After arriving at the airport from Delhi to Khujaharo, they picked us up in a car/van. Designed to hold six passengers in three seats, we packed the rear with luggage. This left four seats. Well, there were three of us. the hired driver, plus the representative from Kulpahar. Are you seeing any problems yet? They stuffed the crack between the seats with a pillow, and this became my perch for the three hour ride to the Home.
It was on this ride that the three of us became convinced that the road game "Chicken" was created in India!! Remember, the "proper" lane to drive in is on the left. Our driver kind of stuck to the left hand lane. One problem that was evident to us (but not to him, apparently) was that the other drivers meeting us were driving in the right-hand lane (the wrong one). Both drivers kept driving straight on towards each other until the very last moment when the other guy would swerve into his correct lane and pass by us -- Rob was convinced only missing us by inches several times. I tried to keep a straight face without yelping or grimacing, but am not sure I succeeded all the time. There was the one time I grabbed Mike's leg and held on.
Our driver was very fond of his horn. Had I known how fond, I would have grabbed a pencil to make tally marks! He laid on the horn multiple times per minute and sometimes extending his honk for many many seconds. Again, the road was packed with cars, trucks, pedestrians, cows, goats -- you name it. The roads varied from their version of a four lane divided highway and gradually got smaller and smaller until it was only one lane asphalted -- and of course there were several lanes of traffic going on.
Tomorrow, we will take the same route back to Khajuharo and Rob plans to take the video camera to document exactly how close some of these traffic situations get.
In the three full days we have had here at the home we've done a variety of things. We never dreamed their "set up" here was as large physically as it is. There are three separate compounds -- the Girls' Hostel and Administration, the one with the Boys' Hostel, the school, and the church, and the third one with the sports fields, hospital and Leah's Dream Home. Besides these three main area fuctions, there are guest housings, staff housing, etc etc etc.
Rob did a great job preaching at church -- especially for his first time with speaking with an interpreter. He did the same message he gave the last time at FCC, but even more succinct. He wrapped up the Fruit of the Spirit series and gave explanations about the Spirit's Fruit.
After church, they gave us a "tea". Their tea is Chai tea, and delicious. Along with some Indian sort of goodie, we sat "on display" at the front of the area while everyone got their treat. After that we were able to mingle and greet the church members. We were warmly greeted, sometimes with a kiss to the hand or the cheek. All the children are soooo friendly, and call each of us Auntie or Uncle, a sign of respect. They enjoy practicing their English -- "Good Morning, Auntie! Good Morning, Uncle." I guess this is their term of respect.
Monday and Tuesday we toured differnet parts of the Home. It really took all that long! We have met so many people; it is really hard to keep everyone straight. Monday evening we gave the hostel girls their gifts -- candy, pin wheels, slap bracelets to the younger girls, and journals and emery boards to the older girls. It was fun to watch the little girls play with their pinwheels.
Today, we presented white boards to a group of third grade students. These white boards will be used during their library time. We practiced with them asking them to write things down like their names, their ages, etc etc. Rob videoed a lot of this.
Then, at lunch time we gave the boys their gifts -- younger boys got hats, cars, and candy; older boys got candy and nail puzzles created by
power outage.... gott get out.
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