"I HAVE GOT A CHRISTMAS SONG!!!!!"

It has been a while since a blog admittedly but the internet here in Pagadupat has been rather poor the last few weeks. This blogs title is in reference to a volunteers dinner here on the compound. Simon and Sarah's oldest son and daughter came back from school on Thursday. They go to school 6 hours away so the new volunteers being, Hannah, Pippa and I have not met them before! They are really lovely but they have made dinner times rather lively. The other night we were all telling jokes over the dinner table, Simon and Sarah's children who have just returned were hogging the limelight with lots of long jokes they had heard at school. In an attempt to gain attention to him, the youngest of Simon and Sarah's kids, shouted at the top of his voice "I HAVE GOT A CHRISTMAS SONG!!!!!" to which in surprise everyone fell silent and he consequently sang a rather violent rendition of Jingle Bells.

Life here in Pagadupattu (Pagadupat or Pagers for short) is wonderful. School has started, rather hecticly if honest, and I am getting the chance to teach English to 9th Standard (year 9). I am absolutely loving teaching them, it can be challenging as their English is not always great and there is a large spread of ability but I am having fun! I am also teaching subjects to 6th and 7th standard.

The temperature here has cooled a bit which is nice, actually sometimes at night I wake up rather chilly. Yesterday us volunteers had the privelage of attending an Indian wedding. It was so much fun, not my idea of a perfect wedding due to: people talking all the way through, the pastor up the front reading a text whilst sticking his tongue out and the extremely out of tune fat Indian ladies singing at the reception. But I felt very fortunate to be able to view it as it is something that not everyone gets to see.

In terms of nature not much has changed around here. I had a ghecko run up my leg, Simon and Sarah's oldest son has caught a fair few lizards, Hannah had a taratula in her room which when they brought it out I saw and there is a new member to the family pets here, Orion, a horse which on Saturday escaped and ran across the Indian tribal villages. So actually in hindsight quite alot of nature has happened recently!

I have started to regularly lead prayers for the boys hostel. It has been good fun preparing things to talk about. I recently talked on God's plan, I was talking to them about things in my life that haven't gone to my plan, and I became so thankful to God for all he has done in my life, for all he has taken me through, for the strength he continues to give me. It made me really know that like Phillipians 4 v 13 says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It revealed to me that I can't do anything without him. God has so clearly planned this trip to Tamil Nadu and I feel he is guiding and growing me every day here. I am so thankful for that.

Blog Again Soon

James

Slapalaka

Everyone was laughing after my attempt to say goodnight in Dutch to some parents of a Dutch volunteer who came over for a week. Slapalaka was not remotely close to the evening fairwell in Dutch. This sums up how my attempts with language here in India has been. I have been trying to learn morsels of Tamil so eventually I could utter a fragmented Tamil sentence, but all attempts seem futile. I can say the essential word in Tamil (porum) absolutely fine, as if i didn't i would be being fed far too much as the word is to say 'enough' of something. However, whenever i attempt with 'how are you?' which is along the lines of 'Na La Ilkin La' giggles erupt from those i am addressing as I seem to be saying it completely wrong.

Recently us volunteers took a small trip further South in India to Kerala, a place called Kovalam. Despite the constant staring at girls, the continual street selling and the vastness of stray dogs, i loved visiting the beachside sights of Kovalam. We even got a chance to ride an elephant, which was such an amazing experience, even though our promised 30 minutes turned into 10 along a road! Back in Pagadupattu the children have all come back from holiday and we are getting on great with them. One day one of the boys shouted to me to come see a snake, of which i was slightly to late and only glimpsed its back as it was slithering away in its hole. We also spotted a snake sun bathing near a pond, we were a safe distance away to see it slither into the water. I have seen some crabs in the local brook as well and had the oppourtunity to hold a baby chipmunk.

I am trying to get fit, due to the constant cultural reference to me being "very fat" and the persistent question of the boys as to whether I am off to get some snacks. I tried to do football practice and exercises with them one day - i did half of the warm up and felt faint and dizzy, the next few days i spent with sore legs and a shocked mind that these 14 year old and younger boys were so much fitter than me.

I have been reading Exodus lately which is challenging and rewarding. It makes me feel so grateful that we can approach God without creating a golden plated Ark of the Covenant and wear the weird clothes Aaron had to wear. The last couple of weeks have been tough for the families and volunteers here, but it is amazing how God has shown himself. It is amazing to see his hand in everything that happens here on the compound and to see how proud he is of everyone here. Last thursday i led worship for the all women cell (except me) which was a great oppourtunity to lead worship for the first time. This thursday i am leading the word which I am going to do on our identity in Christ.

Please continue to pray for protection for everyone here and energy.

Blog Again Soon (BAS)
James