So our time here is drawing to an end very quickly, and we knew this would happen of course, but we kind of feel like we are trying to draw in every moment. We feel comforted in knowing, however, that we have had a full experience and that we don't need to have any regrets. We have had a lot of spiritual thoughts this week on living in the moment, and cherishing what we have while it is here. One that hit me quite hard was knowing that everything has it's time, India has it's time, home has it's time. And when our time shifts from India to Home, we can rest assured that India time has played it's role and had it's impact.
"Your Journey has molded you for the greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don't think you've lost time, it took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now, and now is right on time." - Asha Tyson
I have definitely spent more time than I am proud to admit in my life wondering if I have made the best of each moment, allowed it to reach it's full potential. Let's always try to be the best we can in the now, and realize that whatever experiences that have occurred in the past have helped us get where we are now and become who we are now. Also, there are divine purposes in us being where and who we are now.
Today was our last day tutoring the kids at school, and we will miss working with them a lot, although it can be daunting to hold their attention at times. On that note, We would like to take this moment to personally thank all teachers, both formal and informal, for having the will and energy it takes to excel through the rigors of teaching. We may never know the full difference you have made in our lives, but we now understand . . . IT IS NOT EASY!!!!
We both worked with students today who had extreme difficulties reading the passage we were working on. The passage was designed to provide a few new and difficult words to the students so we would have the chance to help them reach understanding. However, we noticed that when a student struggled with those difficult words, then the previously simple words would also become much harder. Our students in particular started needed help with almost every word, and took to making a wild guess with any word that started with the same letter. Most of the words didn't even exist, but they don't know that. Some of the words they read easily still don't make sense to them, they have only learned how to make the sounds that comprise the word. This is a focus point for us. It is very beneficial for them to have conversing moments with us, because then they learn how to use words, not just how to pronounce them.
During lunch today, I (Jordan) took the opportunity to eat the Indian lunch the kids eat for the last time, because we will be gone doing Medical during lunch tomorrow. Southern Indian food is much different than the Indian food I fell in love with in England and America, that would be Northern India food, but the Southern food is still very good. Today, there was a vegetable broth we pour over our rice that I have been avoiding the whole trip because I heard it was spicy. Well, someone told me that today it wasn't spicy . . . that someone was wrong! It was tasty, I think, because as soon as it hit my throat my throat muscled constricted. By the end of the meal, I was sitting on the floor drenched in sweat, lips burning, stomach churning, water yearning.
Usually on Thursdays we do our talent classes, which aren't really talent classes just give-the-kids-an-experience-they-would-only-have-in-America classes. Which is why we did dirt cups that last two weeks. However, today all of the volunteers had a surprise for the kids, but we just told them we were still doing talent classes today. The Construction group came back early and got all of the preparations ready, and then at 5:00 we split all of the kids into their families and unveiled buckets full of . . . water balloons! The balloons lasted about 30 seconds, but the water fight with any water holding vessel in reach lasted 30 minutes. We made sure that everyone got to feel the refreshing water drench their India parched skin, though my cute wife would say she got the focus of most of my attacks. We had a great time with the kids, and it was so fun to see everyone drenched from head to toe. It was an afternoon we will never forget.
I take a break from my day describing blog to make you aware that the gecko in our room just made his hourly call. When we first heard it, we thought it was a bird outside our window, but then we looked to the source just to see a gecko crawl out from behind the air conditioning unit. We will have to give an imitation when we see you.
The cooks have been spoiling us this week, and tonight we got fries. They are still Indian style, but they taste so good! We love this experience getting right up close with the culture, but Five Guys, Texas Roadhouse, Cafe Rio, and Orange Leaf should be expecting visits from us very soon! The cooks here work very hard to provide for hundreds of people each day, and we are very grateful for the food always being hot, on-time, and good.
Saying goodnight to the kids keeps getting harder each night, as we realize we get fewer and fewer times to do so. Tonight was the hardest yet, surely to be topped by tomorrow. We got to do our favorite night time activity of singing and tickling backs, which will always be a highlight, if not THE highlight of our trip. Tonight, the house mother and older boys sat talking with us and asking us questions til far past their bedtime. Our house mother thinks we are going to be great parents and thinks we should have 16 kids! If that were to ever happen, half of them would have to be Indian! The boys wanted to know what we are studying in school, when we are going to start having kids, where we got married, if they can see pictures of the wedding, why Courtney cut her hair before coming, and of course why I have no hair (they all had great suggestions on how to fix that)! However, the main thing they wanted to know was when we are coming back. They thought every summer would be a great idea. Oh, how we would love to do that! We didn't fully realize the impact we have had on the lives of these children, and they may never know the full impact they will have on ours! We told them we were going to try to get our families to come at the Christmas session this year, so . . . there is the plea from the cute little Indian boys. They don't understand why we can't be here all the time, or come all the time. We love these boys, and we are grateful for the memories we have shared with them. If it turns out that we get to see them again, fantastic. But we have had a full experience and can leave here knowing that we have made a difference, and will never be the same ourselves. Thank you for living these last 3 weeks with us! We have felt you, and your strength and love have been carried through us to the people of India. Til tomorrow . . .
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