LaDuke and Duchess

Birthdays Plus

2009-06-16T00:19:00.000-07:00

President Joseph had his 41st birthday on May 16 while his wife was in Bangalore enjoying cooler weather with relatives. He didn't want to celebrate alone so he brought a cake and invited a couple of people and we had a Happy Birthday for him at our apartment. The candle is quite clever, opening up when the center candle is lit after which it plays Happy Birthday incessantly. It was still playing the next morning when we put out the trash. Well wishers included Pavan who is secretly in love with Sravani, next to him, who is a sister to Deleep, next to her. We say "secretly" because Sravani let me know that not even her brother knows and in India it just isn't kosher to pay any attention to someone of the opposite sex. Since the population here is 1.1 billion, the arranged marriages seem to be working on that score but little else. As much as mother friends and I would sometimes commiserate, "Too bad we can't arrange a marriage for our children," we can see here that such uniting and all that goes with it is very detrimental in a score of ways.

First birthdays are a really big deal here--sort of a coming out party. This one is for Jason, son of Sangeetha and Praveen in 2nd Branch held on the roof of their apartment building. The little girl below on the right is the oldest child of President Vinod, 2nd Branch and her name is Karen. I'm running into more Karens in India than I've seen in my life.

Couldn't resist this picture of some of our favorite men all grouped together by chance between meetings. Hanok became familiar to us after his role as Brother Williams in the Christmas video. Rajesh is looking for a wife but afraid to follow the advice we gave him. He's the only member in his family and wants a good Mormon girl. Prahalad is 1st Branch mission leader and recently baptized his mother and cousin brother (cousins are called cousin brother or cousin sister). His mother can't speak English but was permitted to join because her two children are members. She is such a sweetheart. We always hug--our best way of communicating. Prahalad (we used to call him Rocky, his easy nickname) is taking piano. Rajesh you've seen before (married to Mary) has developed a close relationship with us for various reasons. He doesn't want it known and there are several Indian members who have discovered our blog and are reading it. Boddu is married to Vani (you've seen him too). He and Vani just learned she is pregnant which they have both yearned for for several years and plan a temple trip for sealing in the next few months. Boddu recently fixed our fan that had stopped working. Now we've got to ask him about our washing machine. Kishore is married to Padmaja and both are dear to us--both are strong and devoted.

More Activity Day

2009-06-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Golconda Fort was enough for one day for us but the Elders had three more places on their docket. India Gardens was the last where we could ride in an open train and observe the beauty. I couldn't imagine walking it by the end of the day. We had already walked a mile from the Tank Bund just to get to it. I was taking pictures out the side and this young Muslim lady kept smiling at me so I asked if I could take her picture. She seemed to nod but her boyfriend/husband (the fact that her face isn't covered indicates she is married but maybe he gave her permission to undrape) wasn't the least bit happy about it. Muslim women are much more friendly than the men but usually only when the men aren't around. Glad I got away with it. There were more interesting sites here but I didn't seem to get them pictured.

This Buddha statue is on a man-made island out in the Tank Bund Lake where Ganesh elephant idols are dunked, people commit suicide (Dad saw one such pulled out the other day.), and putrid aromas overwhelm passersby. I don't know why the Buddha is there because very few Indians are Buddhists.

We're on a kind of ferry boat headed out to the statue. We think lots of people go out there because there weren't any empty seats on our boat and they were making a mad dash for seats. The woman below wouldn't let me go through the ticket gate until I took her picture. She was all teeth when I showed it to her on my camera.

The second place we went to were tombs where famous people are buried. The cloth above is draped over the coffin inside the tomb to the right but we forget who it is--someone like the original Chief Minister of Hyderabad. There were about 12 or 15 all together, one for each person. When you're important in India, you're really important. For a stark contrast, I took a picture of the woman sweeping because we see women like this quite frequently, sweeping along the side of the roads and even the flyovers, stooped over with their little whisk brooms--such an insurmountable job with a ridiculously little tool. Sometimes they are on our lane early Sunday morning and they will always stop their work to beg from us. They probably make next to nothing.

Charminar

2009-06-14T03:16:00.001-07:00

One Wednesday, supposed P-Day, we went to Charminar, an old Muslim structure that supposedly is connected by an underground tunnel to Golconda Fort which is quite a few miles away so it's hard to believe. Of all things, I didn't take a picture of Charminar from the outside. We had just been to LVPEI for eye checkups and our eyes were dilated and it was so hot and sunny that my eyes were continually filled with water and sweat and I wasn't thinking very straight. The structure to the right is not unlike Charminar except that Charminar can't be driven through but it is empty in the middle. Don't know what sense that makes.

Since we have been back, we been told by numerous people that we shouldn't have gone because it's an unsafe Muslim area. We didn't feel safe while there and were happy to leave but only after we had done a little shopping on the streets much to Bill's disdain. He finally escaped to the cab and waited to avoid all the beggars.

Here maybe you can tell that it is a round structure with no middle. We had to climb narrow, winding, uneven stairs to get up to this area which is the only part with interesting design.

I decided to post our Charminar experience because it was just recently in the news. A young woman plunged to her non-immediate death a couple days ago. Reports were varied, including suicide. But the final story is that her boyfriend was angry with her for her inability to continue to pay excessive interest on a loan of money he had made to her, so he took her up on top of Charminar and pushed her off. She survived a while, even talked on the way to the hospital. The doctor there said she had lost a lot of blood so we figure that was the reason for her death. Other than that, she had only some broken bones in her limbs. They don't have much blood here for transfusions. We felt so bad for her. She was a beautiful and sweet-looking female with a maniacal boyfriend. Charminar has apparently been a spot for other suicides. We will not be returning even for a picture of the outside.

Golconda Fort

2009-06-14T02:04:00.001-07:00

On activity day in April we went to Golconda Fort, one of India's most famous built by Muslims, some say in the 1500s. To climb to the top is 280 or 360 steps or some humongous number. Detours dot the way but we saw plenty just sticking to the stairs. One dungeon area that we went through was filled with bats so I wasn't very interested in exploring other such areas.

This is the top. We went inside and climbed some stairs but outside is where we took the pictures of us and other landscapes, including Hyderabad. It was hot and we did our usual sweating.

I lost several pictures trying to move these together but guess you get the idea. It's huge. A five mile wall surrounds it. We're glad we went but as with most things, once is enough for the non-adventurous duo.

Streets of Hyderabad

2009-04-04T07:16:00.001-07:00

With the protection of a bus on our semi-annual activity day, I snapped these pictures just to get an idea of what the streets of Hyderabad look like. We have a few more modern buildings in the area we live but I usually limit my picture taking to animals when we are in an open auto. Actually, you'll see a nice modern building right in the middle of some that look more like what is pictured here. The statues on the right are the beginning of the elephant idols they use for Ganesh in September. They are getting ready early. They will be painted and adorned with jewels and flowers before being dunked in the Tank Bund Lake which was one of our destinations on activity day.

I am ever amazed at the scaffolding they use for buildings under construction (see below). The workers on these make about 3000 Rs a month or $60.

Hindu temples look mostly like this one with every color in the rainbow. We see them often. A large one is just a block from our church building.

Medical stores are common and you can get whatever you want without a prescription. If they don't have it in stock, they usually send a runner to the next store to get it for you. To the left is a flyover.

This and That in Sri Lanka

2009-04-04T03:06:00.001-07:00

We flew to Sri Lanka February 16 for a five day couples conference. The conference was only on two days and the rest of the time was just time off to relax and get re-energized. Looking out our window on the Hilton's 11th floor, we could see the ocean, ships and boats coming into dock and industrial work. We also watched the mini war outside this window and one of the Tamil Tiger planes flew by us about three stories up.

The two towers are right next to the Hilton hotel and called the World Trade Centers.

Buddhism is the main religion and various statues of Buddha in different poses, all of which mean something different, are throughout the city. Some kind of international memorial is below and in the picture we took of those of us touring that afternoon, the three shortest women in front are all named Karen. What's the chance of that? Don't think I've met two other Karens in one place anywhere else. This was our first day and Dad was still a little weak so he stayed in the air conditioned bus.

We walked down to the beach at sunset, just a block from the hotel.

Here's the only LDS church in Sri Lanka. It was a stop during a bit of a shopping spree during which I got my usual nothing.

Jonah and the Whale

2009-04-04T02:38:00.000-07:00

We went to a museum in Colombo which was more attractive on the outside with its banyan tree than most anything inside with the exception of a chest with a gorgeous potential quilt design and the skeleton of a whale in the last room we visited. Though you probably can't tell from the pictures there was plenty of room for a good sized man, such as Jonah, to stand up inside the whale with room to spare. I was simply amazed at how huge, in height, width and length, it was. We all were.

Elephants Galore

2009-04-04T01:04:00.000-07:00

At the government owned elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, we mingled a little and paid 100 Rs for the privilege of taking the picture. The hair on the baby's back was as stiff and prickly as bristles on an old fashioned hairbrush. The elephants were so dirty I didn't really want to touch them and thought I certainly wouldn't want to ride one. Later, we found the elephants we rode to be quite cleaned up.

After a while in the dirt and heat, we learned they were going to the river which seemed like a great idea. We tried to get ahead of the parade and eventually stopped in front of a store to watch them go by.

Here they come on their way to the water. The one below seemed to have a mind of his own as he headed right toward us, turning at the last minute but not before I got behind something.

I took the picture on the right from a safe haven even though he was very close. In the pictures below, I was not quite so safe. The big bull was late coming and exerting his muscle. I was on the little road or path he was on but had no idea that the elephants weren't all down to the water. I looked up to see this huge creature headed right toward me, ignoring the trainer's prods. There was a small post, kind of like a gate post, signaling the path for the elephants which I stepped behind and held onto because one step to the right was a fall down a small cliff to the river.

My camera was in my hands, so while I held onto the post with my left hand, I clicked the pictures with my right. I guess you can get the idea of how close he was. I don't know where Dad was and why I seemed to be the only one in any danger. Sister Kasper was to the side and able to move out of the way. She said she was holding her breath for me.

These elephants were on the right side of the river from where we were standing and the elephants below with the big black bull were on the left. We watched for a couple of hours and these on the right mostly stood in the water. A few walked to the opposite side and rolled in the dirt.

It was with some trepidation that I stood this close for a picture but others were doing it and the elephants were interested in being in the water. I'm standing on rock between the two groups.

From what we could tell, most elephants here with the black male were female and he was having his way with them. They were making lots of noise and one of the natives said it was a happy noise. It was rather loud trumpeting and a little alarming to us. Maybe you can spot the baby submerged in the water near the top of the picture with just two elephants beyond and to the left.

Once In A Lifetime

2009-02-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

Crossing this wobbly footbridge to the elephants increased my nerve to get on one. I figured it couldn't be a lot worse. (Sorry about how the text turned out. I made the pictures larger and didn't know it would affect the text so much.)

On the 2 1/2 hour ride from the hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka, President Nichols said, "Everyone has to ride an elephant once while you're here and once is enough!" I quite agree. I told him I was trying to psyche myself up to do it for the grandchildren and he said, "Oh yes, if you don't ride I'll tell them personally that you wouldn't do it for them." Dad was more reluctant than I because of having seen on TVelephants break loose from their trainers. But here we go!

The front seat person hangs on to a chain and the back seat person hangs on to the front seat person (for dear life). Supposedly the front feels the shifting of the shoulders more as each step is a side to side motion that I felt plenty. In fact, I kept slipping the entire ride--just a little scary as it was a long way to the ground. Elephants have a very protruding back bone that I'm still feeling the effects from--much worse than an hour on a horse.

The local taking the pictures kept asking us if we were OK and comfortable. We lied and said, "Yes." There wasn't any way to get down that I could see until we got back to the starting place where we climb on and off, from and to a raised area. That wasn't so easy either. I had to help Dad lift his leg up high enough to slide up and the natives helped me.

They asked if we wanted to go down to the water but we declined. I was just worried about staying on as it was. I couldn't imagine stepping down into the water. The Eichelbergers did that and got pretty wet.

So here you have it! The first and last elephant ride (about 10 minutes) for Grandma and Papa, Mom and Dad, Karen and Bill

Mary and Rajesh

2009-01-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

Mary and Rajesh celebrated their first wedding anniversary January 11 and invited us to celebrate with them at her sister's home (pictured below). This couple (only members in their families) was steered toward each other by the Lyerlys (couple before us) who saw in them a good match. We have spent quite a bit of time with them for couples' activities, PEF, employment, etc. even before we were directed to help in these areas. We invite them to ride home with us in our auto whenever we are at church together and leaving at nearly the same time. Mary speaks excellent English and is currently teaching English to children at a school as well as to adults at church. She has an inner beauty that causes her to glow. I told her one day how beautiful she was and she blushed and ducked her head and said, "Oh, no, Sister, not me!"

Above on the right are some of Mary's friends from work at a previous job. Sareesha (left) is a returned missionary in 2nd Branch. To the left (if it turns out that way) are family members. Others came as well prompting us to leave after we had eaten so there would be room for all the invitees. All who came were fed a hefty portion of rice and different curries. The buffalo below were on the ground floor of the apartment area where Mary's family lived--literally at the foot of the stairs. Boddu was there and said that he drinks their unpastuerized milk but we're not too interested. There doesn't seem to be any area for them to graze in as we went quite far back off the main road where small apartments are huddled closely together.

A Few of Us

2009-01-16T23:49:00.000-08:00

Day of the couples conference, these guys used my camera to take couples' pictures which were flashed on the screen during one of the presentations. The four at left are all in 1st Branch: Leo (district clerk), forgot next one' name, Rocky (nickname that we can remember; branch mission leader; member only 8 months), Vasanth (assistant district clerk). Leo's father is a counselor in our branch presidency. Great guys!

President Naka (2nd counselor in District) is also in 1st Branch. We're hoping he changes his marital status before we leave, especially since he has a good chance. He's on the grass in front of our chapel with the camera looking toward the street which is West Marred Pally. Little around there looks as nice as our church and grounds. A Catholic church two doors away is actually quite nice and across from it is a big colorful Hindu temple.

Boddu and Vani again. He has a fetching smile as usual. Pres. and Sister Gutty are below (John and Sudha; John isn't his real name but the one he tells us).

President and Sister Joseph with Rosie. Dad has a bad cold today accompanied by loud coughing so we stayed home from church and the Josephs are bringing dinner over tonight. He's a fire and brimstone kind of speaker (you should hear him) but loves to have fun. Rosie likes to cuddle with us.

The three couples here in Hyderabad along with our District President Prasad Rao were trained in PEF and employment by the Asplunds and Eichelbergers (green top and orange) who are in Bangalore. We had a fun day together divided by lunch at Paradise, fairly well-known inexpensive restaurant where I can get chicken chow mein which isn't spicey. They are known for their chicken biriyani and Sister Kasper tells me you can order it non-spicey, but that's what everyone tells us about their spicey food. She handles it better than I do. Elder Fullmer won't eat it at all and makes quite a production of it. Dad just looked at the picture and said, "None of you are that big." Pradeep, 1st Branch video man, told me my camera is good but it certainly adds width and pounds. Sister Kasper is tall and thin. I don't see a bump on her in person. Sister Fullmer is very petite. Sister Asplund would probably feel terrible to see herself in this picture. I'm not this wide and neither is Sister Eichelberger.

New Year's Eve Bash

2009-01-16T22:40:00.000-08:00

The Indian members certainly know how to let their hair down and have a good time. We wouldn't have imagined if we hadn't seen them because even though they are happy and service oriented, they also are serious and somewhat sedate. (We actually see their other side when we play games at FHE.) President and Sister Joseph are the couple in red. He loves to dance with abandon while Sister Joseph is much more inhibited although she accommodates him.

They rented a type of gym (very old and dirty) so they could play music which President Joseph deemed inappropriate for the church building. Pavan (w sound for v) who is jumping in the white shirt had just told us at the workshop that evening a story of his life that caused my tears to flow unceasingly. (To start with, his father was killed by friends in a land dispute when Pavan was only 6--and it doesn't get better.) But here he is leading the pack with wild gyrations and sweat. You rarely see these people sweat; they always comment on mine. Leo, to the left of Pavan, is an extremely intelligent and religious young man. We had fun watching them have so much fun. They have very few breaks from the rigors of school, which is pure academics from pre-school on, and work and family responsibilities. Actually, the Indian people love celebrations which occur frequently and are understandable when you think of their lives otherwise.

Above left are Shekar Boddu (we call him Boddu) and his wife Vani who is the RS president in 1st Branch. We really love this couple. To the right are Theophilus and his wife Usha and their son Abraham. Jessie wasn't there. What a handsome and good family! Theophilus is a police inspector and the one who had us for his son's birthday celebration. Bottom left are Krondhi, Tinku and Chiru at the fireside where we did the budget workshop. Other missionaries taught other classes. Tinku and Chiru are Madhu's brothers--great young people.

Christmas in India

2008-12-25T18:42:00.001-08:00

President and Sister Gutty hosted all the missionaries in 1st and 2nd Branch Christmas evening with a full-course meal. There were a few branch members there as well in not a lot of space. We had already eaten two meals and didn't have a whole lot which caused Sister Gutty to say, "You didn't like the food, sister!" in an apologetic manner so I had to explain. People pile their plates high and it is offensive here not to do that and to eat it all. They both look like movie stars--not the best pix here--and have two beautiful children, a boy and girl. Got a pic only of their son.

After watching the annual First Presidency devotional Christmas morning at 10, we rushed home to fix brunch for the elders and sisters in our branch. Elder Nixon is lifting up Dad. All are from America except the two sisters on the left and Elder Sadiyadi in front. They talked a lot about going-home dates, a no-no.

Priya is an assistant professor at NIFT (see sign below) and a niece to Sister Shanti and cousin to Sister Gutty who wanted an accompanist for a group she had taught Christmas carols for a program Christmas Eve night. The group was a little larger than what you see and the young man second from left was an outstanding classical singer (couldn't tell if he won but even one of the judges said he was the best and we thought so) in the American Idol type competition preceding our program. Of the singers, only the young woman in pink is a Christian but they sang the carols enthusiastically and sounded great.

Madhu says NIFT is an expensive and good school that he often wishes he had attended. The campus is beautiful and was decorated with many lights that evening. We were feeling through the mostly modern singing competition that no one would be in the mood for a Christmas program but they totally joined in and seemed to love it. Candles were lit and given to everyone in the audience--very impressive. Many afterward shook my hand and said, "Merry Christmas." In India everyone seems to celebrate and know about Christmas. There is no problem here with 80% Hindu and only 3% Christians mentioning this glorious occasion. Why do we allow so few in America to determine that we must now have a Winter Holiday instead of a Merry Christmas?

On the 17th, 18th, and 19th Branch members went Christmas caroling to every branch member's home, starting at 6:30 p.m. and going to 3 or 4 a.m We thought we'd try one night and get off the bus early and auto it home but it didn't work out and we didn't work into their schedule either. Madhu asked about the caroling Tuesday night at the Branch Christmas party (forgot my camera so no pix but it was great fun) and when he discovered they hadn't come, he organized a group who came at 11 after we had gone to bed. They persisted ringing our buzzer until we got to the door. Then more came and the watchman wouldn't let them in. They called and Dad went down to convince the watchman that they were OK to come up. It created quite a stir which worried us since people have complained already about groups coming to our apartment but everything seems to be all right. Madhu is in the grey and yellow and Rajiv is in the suit. Each has a unique sad story which makes them special to us. We have a strong desire to make a difference for them. Rajiv brought a delicious full meal prepared by his mother on the afternoon of Christmas Day and ate with us--first one to not just watch us eat, but we insisted. Madhu had us for lunch on Christmas Eve and had planned for the Kaspers and another family later so his Hindu mother was certainly busy preparing yummy food which included chipate (sp? like a flour tortilla) and papads (sp?) which are crispy, bowl-shaped, deep-fried and tasty.

Our celebration of Christmas began Tuesday with a party for the elders and sisters on the roof of Kasper's apartment building, six flights up from the ground. Not all the elders are in the pic below. Elder Singh, left of Santa (Elder Nixon who talks football with Dad and is being switched to 3rd Branch so we won't see him often) goes to Chennai today. We will miss him. Elder Toleofoa (second from right in back row) is Samoan and extremely talented. For the talent show he led 2nd Branch elders in the haka (war dance) that Billy Tenney used to do. Each branch and couple had a performance of some kind (we sang "Popcorn Popping...") and it was great fun and entertainment. Then we played the gift game which went way too long. Had cake and banana splits for dessert.

Sister Yadav (in red) is from a Hindu family and felt the Spirit of the Lord when she was eight. Eventually, she joined the Church, alientating her family for a time, but they have all joined now except her father who will join when she comes home. Sister Arza (middle) is the only member in her family. I've told you about Sister LaFevre (from America) before. What a sweetheart! The outfit I'm wearing gets lots of comments from the members who love it. Just as Sister Ferguson said in the MTC, I should add color to my black and white to seem more a part of them. I need to add to my wardrobe period.

We have thought longingly of our family and friends at home, but many here seem to know that will be so and try their best to make us a part of their family here. We are sometimes the subject of beautiful expressions in prayers which touch our hearts. We so appreciate the love and thoughtfulness of all at this most important and glorious time of year which reminds us most of all of the love and sacrifice of our Savior, the Savior of all mankind. Our desire is to serve Him in the way He would have us serve.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2008-12-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

On the way to Medak District, north of Hyderabad (before we had gone only east to Nalgonda District), to visit a village about clean water, we saw hundreds of monkeys on and alongside the road. Barely rolling the window down, I threw out a banana for one to eat. Before I could click the second picture (above) he had eaten the banana and discarded the peeling. I did stop a second to actually watch him quickly pull the peeling down and gobble up the delectable part. I was surprised that others nearby didn't try to take it from him but they just sat and watched. Posting just these for now because I thought the kids would enjoy them. Because rolling the windown down isn't safe, the pix aren't as clear and bright as they could have been.

Ramoji Film City (accent on 1st syllable)

2008-11-07T21:38:00.000-08:00

One P-Day all the missionaries in Hyderabad went to Ramoji Film City, which I had previously thought was for making movies, but it seems to be a tourist attraction on the order of Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm except a much smaller and more amateurish scale even though they advertise being the largest in the world. The mission pays for two excursions a year to see something unique. We pass the entrance often when going to the villages but you have to go way back into the hills to get to the sights. It was a long hot day as we soon saw nearly everything we were interested in. Too late Sisiter Fullmer and I saw across the way some grass sculptures of animals (bottom pic I think but you can't see them) but there was no time left to walk over there. All kinds of people stopped and asked to have a pic taken with me whenever we were sitting somewhere. It was pretty funny. All we could figure is that the white hair combined with the white skin was an attraction because they didn't want anyone else's picture but mine. A couple of them put sun glasses on me and a tiger striped hat. I should have had them use my camera too. White hair seems to be unusual. If people get white hair, they dye it black. Their hair is beautiful though--very shiny and thick. I guess we'll get two more such trips before going home. A couples' conference is also planned for February in Sri Lanka we hear but we will have to pay all the costs.

We spent most of the day with the Fullmers or at least Sister Fullmer as he was more adventurous than the rest of us and rode on all the rides while we watched. I don't think I've posted any of the rides but they were tame except one which Elder Fullmer took where two hammer things swing opposite directions until they swing all the way to the top and go all the way around. They asked him if he had heart trouble before he got on. You know Dad doesn't do well and I outgrew or pooped out of rides a long time ago. Most were for kids in preschool range. I swear I've lost 20 pounds but you sure can't tell in pix. One Sunday a young married man came up to me and said, "How is your health, sister?" I told him it was fine and he said, "You are losing too much weight. You must take care of your health." They obviously have a different way of looking at things but it is noticeable in person if not otherwise.

I see women carrying things on their heads nearly every day and want a picture but can't get the camera out in time or there are too many people. Barely caught these women as they were entering some building at Ramoji. One of these days I'll get a good one.

Some Sights

2008-11-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

An unusual looking building (left) in a Muslim section next to the fort. Also, a not great view of the city from Jubilee Hills, a richer section where you see separate homes.

Muslims settled Hyderabad in 1591 and Golcondo Fort is one of their most famous and significant historically. Some claim that the fort itself is 2000 years old. The city of Hyderabad expanded eastward from the fort because water was so scarce and so it seems a bit separated from Hyderabad at the present. The palm tree marks the entrance if you want to go in and see the detail. We just drove around it on our way back from a project site.

Took these pix because it was such a fancy-looking school out in the country. The students were older and dressed with ties and looked as if they had a little money.

Aloor Girls Camp

2008-11-05T04:58:00.000-08:00

Some of the buildings where children have classes and/or sleep are quite grubby. We plan to give them a lift (read below).

A long way into the countryside, in the middle of nowhere is Aloor Girls Camp operated by MV Foundation (our water project partner) to put young village children into school and take them out of child labor. These girls go home to visit occasionally and their parents come there for visits so they are not totally separated from their families but they are protected from parents' desires to exploit their children for money.

This beautiful six-year-old (in blue above and below) followed us around the camp instead of going to her classes. Her mother was a Hindu and her father a Muslim whose differences over religion ended with the father throwing gasoline on his wife and setting her on fire. She grabbed onto him and set him afire as well. She died and the father lived a short time but couldn't care for his daughter and sold her to a truck driver for 500 Rs ($12.50). The driver sold her to someone else for 5000 Rs ($125) and that person was trying to sell her for 15,000 Rs when MV Foundation rescued her and put her in their camp. I suppose she is too young to understand the horror of her story but our hearts ached for her. Another girl, age 13, was being sold into marriage when found by MV. They care about the children and try to give them a foundation for a better life. In fact, they follow them all through school and help them find a job when old enough.

We will be submitting a project this coming week to help these 200 girls who range in age from about 6 to 15. We hope to be able to give them sleeping bedding (something soft like a sleeping bag--but no cover is needed) and pillow (they are currently on cement), sports items for activities (volleyball, badminton, etc.), books, and a supply of sanitary napkins. If approved, we will take branch members out there to whitewash their buildings, inside and out. MV has offered to feed us while there but our Branch President Joseph doesn't trust the sanitation conditions and wants us to bring our own food. Bill and I ate while we were there. It was good and we survived without even a stomach pain.

More Bits and Pieces

2008-09-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Up close and personal right across from where we live which is up the little alleyway to the right of the building with the blue sign. We have to cross two directions of traffic (It's Sunday--today--and traffic is always a lot thinner), the one on the other side of the median, and then the road you can see. We looked to our left for traffic and right in the middle of the road came these two camels. I had Dad take my scriptures and I hurriedly got out my camera. When these boys saw me taking their pic, they headed toward us and as you can see on the right, they are right next to us. Dad was negotiating with a stopped auto and wanting me to get in because the camel didn't seem any too friendly and Dad was just a little worried about being trampled. The boys didn't smile and perhaps didn't like our taking their pix but we did and hopped into the auto and were off. Pretty cool!

I have long been interested in the scaffolding around the buildings under construction and finally got a picture of one (below). I am usually too intimidated by all the people to bring out my camera. It is made from the bamboo sticks in this closest picture--not anything I would want to climb or feel secure about. Sometimes the buildings are six or seven stories and the scaffolding surrounds the entire structure.

Note the women in sarees engaged in road construction. I see them dressed in even fancier sarees swinging pick axes in the rock quarries along the side of the road. Here the men are digging a very large hole in preparation for a flyover. The dirt is put into the wooden bowl/plate and passed from one woman to the next until the last one dumps it onto the pile at the left. Quite amazing. It will take a lot of digging for the flyover.

Entrance to a large indoor stadium where we went for a press conference for SMAAT's new filter that produces 2000 liters/hour to be used for flood and disaster relief. SMAAT is the RO filter provider for the villages we go to. This spot was an hour away by auto and Shekar left us to come back alone so that he could get a bus to his house. It was the most harrowing ride we have had. Dad said while riding, "No one would believe this if they weren't here." I worried too because we had to make so many turns in every direction to get home and had no idea where we were and no live cell to call should we get stranded. But just the ride was pretty unbelievable, narrowly missing so many pedestrians and other vehicles. The driver wasn't giving an inch to anybody and had an auto with a little more power than usual. When we finally turned on to Raj Bhavan Road and eventually saw KFC, we knew we were OK.

The elders loved my breakfast of banana walnut pancakes, scrambled eggs and fruit salad. From left Elder Leckington, AP (stayed over from zone conference to do splits since they can't do any in Bangalore anymore), Elder Mackay (high school wrestler from San Diego, new), Elder Moses (Utah, zone leader), Elder Hatch (Scottsdale, AP, related to Snowflake Hatches), Elder Nixon (football player from Washington, D.C., new), Elder Tyler (Wyoming, zone leader). They are all very impressive .

Sister Arza (India, new) Veronica (pronounced with a long "o" and just baptized), and Sister LeFevre (Utah, the one adopted in family of 14). These sisters are very shy with very small voices around most of us but are fireballs when it comes to teaching investigators.

Bits and Pieces

2008-09-23T04:15:00.000-07:00

We're on the roof of LVPEI having lunch before joining them in a low vision conference. We've pictured Sam before (great guy), Beula is in charge of the project we had approved and Sarika is the head secretary for Sam. The views from the roof are of the city and the one with the close large building faces toward where we live about 10 minutes by auto away. (Autos don't go very fast usually--not enough oomph--but they can squeeze into little spaces!)

These young men showed up at FHE yesterday and we had a great time. Front row is Mahesh, Vasanth, Pavan, Ezra. Second row: Raj (non-member, non-English speaking friend of Vasanth), Israel, Kiren, Themsen. Back row: Elder Singh, Elder Singh II and their investigator Naryna. Both Singhs are from America, II is half Indian and brand new, both are like these young men here in that they are the only members in their families and were members one year before coming on their missions. It is so interesting to teach here because everyone looks at you with such rapt attention, nodding their heads. They love every word you say and they are so appreciative and so good. People here have such a different way of nodding their heads--sort of a "no" but it usually means yes although sometimes it means no. When the auto driver takes off without us we know his nod meant no but he uses the same nod when he wants us to get in. As Sister Kasper says, it means whatever you or they want it to mean--I don't know; maybe, etc. I'm trying to pick it up so I can demonstrate when we get home but it's not easy.

Views of the countryside while visiting villages. They vary from one minute to the next. The rice field below is one of many and where mostly women seem to work. Many village houses are built together and most are painted blue, which is a better house color in India than in America.

Shots of Old Hyderabad on the day we went to the police station to register, a requirement for all who wish to stay for a length of time. The elders said that this is where we can get pearls, as well as gold and silver jewelry, for a decent price. Hyderabad is apparently known for all these. You can't see all of the motorbike and woman sitting on it below but perhaps you can tell that she sits side saddle rather than stradling because she's in a saree. We saw a woman fall off one day. I don't know how they stay on because they don't usually seem to be hanging on to anything. Many times they are holding a baby.

Elder Tyler and Moses, zone leaders, went with us and President

John Gutty (1st Couns in District Presidency) to the police station. We had to have help for the translating. Rather interesting and lengthy experience which extended to the following Monday because the Hindus went for prayers before they could finish with us. Elder Moses is an Indian but is from Utah. Both are super along with all the missionaries here. (Had zone conference again today--what impressive young men and women (two). One of the Sisters is also an Indian who was adopted at the age of 7 by a couple in Bolder, Utah, who adopted 13 other children from India, South America, Mexico and raised them on a large ranch. Her birth mother died and her father didn't want her. She says that after coming back to India on this mission she is more grateful than ever to have grown up in America and been raised by her amazing parents. ) The two above live across from Spencers, one of the grocery stores we walk to--comforting to have someone close.

Working on Water

2008-09-07T01:51:00.000-07:00

Rabai lives in one of the villages and also works with MV Foundation with whom we are partnering on the water project. The only English word she spoke was "Photo" at the end of our day and I had to ask Shekar to translate because I thought she was speaking Telugu. She wanted her pic with us and then it turns out her eyes are closed. She was a sweet lady and very helpful in getting us where we wanted to go and finding the Sarpanch, etc. She's also the one who directed us to the good restaurant that was so inexpensive (see earlier blog).
We have been seeing ceramic elephant heads galore along the roads whenever we have gone to visit NGOs. Then recently we saw them all painted. Last Wednesday was a big Hindu celebration for which Hindus purchased these creatures and then either put them into tents for worship or dunked them in the Tank Bund River/Lake. It's hard to see exactly what the image is in the pix but look hard for an elephant's head (two different villages). The fellow in dark glasses in front of one of the "gods" is Shekar, a member of the Church who travels with us and interprets for us, which is good except that we don't understand everything he says either but we're understanding more as time goes by. Shekar is great actually. He has helped us with so many things and the whole reason we will be able to do this water project (or try to do it).
The little girl in the village pic is one who cried everytime Dad looked at her and then hid her face in her mother's skirts. They were all getting a kick out of her reaction and so were we. She never would warm up to us.

When we walked into this building where they do weaving, Dad fell into a big hole in the floor which catches rain water from the big hole in the roof above. He said he was OK at the time but his leg has bothered him since. Other than that, the weaving was rather fascinating to watch. It takes five days to weave cloth for one saree and they get 200 Rs for it which is $5. The woman nimbly spins the thread onto the box. Couldn't really see why she has to do that but we couldn't understand the Sarpanch (who thought he spoke good English but didn't) well enough to ask plus I had sweat dripping from me like crazy and couldn't wait to get out of that building. The Sarpanch took us in his car to the building for the filter and then to their Hindu temple which they invited me to enter. I took my shoes off. It is where they go to pray--very small and very perfumy. Looks a little different from the ones pictured and is in a permanent building.

The children in this village belong to the same village that does fabric weaving (see above). When we arrived we happened to stop at the school just as the children were getting out and they followed us to the Sarpanch's house where we are taking the pix. At first they were very shy. They crowded around us because of their curiosity but were afraid to shake our hands which we offered to them. After at least 10 minutes some began to take our hands and then they didn't want to let go. The Sarpanch tried to shoo them away and I couldn't help but think of the Savior when He said to let the children come. As you can see, they are very precious. They loved seeing their pic in the camera.

Some of the water-problem villages we've been visiting have had reverse osmosis filters installed by a political party seeking votes. They used the building this village had built for us and the filter produces only about 5 liters per hour so it is basically useless. They said they would build another structure if we would give them a filter. Not sure what is going to happen. We're willing to do it but SMAAT who has the filters doesn't want to tread where a political party has been.

Best I Could Do

2008-09-07T01:45:00.000-07:00

We saw a camel on our way to church this morning but I couldn't get my camera out in time to snap it. Then coming home we saw this one. I just barely got the camera on in time to get it's head. Then I stuck my head out of the auto to get the head-on shot. Sticking your head out of the auto on any other day could get it knocked off but as you can see the traffic is sparse--normal for Sunday. Posting just these two because I'm sure the kids will enjoy seeing it. Wish it were better--will keep trying. This is very close to our apartment. We could have gotten out and walked and I could have gotten more pix but Dad was too hungry.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2008-09-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

I clicked the pix below while coming back to the city from visiting villages on two different days. The pix that follow are better because they show the beautiful day we had if you don't count how hot it was. Do you recognize the horses? We very seldom see these creatures.

Wish I had more specific info on the fort on top of the mountain behind this small town. You can hardly see the fort or the wall in the pix but it is all very detailed in person. We ate at a restaurant in this town and fed Indian food to five for under $4 including the tip.

These fern trees are everywhere and much prettier and lush than the pic. The terrain is very different. Parts are somewhat like Arizona with the rock formations but the ground is always covered with green here. Some areas are more like jungle.

Women here are washing their clothes by beating them on the rocks.

Just trying to picture a little scenery above. The sky was really beautiful on this trip with gorgeous clouds as you can see. We don't see this often as it is mostly overcast. The cows to the right and below were in a village as we were getting into the car.

These goats were being herded on the highway and we just drove right through them. There were hundreds in each herd and several herds.

Hard to get close enough to the cranes to see them in a picture but they are everywhere in the country and occasionally sitting on the back of one of the cows. Quite pretty birds.

Cows pulling wagons with some type of load is a very common sight on any road, city or country. I had the mistaken notion that because cows are sacred they wouldn't have to work but their sacredness just keeps them from being eaten.

These cows were in the road, also very common, before we totally left the city. Bill and I walked past some of these on the road near where we live which is very much city. I was a little nervous because we were close enough to touch them and they had horns but they all seem rather sluggish and oblivious to people or traffic.

More NGOs

2008-08-30T03:55:00.000-07:00

The picture above is actually a shot of a golf course we passed on the way with SAPID and Shekar to nine slum villages inhabited by squatters just outside of Hyderabad. I didn't take many pix because we don't know what we will be able to do and I didn't want to offend the people. Most have been here about seven years and have been taught by SAPID and HEAL (a private American LDS humanitarian group) how to improve their condition by first identifying their problems and then meeting to come up with solutions and implement them where possible. SAPID doesn't believe in straight charity. It wants people to take ownership of their lives and make them better themselves. HEAL has taught them about health measures, education, gardening and compost pits, which we saw evidence of, and both have taught them how to lobby for land rights so that the land will be theirs for more permanent improvements. They are to receive official notice September 22, 2008, and if it's in their favor, we will be able to do something to help. LDSC has already drilled a few bore wells, which produce good water, but we cannot do more until we know their legal status so that the government cannot cap the wells (they've done that previously) or take the land away from them and make our efforts wasted. What they need even more than water (since most have access to some somewhere) are latrines. Last year a woman was killed by a snake when going to the field for a restroom break and that's not the only problem as you can imagine. None of the villages have a single latrine (picture a lined hole in the ground, not chair height like our outhouses, with a privacy cover of some type, perhaps even bricks) and the women are very outspoken about the need. (LDSC would supply materials and they would build the latrines.) Urmi (SAPID) told us that working men make 150 Rs/day and women 75Rs and that the men are more interested in drowning their sorrows with alcohol than bringing home money to improve their plight. The women are the go-getters in these villages. We had an interesting day listening to Telugu and waiting for Urmi and Shekar to translate occasionally. We didn't understand the words but we understood the feelings and desires.
Shekar asked in several villages if the women would like tailoring training and laughter followed one response, "Sure we'd all like to learn how, but who's going to pay our salary." We had to wait for the translation.
We left in the morning following a fairly heavy rain, enduring one of our hottest and most humid days ever and finding the villages black with flies. These people have no electricity; they have to walk a way for water which they carry back in a jug; some have built small (size of a large shed--one room) homes to show the government their intention to stay (they pay taxes by the way), but we couldn't help but wonder how they find room to do anything inside. And the roads in their villages would make the forests roads seem like super highways. As I tried to fan off the flies I thought to myself, "Don't complain, Karen. You're going home in a while and you will be able to get a drink from your refrigerator, turn on a fan and lights and be free from the elements." We are praying that their wicked government, which lines its own pockets with the tax money, will relent and give them land rights so that we can help them.
We are so impressed with SAPID and HEAL and what they have done, briefly mentioned above. The picture below is on one side of a village where they have been constructing their homes.

Bill went with Shekar to a boys and a girls camp sponsored by MV Foundation who tries to get children out of child labor. They were having a lesson on parts of the body and the teacher asked Bill to come up and go through some of the parts of the body. He pointed to his knee and elbow and they didn't know the English word, so he wrote it on the board as well as corrected the spelling of a couple other words. They enjoyed his lesson and he was "Teacher of the Day." The children live at these camps and are fed by women who cook in the kitchen (above). MV is partnering with us on the water project so we will work at providing mats for the girls' beds as they sleep on the ground currently. There are about 150 girls and 300 boys in each of the camps.

There's more below.

Pictures above are at St. Anthony's School (for all children--350--but run by Catholics) on India's Independence Day, Aug 15. They had a flag raising ceremony and then a lengthy program which we left after two hours while it was still going. A Congresswoman attending had brought a saree for me to wear which I insisted they put over my dress. The saree itself is 5 1/2 yards wrapped and hand pleated and tucked and twisted till there's enough to hang down your back or front--whichever you choose. Children in the pic with us are dressed as leading figures in India--the bare chested is Mahatma Ghandi; Nehru and Mother Theresa aren't showing. Can't name the others. Children performed skits that taught valuable lessons and did many different dances. The modern dress one was a modern dance that was disappointing to me. They are watching too much TV or movies and losing their innocence.

Madhu

2008-08-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (wrote this July 24 but wanted pix before posting) Madhu, with five long stemmed roses (three red and two yellow), rang our buzzer. He couldn't have come at a better time. We were OK but discussing how overwhelmed we were when this handsome 21-year-old stepped into our lives and assured us in very good English that all was well and he was available to help us any way that he could. I am sure that Heavenly Father sent him.

We called him this morning to help us find an ATM and a bank (two different places) to change larger bills into smaller ones as autos and street vendors (only way to buy bananas) don't give change. Stores don't like to either we have discovered. Before setting off for our walk, Madhu fixed the gas tank on our stove so that we could cook and set up the charge on our camera (no we didn't know how to do either).

He then negotiated us across the streets through traffic with ease. We'd still be struggling except for his easy lesson. Walk, don't run, stop (in the middle of a jillion vehicles) if necessary; if there's space, put out your hand and keep walking (The first time we crossed a street we were with Kaspers and Bill wouldn't go. Elder Kasper had to go back and get him across. You'd understand if you were here. But now he goes when I am uneasy.)

At home again we were dripping wet despite Madhu's claim that we were fortunate to have such good weather produced by a nice rain during the night, making the temperature cooler but the humidity certainly higher. (This was also the walk when we saw a camel ridden by two young boys, walking down the street right along with every other vehicle but my camera was charging at home and I didn't get a picture.)

We visited for over an hour. Telling us how much the Church has changed his life and why he loves the senior missionaries, he began to choke up, making us all a little teary. Madhu and his brothers Tinku and Chiru (sp?--now 19 and 20) joined the church at 13 (Madhu anyway; his Hindu parents wouldn't allow it earlier.) "Without the Church I would never have known God and that He loves me, he said. And then his association with the Eldridges, the senior couple at the time, gave him an understanding of gospel principles. He came to this same apartment to clean and was paid 10 rupees. Sister Eldrige would say, "Pay one rupee for tithing and do with the rest as you wish and your life will be blessed." He discovered for himself how true that was. After some education, Madhu now has a good job as a computer engineer.

On another day he got our internet working by discovering we had inadvertently turned off the router by clicking one of the many switches that decorate our walls. He then got us a phone charger and showed us how to use it (a little more complicated than at home). What a blessing he has been.

Last Thursday we went to lunch at his home and met his parents and brothers. We had rice and curry that was not too spicy according to Madhu but it was hot enough to make my nose run--very tasty and good though. We both liked it. I discovered that Madhu's mother is a seamstress and makes all her saree blouses and chudidars. Madhu entertained us with lots of fun pictures and his music--American show tunes, country (Johnny Cash), classical and his favorite Indian singer who was very good. He doesn't like the tuneless hard rock. Good man!

In the pix above he is here at FHE with Rajiv, one of his good friends and a member of our branch, and with Reka, who was his seminary teacher for four years but she's only 25 or 26 (I think). Madhu kind of likes her--who can blame him--but he falls in love a lot he tells us. We got to see lots of former flames' pix.

We look forward to more association.

District Conference With an Apostle

2008-08-25T01:17:00.000-07:00

Imagine how absolutely delighted these people (and we as well) were to have a member of the Quorum of the Twelve come to their District Conference. It just doesn't happen very often at all and they appreciated fully the privilege. It seems an indication to me of the faith of The First Presidency that India is a place that is opening its heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. Members are so small in number compared to the population but they are strong and humble and full of faith and a forerunner to many who will no doubt join the fold. We had four wonderful and inspiring meetings about nine hours worth(one was Priesthood and one was with just the missionaries). The latter was very intimate and personal--an experience we are blessed to have had as we have never had such a one before. I took notes in that meeting and will record them--just not on this blog. One of the first things Elder Christofferson said was that people are excited and honor him because of the office that he holds and that the office is very important. "As for me," he said, "I'm no big deal." And yet we partook of the results of his life-long preparation for this very special calling. If we had not known, we would have believed he had been in the Quorum of the Twelve for many years instead of a few months. We saw his personal preparation and we felt the Lord working through him.

President Halstrom (Seventy and Area President) and both their wives as well as President and Sister Nichols (mission president) also gave very inspiring messages. President Halstrom is very competent and uplifting. He and his wife are starting their seventh year in Asia. I can hardly imagine such sacrifice as that. So many are so willing to do the Lord's work and the world is blessed because of it.

Rajeesh (spelled the way we say it--not necessarily correctly--see picture below) is the District executive secretary and in our branch with his sweet wife Mary. Mary grabbed Elder Christofferson just as he was about to get in his taxi and asked me to take their picture. I didn't have my glasses on so didn't catch that her eyes were closed or I would have snapped another one. Elder Christofferson was happy to do so as you can see and thanked Rajeesh for all his good work to prepare for the conference. This couple is very special. Rajeesh has been to our apartment a couple times, the last bringing bananas, which we can't find, at the urging of Mary.

The following pictures are after our missionary meeting and show Elder Christofferson next to his wife and President and Sister Halstrom. Unfortunately, they aren't the best focused pictures. The young woman in the background of the top pic is Srivali who converted from Hinduism eight years ago. She is beautiful, very intelligent and a great teacher. She made a card to give to Elder Christofferson and asked me to help her with what to say. I gave her general ideas but deferred to Noel (male) for the words so that it would come from them rather than me. (Noel is the best English speaker we have found. One Sunday morning after a horrific, record setting rain, we were crossing the street and hailing an auto when a car pulled up and Noel, whom we'd never seen before, got out and called out, "Elder, Sister, I can take you to church." He had to stay at work all night because of the storm and was on his way home when he saw us. More than a coincidence I believe.)

Holy Bells, Our Favorite So Far

2008-08-16T00:51:00.000-07:00

Holy Bells is a K-5 school for street children; that is, their parents live in tents with no water or electricity and mostly beg for a living. They require their children to do the same or send them to do menial jobs because children will be hired before the parents. (Many organizations are trying to eliminate child labor.)

Ani and Syam saw this situation and felt that the Lord told them to help these children. They started with two in their home in 1998 which grew to 50 in 2003. Then they found the facilities above and have expanded enrollment to 150. They had to visit and counsel with parents to convince them to let their children come to school. Free government schools are too far away and without Ani and Syam, the fate of these children would be no better than their parents because children without an education in India have no chance at all. Syam envisions eventually helping 30,000 of these children through the junior college level so that they can get jobs and move their parents off the streets. Their only income is what Syam makes at his job, 25,000 Rs/mo (about $625 US). They depend on donations to run the school. Most of what they need does not qualify for us to submit. Furniture for the classrooms is a possibility but they might not have room for it. More children than desks can fit on the floor. Uniforms are common in the schools and needed at Holy Bells because children often don't have anything to wear. A young boy came one day in his mother's saree blouse. He knew he'd be teased but he wanted to be there. The red uniforms were donated by LDSC (Latter Day Saint Charities--us).

We loved these children who said, "Good morning, madam; good morning, sir" in each classroom as we entered. Then a group in each class sang a song for us. They were so respectful, so orderly when they filed outdoors to sing all together and then to do the Hokey Pokey with us. Any teacher would love to work with these children who are so eager to learn and so appreciative of their opportunities. The children everywhere are beautiful and tug at our heartstrings.

Royal Treatment

2008-08-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

The Mariott Hotel at last for lunch buffet to

celebrate our anniversary and Elder Kasper's 66th birthday. The scene on the right is from the entrance drive looking across Tank Bund Lake toward our apartment which is probably pretty much to the right. The sideways pic of us is inside. The food was really good with all kinds of choices. We ate the Western style, including braised Sirloin tips, and didn't try the Indian as Kaspers said it was pretty hot. Going in, we ran into a man who sings in a local choir with the Kaspers and who works for the American Consular General who unknown to us until we were leaving had paid for our lunch. Then the maitre d' , who had known the Lyerlys, saw our badges and came to visit with us. He gave us his card and said to call whenever we are coming so he can take good care of us. We told him of our celebrations and he brought out some type of fancy chocolate cheesecake which we were too full to try and Kaspers took home for family home evening.

President Bushkar (I think) is putting a garland of very fragrant flowers around my neck (like a lei but with India's own unique look). Next he put on the scarf and the same on Bill. Then he gave us another garland of flowers to put on each other. We sat, laden down with this heavy and hot paraphanalia, while about 30 village men gathered around and watched us try to get information from the leaders--difficult because of the language barriers. As sweet as it was, I wasn't the slightest bit comfortable with the attention and gifts because we haven't done anything yet. We traveled to Pachampally for a possible water purification project which Praveen is trying to set up--different from the 30 village project that Shekar is helping us with. Can you believe that there were three of these signs on buildings around the village square?! I'm not geared for such attention. ( The camera's battery konked out so I don't think we got the best view and nothing after this little ceremony.) The scarves are very tightly handwoven in the village. If we hadn't stopped to watch one of the weavers after our questioning, I would not have believed it wasn't done with high tech equipment.

See All The Animals

2008-08-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

The cows at left are in the outskirts of the city walking on the street right along with traffic. All the rest were in the country where we visited villages for our water project (see following post).(I have more animals to post but will stop here for now because of the late hour and trouble I'm having with the uploading.)

When in the country, the driver stopped and Shekar got out to take these pix for me. I told him that we had grandchildren who wanted to see the animals. We must have seen hundreds of cows and goats throughout the day. (For some reason one of the pic uploaded twice. Having trouble with this blog today.)

After snapping the farm types above, I said, "Now it would be icing on the cake to see some monkeys." Right about then, we reached a railroad crossing and were held up for 15 to 20 minutes. I happened to look over to our left and there was a monkey who found a man with bananas on the side of the road and grabbed one, peeled and ate it, but we missed that picture. There was a gully between us which kept us from getting very close but these were fairly large and we liked having some space. The yellow fence is part of the railway area--not a zoo.

This is the same picture as above and I can't find a way to remove it.

Water Starter

2008-08-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Putting reverse osmosis filters into 30 villages, 1500 to 10,000 population--not 500,000 as we were told--should be our first big project if everything goes right. These villages were identified by the Lyerlys and SMAAT (water and air purification company) as potential receivers of the filters after the Church okayed seven previous ones. Nothing has actually been submitted to the Church as yet but the villages have proceeded as if it has. They are building or have built structures to house the filters. They are so excited because their water contains so much flouride that their teeth, bones, joints and general health are adversely affected. The project meets the Church requirements of self-reliance, sustainability, leader, participation and work by the beneficiaries. All with whom we talked today are very anxious to have the water which not only will be pure and good to the taste but also will cost them 1/10 as much as their water now.

My favorite village is Jiapally Thanda on the left. It was the most remote and Mr. Sudhakar, president of all the Bibinagar villages, said the people are very innocent here. Only men came to the plant location in the other villages but here many women and children gathered round and made us feel very important. The older women are about my age but seemed much older. Wish you could see what they were wearing and had in their ears. The children were very thrilled with us. SMAAT and Sudhakar want a separate plant in this village although it is small and somewhat close (It was much farther away than I anticipated.) to its neighbor Jiapally. I'm all for giving these people their own. They were precious. But Shekar thinks one is enough for both villages.

Ms. Saraswathi is the president of Bibinagar a village of 10,000. People here have built this structure to house the RO filter and are very anxious to have it installed. She was elected by the people and will no doubt be elected again when they can have the purified water. The water tank tower belongs to this village.

This reverse osmosis filter is what the Church has purchased for seven villages thus far. Above is a small plaque that bears the name of the Church. (This pic has disappeared for me. Hopefully, it will show up when I post. Another pic also disappeared of the president, Mr. Ramulu, of Rairaopet. They have only a hand pump which he is standing by but they have a building just to the left to house the RO filters.)Bill and I will be involved at dedication ceremonies for the one at left and one other village which the Lyerlys were unable to do before leaving. The men above include their sanpache or mayor. I think the village name is Padmati Somaram.

NGOs In The Slums

2008-07-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

"Slums" is the word Praveen used to describe where we went today. It is where many live in tents as pictured below and are in the lowest caste. Because their opportunities are practically nil, Praveen and others establish charitable organizations to fill some of the needs. The three we visited today are minute to what is needed. (I find getting the pictures I want very difficult as the taxi moves too fast and we pass the view I'm aiming for before the click records. Saw lots of animals but the only one I was fast enough to aim at was obscured by a motor scooter which zipped up beside me just as the camera clicked. The pic below is probably one of the finer views of shops along the way.) Dad was accosted by another street beggar at the intersection where we have stopped several times. Praveen said that all of the beggars are fake and in a sense like prostitutes in that they have "johns" or "sugar daddies" who expect a largesse and return a piddling amount for them to live.

Praveen, along with one of his associates, CH Malliswari, took us to the slums today (31st July) to learn of three of his pet projects which he would like the Church to support. We saw very little need as these two and the one mentioned below are very good at finding donors, which is how they make their living as well as support their charities which are all worthwhile. We will have to stretch our imaginations to determine how any one of them might fit into the Church's willingness to contribute according to its value system and their actual need. Praveen understands the Church requirements but he is hopeful that as new missionaries we can come up with a way to help. We might do something through an Area initiative (smaller and sometimes one-time things) but it appears the donors they've already secured are taking care of their needs.

Bikshapathi on left owns the Sri (means "honorable") Kanya Educational Society in the slums. Its decor is a lot Disney and is modern and attractive next to anything we have seen here. Currently, 47 children are enrolled, whom they keep from 8 to 4 and feed, all for free, so that their single mothers can work and provide some kind of living for them. Otherwise, they would all be at home and living off nothing and the children would have no opportunity to go to school because they would not be ready or qualified. They would like to expand the school to the upper story and need furniture.

The teacher kept urging them to say, "Good morning, madam," but they were shy. Only the little beauty, second from the right, kept smiling at me and responded. We were impressed that these three-year olds were sitting quietly and listening to their teacher who was sitting at their level. To the right is another small group. They all learn English as well as Hindi--part of the requirements for school and which they would not learn at home.

Malleswari owns this new home, also in the slums, for 30 abused women and sometimes children. They receive counseling, rehabilitation, and training in tailoring, computers, and embroidery in order to get jobs and be on their own. Only six were in the home when we visited. The others were looking for jobs. It was clean and neat but small for 30. They lay out mattresses or other bedding and sleep side by side, then stack everything to make space available during the day.

We're at a health clinic, manned by a doctor and these helpers and owned by CH Malleswari. (She told me she'd give me a sari to wear to her son's wedding sometime in the next 18 months. I told her I'd love a sari but not sure that I could wear it--they bare the middle.) People are treated and given medications for most ailments for free and then are referred to a hospital if necessary. Malleswari owns another larger clinic as well which sees about 60 patients per day. This one services about half that many because it closes at 2 p.m.

July 24th Celebrated Here Too

2008-07-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Was amazed to see how fully these people embrace their pioneer heritage. Sangeeta, who conducted the program for 4th Branch, Kaspers assignment, said at the end, "I hope we will all appreciate the sacrifices of the pioneers and the legacy they left us." Evidence that we are not just an American church.

Filled waiting time for food with contests and games. Young man on the left is an elder who was beating everyone until the young man in plaid took him on. He beat everyone, including Dad (felt terrible when I clicked the off button instead of the pic one and missed getting it), who said he was very strong. Dad's hand slipped or maybe he's just getting old--could it be? Above right is his last match with the Branch President which ended in a standoff. Food was ordered from a restaurant and each individual received a half gallon tub of already seasoned rice and chicken with various toppings to make it spicier or less so. Chicken was not in pieces but a combined leg and thigh. I liked the chicken but not too crazy about the rice. Dad wouldn't even try it. I don't think we're going to get into Indian food too much except when we go to the villages and there is nothing else to eat. Of course, Sister Lyerly always took a peanut butter sandwich and apple slices. It's a bit offensive not to eat with them though. Elder Elsby, our humanitarian country director, said to always take a coke to the villages to drink on our way home. It will kill whatever bugs we might pick up. Guess I'll have to give in.

Fourth branch meets below a store next to a real "Levis" store. Renni, who was in charge of games, kept reminding everyone when they got a little loud or rambunctious, "Let's remember church standards; we need to keep church standards." I am thoroughly impressed with how important the gospel and all it entails means to these child-like and happy people.

Kind of Nice, Huh!

2008-07-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

Looking across the way from our apartment on the fourth floor and then down to street level. The stairs are open. We have balconies front and back. Most people hang their washed clothes on the back balcony. We hang ours inside. A lift is to the left of the stairs but we usually use the latter. No telling when the power will go out. It's actually an attractive building though not very clean despite the appearance in the pix.

This is part of living area taken from dining table side. Right is the office. Much biggerthan is showing. Mosquitoe nets cover all the windows velcroed on the inside so that we can lift them and open the windows.

Here's the front door of our apartment and the room we walk into though you can't see it all.

Full and Fascinating Friday

2008-07-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sam Balasundaram (left) is the marketing administrator with LV Prasad Eye Institute with whom the church has already partnered and is anticipating another large long-term project for rural vision screening centers. LVPEI is an amazing place where they treat the rich and poor alike. Two suites are available for VIPs whose payments (they didn't sound very high to me) help to fund free care for those who have nothing. They deal with total care--screening through glasses, and/or surgery, and total follow up therapy and counseling to be sure that those with vision problems are able to function as normally as possible. They have a research lab and do cornea implants (they work at gathering corneas and have technicians who remove them from permission-giving people who have died) as well as remove cataracts. Whatever the problem (and there are a lot here in India), they work through the total process with each individual as if he were the only one when there are millions. You can't see here but Sam has his own vision problems, which no doubt led to his interest in LV Prasad EI where he plans to stay because he loves the work they do. (He has two siblings in America who are more Americanized profitwise than is Sam--we need those too but it is also wonderful when they are generous rather than after power control.) In pic at left we are inside the School of Optometry (4 yr course for 300 students at a time) at the small amphitheater. We drove for perhaps 45 minutes from the institute in Hyderabad to get to this beautiful place outside the city. We were uplifted by the beauty of the countryside. Students live here on campus and have no distractions from their studies.

Below left is inside the library and to the right is the landscape out front. Across the street is the training center (also beautiful surroundings) for the rural screening clinics. We had another unintelligble (but detailed) description of what they do by Vilas Kovai. LVPEI knows that rural people (in the 500,000+ populated villages) will never come to the city for eye care so they are taking eye clinics to them. They get someone to lead out and involve people in the building and donating of materials or already constructed building. They also train clinicans who then have jobs. The people buy into using it because they are a part of its development--what the Church is looking for. It has already partnered with LVPEI for several clinics by buying the necessary medical equipment for thorough eye examinations. These people are then fitted for very low-cost glasses or brought to the city for surgery if necessary and rehabilitated after. What LVPEI does illustrates their total commitment to improving the vision and ability to function of the Indian poor without thought for profit. Sam is instrumental in fund raising to support their efforts. It is a wonderful institute. I kept wondering if we have anything like it in the US. All that I am aware of is that people fill up the emergency rooms, often just for some topical care. There is no follow up. People's lives are not changed; they just exist until the next emergency (or what they consider an emergency). Sam says they do not involve the government at all because they do not want government regulations on what they do. They wouldn't be able to fulfill their vision of vision with government interference. We would be so much better off in America without the government interference but citizens there seem to be crying for government takeover. If they only knew that what they ask for they will get, and they won't like it a bit. My appreciation for those who are willing to truly help the poor--not keep them poor--is enhanced by the work of LVPEI. This is the way; government is not the way; government is the author of keeping people under its thumb in order to keep its power. What we need are champions like LV Prasad and Sam and Dr. Rao andVilas Kovai and others who are willing to use a free enterprise system to accomplish their godly desires. (Sorry for my soapbox.)

I don't know how to work this blog site so that pix stay where they are supposed to with appropriate captions. Hopefully you can make sense of this in the pix below. Everyone we dealt with on Friday was so smart, we felt all the dumber.

Library at LVPEI School of Optometry.

Coming back from the country I took this of military personnel (below) walking into their fort. The right is just to show traffic which is often worse. The little yellow vehicle is an auto and what we normally travel in. Its shades are down but ours have always been up.

It seems I need to tell the story backwards to place the pix appropriately. These two views should go underneath the next two. Anyway, they are scenes from Sundar's balcony in Hi-Tech City where the call and computer, etc., centers and other large companies are located. The middle building in left pic is Bill Gates Microsoft company where Madhu (will have an entry on him later) works. Gates has other buildings around there as well. The pic on the right is just a different view. This is definitely the more modern and clean part of the city.

I think the pic above was taken thru the front window of a taxiwhen we were with Sam from LVPEI. Just wanted to show a different view from all the filth we live around. Not sure that I have gotten many pix which vividly portray the streets. Don't like to shoot when people are looking at me and appear to be one of those nosy American tourists. Since they are always everywhere I'm not getting pix I would like .

Praveen, who is on the left below, is a combination of an NGO and partner for us in our humanitarian work. He's only 23 but has an orphanage and lots of contacts or he did until he joined the Church three months ago and was abandoned by them. Sundar must be a recent potential partner/NGO to whom Praveen introduced us. We were told we wouldn't have to learn a foreign language but the English of some of these people is definitely foreign. We picked up only a word here and there but the jist we gleaned was that he viewed us as people with money bags for his pet projects which isn't how it works. Praveen got that pic and intervened for us somewhat. Praveen's not easy to understand either; we get about 60 percent, whereas we got about 2 from Sundar Vadaon (which means" beautiful face" according to him anyway). If I had understood better I might have gathered some tips for Snowflake Academy's fund raising efforts.

Above is the same cast with Roja who works with Praveen who has his own company and the Kaspers who have been doing their best to orient us to this strange city (They've been great life savers.). They met several humanitarian people with the Lyerlys who wanted to make the transition easier for us. Praveen will leave the country in six months for fund raising in the Netherlands, US, and somewhere else. His life is devoted to primarily helping the children. Sundar's building is about seven stories and we are at the top. It's beautiful but presently sits in the middle of a kind of slum field. The Hilton is to be built next door and by the time it's all developed he will be on prime property. Sundar reminded us of Peter Lorre combined with movie characters in a Tangiers setting. Hisinfectious and unusual laugh kept us chuckling despite our deciphering inability. That is a red dot in the center of his forehead.

Madhu

2008-07-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (wrote this when we first came but wanted a pic before posting), Madhu rang our buzzer holding five long stemmed roses (three red and two yellow) for me. He couldn't have come at a better time. We were OK but discussing how overwhelmed we were when this handsome 21 yearold stepped into our lives and assured us in very good English that all was well and that he was available to help us any way that he could. I am sure that Heavenly Father sent him.

We called him this morning to help us find an ATM and a bank (two different places) to change large bills into smaller ones as autos and street vendors (only place to buy bananas) rarely give change. Stores don't like to either we've discovered.

Before setting off on our walking adventure, he fixed the gas tank on our stove so that we could cook and charged the battery in our camera (no, we didn't know how to do either).

Madhu then negotiated us across a number of streets through all the traffic with ease. We'd still be struggling if it weren't for his easy lesson--walk, don't run; stop (in the middle of a jillion vehicles) if necessary; if there's any space, hold out your hand and keep walking. (The first time we crossed a street we were with Kaspers and Bill didn't go. Elder Kasper had to go back and get him across. You'd understand if you were here.)

At home again, Bill and I were dripping wet inspite of Madhu's claim that we were lucky to have such good weather produced by a nice rain during the night, making the temperature cooler but the humidity certainly higher because we noticed no difference in our own wetness. (This was also the walk when we saw a camel, ridden by two young boys, walking down the street right along with every other vehicle but my camera was charging and I didn't get the picture.)

We visited for more than an hour. Telling us how much the Church had changed his life and why he loves the senior couples especially, he began choking up. We all got a little teary. He and two brothers (now 19 and 20) were baptized at about age 13--Madhu anyway. His Hindu parents wouldn't allow it earlier. "Without the Church, I would never have known God and that he loves me," he said. And then his association with the senior couple at the time, the Eldridges, gave him an understanding of the gospel. He came to this same apartment and the Eldridges would pay him 10 rupees to clean which he did about three times a week. Sister Eldridge would say, "Madhu, pay 1 rupee for your tithing and do with the rest as you wish and your life will be blessed." He discovered for himself how true that was. After some education, Madhu has a good job now as a computer engineer.

On another day he got our internet to work by discovering we had inadvertently turned off the router by clicking one of the many switches that decorate our walls. What a blessing he has been!

A Few First Impressions

2008-07-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

The chapel is air-conditioned and near the Kaspers where we went today on our own. First Branch, one assignment, meets here. It is open all the time but does have a couple guards on duty. On the right is General Bazaar, narrow little alley between cramped stores (lots with fabric) but we still had to watch out for motor scooters. There's no peace anywhere. Kaspers took us all over Tuesday (four in an auto) to take care of some of the things we needed.

Pic below is Sunday in Bangalore when traffic is slower. Still this shows it much slower than it was for the most part. Electrical wires are exposed and twisted into all sorts of conglomerations--not so evident here. No wonder they have power problems.

Pic above is at photo shop near mission office where we had to get more passport photos to be used for our government registration in Hyderabad. Haven't done that yet but it's an all-day affair we hear. We walked here with a more seasoned couple and the little girl on the right tried to sell me her beads. As missionaries, we simply cannot respond to beggars or anyone similar because of various problems it has caused in the past. She was at least selling something but we have to ignore them. I talked too much to her and she waited outside to try again. We're told not to make eye contact and say "No" once and ignore them. This child was too wily and healthy looking to believe she was in the real poverty class. Still very sad. Beggars or street sellers are everywhere and go after Dad mostly. Guess they sense what a softie he is.

Cows are everywhere. I could have touched this one but didn't dare of course. Pic on the right shows the crowded street better than any I took. The autos are yellow and open. We took our first alone today--a 50 rupee ride or approx $1.25 depending on the exchange rate (about 15-20 minutes). The first driver said 150 rupees and we just said no and kept walking. He continued to lower his price but we weren't interested and climbed in another. Most have meters and a recent strike moved rates up 10 rupees so we add that to the meter. Mostly there are no traffic signs or lights (saw a couple but don't know why they exist as we flew through them). At larger intersections (no order to the streets; nothing so simple as going around the block) policemen will sometimes stop traffic to allow the opposite to flow. You tell drivers the areas and the landmarks and trust to luck they know. Our taxi from the airport (Kaspers picked us up) got lost and doubled the normal time.

Our Apartment

2008-07-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

How pleasantly surprised we were with the apartment! High ceilings, marble floors (plentiful and inexpensive here--no creaking floors). Plenty of room--entry room with settees and exercise equipment, living and dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms (we will be hosting Church visitors), three baths (misnomer), and an office larger than mine at home. It's nicely furnished. Kitchen has a tabletop gas four-burner for cooking (haven't made it work yet) and a microwave sits on top of a small oven. Elder Kasper reminds us of how blessed we are to have Western toilets and hot showers in the missionary apartments. The Indian people squat over a hole or use urinals if they haven't already urinated on the streets (have seen plenty of men so engaged--pretty disgusting). I tipped the camera for the bathroom picture to try to get a bit of everything in. I missed the hot water heater which is a two-foot container on the wall. We click a switch about 10 minutes prior and turn it off after. The spray hose at the left is what East Indians use instead of toilet paper. The shower head is at the top left. As you can see it comes out of the wall and the water goes right to the floor. We use a squeegee afterward to sweep the water into a floor drain. (Camera's battery exhausted itself today and couldn't take more apartment pix or others I had hoped to because it was the official P-Day.)

The two pix at top are views from our balcony where we have a washing machine. We hang our clothes on a rack inside to dry. Just as I finished clicking, Elder came out and saw a woman staring suspiciously from one of the windows. She isn't in the pic and hope she isn't offended as she appeared very unhappy. We didn't have sense enough to wave and smile--just slipped quickly back inside. Took pic at right to show trash on the ground but this view is mild. Everything is so dirty and trashy. Sister Nichols said she has found members' homes to be clean but no one has any regard for the outside and they throw anything they have on the streets. Obviously, there are no litter laws and no city workers. It's really bad.

We climb four flights of 20 steps each or take the lift if we dare as it is powered by electricity. We have air conditioning units in our bedroom and the office. We turn them off at night and are comfortable with the fan--one in every room. We took our first alone trip to the Kaspers (only other missionary couple in Hyderabad) today for lunch (delicious dinner meal). I like their apartment better, though smaller, because it is so much lighter. This one is dark all day long. She thinks ours is nicer but she likes the light in hers also.

An interesting aspect of homes here is that some type of airshaft is built between apartments or condos. We see them through screens in the bathrooms which the Lyerlys (couple before us) covered with fabric. They enable us to hear conversations as well as all kinds of other noises as if they are right in our apartment. I am startled often by gasps, etc., which seem to be emitted from someone right next to me. The apartment next door is being renovated and we hear constant hammering all day. The Muslims chant their prayers at various times on a loud speaker. The sounds of baby cries and play will be a welcome relief.

Dilemmas

2008-07-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Let's see! Do we take Doxicyclene every day to prevent malaria and suffer the side effects or take our chances with the mosquitoes?
What's the best way to use our time between 2 and 6 p.m. when the electricity is off? And I thought the occasional two minute outages in Snowflake were bad!
Which of the 14 switches in each room (clustered on different walls) do we touch to turn on the light or ceiling fans (thank goodness for them except they run only when the power is on). No rhyme or reason to location and there are a dozen switches that seem not to affect anything.
How many times can we use the toilet before flushing because we won't be able to flush again until morning between 7 and 10? At least we have three to spread it around. Water is off the rest of the day. Kaspers just got a notice today that their drinking water will be available only 1/2 hour every other day. Only one faucet is connected to the filter which we turn on and then fill as many bottles as possible for the hour that we have--as of now. The rationing is spurred by current draught. Normally monsoons start in early or mid June. First rain of the season was the day we left Bangalore (21st of July) for Hyderabad. No rain since. So if you're praying for rain, include India, will you?
Can we really trust the bleach solution in which all vegetables and fruits, regardless of peelings, are soaked? Found some kind of creature and waste this morning in the cauliflower I had bought. Needless to say it found the trash.
Do we put mothballs in the drains and endure the smell or just hope the cockroaches will pick on someone else?
Should we walk for the exercise and risk lung problems from the pollution or death from the crazy drivers (there are no sidewalks; we're just another moving blob on the streets--lowest in the hierarchy) or take the autos which don't protect us from either? (Most distances are too far and we have to take the auto or taxi--the latter is more expensive and more scary actually.)
Should we go late to the weddings or be on time and furnish the music and talks. No joke! It happened to Kaspers the first month and we were warned by Sister Nichols.
Do we have FHE (two per week for two branches) at the church and worry about getting home at night (plenty of autos available but mosquitoes are out and despite what they tell us, the dark is worrisome) or have it at our apartment so that YSAs can come early and stay late or show up whenever they want in between destroying our privacy and using our humanitarian office time?
Temperatures are in the 90s with 75 percent humidity. Bill and I drip wherever we are. We don't have a choice on this one; it's just a fact.
Just thought I'd share!

We Lucked Out

2008-07-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

These are the Eichelbergers. They've been out of country before and we were so grateful to have them with us. We honestly wonder if we would have found our way without them. Sky Harbor is a piece of cake. They are in the mission office in Bangalore in this pic. Dad said, "I'm about ready to pack up and go home (won't go into the reasons why) and she said, "Could I get in your suitcase?" Brother Eichelberger is in his late 40s and was a vet who sold his practice to serve this mission. We just learned that their 14-year-old son was killed in an automobile accident shortly before they did the paperwork.

If you have to fly, the Boeing Super 7 (at least I think that's what it was) is the only way to go. It's so big we felt we were in a house. Our seats from Chicago to London were upgraded coach with elbow and foot room (even a bar to put our feet on) and a delicious meal of salmon (Elder--Dad's new name--had chicken) penne pasta and green beans that were all delicious--not a TV dinner. We thought O'Hare Airport was bad with "go down there, turn left, take the elevator down, walk 100 yards and get on the train to Terminal 5"; but compared to London it was a snap. We took three bus rides and went through that many securities (seemed like a dozen before we finally got to Hyderabad). When we boarded the first bus, they announced it would be an 18 minute ride. We couldn't figure where they could possibly go for 18 minutes and it turned out just less than 15 because the driver was surely a former race car driver. We went through three l--o--n--g tunnels, wound back and forth like a snake, barely missed hitting oncoming trucks in our one-way, narrow lane. After all was said and done, we felt we had returned to our landing spot to take off for India. Couldn't see much. The ground was flat and grassy with an occasional tree, but the sky was a beautiful blue with the white fluffy clouds (some with rain stored) that we like so much in Arizona. The air was clear. At some point we (the other couple flying with us--see pic above) were taken to a room to get our boarding pass--no idea why we were singled out unless it was our badges). The Eichelbergers were given an upgrade to first class because of something or other. We asked for the same and let them know we were traveling together. They seemed interested in finding the upgrade but couldn't. She said to check at the gate. We still had to go through customs and there was the upgrade--in just minutes. I asked about Dad and his was there too so we had seats that reclined to beds when we moved them down to connect to the footstools. I probably slept that trip more than I did before or since--three or four hours. There were so many attendants to take care of us with food and drink--two several-course meals served on China all included and our upgrade didn't cost as it was listed as involuntary. Elder felt it wasn't right--wasn't comfortable with the pampering. Thought he should have been in coach. NOT ME! I was grateful for a wonderful blessing. It was nine and one-half hours (5 1/2 hour gain in time. We gained 1 to Chicago and 6 to London.). Those big planes are so much smoother. Hardly knew we were flying the entire time. Takeoff and landing were very smooth. We'll still be happy to never travel again though. What a hassel!

All our luggage arrived with us about 5 a.m. Sunday. Pres. Nichols said that happens only 30 to 40 percent of the time. He and Elder Linton (office, took the Eichelbergers) were there to meet us waving from the outside glass doors as non-passengers are not allowed inside any part of the terminal. We stayed with the Nichols at the mission home where they both did their best to orient us to this very different place and culture. The mission home is in a secured area and in one of many quite luxurious condos--for here anyway. We talked, did only Sacrament meeting, talked a little, took a short nap, ate with Lintons and Eichelbergers (Sister Nichols is a wonderful cook), talked a little more and went to bed. We woke up at 12:30 a.m. and talked to each other a while--about what we had gotten ourselves into and the noise and all that had transpired. Elder dozed off again, of course, while I remained awake the rest of the night.

Surely every person in Sacrament Meeting shook hands with us (100 probably) and the talks were better than some we get at home--so impressive. These people are believers!

We had learned previously that families (parents, children, and extended family) are very important but that marriages aren't. They are usually loveless as they are arranged, part of the reason being that the groom's parents want the dowry. The whole system keeps all the family members living together. The son takes his wife to his parents' home so that multiple families continue to live together with the oldest still making the rules and choices and determining the life styles. Women will usually be widows for possibly 20 years and want a son who can care for her. Her daughters are useless as they are living with their husbands' families. It's not a happy situation and yet family members will do anything in the world almost to help anyone who is related, including all the cousins. The Church, of course, believes that when you marry, you cleave unto your spouse so dating, love marriages and family relations are one of the big things to teach here. Brother Pinto, one of the first to buck tradition and enter into a love marriage, had his wedding pix at church and showed us the whole album. His wife, who was wearing a beautiful purple sari, stood shyly, though smiling, by his side. A Sister Kumula sat next to me and lamented her dismay over having two daughters and no sons. Couldn't help thinking she was in an arranged marriage but I found her husband very friendly and nice.

One of India's noticeable qualities is its extreme noise and it's noisy 24/7. Much of the noise is from the drivers who honk incessantly to say, "Watch out, I'm coming through." Streets are actually paved with broken and solid lines designating lanes but they have no meaning to the drivers. A two lane road will have six vehicles across--not orderly of course. They're all jammed together with an auto (three wheeled motor scooter with head cover but no sides) scooters, bikes, taxis (small vehicles like those in US) a few mini mini SUVs, trucks and buses all vying for the slightest piece of road. And I forgot the oxen pulling little hay wagons, cows--even elephants and camels (haven't seen camels yet but I did see the hind end of an elephant way ahead--and lots of dogs that all look alike--brown/white and lean. In and out they go, rarely braking, slipping into whatever opening they can see with an inch between vehicles and no more than that to dart back and forth. Dad was sitting in the front seat most of the time and flinching and making frightening "sssll-ing" sounds. That gives you an idea of what it's like to be on the road. President Nichols kept telling him not to look out the front window and assured us that his regular driver, Sampath (pot) who has worked for the Church since 1993 has never had an accident. (He did get a speeding ticket on our way to the airport for Hyderabad however; there are no police cars; policeman just stand by the side of the road and wave you down; some aren't honest enough to stop; Sampath was.) But there are lots of other noises too which we just can't identify. People are awake and out all night long and all day long. Kaspers told us there are 12 million in Hyderabad. In the chain of things, buses are at the top (so packed that you can lift your feet and be carried by the crowd) and pedestrians are at the bottom. There are no sidewalks so we take our chances and cross at the slightest opening figuring that the oncoming vehicles will swerve to miss us. I'm laughing as I write this. I have to laugh so I won't cry. (That's an exaggeration; we're not close to crying but THIS is REALLY different.)

(I've been getting into stuff I thought I'd write in the next blog because this latter stuff doesn't fit under the title "We Lucked Out." Actually, we really think this is going to be quite an adventure filled with so many opportunities to grow.)

Brother Sunday

2008-07-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

We ran into Brother Sunday on a break for Humanitarian training while he was headed to small group for this week's group of senior missionaries. What a cute and talented young man! Too bad we can't see him and his tie better. But that wasn't the best of him anyway as we already mentioned. This guy can TEACH! Although we would both say that the only place and thing not out of our comfort zone during our time at the MTC was the cafeteria, the teaching and inspiration made all the hardness worth it.

The Wonderful World of Welfare

2008-07-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

(This is a long post and perhaps on the surface not that interesting. But it's important so I hope you will read it.) Church Welfare Services is surely the best kept secret in the world. The way we operate welfare surpasses any other church or government as far as we are aware. The primary purpose of Humanitarian Services is to relieve suffering, to foster self-reliance for families of all nationalities and religions, and to provide opportunities for service. We help people but our main objective is to help people help themselves. The four main values in extending assistance are self-reliance, sustainability, leadership, and participation and work. We do not believe in or support idleness or the dole. When we look for a project or initiative that will help a large group of people, we get the people there to plan the project in a way to build self-reliance. It must be a project that can be sustained through the years. We look for a champion, one who is motivated and has some experience, to lead the charge with the idea of getting the people who will benefit from the project to do the work necessary to establish it. We also look for partners, non-governmental charitable organizations, community based organizations and sometimes the government to help with projects. The church then provides what the people are unable to provide for themselves. We are not in the business of training people so much as training trainers so that they can train people. That stretches our dollar and involves more people in the process. Our objective is to elevate people, to get them functioning on their own. As missionaries we are the field workers, looking for projects that the Church would be interested in supporting. We must do a lot of research and submit a well-documented initiative for approval. What is happening is unbelievable. People are actually improving their lives and although tons of money is spent, it is spent on the project and lifting the people as the missionaries are volunteers and paying their own way. Where else do you find anything as magnificent as this? Of course I'm just telling you it's so and haven't told you about any specific initiatives; there are just too many to write about now. I think about how Congress does so much talking about programs for the poor which are little more than doles and the means for keeping them poor. The Church is actually instrumental in turning lives around. We ate lunch today with Brother Reese who explained that the African people are willing to work hard but evil governments have kept them from having any means to prosper. Our eyes have been opened in so many ways. We are so blessed in this great country. We talk often how much for granted we take everything--we have no idea how much for granted our attitudes are. I have cried repeatedly because of the things I have seen and also because of the magnificent accomplishments of the Church. We don't broadcast our actions much because of the Savior's admonition to give alms in secret. But the Church explains when asked because we are to let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

The pictures below are of our humanitarian trainers who are just below the Presiding Bishopric in authority. Sharon Eubank is in charge of the wheelchair initiative and is an enthusiastic, fast-paced teacher who kept our attention all day Wednesday. She served a mission in Finland but probably before Demetria as she didn't know her. In our wisdom we decided she isn't married because few men could feel they could measure up to her with her tremendous knowledge and ability. Patrick Reese is in Welfare Services and did most of the training for two days. Nate Leishman is one of three employees (Gary Flake is the head) of emergency response. Miracles have happened in getting millions of supplies to people hit by disasters all over the world. In the United States, members often help in the cleanup or whatever else might be needed. (Not all our help requires the values. When people are in desperate situations, we go in to help.)

Wheelchairs are one of the four major initiatives. The other three are neonatal resuscitation, vision and water. A new one is the Benson Food Institute and a side effort is immunizations. That means that we look for ways to benefit the people in these areas. There's actually much more, however. The area leaders which are in Hong Kong can suggest all kinds of initiatives as well. We also have emergency response and try to fill other needs that meet the criteria or the values talked about above. The quote in the picture above shows that helping the poor and the needy has been a part of the church since its inception. Membership in the church does not matter. Willingness does. That is, except in some cases of desperate need, the Church tries to teach and involve recipients according to the values described above.

Pictures above are from the Bishop's Storehouse where they do almost everything necessary to sustain life. The only thing not produced by the church that is used for welfare orders is fresh produce which they buy from a wholesale vendor. On the left is where milk from the church owned dairy is processed. From the milk, they also make butter, cheese, ice cream, and chocolate milk. The picture on the right shows items (hard to see) put into kits and sent to disaster areas. The destination of the kits determines the ingredients. The Church has sent unbelievable numbers of these food kits to victims of Katrina, California fires, Iowa floods, as well as to foreign countries when disaster occurs. A film we watched even had Ted Kennedy commenting on the impressiveness of what we do. It also showed a Salt Lake Catholic priest who says that many hungry people come to his church wanting food and it is the Church that donates food for them. Also at the Bishop's storehouse are a cannery for both wet and dry pack items, a bakery (we sampled the delicious bread, jam and cheese), huge silos which store wheat, Employment Services. The Church also owns trucks and ships the food produced there to 38 Bishops' storehouses all over the western states. This enormous place where so much is done is completely spotless--cleaned by some of those who receive products. One of the most touching things we learned about was Atmit--a porridge like food, redeveloped by the Church, which can be digested by starving children. A picture of a six-year old African who was nothing more than a small skeleton covered with skin turned into a healthy picture within six months of eating the Atmit, all for the cost of $5.

The two pictures above center and right show displays of items sent to other countries by the Humanitarian Center by the hundreds of thousands. Top left are donated quilts. Mostly blankets are sent but they like quilts which not only keep bodies warm but also "warm the hearts." Top right are 1000 pound bales of clothes in a huge warehouse. About 15 per cent of clothes donated to Deseret Industries goes on the floor for sale there. The Church doesn't want to be in the business of selling second hand things except that the stores give those with special needs real jobs. The rest of the clothing is sent to Salt Lake where it is sorted for humanitarian purposes. Clothing which is dirty or without buttons, etc., is put aside and sold to vendors who deal with rags, etc. The people who do the sorting, 3800 pounds a day, are people without jobs, skills, or the language. Part of the requirement for the job is to work with Employment Services to learn English, acquire a trade, prepare resumes and learn to interview so that they can get a good job. They are paid above minimum wage at the center but do not receive benefits. About 25 percent of these people are placed in jobs. Many do not want to work hard enough and quit. Others who are lacking in skills return to get more training. Employment Services even works with CEOs, etc., who have been outsourced or whatever and gets them placed in $80,000 to $200,000 jobs. Impressive!

On the left in the bottom picture are items for newborn kits; next are school items for children whose circumstances keep them from attending school; on the right are items for hygiene kits. They have been sent also in huge quantities to the poor in third world countries. In addition, they have orphanage and health modules, much larger than kits. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent yearly on such projects. So think about donating to the humanitarian aid if you aren't already. If you consider that if every member donated $5 to $10 per month, we would have a tremendous amount to work with. Any donated money goes far because it is so carefully managed and neither these donations nor perpetual education nor fast offerings have any overhead. Donated labor is used in every situation possible and overhead is supported from other funds. It is the best charity in the world. It's unsolicited and it goes entirely to those it is for. Fast offerings are for members while humanitarian is mostly for non-members. Perpetual education funds are for members in third world countries to pay for their education after which they repay the loan so that others can benefit.

Lobby of Joseph Smith Memorial Building (used to be Hotel Utah) where we had a gourmet meal at noon on the 10th floor. We were seated with Dean Walker from Humanitarian Services who will be at the MTC Tuesday to teach. He said that a project is already started with the Presad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, which we will work on. So we won't have to start in the dark thankfully. Brother Rudd, 90 years old, who has been in welfare services all his life said he has fought for senior welfare couples to have the nice meal because they are going to places where food will not be as plentiful or reliable as it is here. This is the building where I had dinner with my dad following my BYU graduation.

Glorious Day

2008-07-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Lots of meetings today--all wonderful. The cafeteria this morning was a great example for honoring the Sabbath as there were no workers and only cereal and bagels with a small packet of cream cheese were offered. They were back to work for lunch and dinner. I suppose the student workers were given time for their own church meetings before coming to work.

We have listened to lots of good music by talented young missionaries. Several young elders were very accomplished on the piano and one played the cello--excellent. A sister with a very good voice sang and accompanied herself. Two trios of sisters, each of which are going to the same mission, were outstanding. Mary Ellen Edmunds, a noted and fun loving church speaker, spoke in our RS. At one point she shouted and repeated, "Sisters, DO NOT TOUCH THE ELDERS!" Then she added, "It's all right if you take note of the ones you want to touch later!"

Had some rather pointed instruction on our dress. I talked to Sister Boone (MTC President's wife) afterward. Turns out that Pres. Boone is a brother to Flake, George and John in Snowflake. Alyssa and Cameron know them I'm sure. Their mother was a Flake. Pres. Boone has a good sense of humor along with his inspiration. He kept us chuckling at our first meeting this week and again at the farewell meeting tonight for all missionaries who were having their last Sunday today. Only 222 are leaving, which he said is a small group, but they are headed to all parts of the world. The MTC administrator, Brother Heaton, talked at the fireside on repentance. It was unusually good and thought provoking. He used Alma 26 quite a bit and pictured it as a positive experience with blessings.

Just for me I'm sure, Pres. Boone told us we are to be strictly neutral on politics. Being shielded from the world here without thinking of my usual political concerns is a good feeling. We will soon go into the world, however, and among us, all deal with every situation imaginable. For now it's just nice to be uplifted.

A Little of Everything

2008-07-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

(Guess you know what the statue is about. This is in back of the Wilford Woodruff building where most things go on for us--eating, learning in large groups, entrance to the MTC, the chapel where parents go one way and new missionaries go the other. Hate publishing pix of me. Dad says I'm not as heavy as the pic--isn't he sweet? I almost believe him because none of the women in the pic of our small group are as heavy as they look either. What I'm wearing really isn't missionary attire except for the black jacket. Some women have just what I was looking for and couldn't find while others are even more casual than I am here. I took the chance because it's P-Day.)

Enjoyed nearly a three-hour gathering this morning of welfare services missionaries. The stories, instruction, promises for us and our families, and testimonies (Brother Jensen called on one half of each couple--a man and a woman at a time; Dad was chosen.) were one more round of inspiration and uplift with quite a few tears flowing from me again. We will be in smaller groups next week.

We bought detergent, dryer sheets and a laundry bag at the bookstore and did our laundry in the afternoon where we talked to the Higleys who will be an office couple in Washington DC North. The elders there had their scriptures and practice material not wasting a minute while their clothes were being cleaned. Also walked around and sat on benches outside while waiting. One elder approached asking permission to practice his Spanish. He did really well for only two weeks. Saw another two sitting on a bench with their heads bowed in prayer. Wanted a picture but thought it irreverent to take it. These young people are so amazing with their commitment to the Lord.

We've read scriptures and from "Providing in the Lord's Way" in between good meals (we'll miss the food and having it prepared).

First and Ten, Do It Again, Harder, Harder

2008-07-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

(Just trying to show a litle of the scenery which we enjoy daily. At the top is "Y" Mountain, which looks higher in person than in the picture. We were at the edge of the MTC to take it. We took all the pix today of the blogs posted through now except the one of our small group Friday. Hard to think of pictures when we are so busy with everything else.)

The title certainly describes one aspect of this week. The amazing thing is that we actually made the touchdown. Probably missed the extra point. Now that I can look back without so much stress, I see a spiritually inspiring, rather unbelievable week of intense but uplifting training. Whoever is in charge has conceived a master schedule of events. And these young trainers taught with such spirit, knowledge, conviction and super ability. We are already better than when we came just five days ago. My tears have flowed either because my heart was touched or because of painful trembling and shaking. The Spirit caused the former and healed the latter. It is an experience neither of us will forget.

Brother Sunday, our small group leader, took to Dad's tie the first day (Alyssa's Father's Day gift). He has 160 and considers himself a tie connoisseur. He liked the purplish one for Alyssa's wedding as well. We figure him to be 23 or 24 and he is getting married August 23. He said that if any of us suggested putting him in our pocket to take to our mission, he would consider he had failed us. When I left today, I said "I don't want to put you in my pocket because future senior missionaries would miss the benefit of your teaching. I'm so happy we were assigned to you."

One teacher in the large group was a very pretty Sister Andelin. Of course, we're related. Her uncle is Brian who worked in the financial office where Alyssa worked while at BYU so she would be about a third cousin, once removed to our kids. She is much more outgoing than many of the Andelins--takes after her mother she said.

Long ago the MTC was in a single building on the southeast side of campus. Now it seems a campus all its own sprinkled with trees, grass, shrubs and flowers amidst 19 buildings. The church and missionary work are growing because the Church is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. However, we have been saddened to hear that missionaries will no longer go to Russia because Putin has limited Visas to six months. We look for a positive change in the government.

Hard Things Make You Grow--We Hope

2008-07-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

What can I say? They tell us we have so much experience that we can do anything. But they don't know Bill and me. If they gave us a week or even a day to prepare for one day, we'd be okay, but this spontaneous, instantaneous requirement to teach and talk is simply not our thing. I love it when I'm listening; it's like BYU education week. But the doing is the hardest thing I've ever done. Oh, to be a little more like Gwen Brimhall!

(I just wanted a picture of the cafeteria and elders. Should have waited until it was more full or some were performing their service. Also this is about one third of the space. Works better than any restaurant--quite amazing--as is everything!)

Bill has lost five pounds (Doctors' scales are outside our door.). Three nutritious meals a day without dessert (it's available) and no snacks in between or at night help--him at least. The cafeteria is geniously set up with several types and choices of food for every meal. They have ice cream with every topping imaginable on Wednesdays. I couldn't resist. We've never waited more than a minute in line even though there are about 2,000 of us. Imagine all those young men in their best dress. Surely the 2,000 stripling warriors of Helaman had nothing on these young men who likewise have believed their mothers and acquired the faith to leave home for two years and teach the message of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They make me proud to be associated with them.

The young elders have surely received etiquette instruction but they perform cheerfully the taking of our trays when we are finished, standing up whenever a female sits down at the table (there are quite a few young sisters), holding doors, smiling and talking to us. Pretty cute! Tonight Elder Reidhead from Snowflake (Todd and Michelle) cornered us. I haven't seen him since Alyssa used to babysit. He's off to the Philippines in six weeks.

Third Day's a Charm

2008-07-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

(This is our small class group whom we met with daily for special instruction and help from Brother Sunday and Sister Barlow. Wish I had their picture. From left: Reber, Jakarta Indonesia; Himle, Ethiopia; us; Riser, Laos; Marlowe, Houston, Texas. All of us have welfare services of some sort.)

The classes, films--everything--are so inspiring. We are being taught mostly by about 12 young returned missionaries, all of whom are extremely impressive. Three or four went to Russia. Bill said they either sent the best to Russia or Russia was so hard that it made them the best. Their ability to teach with the Spirit, with mastery of the scriptures, with questions and thought-provoking responses to ours is something to behold. (Of course, we think our son Cameron has the same credentials.)

Our investigator teaching experience was much improved over yesterday. Sister West, originally from Argentina, had real questions, though some were tough. In real life, she welcomed missionaries who taught her the plan of salvation 17 days after her grandfather died, condemned to hell by his priest for not attending one mass.

Bill's hacking isn't going away quietly. Neither is his snoring.

2nd Day

2008-07-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

There's no time here for a slow Swede like me. Haven't even been able to look for the q-tips and aspirin yet. Bill needs the former and we both need the latter.

We got up at 5:30 and it's now 7 p.m. and this is our first break. We're supposed to be at a devotional but Bill forgot his coat and of all things I did too and he was too embarrassed to stay as the only white shirt in the sea of suits. Men need jackets for devotionals and church. It's just as well. He started a cold as soon as we entered the MTC and it has turned into continual snorting, honking and catostrophic coughing episodes that only he can produce. Those who've heard him know. It's mortifying and distracting.

The plus side is we do have a little more time to study and bone up for tomorrow. We got through today but mostly because our "investigator" was slightly strange and didn't play her role too well. We want to be better prepared for tomorrow.

MTC

2008-07-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

For some reason the travel office didn't schedule our flight so we could arrive at the MTC in time for orientation and registration at 10 am. Instead we arrived at 1 pm and still had instruction until almost 4:30. Whew! Up at 3:30 am and no food for Dad until after 5 pm. A record for him and he was only just beginning to get a little ugly. We were happy to learn that another humanitarian couple is called to Bangalore. She is terrified--literally--and we were asked by the office couple to encourage her all we could. Our district leader is going to Ethiopia andwill also spend time in Uganda. They don't even have electricity half the time and no hot water, and we thought we had it bad! Of course the electricity goes out frequently in India too, we're told.

(This is the little walk we take from our room in the Jacob Hamblin building to the cafeteria and our large meeting room.)

Our reading assignment tonight was huge (three hours and that was without all the scriptural references) which we did but still don't feel all that prepared for tomorrow. We will actually teach the first lesson to someone and we're not supposed to use the book but rather teach from the scriptures. That's easy for Cameron and Billy but I've never taught without days of preparation. We're so-o-o nervous!

I don't know where the idea of no cameras came from because they said we could take all the pix we wanted--just not in certain places like the chapels, etc. There wasn't time today to even think of it but I will try to get a few here as it is beautiful. And the weather is great. Don't think it gets above low 80s during the day.

India Here We Come

2008-07-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Fewer than two days we fly out of Phoenix to Salt Lake, catch a shuttle to the MTC in Provo, and bone up for our big humanitarian/strengthen the branches adventure in Hyderabad, India, and thereabouts.

Eighteen months on the other side of the world is so far from our comfort zone we sometimes wonder if we can find our way back. President Nichols says that we will fall so much in love with the people we won't want to leave them. That might be true but returning to the US to be with our children and grandchildren will be a greater draw. We pray for blessings to attend them in abundance during our absence. In the meantime, we will serve the Lord and His children the very best we can.