Reconnecting in Bangalore

Last fall I realized that it was time that I reconnected with my kids in Bangalore India for it had been almost 5 years since I saw them last! I guess I need to stop calling them my "kids" when they are both in their 20s already... I got to know them 12 years ago before they were teenagers and, admittedly, it's a hard habit to break =) At any rate, a lot can happen over these years and, even though we connect a few times every month via email, there is nothing like sitting down to catch up in person.

It turns out my time with Pongchai and Yongmeth was a jam-packed few days over Christmas this year. In order to get in as much 'together time' as possible, I booked a room for them at St Marks Hotel where I was staying. This would help us avoid the hours of travel across Bangalore between residences. Judging by how this brother-sister team moved into their hotel room and enjoyed the breakfast buffet, I have no doubt they enjoyed their time away from their regular routine of working at the local church and attending college.

It is safe to say that we spent much of our time in conversation -- topics from family histories to getting up-to-speed with the sponsored students in India.

In the hotel one morning, Yongmeth shared how his family only a couple generations ago were literal headhunters and his grandfather was king of their tribe. As a Christmas gift, these guys gave me a beautiful formal vest and tie complete with a woven-in family emblem displaying both sword and feathers. What an incredibly meaningful gift to receive! It's a long story as to how they got to their present situation in life but, needless to say, they appreciate the help with tuition costs and discussing future plans now that their education is coming to an end. To quote Yongmeth, "It's like being in the desert and water comes pouring over you."

Both remember our meeting at Starbucks 5 years ago when I told them I would support them with their education. Here's a link to my last blog post about this visit. In fact, Pongchai and Yongmeth were two of the first kids I agreed to sponsor and now 8 others are sponsored and studying in various grades -- from grade 2 to college. How great to witness God at work expanding this ministry and watching these kids graduate from high school and college in the process!

So it seemed fitting to find another Starbucks this time (close to our hotel) to continue our conversation and talk about the next phase after their studies. Spending my time as High School Counselor in Bangkok these past 8 years certainly prepared me for conversations like these. However, I was not completely familiar with how things operate in India, so Pongchai spent time getting me up-to-speed on the various levels and routes of education together with career possibilities after graduation. The napkins sure came in handy that day =)

The idea of possibly starting a Children's Home in Nagaland (one of the seven states in northeast part of India) for students who are studying in that region came up in conversation and we fleshed out that idea but good. In the end, we agreed to pray about the possibility of renting a home, outfitting it and providing for the students to live there throughout the school year while they study. There are MANY reasons that this Children's Home is needed that I won't get into here, but would be happy to fill you in on the details if you contact me regarding this.

Who knows what the Lord has planned for our futures? If God leads people to contribute to the monthly operating expenses, then I look forward to moving ahead to get this project underway. In the meantime, I hope it does not have to be another 5 years before seeing Pongchai and Yongmeth again in person.