India day 26-32

Sorry this is so long...and still not up to date.

Day 26:

I went to the largest (most attendees) church in India today. They have 2 services going on at one time – English and Tamil (the main language of Chennai). Then, they have 3 different service times. It sticks to one theme of India….sooo many people. Ha. I attended the English service and it was very similar to a service in America – quite a difference from the previous church I went to one day 1 in Chennai. At this church, the worship songs were songs I used to sing in middle and high school.  Yet, this church completely revamped the songs and made them sound better and more energetic than anytime I had ever sung the songs in the US. They had a main singer, 2 harmony vocalist, a 20 person choir, 3 guitarist, 2 keyboard players, 1 drum set, 1 hand percussion set, and special effect lights. It was impressive to say the least. But even more meaningful, the congregation of about 1000 worshiped with rejoicing hearts and voices of adoration. It was beautiful and comforting to stand in a crowd of brothers and sisters when I’ve been so used to feeling the emptiness in the crowds of India. So good.

Visited the National Institute of Siddha. Aka Indian Medicine hospital, research center, and university. They use purely plants, herbs, trees, and minerals – only organic things – to treat patients. No surgery. No chemicals. And because these medicines have been around for 1000s of years and tested on 1000s of people - thus weeding out anything harmful plants - they guarantee 100% no negative side effects. Very impressive.

Day 27:

Helped give PT to a 13 year old CP patient. I cannot wait to do this full time.

Celebrated Pushpa’s [Robert’s beautiful wife] birthday with sweets.

Departed to Ooty [official name is Ootagamandalam…say that 3 times fast] on a train. I completely felt like I was in Harry Potter, departing from platform 9¾ and headed towards a the magical world of wizards.

Day 28:

In early morning, after 9 hours of sleeping on the train, we arrived in Mettupalayam, the plateau below Ooty. We had to transfer to another smaller train – actually, the only steam engine still running in India, called the Heritage Train – for a 5 hour scenic route to the top of the mountains.  Unfortunately, I was nauseous from medicine, so I slept the majority of that trip also.

We arrived in Ooty and stayed at an old Swedish guest house. The estate consist of the guest house, a small aquarium, a home for elderly women, one inpatient care room, a dentist, a rose garden, a dinning hall, and a day center/rehabilitation unit for “differently-able persons”. I am sure there was even more I didn’t see. I spent the majority of my time in the day center with all the kids. Go figure, right. One favorite moment: Singing “If you happy and you know it” in Tamil, then in English. I love finding the cross culture similarities.

Went on a walk to the nearby market area. Ooty is covered in tea esates, which are beautiful fields of flat-top bushes with intermittent trees [to present erosion] that span across the rolling hills and mountainsides. Truly breathtaking. Makes me love tea even more, is that odd?

I LOVED the food there. Funny enough, Robert hates it.  I think I’ve found what separates the true Indian from the true American.

Day 29:

Hung out at the childrens' center all morning. Robert led a devotion, song, and skit. 

Spent the rest of the day enjoying Robert's company and getting to know him more.

Day 30:

I was extremely homesick. I learned a ton from the PT in charge at the rehabilitation center. Visited the rest of the estate - so I got to see how they have to be innovation in treating an inpatient quadraplegic patient on little funds. They do an excellent job. Medicine in developing countries is very different that in the US - and I am learning a ton about it.

This is India (TIIs):
India litters more than any other country I've been too. Its anywhere and everywhere.
Public urination is common and frequent. [I am grateful for the laws in the US now.]

We prayed for a long time for ICT. Keep it in you prayers also.

Day 31:

Psalms 119:9-11 was my prayer this morning.
⁹How can a young [wo]man keep [her] way pure?
   By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you;
   let me not wander from your commandments!
¹¹I [want to] stored up your word in my heart,
   that I might not sin against you.

Met new Swidish friends my age and who spoke English. If you have ever been in a country were you cant understand what 99.9% of the people are saying, you will know how exciting this was. We all went down  to the rehab home and played with the kids for a while. I really enjoyed my time there that day, as the kids and I become more comfortable with each other.

Went in to town to ride the Heritage Train back to the plains area. When the train goes over skinny bridges with a deep revere below...and you look out...it feels like you are flying. There were about 20 of these bridges and I loved each one. Maybe, because I felt like I was in Harry Potter again. Maybe.

I fully enjoy the ride back down. 1)I was awake this time. 2)We went down during sunset so the horizon bordered with mountains, tea estates, cliffs, and golden waves of clouds reflecting sun rays. Beautiful.

Arrived and switched to the normal train for the 9 hour ride overnight back to Chennai.

Day 32:
Arrived in Chennai at 5am. And I officially have some kind of sinus cold [But now on 6/29 its gone.]

Because I was sick and tired, we canceled our plans and I slept till 2pm. Whoa. But I felt a lot better. David, Robert's younger brother, came over and made lunch for us. 

Spent the afternoon watching "Behind Enemy Lines" on the computer with Niel [Robert's 6 year old son] and learning about the gifts of the Spirit from a book and the Word.

The evening was spent watching 2 futbol games. One of which USA lost and was eliminated from the World Cup. Big bummer.

[3 day gap.]

Today, Day 35:
I am headed to dinner with my family here, so I'll have to update the rest of the days when I am back in the states unfortunately. I've done SO MUCH there is just not enough time to write about it all while I am here. I want to give you all good updates, thus I'll wait till I have time in the States in a couple days.  I leave on a train tomorrow to head back to Bangalore, and then fly out the following morning at 6am for the 10 hour flight to London, 2 hour layover, and then 9 hours to home sweet home of A-town. 

Oh how I cannot wait to be back in the U.S. of sweet A.