Monsoon. What a wet, messy life. Some days it hardly rains, some days it rains most all day, but there is never a day without rain. One must always carry an umbrella with them where ever they go, no matter the inconvenience. Right now I did not carry my umbrella with me and I am stuck because it is raining and I straightened my hair today for some stupid reason and now I do not wish to go out in the rain which I will have to if it does not let up in the next 15 minutes.
It is good to be back. Back in India, back in Lonavala, back on base. Seeing familiar faces and catching up, and at the same time meeting new people and getting to know them. The house I live in is wonderful. I love living off campus in spite of the money issues that very suddenly came up when I got here. I'm not worried. God will provide if that is where he wants me to stay. There is always the option of moving back on base.
Yesterday I experienced my first time buying chicken at the market. How incredible! You tell the guy which chicken you want, he picks it out of its cage, weighs it, then slits its throat and drops it in a barrel where you can hear it moving around, flapping and squawking. Then he pulls it out of the barrel and this bloody chicken then gets its feathers taken off amongst other things and he puts your meat in a plastic bag and then in another plastic bag. All without wearing gloves, all out in the open, all in the same place he has executed chickens for the last who knows how many years. My roommate, Chitti, who is from Hyderabad and very much Indian asked me how we buy our chicken in the US. I told her we just go to the store, and it's already cut up and packaged in nice little trays, wrapped in plastic. We do not ever have to see the live chicken. What a difference! I look forward to buying chicken in the future. Being here has always reminded me of Biblical times. It must have been a very similar culture when Jesus was around, except there would be a whole lot more Jews.
Titus Project starts on Monday. Three weeks of lectures, the seminar, teaching the students (me) how to teach what I learned during SBS and how to prepare and give lectures. Then I will go for 5 weeks to Delhi in North India and teach at IHOP (International House of Prayer) there, at least that is what I have heard. I am looking forward to being in classes again and learning. I am more nervous about this outreach than I am for two years as an SBS staff.
In a few minutes all the staff on base are going to our Base leader's home for dinner and so I must bid you farewell for now. Know that I have reached safe and sound and although I am having some trouble adjusting it is getting better slowly but surely.
