Update #2 - India

We've now been here for two weeks, and that's absolutely mental, I still feel like we've only just got here! Except it all feels really normal, I don't feel overwhelmed at things here which is definitely a good thing.

So last weekend we did a bit of a tourist stint and went to Churchgate where we saw the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal hotel - lots of people took our photos so we felt massively popular that day! We also did a bit of shopping (everything is ridiculously cheap here!) and went to the sea to see the sunset. There wasn't a sunset but it was good all the same!

Sunday we went to Bandra and went to an international church where they spoke English - wooo! And that was really good so we'll be going back there. Bandra is like the most western part around us so we did some more shopping, and even saw an M&S!

All this week I've been working at the DCC which has been great - usually spending the morning doing admin and then playing with the kids all afternoon. They love playing with the volunteers and they have the cutest little smiles! There's been the Canadian and American teams there too so it's been good getting to know them as well as the staff in the centre!

Generally in the evenings we chill and watch films, sometimes go out for dinner depending on what food they have given us in the day. On Wednesday we went to a bible study in Bandra for women in church and then we all went out for dinner which was really lovely.

I went to the main Dadar office Thursday to help out with some admin stuff and I'll be going back on Monday too. Today we had an all staff prayer meeting at the DCC which was great to see everyone again in one place and talk about each project and how we can pray for them. This weekend we're going to Elephanta Island, and maybe going to see the nearby beaches and gardens. Absolutely loving India, and feeling so used to everything now!

Thank you to the people who have been messaging me, or writing on my wall, or skyping/emailing or praying for me - it really is appreciated and makes me feel very encouraged :)


 

Update #1 - India

First update of my travels and adventures in India so far! I'm having a truly wonderful time out here, it's been scary but exciting.

There was a massive culture shock out here as would be expected. A few things that took us by surprise though is the mental driving, not being allowed to show shoulders but midriffs being fine, how incredibly cheap everything is, how you only eat with your right hand, how it can rain heavily for less than 5 minutes then stop but you are still hot, how mental Dadar train station is, how you can get a tattoo on the side of the street, how our AC is on 24 degrees and that's cold for us, car horns sounding continuously, and people keep goats as pets. There's so many weird and wonderful things here, but that's just a sneak peak of what we've experienced!

I know it's extremely un-British of me to say so, but Indian tea is soooooo much nicer than British tea. We think we're good at tea, let me tell you that we're not!

Over the weekend, we were chilling for quite a lot of it around the town we're in which is called Dadar. We were mainly with the pastor and his son who we're living with, and on our own exploring. 

Monday felt like our first official day working, and we went to visit the Oasis office which was half an hour from where we were living. There was a team there who we met, and the main guy called Sachin explained to us what Oasis India do in terms of human trafficking prevention, and the two projects me and Beth would be working on. I'm working in the Day Care Centre (DCC) which is for kids who aren't in school to come and play and learn. Beth is working in the Drop In Centre (DIC) for women who want to have counselling, or lessons in tailoring etc.

Tuesday, we spent half the day in the DCC, and half the day in the DIC to get a feel of both projects. The DCC is in Mumbai Central which is one stop on the train. We met the team there, and the building where it's held. We had another mini orientation about the project and some really touching stories about kids there. We then went to the DIC which was the next stop on the train on Grant Lane, where again we met the team and had another mini orientation. We then went on a walk around the Red Light District. 

Wednesday, we spent the day at the DCC. Whilst we're out here, there's an American and Canadian team on different days, who are teams of 18 and 24 so occasionally they are with us in the two centres. We started with outreach where a few of us walked around the lanes getting the children to go to school, or come to the centre. Then most of the day we spent doing admin work for reports and presentations - they use our English skills and ability to type very fast. Although - we've noticed a massive change in the way we're writing English and it's not very grammatical! We ate lunch altogether as a team, eating curry with our hands which was an interesting experience to say the least! When we got home, me and Beth tried to make chapati's but they weren't exactly very successful.

Thursday, we spent the day at the DIC. We got to know some of the Canadian team which was nice - seeing other people from the West is so exciting because we're so few and far between! Again, we did a lot of admin work, typing up stories of the women and updating the files. Towards the end, some women came in and did some practice henna on us.

From here on in, we're both working on our individual centres for the next 6 weeks. We get weekends off, so we're going to do some tourist-y things, the team from Oasis invited us over to chill with them and we're hopefully going to spend more time with the Americans/Canadians!

We're both really enjoying our time out here - we've both been put way out of comfort zones, and had to face some scary things but we've conquered everything that we've been challenged with. I'm really looking forward to getting into my project, doing admin work for them but also playing with the kids. I know a tiny bit of Hindi, but it doesn't matter when playing and teaching the kids because they don't need words to be shown love which is amazing.

Thank you for all your continuing support, messages and prayers whilst we're out here!

Lucy xx

70 hours to go!

I thought I'd write a blog for the 6 and half weeks that I'm out in India for, mainly so I'd remember everything that happened, and to keep people at home updated!

As a quick overview of why I'm going / what I'm doing, is that I'm going to Mumbai for 6 and half weeks, with a company called Oasis India. They are linked to Oasis UK which founded Stop the Traffik which fundraises and raises awareness about Human Trafficking - the 2nd biggest crime in the world, with an estimated 27 million people trafficked. I'm going with a girl from university called Beth, who goes to church with me and our Stop the Traffik group at UEA. I'm going to be working in a children's day care centre doing something similar to a Holiday Bible Club type thing, for kids that have been trafficked, or their parents who have been trafficked. 

With 70 hours to go, nerves are creeping in a bit but I'm also so incredibly excited. So many people have been extremely supportive and encouraging, sending me messages and prayers and money and it's all been overwhelming! Thank you to those people who have been putting up with my nervousness about going, telling me that I will be fine (and won't die!) and generally been amazing. 

A year ago, if someone told me I'd be going to India to help people involved in human trafficking, I'd laugh at them. It's unbelievable that this is happening - and I don't think it's going to feel real until I actually step off the plane!

Song that's been springing to mind lately is by Casting Crowns - Dream for you:

So come on, let me dream, let me dream for you,

I am strong when you're weak and I'll carry you.

So let go of your plans, and be caught by my hand,

I'll show you what I can do, when I dream for you.

God's got a bigger and better plan for my life, and for the next 7 weeks and I can't wait to start this adventure.