Saturday, January 31, 2009

A Foretaste of India

My wife and I just enjoyed an evening with our son Jeremy. Before enjoying some of Famous Dave's delicious barbeque (www.famousdaves.com), we saw the new film "Slumdog Millionaire." It was produced and filmed in Mumbai, India and surrounding areas. I am traveling to the opposite side of the country, but I recognized many similarities: the use of mass transport, colorful clothing, immense poverty and the unclean environment. Like any nation there is corruption and vast differences between those who have and those who have not. People in India and America share the same needs to be safe, loved, involved in occupations that do not degrade, and creative to name a few.

I was a pleasure to share a "taste of India" with Nadine and Jeremy. If you choose to see the film I believe you will be blessed.

I will post again after I return from my trip and perhaps more of the film will come to mind as I make my own movie in my memory.

India Bound

Tomorrow morning I return to India for two weeks. I am a chaplain going with medical personnel to assist them in medical camps, teach people about preventative health care, lead Indian church leaders in a workshop, and provide spiritual reflection for the team. Please pray that God will open the opportunity for people to experience the reality of God's love for them. Pray for God's guidance for me as I attend to how the team experiences this trip. Pray for those I leave here.

Before I depart, I will enjoy "Slumdog Millionaire" with my wife and oldest son this afternoon. I look forward to sharing a piece of India with them in a small way.

The hotel in Chennai, India has internet so I will post more then.

Until then, keep living with all you heart the story God is writing in you life and whenever you get confused, exchange paragraphs with someone you trust you will find common ground on which to stand.