The students have a non-technical background but have worked hard to learn as much as they can about the system they will help install and about the people they will be touching.
(No email/phone until Jan. 13)
Monday, December 26, 2005
Land of the Dawn Lit Mountains
i'll be leaving for Delhi on Dec. 31 and for Guwahati on Jan. 2 to accompany a Colorado College student service group who has raised money to provide a solar power system for a remote monastery in West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, aka Land of the Dawn Lit Mountains.
The students have a non-technical background but have worked hard to learn as much as they can about the system they will help install and about the people they will be touching.
(No email/phone until Jan. 13)
The students have a non-technical background but have worked hard to learn as much as they can about the system they will help install and about the people they will be touching.
(No email/phone until Jan. 13)
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Christmas Eve
It's Christmas Eve...here in Batesville, Mississippi.
Although this morning I was indifferent to someone pointing out that the Macy's annual Christmas parade will be shown tomorrow morning, I have been rather engaged watching tonight's special tv programs re-counting Jesus' journeys, one being called "The Footsteps of Jesus."
Thanks to first-hand awareness of the "flaws" of human nature both in myself and in others during the last few months--which cut short the positive flow i had wrongly anticipated from the good-will context of the situations, e.g. awesome Green Empowerment unraveled, the most peaceful of friends losing composure, and Dipti who i knew like no other becomes a total stranger--watching the documentaries on Jesus' amazing journey triggered questions on whether even the great ones of the great religions had human flaws...every now and then.
...Fortunately, I caught myself. Instead of starting from the holes of human nature and going forth to search for holes in the great ones, why not start from the great ones and go search for the Greatness in human nature?
I actually don't have to go anywhere right now to find the Greatness. Just as there were mishaps in the last few months allowing me to learn more about the flaws of human nature, there have been amazing incidents allowing learning of the Divine in humans.
One rather fitting incident to share tonight is running into Sister Agnes Clare:
Having spent the previous night on a rather cold sleeper train from Madurai to Bangalore and the afternoon trying to arrange transport back to Ahmedabad in the cheapest but most bearable mode possible, I wearily boarded a Maharastra state bus from Bangalore to Mumbai at 2pm in order to catch a 5pm train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad the next day.
I was no state to strike a conversation with anyone and fell asleep within minutes of boarding and pretending to read a book.
The nap did wonders and I finally gave a nice, full namaste to the lady sitting next to me, who had also woken from a nap. We did not say much initially, but both of us wondered what the other was about.
I was dressed in typical Indian garb but definitely wore my look of i-don't-belong-here, not knowing what such a long ride on a state bus would entail. She was dressed in a dull brown hue, much like the uniforms of domestic airport security or police staff in India. I kept wondering whether she was a security guard that hadn't had time to change before boarding, until I started getting annoyed that she was starting to invade my half of the seat...she I'm sure sensed my discomfort.
Thankfully, as sunset approached we both became lax and intrigued by each other's story. "My name is Agnes Clare, belonging to the Carmalite Sisters of the Saint Teresa, a.k.a. Mt. Carmel Catholic order."
Hearing my fake Indian-English accent and seeing that I was trying to read a book on such a shaking ride, she guessed that I wasn't from India. I answered her questions and I explained why I was there. She listened carefully and then described why she was on the bus.
"Our church about 4 years ago decided to celebrate our centennial by examining how closely they have met the goals of our founding nun who started the order in India several decades ago."
The assessment had led the Mt. Carmel order to realize that they should be doing more than just educating the rich (Mt. Carmel has a chain of private girls schools). Hence, they decided to annually devout funds to village sustainability, initiating the program in northern Karnataka first.
Sister Agnes, is the change i want to be. After having been a kindergarten teacher for 25 years, she jumped at Mt. Carmel's call for Sisters who could commit to social work in the villages. She attended a 9 month workshop on working in villages, which turned out to be nothing more teaching herself how to work in villages.
With her leadership, the team of nuns and coordinators have been able to successfully start 60 women's self help groups in 40 villages in Byadgi, Haveri district of northern Karnataka. She patiently answered my questions on the details of the money numbers and on how the women develop their sense of trust. Three years ago these women were too shy to say their names; NOW they strike at the panchayat leader's home when their needs are not met. Amazing. Chills every time i think of the groups and their growth in just a few years.
Along with SHG's, the program is progressing on issues of communication technology access, girls vocational education, hygiene, and health care. Sister Agnes was on the night bus because she had immediately left her quarterly nun retreat in Bangalore when she heard that 3 girls had not returned to school after Diwali break.....she went on to explain how she chose monastic life...spoke so naturally of God. ...Honestly, i was in Awe and....a bit jealous.
Of course the only way to break the streak of jealously is to become part of her journey. She needs to grow their health program but is too occupied in just keeping it alive. Funds are being stretched to keep their one travelling nurse, mobile clinic, and a strong Aids awareness. The European funder for their health program cannot send a grant for the coming year; they will not be able to pay the dedicated nurse they have. $500 this year would keep the nurse and the program alive. If anyone is interested in donating anything at all, please let me know. Also, any thoughts on how to make such a program self-sustainable?
...The bus stopped at a food stall. Sister Agnes and I paused our talk and looked out the window only to see 3 girls begging. I asked if we could just grab them and take them with us ...enroll them in her program. ...Of course she points to one of the girl's mother sitting nearby, also begging. She had just been explained why it is important to keep trying to explain to parents that their daughters can be such great assets for the family. Her strategy seemed to be to first touch the mother of the household via successful self help groups...
Selfless Sister Agnes as an example of the Divine in humans showed up over a month ago...when i thought nothing could compare to monastic life and thought the world of by chance meetings such as my run-in with Sis Agnes. ...However, there have been other examples since then, non-monastic and right under my nose...like that of my mother. Never does this woman think of herself...it's either her children or her husband she lives for.
What makes non-stop thinking outside of oneself a Divine quality? I don't know. ...but I believe it. While I have learned on this trip to the US that even making one's ownself happy is a form of creating peace for others...and that i engage in so-called service work only to make myself happy, there is still a distinction which Sister Agnes and my mother hold. ...Looking forward to the next lesson. Merry Christmas.
Although this morning I was indifferent to someone pointing out that the Macy's annual Christmas parade will be shown tomorrow morning, I have been rather engaged watching tonight's special tv programs re-counting Jesus' journeys, one being called "The Footsteps of Jesus."
Thanks to first-hand awareness of the "flaws" of human nature both in myself and in others during the last few months--which cut short the positive flow i had wrongly anticipated from the good-will context of the situations, e.g. awesome Green Empowerment unraveled, the most peaceful of friends losing composure, and Dipti who i knew like no other becomes a total stranger--watching the documentaries on Jesus' amazing journey triggered questions on whether even the great ones of the great religions had human flaws...every now and then.
...Fortunately, I caught myself. Instead of starting from the holes of human nature and going forth to search for holes in the great ones, why not start from the great ones and go search for the Greatness in human nature?
I actually don't have to go anywhere right now to find the Greatness. Just as there were mishaps in the last few months allowing me to learn more about the flaws of human nature, there have been amazing incidents allowing learning of the Divine in humans.
One rather fitting incident to share tonight is running into Sister Agnes Clare:
Having spent the previous night on a rather cold sleeper train from Madurai to Bangalore and the afternoon trying to arrange transport back to Ahmedabad in the cheapest but most bearable mode possible, I wearily boarded a Maharastra state bus from Bangalore to Mumbai at 2pm in order to catch a 5pm train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad the next day.
I was no state to strike a conversation with anyone and fell asleep within minutes of boarding and pretending to read a book.
The nap did wonders and I finally gave a nice, full namaste to the lady sitting next to me, who had also woken from a nap. We did not say much initially, but both of us wondered what the other was about.
I was dressed in typical Indian garb but definitely wore my look of i-don't-belong-here, not knowing what such a long ride on a state bus would entail. She was dressed in a dull brown hue, much like the uniforms of domestic airport security or police staff in India. I kept wondering whether she was a security guard that hadn't had time to change before boarding, until I started getting annoyed that she was starting to invade my half of the seat...she I'm sure sensed my discomfort.
Thankfully, as sunset approached we both became lax and intrigued by each other's story. "My name is Agnes Clare, belonging to the Carmalite Sisters of the Saint Teresa, a.k.a. Mt. Carmel Catholic order."
Hearing my fake Indian-English accent and seeing that I was trying to read a book on such a shaking ride, she guessed that I wasn't from India. I answered her questions and I explained why I was there. She listened carefully and then described why she was on the bus."Our church about 4 years ago decided to celebrate our centennial by examining how closely they have met the goals of our founding nun who started the order in India several decades ago."
The assessment had led the Mt. Carmel order to realize that they should be doing more than just educating the rich (Mt. Carmel has a chain of private girls schools). Hence, they decided to annually devout funds to village sustainability, initiating the program in northern Karnataka first.
Sister Agnes, is the change i want to be. After having been a kindergarten teacher for 25 years, she jumped at Mt. Carmel's call for Sisters who could commit to social work in the villages. She attended a 9 month workshop on working in villages, which turned out to be nothing more teaching herself how to work in villages.
With her leadership, the team of nuns and coordinators have been able to successfully start 60 women's self help groups in 40 villages in Byadgi, Haveri district of northern Karnataka. She patiently answered my questions on the details of the money numbers and on how the women develop their sense of trust. Three years ago these women were too shy to say their names; NOW they strike at the panchayat leader's home when their needs are not met. Amazing. Chills every time i think of the groups and their growth in just a few years.
Along with SHG's, the program is progressing on issues of communication technology access, girls vocational education, hygiene, and health care. Sister Agnes was on the night bus because she had immediately left her quarterly nun retreat in Bangalore when she heard that 3 girls had not returned to school after Diwali break.....she went on to explain how she chose monastic life...spoke so naturally of God. ...Honestly, i was in Awe and....a bit jealous.
Of course the only way to break the streak of jealously is to become part of her journey. She needs to grow their health program but is too occupied in just keeping it alive. Funds are being stretched to keep their one travelling nurse, mobile clinic, and a strong Aids awareness. The European funder for their health program cannot send a grant for the coming year; they will not be able to pay the dedicated nurse they have. $500 this year would keep the nurse and the program alive. If anyone is interested in donating anything at all, please let me know. Also, any thoughts on how to make such a program self-sustainable?
...The bus stopped at a food stall. Sister Agnes and I paused our talk and looked out the window only to see 3 girls begging. I asked if we could just grab them and take them with us ...enroll them in her program. ...Of course she points to one of the girl's mother sitting nearby, also begging. She had just been explained why it is important to keep trying to explain to parents that their daughters can be such great assets for the family. Her strategy seemed to be to first touch the mother of the household via successful self help groups...
Selfless Sister Agnes as an example of the Divine in humans showed up over a month ago...when i thought nothing could compare to monastic life and thought the world of by chance meetings such as my run-in with Sis Agnes. ...However, there have been other examples since then, non-monastic and right under my nose...like that of my mother. Never does this woman think of herself...it's either her children or her husband she lives for.
What makes non-stop thinking outside of oneself a Divine quality? I don't know. ...but I believe it. While I have learned on this trip to the US that even making one's ownself happy is a form of creating peace for others...and that i engage in so-called service work only to make myself happy, there is still a distinction which Sister Agnes and my mother hold. ...Looking forward to the next lesson. Merry Christmas.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Seed to Peace
Whew. The visit back to the US has surfaced many Dipti's. It has been difficult to see which one is backed by only Her.
Thankfully, i continue to have many in life to help find the answer...being with them i am realizing it is not an answer i seek but a path to embrace silently...i anticipate the search to finally become the path. All i have to do is let go.
"While there are many, many miles we must travel along this journey to creating inner peace, one of the most important is self-love. Without self-love, there will be no hope of ever changing our relationship with anything or anyone. No one would nourish a body that is despised and condemned on a daily basis. Only through warmth, compassion, and caring for yourself will you be able to move and feed your body in pleasing ways. Dare to love yourself. It's your journey. And without your support, you're not going to get anywhere at all. "
--Dr. Annette Colby
Thankfully, i continue to have many in life to help find the answer...being with them i am realizing it is not an answer i seek but a path to embrace silently...i anticipate the search to finally become the path. All i have to do is let go.
"While there are many, many miles we must travel along this journey to creating inner peace, one of the most important is self-love. Without self-love, there will be no hope of ever changing our relationship with anything or anyone. No one would nourish a body that is despised and condemned on a daily basis. Only through warmth, compassion, and caring for yourself will you be able to move and feed your body in pleasing ways. Dare to love yourself. It's your journey. And without your support, you're not going to get anywhere at all. "
--Dr. Annette Colby
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