After a full and satisfying week we have arrived at our last evening in Lucknow. Bags packed, a final meal as a team, many thoughts, reflections and ideas as we shared together.
This morning we travelled to the HTC (Holistic Training Centre) an hour from Lucknow. This is a training centre for pastors where they do a 3 month course. Currently there is the first intake of women doing this course (20 of them) and we had the privilege of spending a few hours with this beautiful giggly group of girls from all over India. The training at the centre consists of bible teaching but also other skills that will be required once they go back to their own communities. There is currently a basic computer course and a tailoring course. The building is being extended, and the plan is to also provide training in mobile phone repairs, carpentry and bicycle repairs, to equip the pastors to become self sufficient. There is a beautiful garden all round the building and it feels like a refreshing oasis. We had a brief meeting where both we and the students sang and shared our stories. It was a special time. After a refreshing chai break (it is getting hot and humid here now and chai always miraculously revives you) we had a fun time with the girls making glass bead jewelry and doing nail painting and hand massage. Some of the girls said they had never experienced this kind of touch before. Dalits are still considered 'untouchable' in most parts of rural India.
This trip so far has completely exceeded all my expectations. I have spent this past week with six of the most compassionate and kind women with the biggest hearts! I have learnt so much from each of them. Together we have met many inspirational people who work with passion and faithfulness in dark places, and have been given a great overview of the holistic, wide ranging, transformational work that is going on here. We have also been in the midst of poverty and deprivation like some of us have never seen before. The challenge now is what we do with all that we have seen and experienced. (We are already talking about another team!)
As the rest of the team travel back to Ireland tomorrow Heather and I will be flying south to Hyderabad (4 hour flight) and then on to other places further away. We have another week of medical camp and other activities ahead of us so please continue to keep us in your prayers.
This morning we travelled to the HTC (Holistic Training Centre) an hour from Lucknow. This is a training centre for pastors where they do a 3 month course. Currently there is the first intake of women doing this course (20 of them) and we had the privilege of spending a few hours with this beautiful giggly group of girls from all over India. The training at the centre consists of bible teaching but also other skills that will be required once they go back to their own communities. There is currently a basic computer course and a tailoring course. The building is being extended, and the plan is to also provide training in mobile phone repairs, carpentry and bicycle repairs, to equip the pastors to become self sufficient. There is a beautiful garden all round the building and it feels like a refreshing oasis. We had a brief meeting where both we and the students sang and shared our stories. It was a special time. After a refreshing chai break (it is getting hot and humid here now and chai always miraculously revives you) we had a fun time with the girls making glass bead jewelry and doing nail painting and hand massage. Some of the girls said they had never experienced this kind of touch before. Dalits are still considered 'untouchable' in most parts of rural India.
This trip so far has completely exceeded all my expectations. I have spent this past week with six of the most compassionate and kind women with the biggest hearts! I have learnt so much from each of them. Together we have met many inspirational people who work with passion and faithfulness in dark places, and have been given a great overview of the holistic, wide ranging, transformational work that is going on here. We have also been in the midst of poverty and deprivation like some of us have never seen before. The challenge now is what we do with all that we have seen and experienced. (We are already talking about another team!)
As the rest of the team travel back to Ireland tomorrow Heather and I will be flying south to Hyderabad (4 hour flight) and then on to other places further away. We have another week of medical camp and other activities ahead of us so please continue to keep us in your prayers.
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