Workmanship

In the  month of  January we permitted  a government approved  charity to  hold a small exhibition cum sale for  10 days  in a tiny corner of  our  church  campus.

This  charity assists  and  trains  underprivileged  young  women from  rural  and  semi rural areas  to  learn  various handicrafts  and  skills . After  attending  their  school/college and finishing  their  household chores  the  girls  come  together to  learn needlework skills.

They  then sell the  fruit of  their  labour in the city and handicraft fairs. The money they  earn boosts  their family  income empowers  them as  women and  gives  them  self confidence as useful  earning  members  of society at large.

If they  sell  their  products to  city  shops  and traders, they  have  to  contend  with middlemen who  buy them  very cheaply and  sell  them at  exorbitant prices. For  example they  would purchase  a  hand  embroidered  bed cover  for  Rs 300  or so and  sell it  for   Rs  1000 in  the  shops. The  girls  hardly get  anything  for their  labour.

The  government  has  instituted  an Handicrafts Association under whose umbrella charitable   societies  can run  training programmes and also hold  sales.   Financial  aid  is  provided  for this  purpose.

We  thought this  to  be  a  noble  idea , so these  girls  could display their  skills  and  earn  some  money on our  campus.

Have a look at their handmade  linen and  clothes

The  girls  came by and chatted  with  mummy and me.

We  asked  them about their  lives and  families.

Before leaving they said

we spoke so kindly  to them.

One girl remarked to my mother,

"Aunty  we feel  you  have  a  heart

of  compassion  for  the  poor".

 'Not  all  city women are  so friendly '.

All  glory belongs  to God.

A  few  days   ago I read in  my newspaper  that

my  state  of  Uttar Pradesh has  the  most

cases  of  human rights  violations

in  the   whole  of  India.

Most  of  these  crimes are  against women.

The  police  is  no  help

thousands  of  complaints

have   been registered against

the  police.

Read  a  report  about  this

from  The Times  of  India

HERE

I want  to  conclude this post  with a

positive note with

the following article  by Ravi Zacharias

Our Father, the Weaver

By Ravi Zacharias

Some years ago, I was visiting a place known for making the best wedding saris in the world. They were the producers of saris rich in gold and silver threads, resplendent with an array of colors. With such intricacy of product, I expected to see some elaborate system of machines that would boggle the mind in production. But this image could not have been farther from the real scene. Each sari was made individually by a father and son team. The father sat above the son on a platform, surrounded by several spools of thread that he would gather into his fingers.

The son had only one task. At a nod from his father, he would move the shuttle from one side to the other and back again. This would then be repeated for hundreds of hours, until a magnificent pattern began to emerge. The son certainly had the easier task. He was only to move at the father's nod. But making use of these efforts, the father was working to an intricate end. All along, he had the design in his mind and was bringing the right threads together.

The more I reflect on my own life and study the lives of others, I am fascinated to see the design God has for each one of us individually, if we would only respond.

All through our days, little reminders show the threads that God has woven into our lives. Allow me to share a story from my own experience. As one searching for meaning in the throes of a turbulent adolescence, I found myself on a hospital bed from an attempted suicide. It was there that I was read the 14th chapter of John's Gospel.

My attention was fully captured by the part where Jesus says to his disciples: "Because I live, you shall live also" (John 14:19). I turned my life over to Christ that day, committing my pains, struggles, and pursuits to his able hands.

Almost 30 years to the day after this decision, my wife and I were visiting India and decided to visit my grandmother's grave. With the help of a gardener we walked through the accumulated weeds and rubble until we found the stone marking her grave.

With his bucket of water and a small brush, the gardener cleared off the years of caked-on dirt. To our utter surprise, under her name, a verse gradually appeared. My wife clasped my hand and said, "Look at the verse!"

It read: "Because I live, you shall live also."

A purposeful design emerges when the Father weaves a pattern from what to us may often seem disparate threads. Even today, if you will stop and attend to it, you will see that God is seeking to weave a beautiful tapestry in your life.

Moonshine, Holi and Chaat

NEW DELHI: An exceptional celestial treat is in store for sky gazers as 'supermoon', the biggest and brightest full moon of the year which will be closest to Earth in 18 years, will be seen in the night sky on Saturday.

"The 'supermoon' will be closest to the Earth in 18 years today and will appear to be the biggest and brightest of 2011, Director of Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) C B Devgun told PTI.

Saturday's full moon will be around 10 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter as compared to other full moons during the year, he said.
The term 'Supermoon' was first coined by Astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979. According to him, it is a situation when the moon is slightly closer to the Earth in its orbit than average, which is 90 per cent or more of its closest orbit, and the moon is a full or new moon.

Today, the moon will be only 3,56,577 kms away from the Earth, the closest while at the full moon phase in 18 years.

Earlier, there were supermoons in 1955, 1974, 1992 and 2005.

Regular situations of full moons coinciding with the moon's closest point to Earth in fact happen after about every one year, one month and 18 days when it is about 3,63,104 km away from the Earth, Devgun said.

"This is because the moon's orbit is an ellipse with one side 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other. In the language of astronomy, the two extremes are called 'apogee' (far away) and 'perigee' (nearby)," Devgun said.

At the closest, our natural satellite moon lies roughly 3,56,630 kms from the Earth compared to its average distance of 3,84,800 km from the planet.

"The moon will not only shine brighter but will also appear bigger as compared to other full moons during the year," he said.
The full moon will be at its best at around 3:30am, R C Kapoor, a retired professor of Indian Institute of Astrophysics said.
(story  from The  Times  of  India)

I  went  out  and took  some  photos  of   the  super  moon.  It  was  a wonderful  sight  enhanced  by  the  fact that we are  seeing it  after 18   years.I  wonder  what I  was   doing  on  a   night  like   this   18  years  ago .
In all  probability  I  was  curled  up  underneath  a heavy  quilt in  freezing  Mussoorie up  there in the Himalayas. Oh  I  loved  the  Himalayan moonlight - so  bright  and  sharp, reflecting off  the hillsides.

It   talked  back to  you when you  spoke  to it.

What  are  you doing  friends.
Take  out  your   cameras and  shoot  the moon  on  March  19th. Its  a  historic moon.
Its the  night  of  the  Hindu  festival of  Holi. People  are  celebrating around bonfires. There  is  music  , food and  gaiety. Followed   by  2  days  of   colored water sprinkling and  other  forms   of  celebrations.
 

I made White  Peas  Chaat tonight.

Click on the  name   for  the  recipe

it  goes  well  with  a  spicy,tangy, yogurt sauce.

You  can also add  boiled

potatoes  to it.

And  garnish  it  with  Indian  snack  mix and  tomatoes.

Yummy.

Now shoot  the  moon.

Are  you going  to  capture

astronomical history

and  share  it  on  your  blog?

Visit to an upbeat Shopping Mall and Multiplex

The  City  Center   Shopping  Mall and  Multiplex  is 

just  5   mins walk  from where  I  live

but  not  once was I able  to

darken its  stately  halls since  it

was inaugurated  2  years  ago.

Ash, Megan,  I   ,  Sonia  and  Abner

trouped  inside  on the weekend

they  were   here.

Its a modern  temple  of  wealth,

consumerism and  progress.

Ash  and Megs  said it  was  just like 

a Canadian mall.

Ash,  Megan, Abner, Sonia

Some  photos  are  smudged 

because  they were  taken 

with  my  mobile  phone.

Our  visitors  bought nice  apparel  and  gifts

I  am  an  escalator challenged  person.

Those  giant  moving   stairs 

are  the  ultimate  test  of  my  courage.

I  avoid them because  I feel

wobbly  and  dizzy  on them

and  I  fear  I  will  not  be  able to  get

off  in time and  the last

stair   will  swallow  me  up

and  grind me  into hamburger  patty.

I   wouldn 't  do well in Disney Land,

so  please  don 't  take  me  there.

 While  others  sailed up  and down

effortlessly,  I  took  the relatively  safer  elevator.

But that was   also  quite  an experience,

because  I kept  getting  free  rides up  and  down

thanks to the  smarter people in the lift.

I  thought  I  would  have  to spend  the

rest of  my life   in  the  lift (elevator).

Once  I  press the wrong  button and  sank

down  to  the  second  basement

and  had  to  be

resurrected again.

Later  on Ash treated me  to  my

first  PVR  Multiplex movie.

The   Kings  Speech - its  so

wonderful,  it  really  deserves

all the  awards  it  got.

Actually  it  was  after years  that I

watched  an English  movie  in  a cinema.

The  last  one  was Titanic,  in  a  grubby  hall

with  Ashish 's  family

(Food court)

The  rich  would have  to  eat  money,but

luckily the poor  provide  food

(Russian Proverb).

So  this  was  really  special-

sitting  in  a plush hall

armed  with  Nachos  and Coke.

And  there were just   8 or 9  spectators

in  the  theater for  the mid day  show,

so  it  felt  as if   we  had   booked

the  hall  for ourselves.

Mind  you  the tickets  were

very  expensive-

my  poor middle class brain reeled.

But  fun  it  was!

In the  basement  there  is  a

Spencer 's  chain store,

like  a  supermarket

and  I  quite  like  it.

In  closing  let me  tell  you

that  the  scans on my sister

Anjali (Ashish 's   mom)

did  not  show  any   alarming results.

But  the  doctors  will take

some  X-Rays to  double check.

She  is  weak and  dopey  after

the  procedure  and  sedation

but  will be  back at work tomorrow.

Thank you  for praying  for her.

There  is  a  vast  difference  between  the 

type  of  medicine  practised

in the developed  and  the  under-developed world.

In  the  west preventive  medicine  is practised,

whereas in  the  poorer  countries

curative medicine  comes  into  use.

What  do you  think?

How to Hide Jesus -Steve Turner

Photos of  Ashish and Megan  at  the  All  Saint 's  Cathedral. Its  a  landmark heritage  site  of our  city.  This  church  was  built  about  200  years ago  during   the  British Raj.

Both Ashish  and Megan   are  back in Canada. Today (March  10th)  is  Megan 's  birthday. Happy  birthday  Megan.

This  poem  made  me  think  deeply

How to hide Jesus -Steve  Turner

There are people after Jesus.
They have seen the signs.
Quick Lets  hide  Jesus
Let’s think; carpenter,
fishermen’s friend,
disturber of religious comfort.

Let’s award Him a degree in theology,
a purple cassock
and a position of respect.
They’ll never think of looking here.

Let’s think;
His dialect may betray Him,
His tongue is of the masses.
Let’s teach Him Latin
and seventeenth century English,
they’ll never think of listening in.

Let’s think;
humble,
Man of Sorrows,
nowhere to lay His head.
We’ll build a house for Him,
somewhere away from the poor.
We’ll fill it with brass and silence.
It’s sure to throw them off.


There are people after Jesus.
Quick, let’s hide Him.


Poet Steve Turner imagines Jesus being born today “in a downtown motel marked by a helicopter’s flashing bulb…” Steve, rock biographer and journalist, has been writing poetry since the 1970s. He selected 12 of the poems he has written between then and now which are about Jesus. They range from the “animals, stables, stars and babies” of Christmas to the “mattress of stone” on Easter morning.

Taken  from  rejesus,co.uk

Do  visit  this inspiring  website.

May  the  love, passion  and  suffering   of  Christ become  more  real  to us  this  Lent  season

Thoughts on Women 's Day -March 8th

Last  Saturday  I  dressed    Megan  up in  a  sari,

the   one I  wore for Namrita 's  wedding.  she  looks  like  an

Indian  Princes.

About half and hour  ago  a  plane  bearing  Ashish and  Megan  took  off  from  the Delhi  International  airport on  its  way  to  Canada with  various   stops. It  seems  my  heart  has  flown  with  them  too.

Participating in and  enjoying their  youthfulness,  vibrancy, vigor and  versatility was like  elixir  or  tonic  for  me. I  live  a  very  reclusive  life - I love  to  socialize  and  meet  people  but  my  physical  challenges  limit and   drain  me. I  have  to  be  on high  alert  all the  time - decoding the  stimuli around  me  and  solving  problems and  giving  assistance to  people in  my care.  I  am not  complaining  about  it,  it  is  what  God  has  set  me  aside  for, but   its  good to  feel  sheltered and  covered by  others.

Although  there  was  lots  of  activity  and   full  days while  Ash and  Megan   were here and  I  got   tired -but HAPPY-TIRED  as I  term  it. Both my  knees  are  very  painful,  but  I don 't  care -  the  pain is  worth it!  Please  pray  for  my healing.

When  I  went  to  the  railway  station  to receive my  guests I  caught   some  allergy  and  my face  and  eyes were  swollen   for  a  few days - but   that  did  not  stop me - I  just  took  my  allergy  pills  and   got  better.Ha-ha!

Laughing  and  joking   and  having  stimulating conversations  with  them was  such a  joy. I  laughed  so  much  after  ages.

As  I  am  growing  older and  my  challenges  are increasing I  need  someone  to  be  my  hands, feet, eyes  and  ears. I  am  confident  God  will  send  help as  I  work in His  tiny  garden.

Pray to the  Lord  of  the  Harvest  friends.

What  a  God  He  is! How  perfect in   every  way! All  His  promises  prove  true  (Psalm 18;30 The  Living   Bible)

Meeting with a Student group

Megan  sent  a newsletter  to  her  friends  last  week. Here are  excerpts  from  it.


Greetings from India!

I write to you from a church compound (plot of land with a church and homes on it) in Allahabad, India. My first two weeks have gone by quickly but have also been so full of new experiences, sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

I spend the mornings here in the garden, soaking up as much literature as I can about the early missionaries and testimonies of Christians in India.

Yesterday evening we went to the Evangelical Union (student ministry) at Allahabad Agriculture College. We arrived at a small chapel to a small group of smiling students. We introduced ourselves and got to know this little group as more and more students filtered in. By the time we were ready to start, 35-40 students sat in a circle, girls on one side, boys on the other. Ashu led them in a game of charades, which they took to very well! Then he introduced me and I had the opportunity to address the students and shared my own testimony as well as a story from Mark 2. In the middle of my talk, the lights went out (power failure is common in India) little flickers of green and blue lights came on as students propped up their cell phones to give light, and so i continued speaking in the dark. In due time the light returned and just in time because I was about to ask someone to read Mark 2:1-12 aloud. (God provides in all ways :) )

On the way home after the meeting, we drove over an old British bridge, crossing over the Ganges. Not far down this river is a shore where Hindu's bathe at a certain time of the year, believing their sins are washed away as they do. It is a huge festival, drawing crowds of pilgrims numbering millions.

I return to Canada next Tuesday, there is more to see and learn from here, so if you are inclined to pray, please pray for India, please pray that my heart and Ashish's heart remain open to what God is teaching us, as well as what He is doing through us.

We have invited the students over to the house for tea and fellowship, we dearly hope they are able to make it (exams are coming up, so it might be difficult).


Thank you for your prayers so far, God has protected us in profound ways (I have been leaning on Psalm 121) and has brought about great opportunities for both of us (I spoke at church on Sunday through a translator-- Ashu's aunt, and it went really well!)


Ashish's aunt, who we are staying with in Allahabad, keeps a blog. On it you can see a few pictures of our train ride to Allahabad (a 26 hr journey) and Ashish and I on a rickshaw: Yesu Garden Blog

God is good,

megan

Mornings  in the  garden reading   and  praying

Meeting  with students at  the  Allahabad  Agricultural

Institute now called SHIATS

Ashish  leading  in  a  game  of  Charades

In  student  gatherings and  churches  with  a  sizable

attendance  of  young  people

it is  customary  for  girls to  sit  on  one  side  and 

boys on the  other.

Our  city  is  quite  conservative.

At  the  back  you  can  see  a  new   bridge (Below) on  the  Ganges

This  bridge  was  also  constructed  recently

Down  the  river  you  can  see  the  old  British  Bridge  over  the  Yamuna  river.