So my First Serve Gap Year has come to an end. It is less than a week now until we board the flight to go back to England. I am looking forward to all the people in England and the country's beautiful views, but I am sad to be leaving here. I have had the most amazing experience out here, to have been able to get to know some local villagers (but not able to communicate) has been so amazing and to have been able to see true Tamil culture in all its glory has been great. The kids that I have taught and played with everyday are some of the loveliest children I have ever met. I will miss them so dearly they have made this trip worth while. I feel sad to leave them here and to not get to see them everyday like I have here. I feel like they are my little brothers and sisters and some are some good friends.
My last week in India has been an exciting one, whilst walking back to Simon and Sarah's house one night, Hannah and I were only a couple of steps away from stepping on a Krait. A Krait is a relatively small snake which is a shiny black colour with a series of thin white strips across its back. It is one of the deadliest snakes in India, you do not have very long if you are bitten by it as it has a higher toxicity than a viper and holds on a long while to inject all the venom it can. Sadly we had to kill the snake as it cannot be living around Mark and Ruth's house as it has been as they have young children. I also had the wonderful experience of seeing a Chameleon in the wild, close up as well. It was a rather large Chameleon and a bright green, sadly I didn't have my camera on me when I saw it so I didn't get a picture. I have been playing with the kids this week a lot, scored a few goals in football. I have been teaching poetry to my year 9s as well which has been fun. All in all a great last week!!
I cannot make my last blog without mentioning the whole Gap Year though. I have learnt so much about me, about God and about other people. I have made some really good friends as well, many of whom I hope to stay in contact with for my whole life! I feel very fortunate to have had the Gap Year that I have had, I would love to be able to do it all again in the same way.
At Tilsley Bible college I had so much fun and learnt so much at the same time, it was amazing, there again I made some great friends and consequently have some great memories. At Grosvenor I managed to work and have so much fun with everyone there, I was made to feel so welcome by everyone and it was so wonderful to be with everyone, and to work in such an anointed church. Here in India, I have had 3 months of hot sun and fun, everyone here has been so kind to us and it has made 4 months seem like 1 month. It is so true that time flies when you are having fun as from the 11th of February to the 7th of August has seemed like a blink of the eye. Friends have been made and memories formed.
First Serve has been such a fulfilling experience, through Echoes' help I have been able to have a Gap Year that has been like a dream. The course perfects times of fun and times of growth. Growth in your understanding and knowledge of the Bible and growth in your ability to relate to people. It has been so wonderful and I am so thankful to Tilsley, Grosvenor, Bethesda (Simon and Sarah's charity) and Echoes for making it all possible.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
James
My last week in India has been an exciting one, whilst walking back to Simon and Sarah's house one night, Hannah and I were only a couple of steps away from stepping on a Krait. A Krait is a relatively small snake which is a shiny black colour with a series of thin white strips across its back. It is one of the deadliest snakes in India, you do not have very long if you are bitten by it as it has a higher toxicity than a viper and holds on a long while to inject all the venom it can. Sadly we had to kill the snake as it cannot be living around Mark and Ruth's house as it has been as they have young children. I also had the wonderful experience of seeing a Chameleon in the wild, close up as well. It was a rather large Chameleon and a bright green, sadly I didn't have my camera on me when I saw it so I didn't get a picture. I have been playing with the kids this week a lot, scored a few goals in football. I have been teaching poetry to my year 9s as well which has been fun. All in all a great last week!!
I cannot make my last blog without mentioning the whole Gap Year though. I have learnt so much about me, about God and about other people. I have made some really good friends as well, many of whom I hope to stay in contact with for my whole life! I feel very fortunate to have had the Gap Year that I have had, I would love to be able to do it all again in the same way.
At Tilsley Bible college I had so much fun and learnt so much at the same time, it was amazing, there again I made some great friends and consequently have some great memories. At Grosvenor I managed to work and have so much fun with everyone there, I was made to feel so welcome by everyone and it was so wonderful to be with everyone, and to work in such an anointed church. Here in India, I have had 3 months of hot sun and fun, everyone here has been so kind to us and it has made 4 months seem like 1 month. It is so true that time flies when you are having fun as from the 11th of February to the 7th of August has seemed like a blink of the eye. Friends have been made and memories formed.
First Serve has been such a fulfilling experience, through Echoes' help I have been able to have a Gap Year that has been like a dream. The course perfects times of fun and times of growth. Growth in your understanding and knowledge of the Bible and growth in your ability to relate to people. It has been so wonderful and I am so thankful to Tilsley, Grosvenor, Bethesda (Simon and Sarah's charity) and Echoes for making it all possible.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
James
