She (India) has left indelible imprints on one fourth of the human race in the course of a long succession of centuries.
Well, I can't back up Levi's claim that one fourth of the human race has been affected by India, but I can claim that my experience in India left an indelible imprint on my heart.
I had opportunity to explore the city of Bangalore, the third most populous city in India (estimated population of 5.3 million in 2009) and was fascinated by its color, foods, shopping and traffic. Ah, the traffic! I thought roads in China were interesting. Seems like all drivers in India have one hand on the horn and another on the steering wheel. It really is something to witness: the constant drumming of horns against the ever-moving vehicles of all shapes and sizes. One difference from the traffic in China and Korea is the adding of auto-rickshaws, cattle-driven carts and farm equipment to the mix of on-road vehicles.
It is safe to say the three-wheeled auto-rickshaws dominate the roads in Bangalore. As an obvious tourist to the city -- sometimes I feel like I'm a walking billboard for the 'west' -- I had lots of offers from rickshaw drivers to take me around the city. Here's a random shot of a street in Bangalore lined with these two-stroke rickshaws waiting for tired pedestrians.
Even though city life was fascinating, the indelible imprints on my heart is the result of a unique mission opportunity I had: to live at an orphanage near Bangalore for a week, participating in the daily activities with the children and workers who live there.
I was part of a visiting team of staff and students from my school in Korea, all volunteering time and expense to encourage a group of 90 kids ranging from the ages of 3 to 17. As I learned throughout the week, these kids come from some pretty rough backgrounds yet now have the opportunity for an education, daily meals and interaction with an extended family of Christians in rural India.
The Home provides a simple existence for the kids, for they sleep together on the floor, have a small trunk to put their belongings, fetch water with buckets so they can shower, eat meals of mostly rice, play using their imagination together with whatever they can find, etc. Yet despite this (what westerners would call) sparse living, I found these kids among the most grateful and contented people I've encountered, much like those I met in the Malaysian jungle.
It was evident these kids cherished every opportunity to be with us. Our team stayed in an apartment above the orphanage so we could be close and interact with the kids from morning to night. It was a wonderful setup because the apartment allowed us time to bond as a team while giving us close access to the kids. I'll never forget the loud cheers when we would head downstairs to their living area because they were so happy to see us!
As the week progressed and we had opportunity to lead music, share Bible stories, lead them in games, crafts and help tutor their studies, we naturally grew closer. It wasn't just the kids who cherished our time together! Rarely was there a time when a team member was not carrying a little one in their arms or on their back or holding hands while walking. Incredible friendships and memories made in just one short week.
