Day One

Day 1 in India We got to bed about midnight but it took about an hour to get to sleep. I was awoken at 5:00am by a Muslim call to prayer that is played loudly over strong loud speakers. I took a shower and prayed before our day began. Our breakfast consisted of a bowl of mashed potatoes (sort of), mixed with nuts and raisins, a fried egg and rice. We then had some team meetings until lunch. For lunch we had a traditional Indian dish that was very good and spicy (which didn’t really agree with Bud or Jerry . The afternoon continued with team time and then I told one of the Indian team members that I would like to take a walk with him. That is when my eyes really became opened! The retreat center we are staying in Mumbai is like an oasis from the sounds, bustle and smells of the city. As we strolled down to the street, our conversation was a comfortable level. By the time we reached the street I found ourselves almost shouting to each other because of the traffic noise. How can I describe my experience? Think of rush hour traffic on the freeway moving between 20 - 30 miles per house and you are walking within one foot of the cars. On top of that add pot holes, puddles of water with mosquito’s, piles of trash and store fronts just feet away. With that description, you begin to get a glimpse of what I was experiencing. After a 45 minute walk, my friend, Jeffery took me on a auto-shaw ride (kid of like a rickshaw but with a motor. That experience was 100% fearful punctuated by times of terror! You simply would not believe how close the cars came to each other, how fast they can stop and how much they can avoid – safely! That evening we had a small ceremony and gave away some certificates for learning and teaching EID principles and then we had dinner together. After dinner, some church leaders came back to my room until 10:15pm and now it is 11:35 on Wednesday night (I think) and I’m getting ready for bed. It has been a long day. Accomplishments On Wednesday, I was able to accomplish meeting with the EID India team, teach a lesson or two, have some in depth talks with ministry leaders and do some more strategizing with Tony. It was a full and fruitful day. THANKS FOR PRAYING!