Chocolate chip cookies from Chokola, an Indian chocolate company. Unique and delicious.
Bought Margaret Atwood's pretty version of Moral Disorder and Belgian Waffles at the Brussels airport! Exciting. :)
Friday, August 27, 2010
Belgian Waffles
Chocolate chip cookies from Chokola, an Indian chocolate company. Unique and delicious.
Bought Margaret Atwood's pretty version of Moral Disorder and Belgian Waffles at the Brussels airport! Exciting. :)
A Brief Debrief
We had a short debrief session before we got on to the plane at the Dehli Airport. Everyone was so tired and exhausted after long restless days of ministry, tours and traveling, but I was probably at my most livliest state after three days of sleeping and sweating out my pharyngitis. Pastor James took us through a brief session of debriefing, and I was actually very challenged because I realized what I do once I go back is arguably even more important than what I have done during the trip. So here are some notes that I took:
- Being on a mission trip, our identity is somewhat changed. Going back home means confronting our old identities and we enter into our old cultures.
- As we go home, we are transitioning from being surrounded by a community to being by ourselves.
- We may be inspired by how people live, worship and serve in India because it is so different, but we shouldn't feel prideful about what we have seen or how we have changed. Instead, we must recognize that we come from a different context.
- Being on a mission trip, our identity is somewhat changed. Going back home means confronting our old identities and we enter into our old cultures.
- As we go home, we are transitioning from being surrounded by a community to being by ourselves.
- We may be inspired by how people live, worship and serve in India because it is so different, but we shouldn't feel prideful about what we have seen or how we have changed. Instead, we must recognize that we come from a different context.
- There are three different types of PMS (Post-Missions Syndrome):
1. Assimilation : Adjusting back so well that one forgets about the missions
- Tips on becoming an Integrator:
- Things to ponder upon:
1. What expectations do we have upon coming back?
2. How do I need to readjust?
3. What do we want to share most about the trip when we go back?
2. Alienation: Feeling isolated from surroundings and having a hard time adjusting back.
3. Integration: Having a balance between assimilation and alienation.
3. Integration: Having a balance between assimilation and alienation.
- Tips on becoming an Integrator:
1. Try not to bring closure to the trip, but make it an extension of missional life.
2. Confront something you need to change.
3. Set aside time after the trip to reflect and spend time with God.
2. Confront something you need to change.
3. Set aside time after the trip to reflect and spend time with God.
- Things to ponder upon:
1. What expectations do we have upon coming back?
2. How do I need to readjust?
3. What do we want to share most about the trip when we go back?
- Continue to pray for the people that we met.
- You will get sick of people asking you how the trip was, but learn to tell your story. sharing what God is doing in India is important because people in India don't have a voice.
- You will get sick of people asking you how the trip was, but learn to tell your story. sharing what God is doing in India is important because people in India don't have a voice.
On My Way
Jaipur - Dehli - Brussels - Toronto.
We're so close...
Listening to: On My Way- Phil Collins.
(Yes, I listened to the Disney radio channel on the airplane...)
Tell everybody I'm on my way
I just can't wait to be there
with blue skies ahead, Yes I'm on my way
and nothing but good times to share.
So tell everybody I'm on my way
and I just can't wait to be home
with the sun beating down, yes, I'm on my way
and nothing but good times to show
Yes, I'm on my way :)
We're so close...
Listening to: On My Way- Phil Collins.
(Yes, I listened to the Disney radio channel on the airplane...)
Tell everybody I'm on my way
I just can't wait to be there
with blue skies ahead, Yes I'm on my way
and nothing but good times to share.
So tell everybody I'm on my way
and I just can't wait to be home
with the sun beating down, yes, I'm on my way
and nothing but good times to show
Yes, I'm on my way :)
Shoeshiner boy
While Elder John and I were waiting outside the shops for the team to finish up their souvenir hunting, a shoeshiner boy approached us. He wanted to shine Elder John and my shoes, even though EJ was wearing an old pair of rugged sandals and I was wearing a pair of Old Navy flipflops. He took a long time to shine them even though there wasn't much to clean, so we got a chance to talk to him and get to know him a little bit. He was so dilligent and hard working, I could tell. He said he works from 10am to 5-6 pm everyday, cleaning shoes. Caste system still prevails in India, which means that shoe shining is the only career option for this boy. His eyes were similar to that of a mature adult and he seemed to understand the world far better than me in some ways. He definitely made an impression that he was different from many that we ran into in the streets of Jaipur or Dehli. He was persistent but unforceful, and he seemed reposed yet ernest. There wasn't anything else I could offer other than money, so we gave him the gospel bracelet that I was wearing as we said goodbye to him. He went off to find another customer with his tool box, humming.
How Dehli-cate!
The Grey City
We flew into Dehli in the early morning from Jaipur, checked in at a hotel to catch a few hours of sleep. We spent the whole afternoon in Dehli to tour around the city and to shop for souvenires because we had some time to our flight to Belgium. I don't think Dehli is actually called the grey city, but compared to Jaipur, the Pink city, Dehli is grey. Dehli is so different from Jaipur. There are no cows or camels on the streets. There are tall buildings, and there are yellow lines on the road that cars actually acknowledge. The traffic is way more civil, and the city is cleaner, but less colorful. People are dressed more smartly, and because there are so many tourists in the city, they are not as startled by seeing us. Even though Dehli seems like a much more comfortable, familiar place, I think I feel more attracted and attached towards Jaipur.
Shopping & Fashion.
I started feeling so much better on our way over here in the plane, thank goodness, so my shopping spirit was revived just in time. We bought nice Indian scarves and valuable antique souvenirs for a very cheap price, and had our third Mcdonalds for lunch. As far as taste in fashion goes, I have always been a huge fan of the plain style, and never considered buying anything of pattern unless they were stripes. But I am starting to love the complicated, sophisticated patterns of the Indian saris and scarves. I love the long skirts also. I wish I could wear long skirts even in Toronto everyday. They're so freeing and... well, freeing.
Just before we got into the car to go to the airport, it started to pour hard and we all screamed as we helplessly jumped into deep puddles of rain and dirt without a choice. We are so close, yet so far away from home.
We flew into Dehli in the early morning from Jaipur, checked in at a hotel to catch a few hours of sleep. We spent the whole afternoon in Dehli to tour around the city and to shop for souvenires because we had some time to our flight to Belgium. I don't think Dehli is actually called the grey city, but compared to Jaipur, the Pink city, Dehli is grey. Dehli is so different from Jaipur. There are no cows or camels on the streets. There are tall buildings, and there are yellow lines on the road that cars actually acknowledge. The traffic is way more civil, and the city is cleaner, but less colorful. People are dressed more smartly, and because there are so many tourists in the city, they are not as startled by seeing us. Even though Dehli seems like a much more comfortable, familiar place, I think I feel more attracted and attached towards Jaipur.
Shopping & Fashion.
I started feeling so much better on our way over here in the plane, thank goodness, so my shopping spirit was revived just in time. We bought nice Indian scarves and valuable antique souvenirs for a very cheap price, and had our third Mcdonalds for lunch. As far as taste in fashion goes, I have always been a huge fan of the plain style, and never considered buying anything of pattern unless they were stripes. But I am starting to love the complicated, sophisticated patterns of the Indian saris and scarves. I love the long skirts also. I wish I could wear long skirts even in Toronto everyday. They're so freeing and... well, freeing.
Just before we got into the car to go to the airport, it started to pour hard and we all screamed as we helplessly jumped into deep puddles of rain and dirt without a choice. We are so close, yet so far away from home.
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