So… What time is it?

Hello to everyone from India! It has been a hot, humid, and crazy few days. Today is Thursday the 13^th of December; our journey here took 48 hours. We are very slowly getting used to the time difference. I am awake today as are all the others, although Ben has asked me at least 10 times if he can take a nap. We have been very tired during the day and have had a difficult time staying awake. We are 10.5 hours ahead here, now it is 11:15am. For you it is 12:45 am.

Our journey started early Sunday: and when we arrived on time at the airport, something had to be wrong. Alyssa’s purse, carry on, and jacket had been forgotten. Thankfully we were early and Frank was able to rush home and get it for us! Thanks Frank! We flew to Washington where we had our first 6 hour layover. Everyone was excited as we waited to get on the first plane. We arrived in London after a very uncomfortable flight: at midnight Raleigh time and 6am London time. I warned everyone to sleep, but they did not, they played video games and watched movies so they were all very tired and grouchy. Jacob was especially miserable; so we fund a place where we could stretch out, put our luggage in the middle of us and we let them sleep. So much for exploring the airport;, which was more like a mall. The 6 hours passed a little more quickly, since we slept a little. Around 1-2 pm we were able to board the plane. 

This ride was much better, more leg room, and better seats. Except that Alyssa, Ben and I were in the front of the plane and Thomas, Josh and Jacob were in the back. Ben was happy with all the movies and video games, he hardly slept during the 10 hour flight.

There were cricket players from England on board and they were quite rowdy. Drinks were free (Alyssa and Josh were offered beer and wine, I guess the rules in other parts of the world are different) and the stewardess kept giving them as much as they wanted so they kept getting louder and louder (not Josh and Alyssa). It kept Ben and I awake, not Alyssa, she was out and about the time they got quiet the stewardesses turned on the light and served us our second meal. But all in all it was a good flight and the food and service were good.

We arrived in Sri Lanka around 5:30 am, not sure what time it was in Raleigh and it was a sea of brown people. I really felt different and felt many eyes on me. I have to be more aware of what it feels like to be the different one.

The short plane ride to India was interesting: it was perhaps 95% men. Thomas says they were returning for holiday from work in the Middle East. It is very difficult to provide a decent living for a family in India, so many men (and women) work overseas.

These men were in a great rush to get on and off the plane; as if they thought you would take their seat or something. Best to just stand back and wait or you would get plowed over. When we arrived in the town if Trivandrum and the plane had barely slowed down (the seatbelt light was still on and we had not parked the plane) these men jumped up and began to furiously remove their carry on bags. The stewardess kept saying “sit down please” but to no avail. We could see that we were not even close to the gate; finally the pilot came on and told them to sit and they did…sort of. We, on the other hand, sat and waited until they were off of the plane.

Next was immigration, we were moved to a quick line and moved ahead of most of those men..ha ha. Some porters were waiting, asking if we were the Abrahams, they wanted to help with our luggage. It was obvious we were tourists, since we had 11 big bags and they wanted to get a big tip from us. Thankfully outside, in another very large group of people was Apacha. He tipped them 150 rupies (around 5 dollars) and they were very unhappy…they wanted 50 dollars each from us., just for colleting our luggage.

If Apacha was not there we would have had a hard time getting our luggage.

Of course, as soon as we left the airplane, Ben had to go to the bathroom. Now, if we did not tell you about the bathroom situation in India, let me just say that it is definitely not like in America! So, I told Ben he absolutely had to wait, it would be better to stop on the side of the road or something. But he could see a building “Pay Toilet…pay and use”, we could smell a horrible stench , I am not sure if I have ever smelled such a smell. We decided to visit a relative in the town so Ben could relieve himself.

We drove into a new world, I could never imagine anything like it. We went past a beach where many men were dragging in huge nets of fish, beggars lined the shanty filled streets, and there were people everywhere. After a quick visit to a cousin’s house, we were on our way to Maramon, the village where Amachi and Apacha live, a 2-3 hour drive.(but only about 70-80 miles)

 Driving on these roads is an experience one can never describe with words, my sister-in-law tried to warn me…..I am sure I would rather not do it again, but we must if we are to go anywhere. The roads are very narrow, maybe two- thirds the size of a small 2 lane road in America….and that is being generous. There are busses, auto rickshaws, and cars on the road…also people who have no regard for the vehicles driving on the road. There is no pedestrian right of way, traffic lights, stop signs, speed limits, no rules…none. The busses have signs on the back that say “sound horn”, you hear beep, beep, beep. There was a sigh that said “Avoid rash driving”. You pass whenever you feel brave enough(which is way too often), people walk in front of you as if to dare you to hit them, and the narrow two lane road somehow manages to hold a bus, a car, an auto rickshaw, and a few pedestrians….all at once! Many times I was sure we were going to die. Chaos…utter chaos, but somehow it seemed to work. Thank God I was exhausted, I put our lives in the hand of the Lord…forgot there were no seatbelts, and went to sleep. I slept most of the way despite the holes..no ditches that randomly and frequently sent us flying to the opposite end of the car, all the work of my chiropractor was wasted…or perhaps all I needed was the ride to adjust me.

We stopped after about two hours so our driver could rest and eat. We were all asleep and we just got out of the car, I forgot where I was for a moment. Suddenly at my left side was a very young woman carrying a little baby on her hip, moaning with her hand out begging for money. It was so disturbing, I had read about the beggars, but never thought it would hit home so hard.  Apacha and the driver quickly steered us out of the way and we went into the restaurant into a very dark area in the back for tourists that was freezing from the lone window air conditioner.  After all of that it was decided that the driver would eat a snack at another shop and we would wait for home.  He put Thomas, Alyssa, Ben and myself back into the car, locked the doors and left us there so he could get food.

The young beggar decided to come back and stand at each of our windows to beg for food, it was so sad. Apacha told us to never give to women with babies, because it is often not even their child and they use to baby to get your pity. Begging is big business in India, it is like the mafia in America. I was thankful to be on our way, even if it involved driving on roads straight out of Hades.

Finally after about 48 hours of traveling, we arrived at the house. We were dirty, exhausted and hungry. We were met with a cool wash, a loving Amachi, and a wonderful meal of chicken curry, rice curried yogurt, plantains…yum.  After a cold shower…yes it is very hot here, we enjoyed sleep…………..! This place is a sanctuary. Set away from the village. I’ll stop here, there is so much to say, I know that God has lots to teach us here, what a blessing to be here after many years of praying for the opportunity to come.

God is good, He shines past the poverty, terrible roads, and all else…He blesses and keeps those He calls His own.