The Miracle of Service

Happy Indian Independence Day! I wish I had any thing else to say about that.

Today some of us took the 3 hour trek into Chennai to go to church. I somehow managed to find this great curta to wear that is somehow a mix of Chinese silkwork and maybe a dress that I could have been found wearing in 1989 (best ten months of my life). Katie saw me wearing it and told me how happy she was that I chose that one because no one ever wears it. It was kind of really tight around my chest but I thought it was worth it to wear something so vintage and neglected.

The church was located at the bottom of what looks like some sort of warehouse building, but almost every commercial building looks like that. We were greeted by a security guard before walking down, but from that point on it was literally just like any other LDS ward I had been to. There are 3 branches in Chennai, and I counted about 80 people in Sacrament meeting, 20 of which were from Rising Star. It was air conditioned and really quite nice. Sunday school, on the other hand, was a literal sweatbox. Imagine 30 people in a tiny 10x10 classroom with the door shut. Now turn the temperature up to about 90. And put on a lot of clothes including a super tight silk curta that is suddenly a very bad idea. This is India.

The directors of Rising Star--Steele and Sara Hendershot--were at church today too. They moved here from Utah about ten months ago with their five little kids Cole, Olivia, Boston, Oaks, and Belle and will be here for a year total. I just think that is such a neat thing to do with their family when they are still so young. While most American kids spend their childhood playing video games and watching TV, these kids run around barefoot chasing snakes and taking family vacations to Sri Lanka. Good for them. I almost died seeing little Belle in her sari. So freaking cute.

On the long drive back home, Katie filled me in on the terrible inequality between men and women here. I guess it still happens somewhat frequently that a man will enter into an arranged marriage to get the woman's dowry, but as soon as its spent up on alcohol or whatever, he will lock her in the kitchen and let her burn to death. These "kitchen fires" were outlawed years ago, but apparently they still happen. In this culture, women are kind of at the bottom of the totem pole. She must always prepare the meals but has to eat last after her husband and children, so if there isn't anything left then she doesn't eat. There have been a lot of birth defects in children due to the malnutrition of their mother during pregnancy. Additionally, domestic violence is common, and many of the village children we have here at Rising Star go home to abusive homes every day. Someone told me the other day that most of the girls here have been sexually abused at home and it truly breaks my heart. I am so grateful to have been born in a country where these behaviors aren't tolerated or ignored and women are loved and respected.

On a happier note....

It was so fun to play with the kids today for a little bit before dinner. I'm still terrible with names, but one little girl made me run around with her on piggy back until I was gasping for air. It is so fun to make them laugh. We had a little Sunday devotional tonight on the miracles that come from service and Tanner said something that totally rings true. The miracle here at Rising Star is not the hostel and the school and the volunteers. The miracle is that these children are going to grow up and change India. He had asked little Joseph on the bus ride to church why he went every week. Joseph answered because he wants to go on a mission and stop all the bad things that happen in India. At age eleven or twelve, this boy already has more faith and ambition then I think I have ever had. He sees what is wrong with his country (in his words, namely, the abuse, yelling, and stealing) and has already decided that by teaching his fellow men about Christ and repentance that he can change all of that. These children are the miracle here. What they will do is the miracle.

Today's high: The Indian guy sitting next to me telling me that my sandals were "the funniest slippers I have ever seen." And also seeing sweet little Belle in her sari.

Today's low: Finding out why all the women here seem so unhappy. And dinner.