The trip was totally amazing! None of us wanted to leave. There were 18 of us in total (including leaders); 9 girls and 9 guys. Here's what we did:
Day 1:
Sat. June 14 2008
Katie and I left Auckland International Airport at around mid-day. Flew over Australia and after an 11 hour flight arrived in Hong Kong. The flight was pretty uneventful, except that I lost my wallet and glasses. Had a 2-hour stopover, then flew to Delhi.
Day 2:
Sun. June 15 2008
Flew into Delhi at 2am. We met Caroline at the airport, who took us back to the house. We slept for ages. :)
We woke up at lunchtime, and it was raining. After breakfast/lunch, Caroline took us out shopping in Delhi. We took a bicycle rickshaw - wow, that was scary! The few traffic laws that they have in India aren't often obeyed, and everyone beeps their horns all the time when they're driving. And don't forget the massive skinny cows in the middle of the road too!
We went shopping for Sarees. I ended up getting a pale green one, and Katie got aqua blue. We had to take the fabric to another shop to be measured and stitched up for us. After that Caroline took us out for dinner - it was delicious! Then it was back home to bed (still jet-lagged!).
Day 3:
Mon. June 16 2008
The rest of the group from the US was due to arrive at 8:15pm, but their plane had been delayed 14 hours. But we didn't have to wait alone; Rachel and Sam arrived in the afternoon. Rachel showed us how to play the Tabla drums, then the three of us (Rachel, Katie and I) walked down to the shops to get stuff for dinner. When we got home we helped Rachel cook dinner, then after worship we went back to bed.
Laura H. arrived from Finland sometime during the night.
Day 4:
Tue. June 17 2008
Sam, Rachel, Katie and I went down to the airport the next morning, to fly down to Tirupati on the flight that we would have originally taken with the whole group - if they had been there! Unfortunatley, someone had accidentally changed Katie's and my flights to the next day with the rest of the group. So we had to dash around the airport trying to re-schedule our flights - in the end Rachel saved the day, the plane waited for us, and soon we were in the air - safe and sound.
We stopped over in Hyderbad, then flew on to Tirupati. We were met at the airport with hot, hot air, sunny skies, and Stephen, the 'video guy' from Maranatha.
After the long 3-hour drive, we arrived at Cuddapah SDA school. We were escorted down the path lined on both sides by the children, who shouted "Welcome to India!" as loud as they could, and they all wanted to shake our hands. They were so cute!
We were shown our home for the next two weeks - a room in the girls dorm for us girls, and the boys dorm for the guys. After dinner (which was really nice - again) it was off to bed.
Day 5:
Wed. June 18 2008
In the morning, we got a tour of the campus, and helped out teaching in some the classes. After lunch, we did VBS for the orphans in the children's home. We sang songs, played games, and acted out a bible story. Then we got to relax until 5, when we helped cook dinner, then went out to wait for the cars bringing the rest of the group from the airport. We all got soaked in a sudden rain shower, and sang songs while we waited.
Finally, they came! We got to meet the rest of the group, as well as Steve Case, the leader. Then we had a repeat of the welcome we had had the day before, only this time it was with the whole group, and they threw flowers at us. :DAfter dinner, we had our first worship as a whole group, and tried to learn everybody's names.
Day 6:
Thurs. June 19 2008
Wake up was early, at 5am with the girls dorm worship. Every morning for the whole trip we were woken up that way, with the girls singing (in English!) and prayer. It was so sweet...
After breakfast, we were divided into two teams - construction and landscaping. I was on the construction team. We were lead to the other side of the campus, where we hauled bricks, shoveled sand to make mortar, and continued what had been started on building the wall. We worked out in the hot sun until 12.30, when we gratefully went in for lunch.The teams switched after lunch, so now it was our turn on landscaping. We planted bougnvillia plants around the school, hauling dirt and manure and water.
Attempted a cold bucket shower, but unfortunatley all the water is hot. Had dinner, a short worship, then BED!
Day 7:
Fri. June 20 2008
The next morning we got to choose what we wanted to work on - I chose construction - and we worked until lunch. After that we had a leadership meeting, and got put into groups and assigned leadership positions for the following week in three different areas - leadership, spiritual leadership, and service leadership.
Audrey and Laura G. got sick, and later on that night I did too. Pretty soon we were all throwing up. It was nasty. We got so sick that they moved us over to the air conditioned guest rooms.
Day 8:
Sat. June 21 2008
By Sabbath most of us in the group were sick, except for a few lucky ones. They went off to church, while the rest of us stayed in bed. I dont remember much else.
Day 9:
Sun. June 22 2008
By Sunday everyone was sick except Pastor Steve and Laura H. Those who felt a bit better wandered over to the cafeteria, still in our PJ's, and scrubbed the floors. We ended up in a water fight, which lasted until the water ran out.
Day 10:
Mon. June 23 2008
Those who were well enough went out to work again. We worked until 10, then went to get a soda from the small booth across the street. Pastor Steve then gave us the option of going to work on landscaping until 12, or coming with him for a surprise. I chose the surprise, and luckily enough we got to go and teach the kids! It was great fun. I got to teach Standard III, and attempted to tach them math, and I got mobbed. :) In the end I gave up, and we played 'Simon Says' and sang 'Father Abraham' (their favorite song). At recess, all the kids shoved paper and pencils at us - they wanted our autographs! And they came up with a new trick - instead of always asking "Whats your name? Whats your name?", the question is now "Whats my name? Whats my name?". Not an easy question to answer, when you have to try and remember hundreds of names!
We dressed up after lunch in our nicest, most modest clothes and drove out to a nearby village. After visiting the church, we walked from house to house, praying for everyone who wanted prayer. We learned that "Whandanalu" is the greeting in Telegu, as well as thank you and goodbye, and you place you hands together in front of you and bow.
Day 11:
Tue. June 24 2008
We worked until lunch, then had another leadership meeting. We had a bit of free time - enough to do some laundry. If there was enough water.
Day 12:
Wed. June 25 2008
The leadership reins were officially passed over today, and group #1 took control. We began work at 7, and carried bunk beds over to the boys dorm from the bed factory - man, they are so heavy! We took a short break at around 10.30, then I got caught and dragged away to be interviewed. It went pretty bad, but oh well. :) Then it was back to work, this time sanding down the beds to get them ready for painting.
After lunch, it was free time! I took a nap and finished my laundry. Then we all went outside and played with the kids. (They love bubbles!!!)
Day 13:
Thurs. June 26 2008
Worked from 7 till lunchtime, sanding down the beds again. We had a break during the hottest part of the day (we learnt our lesson!), then worked again from 4-6.
Day 14:
Fri. June 27 2008
We worked until lunchtime, then dressed up all nice again and went out to another village. This one was further away. We walked around praying for the villagers again, after Pastor Steve had a short sermon in the little church.
We drove into Cuddapah, and had cake and ice cream at a little cafe for Chris's birthday. Then we went shopping for an hour or so, and got some good experience in bargining. We danced to Indian music all the way home in the car.We had a really nice candlelit vespers and communion on top of the roof. We sang songs for ages.
Day 15:
Sat. June 28 2008
We got to sleep in until 7, instead of 5. After breakfast we all dressed up in our Indian clothes and went to Sabbath School and church. Some of the people in our group put on a great skit for the kids called 'Stuck on Sin', led by Kelly. Then the kids put on a skit for us. We sang songs for them too.
After lunch we went back to the dorms for a nap. At 4 we all got together for some singing, at 5 we went out to water the plants, and at 6 we came back to get ready for dinner, which was at 7. As soon as dinner was over, I got whisked away to practice an Indian dance for the talent show that we were putting on for the kids at 8.
Katie and I had to sing the NZ national anthem. Our dance went ok, even though we had only had 10 minutes to get ready for it. The kids were awesome. :)
Day 16:
Sun. June 29 2008
Breakfast wasn't until 8, so we really got to sleep in. At breakfast we found out that the kids had watered the plants for us, so we didn't need to do anything until the school opening at 10.
The Official School Opening went pretty well. It was really crowded, there were a ton of speeches, and the pile of shoes outside the door was enourmous - it was almost impossible to find my shoes at the end!
That afternoon we went out to another village to see the opening of a new SDA church. It was quite close to the school. When we got there we did the usual prayers at the houses. I met a small girl named Mary - I would have guessed that she was about 12 or so, but she was actually 16, and older than me! She attached herself to me right from the start, and she showed me around the village. "Me no English, you no Telegu", she said, so she would name things in Telegu and I would tell her the name in English. :) It was really fun. We went into one house that had a tiny grey kitten that Rachel fell in love with, and would have taken home if she could! I met Mary's cousin Shanti, who is 6 - she is adorable!
The church opening went well, and sadly I soon had to say goodbye to Mary and Shanti. Then we went back to the dorms to pack. The girls from the school came into our room crying, because by now they had figured out that we were leaving. They brought us food, bracelets, hair clips, and even pieces of string as goodbye presents. It was so sad...
Day 17:
Mon. June 30 2008
We left the school this morning. It was the hardest thing I've had to do on this mission trip. I cried. It was so sad, knowing that I probably won't see these kids or the school again. At that moment I would have done anything to stay.
We drove in the buses back to Tirupati, and stopped at Grand World - a hotel and water park. Someone had donated money to Maranatha so that we could stay there overnight! It was great fun, and the slides were wonderful. And the food was delicious!
Day 18:
Tue. July 1 2008
We left the hotel and waited at Tirupati Airport for our plane back to Delhi. It was late, as usual. When finally we got back at 10, we went to McDonalds for dinner. The McDonalds menu was almost completly vegetarian, which was quite a nice surprise.
We called our parents from the Maranatha office - the first time we'd contacted them for over two weeks! Then we stayed there for the night.
Day 19:
Wed. July 2 2008
We had an early morning start, and we were loaded in the bus and on the way to Agra by 5 in the morning. We had breakfast on the way. When we finally got there, we had a tour guide to show us around the Taj Mahal. After we'd looked around, we had time for some shopping - and more bargining. (I got a set of marble coasters for my mum for Rs. 300/-, down from Rs. 1200/-. I propbably still got ripped off, but oh well.) Then it was back to the bus for the long 5-hour trip back.
We had dinner at pizza hut as a treat for our last night together. But all too soon, it was time to go and drop the US group back to the airport. We said some sad goodbyes, and then they were gone. We went back to Caroline's house.Day 20:
Thu. July 3 2008
Katie and I were dropped off to the airport at 1 in the morning. We said more sad goodbyes, and then we were all alone again.
Our plane left at 3, and soon we were in Hong Kong. We had a 10 hour layover, which we spent mostly wiondow shopping and sleeping. Then we got on our plane to Auckland.
Day 21:
Fri. July 4 2008
Seeing green New Zealand again was a welcome sight. I couldn't get over how beautiful and GREEN it was! You get used to brown sand after three weeks. We got back into Auckland airport, and it started raining. Typical. But we were home. :)
Well, thats the story. I'll put the Maranatha team video on here when it comes on Youtube, and you might see it on Maranatha Mission stories on 3ABN.
Once again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported us on this trip. Your prayers and financial help are very much appreciated! Thank you all so much!!!!!
Lots of love,
from
Sara Thompson & Katie Caetano
(and the children of Cuddapah SDA School)
