UBS Graduation 2011

I finished speaking. We prayed. I left.

Left our Sunday morning worship at Jolly and Suma's home in Samata Nagar for Pune. Left to get on a local train to Kalyan and then to catch the Hyderabad express up the Ghats to the once sleepy town of Pune. Left to attend the Union Biblical Seminary Valedictory service.

Thanks to a sliver of delay I got to the seminary when the service was in full swing.

The speeches were rather insipid - considering the amazing fact of so many remarkable folks having completed a superb 4 years of practical theological education - and the fact that so many of those about to walk across the stage to get their diploma will be shaping out country over the next decade.

I was there - primarily to meet some of the lovely folks who had interned with us at Jeevan Sahara.

My first surpise was to meet Jayprakash Chouhan right at the gate of UBS. Jayprakash and his friend Bendang Chuba were the first two UBS interns at JSK. And here he was - now a pastor in Pune. It was surreal to see Jayprakash with his wife and angelic daughter - and get a big welcoming hug from him as I arrived!

Rev. and Mrs. Jayaprakash Chouhan - and baby - dig into the food afterwards!

Everyone was decked out to the nines - and when I came into open air ampitheatre where the service was in session I soon saw the dapper Nimit Patel decked out in a sharp sports coat and Priscilla P. resplendent in a sari. Right after being seated by one of the many ushers - I found the head-usher himself - our own Paokholun Haokip checking in to say hello to me. Later in the ceremony I recognised the fourth of last year's interns - Naveen Bhambal singing along with the Marathi choir. This foursome are now poised to be final year students (a pesky set of exams lie before them of course).

And then there were the graduates themselves:

It was an amazing thrill to see Binson, John and Ashis - our JSK Interns in 2009 - be called up on stage and get their diplomas and momentos.

I had been trading SMSes with John - roundly disagreeing with most of what the main speaker chose to say (made all the easier since his speech was also printed out and distributed for all of us). This was made all the more surreal since I was flanked by what I understand to be parents of one of the graduates - who could only speak Malayalam and not a word of English - and were engaged in an animated coversation with their grandchild (or was it a child?). A quick scan around me showed a goodly portion of the crowd engaged in activities other than hanging on to every word that was said. The whole affair was rescued by the passionate goodbye speech of the class representative. By God's grace his was the last word - and my prayer is that it will have erased the memory of the preceding speeches!

Then the great moment came when our friends were declared graduates of UBS. No tossing of caps in the air. No bottles of champagne popped. A rather sober affair - but one where the big smiles of the graduates lit up the darkening night.

The happy throng soon clustered around the row of graduates lined around the edge of the area.

I had the privilege of meeting John and Ashis' families - who had travelled far to be with their sons on this special day. Ashis will be joining his church in Kalimpong as an assistant pastor. John looks set to take up the same job at the Tamil Methodist Church in Parel, Mumbai. Binson will be joining his church in Kerala. We have experienced so much with our dear friends - and are proud that they are about to impact so many others now.

Then there was time to get chowing on the spread. I was privileged to eat with Ashis and his family - and an extended faith-family of Nepali speakers who are working in the red-light areas of Pune. In the midst of all of this there was time to catch up with Lun, Nimit and Naveen from this past year's UBS crew. Nimit has been elected Vice-President of the student body for the next year (following the footsteps of JSK intern Arun Dimple). Naveen hopes to help us out at JSK a bit this summer. Lun was his normal coolness spiked with friendliness.

Its great to see our friends growing in confidence and ability.

And its also great to see into the future - a limited amount of it of course... I got to meet the three new UBS Interns for this year - Amol, Ezra and Ngamcha. Based on a quick get-to-know-you time with them, it looks like we at Jeevan Sahara are in for another good year.

It may also be our last one with UBS interns - as learned that this batch is the last one to have a 7-month internship time in their 3rd year of studies. From the next batch (the current first year students) - the new syllabus has a month or so practical experience each year - spread over the whole course of study - rather than the current practice of an in-depth learning time.

Ezra Pamei, moi and Ngamcha Haokip

But the story does not end there. Naveen puttered me through Pune town to the bus-stop. It was past 11 PM. I got into a rattly State Transport bus. We started mercifully soon - but ended up waiting unmercifully long at various bus stations. I was in a daze of sleep - bashing my head against the window latch (an old game that I have not played for ages - basically since I got married).

Somehow we got to Thane at an ungodly hour. An auto-rickshaw-ride home and I was in bed at 4 AM.

At 9 AM we started today's penultimate sessions for the CANA training in HIV care.

And we ended the day hosting the CANA trainees (18 of the 19 showed up) for dinner at our place. Life is certainly full.

It was, however, worth every ounce of tiredness to be with our young heroes at UBS.

CANA Training

We are in the middle of an intensive week of sharing our hearts and experiences of HIV care with 20 folks from North India. Our trainees are field partners of the Christian AIDS/HIV National Alliance (CANA) and have come from all corners of the country - Delhi, Uttarkhand, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Orissa, MP and of course our own Maharashtra. Each one of them are involved - or want to be more involved - in caring for people with HIV in the name of and with the love of Jesus.

We have tried to make this week as hands-on and fun as possible - while at the same time working to equip our friends with tools that they can use to make massive changes in the lives of people with HIV around them. One of the themes that keeps coming through is that it is better to do something - as feeble as it might seem - than nothing. Another is that God has always chosen the seemingly weak to bring glory to Him. And that is certainly what we see in the church - with all our flaws and ugliness. Yet at the same time across our country we see amazing works of God as lives *are* being changed...

Sheba teaching about TB treatment: DOTS! DOTS! DOTS!

Since HIV still is a disease with so much stigma and shame attached to it - we cannot go as a big group to the homes of our HIV Positive Friends (anyway their homes are usually too pitifully small to host more than 3 people). So instead we send out our trainees in groups of 2 along with a staff to visit and understand the lives of our friends. This morning our participants are fanning out to local churches. In the afternoon they will be visiting homes of people with HIV that these churches are blessing. We want people to see what is actually happening on the ground.

In between we are also teaching our 4 day curriculum which we use to train local church members. The idea is for our trainees to be equipped to in turn teach this course in their own place of service.

What our friends are learning is reinforced by role-plays and games as well as case-studies in discussion groups. This batch of trainees is quite lively - and with 3 different discussion groups taking place simultaneously in a room - one could mistake the place for a fish-market given the volume of our discussions!

At the same time - we see that each person who has come is being deeply moved. Its just not enough to have facts and figures - unless our hard hearts are moved with compassion - we will never see real change.

Change starts with me. Today.

May God help our trainees as they fan out back to their amazing places of service on Tuesday night.

May God help us to ourselves implement what we have shared with others - with greater heart and more sustained and cheerful commitment!

Night

Its 11.45 PM. 20 minutes ago I was just about to go to sleep - the last in a slumbering household.

Then the phone rang.

It was Mr. Anmol's sister. She wanted to talk to Sheba.

I went into the bedroom and woke up Sheba.

Mr. Anmol may be breathing his last. His sister wanted Sheba to come over. Sheba got ready to go.

Mr. Anmol is a 60+ year old bachelor. He has HIV. He is dying of cancer. He lives with his spinster sister of a similar age. They have another sister living close by too.

I went out into the dark night - over to the JSK Centre to pick up Sheba's steth and the death certificate book. By the time I was back Sheba had already called Sunita - and was ready to go down.

Asha woke up in all of this and hovered around.

A short prayer - and Sheba is out of the house. Walking to meet Sunita down-stairs. They will take an auto-rickshaw over to Mr. Anmol's flat. To be with him in his last moments. To be with his sister. To pray and be with them.

Its been an exhausting day for Sheba. We started our CANA training today. A large number of patients came to the clinic. We had our monthly HIV positive support group meeting this afternoon.

And now off again - after 20 mins of sleep.

Lord have mercy on Mr. Anmol - in his final moments. We know that he is safe in the arms of Jesus. Pray for Sheba and Sunita as they are with Mr. Anmol as he transitions from this life to the next - and for his sister who will be left behind for a little longer at least.

And Lord give Sheba a double portion of sleep - and energy to teach the 20 odd people from North India who have come for the CANA training tomorrow.

Enoch's Big B-day Bash

Birthdays are big - correction - birthdays are HUGE in the Eicher home.

This weekend saw another block-buster. Enoch becoming a ripe age of 8 years old.

True to Eicher tradition - the birthday bash begins before the actual day. With Enoch's B-day being on the day Shivaji was born, he always has a holiday (this year it was on a Saturday as well). The school allows you to wear 'colour dress' to school on your birthday - so Enoch chose this year to wear it on the day before.



Hence he and Asha headed off to their school on Friday colourfully attired - with Enoch wearing his special outfit that Ammama and Thata had just brought him the day before - and Asha wearing her PT uniform since it was a Friday.

The actual anniversary day started ... at 12 AM. Asha had insisted on baking a quick cake - after we returned from the Bible study at 11 PM on Friday night!

Amma and Appa had brought a cake-mix with them from the US so Asha whipped it up and we put it in the oven. Only for the tired Asha and Enoch to drop off before it was done. Sheba and I put our hands on the sleeping Enoch at 12 and blessed him as his Birthday celebrations begun.

In the morning - after our weekly prayer hour for Jeevan Sahara Kendra (a few of our staff come over for a prayer time from 7.30-8.30 am at our house) it was time for the 'morning cake' to come out!

The first (of many) birthday songs was sung and we enjoyed a lovely breakfast as an extended family.


After our JSK staff friends left, it was time to find the gifts. I had hidden them at an unearthly hour in the morning (and wrote down their locations should I in my tiredness forget where they were). And its a good thing I did!

Ouch! A gift (relatively flat of course) hidden behind a picture - falls right on Enoch's face!

The kids had a ball finding the prezzies (matched by the fun the Dad had in hiding them before hand!).

And what joy is there in the opening.

After this it was time to get going on other important matters of business - such as finishing off Enoch's main birthday cake. If that sounds almost military - it is! The process of crafting it has its own joys but can also end up with the crafter being more on the snappy side of the fence. Here is a shot of the afore-said crafter in action - is that a real smile or a paste-on job?


One of the great things about B-day parties are all the wonderful friends who come. An appearance by the fabulous four is absolutely de rigeur - this time joined by Uncle John Gabriel!

This years party was a real whirl. The games were put together minutes before we were to start - and since the terrace is like a battlefield given the rennovation work that has been going on for the past 2 weeks - we went down to the common park in our housing complex. As we started the games other children stopped. To watch. To come shyly close by to participate. Soon our small group of kids was growing - by the last game we must have been in the mid-twenties at least.

"Uncle, will you come and have games tomorrow too?" Asked one of Enoch and Asha's new friends when we marshalled the troops to head back up to our 7th floor abode. The deep hunger for play that all children have (and which is so sadly underfed with our virtual-world-'game' generation) yearns for fulfillment in group joy.

Up in the flat we had a time where we explained the special Bible verse which we had chosen for Enoch - a song of King David where he says: For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth... I will ever praise you. (Ps. 71.5-6)

All the party-goers were in rapt attention of course: here is Asha and the littlest guest - Ruth.


Having Thata and Ammama here for this special time was a real blessing. And we made sure that Thata gave Enoch a blessing in prayer too!


Then the cake was brought out and all our little guests gathered round to sing! I don't know if in all the noise our childhood favourite of "you belong in the zoo, with lions and tigers and monkeys like you" was slipped in or not.

Willing hands helped do the important job of cutting the cake. And then Enoch wandered around feeding all and sundry with the big piece he had carved out.

With the cake safely cut it was time to eat. Sheba had out-done herself in preparing a South + North feast. Idlis and chutney. Chole and bhature. Hot wadas. Payasum. And the Tintin-shirt-coloured cake. A merry time was had by all.

Enoch and Raj (his best friend from his class) tuck in to the goodies.

And so ended a day. A tired and happy family. We had really celebrated. Whew!

Credit Sheba for a massive, massive amount of behind the scenes work to make it all click. Credit God for great grace and patience throughout. Blessings upon blessings.

Enoch, Ammama and Asha - ready for next year - already!

Cake

Enoch celebrated 8 years of life yesterday. Here is a peek at the cake (now all eaten except for the Tintin face). Wish you were here with us!

Milllenial

On July 31st 2007 we started on a journey with this blog with these words:

In the beginning was the Word.

And the Word was with God.

And the Word was God.

Oh that the Word would be known

by all whom the Word fashioned

by all who call on the Word,

with words

But let my words be few

and let them join with the songs around the Word

and around the world.

We are now 1000 posts later. Over 3.5 years. About 2 posts every 3 days.

Thanks gentle readers for coming along over these years. Its been a joy to share some parts of our lives with you.

Now it is your turn...

Any suggestions?

Any thoughts about where to go?

We appreciate any thoughts you have for us.

Thanks for drinking chai with us - remember that you are always welcome to move from the virtual to the real - a cup is waiting for you when you come and visit us in Thane!

Rough road

Amma and Appa (Sheba's parents) arrived from Vishakapatnam today. We have not met them for a year. Do we ever have catching up to do!

The house smells of fresh banana cake - the second one is in the oven. Enoch's birthday count-down now switches to hours - we are gearing up for what promises to be a memorable Saturday bash. Interestingly enough - given that Enoch was born in Maharashtra - he shares his B-day with the great Maratha warrior king Shivaji.

Otherwise all is quiet. Asha is sleeping with Amma - with Enoch on the side in a folding cot. Appa is asleep in the living room couch-bed. Sheba is dozing in our room - waiting for her nocturnal husband to finish supervising the cake and join in slumber.

I had a great conversation with a friend of mine who has gone through tough days - for years and years now. Tonight's phone chat took a positive turn after he shared with me some of his current plans. We then moved on to talk about space and NASA and Buzz Aldrin. We shared some moments in wonder about how a huge rocket like the Saturn 5 could make it to the moon powered by less computing muscle than what is now found in a simple cell phone. My pal told me about how Buzz Aldrin monkey-fixed an ignition fuse for the only rocket motor (no backup possible) that was to take Neil Armstrong and him off the moon and back towards the module that would return them to earth. Amazing. Just thrills you to think about it.

My friend talked about how one of the mottos of NASA which can be loosely translated as: "a rough road leads to the stars." The Latin Ad Astra Per Aspera (through adversity to the stars) was put on one of the plaques commemorating the 3 astronauts who died in 1967 in a preparatory mission for the moon shot.

My friend is on such a road. I often feel helpless at the challenges he faces. Sheba and I do pray and try to do our part. Its a rough road - and not a short one either. But there is real hope.

Talking with Appa this evening he mentioned about the decisions he and Amma took. Decisions to live very, very simply. No gold ornaments. No plot of land. All the money into their 4 children's education. 10% put aside for savings. He did not mention - but I know that at least 10% went to the church - probably a lot more.

But look at him now. 4 children all over the world. All doing amazing things. All married to wonderful folks (smile). We had family prayers in the evening and Enoch was singing his heart out - Asha was playing the violin by ear. Amma and Appa have returned earlier this year after spending 3.5 months in the US.

Its a wonderful life.