Greetings to all the good people of the Anchor Church!!
As I write this my skin is flaky and white, but you can’t tell as it’s covered in huge red mosequito bits, and sandfly bites, and ant bites…and any other kind of insect with teeth bites, but don’t worry…you can’t see those either due to the persistant layer of mud that covers them, not to mention the pen marks up and down my arms because I am sweaty enough to remove the ink from any piece of paper that I lean on.
I’ve been teaching english at both the school and the orphanage and If one more person tells me that the fox can’t get off the box I am going to scream, just kidding. Although I am learning how important it is to be patient. Sometimes when you think of missionaries you think of one adventure after the next and it is, but they are small everyday adventures, alot of the time (well I’ve only been here a week but it seems the same for Sarah; Phyliss has been running a million things I have no idea what she is doing half the time) its more about persevering and helping the kids to grow, to feel loved, to know the Lord and to get better chances in life. I’d really appreciate it if you guys would all take some time in your day to pray for the children, especially some of the older girls that I’m reading with, this is an amazing place, its full of love and God is kept in mind and conversations but with so many children its not surprising that some haven’t had much one-on-one time and some are still straggling with the alphabet while most of their lessons will be taught in English.
The girls themselves are amazing, they thirst for attention and it’s difficult to walk very far without being summoned to the other side of the complex or having one hanging off each arm. Also quite often their just playing and will suddenly be singing hosanna to the king of kings. There’s also a baby girl here who is about three weeks old, I love feeding and looking after her, she’s the perfect little baby so I think I want one of my own….I’ll have to grab a husband first…any takers?
In India people mostly have arranged marriages and then they start having children straight away. I always used to think of arranged marriages as a bad thing so at first I was surprised to find out they do them for the girls here too. But I realise, with so many things here, that just because something is different doesn’t make it bad.
Something else that is very different here is the roads. They’re crazy, pretty much no-one has seatbelts, although the drivers are supposed too and there doesn’t seem to be any sides to the road. People just toot to say they’re passing and hope they don’t crash. The coolest thing though is all the motorbikes. You see more in one trip here than in a month in NZ and it might be ridden by a dude with no helmet….or shoes……with his wife on the back….sidesaddle……and breastfeeding…….and another little kid in the front…..it’s replaced the family car here.
Church here is really conservative. Males and females have to sit on opposite sides of the church and girls have to all have their heads covered. Atleast there was an english service avaliable though!!
Everythings so cool and storybook like here…they grow their own rubber, get water from a well, keep cows and goats and carry big bunches of branches on thier backs like people do on tv.
I’m feeling a lot more settled and at home here now, although I get a little bit uncomfortable with doing peoples hair when the most adventurus I’ve been with mine is a pony tale….it’s all fun though.
And we’ve even had some western food up here, even a pizza…I’m very happy
I miss all of you heaps. I hope those who went to parachute all enjoyed it, from what I heard it was awesome. Stay safe and be cool
If anyone wants to email me I love getting them.
Love you all loads
God bless
Polly
xox
