Thanks to the generocity of some people on Paradigm Shift’s prayer network, we have now received over $800 with which to purchase mattresses, pillows, bedding, and shoes for 30 precious orphans being cared for by the church we are working with in India.

Today we are going to the store with Pastor Samuel to purchase these items and are hoping to surprise the children tonight. We will be getting the reaction on video and taking pictures. This will be the first time most of these children have ever had a pillow or have ever slept on anything other than a wooden table!

THANK YOU to each of you who have given for these children. As soon as we get back into the city where we have high speed internet rather than dial up, we will post all the photos, slideshows and video footage. What an amazingly exciting time it will be for this children’s home in the middle of India!!

Or so says Thomas Friedman in his book we’re reading that tries to make sense of the incredible covergence of communications, technology, and the effects of globalization as a result.

What’s interresting about this book is we see and experience it in the reverse order. While living in the States, we would call Dell Computer and be connected across the world in India. Now, we are in India meeting those hard working individuals trying to thrive in a global economy.

Honestly, it’s a bit scary when we see students studying in the mornings before school then at school for 8 hours and resume studying after dinner… six days a week!!!

I asked the 10th grade class what they would study in university and without fail all of the guys said computer science or information technology. With India just coming out of a socialistic economy to one driven by free market, it has unleashed talent and individuals to participate in global trade…

In the coming years, poverty in India will look different- more monetary wealth but still spiritually bankraupt – unless the church here rises up to the challenges of sharing Christ and the transformation of heart that he brings.

India brings a whole new meaning to the word, “color.” The women’s saris here are absolutely amazing bursts of color everywhere you look. Even in poorer communities, the women have bright, beautiful material wrapped elegantly around themselves as a sari.

I’ve never had a sari, but here it is crucially important, it seems, that when I preach, I wear a sari. So, I went with my Indian friend, Shulimite, to buy some. In the shop there were hundreds of beautiful fabrics stacked ceiling to floor. I told them 4 colors I liked, and fabric started flying off the shelves and onto the pillows where I knelt. It was like a parade of color! After much deliberation, I picked a bright magenta one, a beautiful pale blue, a red, and a black with gold accents.

Then, I had to get petticoats. Under each sari, one must wear a simple, cotton wrap skirt which is tied tightly around the waist with a drawstring.

Next, I went to visit the tailor, who measured me for the blouse, which is a short sleeved shirt that comes to just above a woman’s belly button, leaving the lower sides, back and stomach exposed. The blouse is made from the same material as the sari.  

When we went to church on Sunday, Shulimite helped me get dressed in my new sari. First she tucked the material into my petticoat, then around my waist, then folded it and pinned it to my shoulder. Then, she folded the extra material accordian style in the front and pinned it to my waist.

I’ve never felt so colorful in all my life! The Indian women are very happy that I now dress like them and many have kissed my hand or cheek to express their joy in my choice of attire. 

We sent some of this to a few friends via email and they encouraged us to share it on the blog because they were moved by it…

“We are pretty far out into the countryside in a small village town, but it’s beautiful – rice fields are everywhere as well as huge coconut trees, monkeys, and of course, the never ending “holy cows” everywhere. We are staying on the property of an Apostle who is responsible for churches all over India. On his property is a children’s home.

We are loving being with the kids in any spare time we have. They are so full of love and excitement even though they are so poor. We were so moved by their lack of – well – anything. We went into the room where the kids sleep and we were shocked that they have no beds! They sleep on a long, low wooden table covered by a sheet. They just sleep side by side on the table with no padding / mattress or sheets or pillows or anything. They each have just a few changes of clothes and one pair of flip flops and they share one small spicket to shower. The girls each have a dress or two, but their dresses’ zippers are broken, so their backs are exposed and the dresses are just held together by the sash around their waists.

On the terrace, they have a couple of wooden tables with benches which they use for studying, eating, and everything else. It is some of the only furniture they have. We went to the store yesterday and bought some beautiful red paint to paint their desks / tables and we bought little paintbrushes for all 30 kids and together we set out out to repaint all the wood on 9 desks and benches (for about $10!). We had so much fun, got SO messy and the desks now look beautiful and new again. It’s amazing how so little goes so far.”

A few people have written in and asked if they could give something specifically for this home. We have never done this before….but if there is anyone out there who wants to send a little extra money for us to buy some pillows or clothes for these amazing little ones, feel free to donate on our website and write a brief note about what you would want us to buy for them and we will surprise them by buying it and bringing it to them.

Although Paradigm Shift is not an organization who gives handouts to adults, when it comes to orphans, we believe the Bible says to care for them. God has put us here for a brief moment in time – so we are poised to do what we can.

No one here has asked for anything. We are, like many of you, so moved by their joy in the midst of having nothing, and would love to bless them from the Christians in America. Let us know if you want to help. We will only be here for another week and a half, so write to us know soon. Thanks!

Grameen Bank is credited as being the first microfinance institution in the world. Started in Bangladesh by Mohammad Yannus, Grameen focuses mostly on agricultural, rural areas. Effectively using social collateral – group lending and guaranteeing – rather than physical assets to make small loans to entrepreneurs, Grameen has become so successful that they have exported their microfinance methodology to many nations in Asia, including India. Yannus was recently the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize because of the innovative way he created to empower the poor to get out of poverty.

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