanted one. And I mean everyone, even this man who was in his nineties. Amazing!

Once we returned home, we went to the pediatric ward for a few minutes because a boy with malaria had been asking for me. He had asked my friends the day before, where is your big friend, and then reached as high as he could to show my height. It was pretty cool to know that I actually made a kid happier in his hard circumstance.

After that, the young people of the group (Esther, Angela, and I) along with our new friend Raul, went to a market called Korea Hut. It was a total blast! I was able to pick up Cole a punjabi suit, I was so excited. We also had a chicken roll from a small restaurant there (walk up), it was so good. The girls where able to get some henna, and overall it was one of my favorite times here. I love getting out and experiencing the culture of a city.

Weekends are good

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Posted by Randy on August 3, 2008 – 7:51 am
Filed under India

I didn’t blog last night, I was pretty tired, and went right to bed:) So let’s start with Saturday. We began the morning by going to devotions at the School of Nursing, Craig spoke. It was inspirational to hear the girls singing and praising so loudly and fervently together.

After that, we waited a bit (it seems the norm), and went to the site of a new clinic in a pretty rural area outside of the city. The man who had the key to the gate was running like because he was on a motorcycle and it started raining, so he pulled over. With this lull in action, a lot of the village kids came to see us. They even came running out of their school to see us. It was nuts!

After an hour or so, the guy with the key arrived, and we headed in to “paint” the clinic. What we really did was sand all the old paint and dirt away.It was good to work and sweat.

Then after we got back, myself and a few others went and spent some time on the children’s ward, while others went and spent time in the women’s ward. It was a ton of fun hanging out with kids, and just trying to help them smile a bit while they were going through a scary time.

Sunday morning, we went to church, it was a good, loud, old-time pentecostal feel. Great fun! I got to pray for several folks at the end of the service, and it was a fun time. Orijeet took us out to lunch at a hotel that floats on the Hooghly river, it was buffet style and great. Today is our “day off” so i spent most of the day laying and resting. Then Craig, Roz and I went to Barista, an Indian coffee shop like Starbucks, it was totally fun.

Well, that’s been my weekend. I’ll have some more updates come Monday… see ya then.

Whew… today was interesting.

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Posted by Randy on August 1, 2008 – 6:34 am
Filed under India

We started slow today, introducing ourselves in the morning devotions, and then waiting. We waited several hours, and then got the measuring tape we’d requested so that we could finish the measurements on the building that we had previously measured. Once we got it, we spent about an hour working in the building, and then figured out where we’d messed up the measurements, corrected them, and went to lunch.

After lunch, we went to the new home of the school of nursing down by the docks. It was a pretty cool building, the British had built it when they were in India. Then, we got to clean the top floor, they’ve been doing construction, and are nearly finished, and just needed it cleaned. So, the women swept, and Craig and I mopped. It took us about three hours, and it was soooo much cleaner. I would do one room, and then have to get new water because the water was so black. It was fun, we all sweated and had a good time.

I’m super excited for tomorrow, because we’ll be heading to the garbage dump in town to feed the people who live there, and then we’re going to paint a clinic that they are building. (And I have great experience painting in India, I did it when I visited Delhi for four straight days)