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PL720
28th January 2018
This week saw a string of journeys here in Banbasa, treks both large and small that took many of us far from the Mission on long, rambling walks. So strap on your hiking shoes and let's hit the jungle first.
Last Sunday after church, a group of around 50 kids and a few hearty staff members set off on what proved to be an epic five hour adventure. Crossing six shallow rivers, through a beautiful eucalyptus forest and out to visit the fallen elephant we reported on last week.
It wasn't a party, necessarily, but it was a sunny day and it was a chance to talk about nature, the cycle of life and see one of these majestic animals up close.
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Cathy carrying Malika across one of the many rivers.
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Kelly making sure Rosie's feet stay dry.
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For Jimika and Angel, anytime is a good time for a picture.
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Rochelle taking a break with Malik.
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Waiting to see the elephant up close.
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The fallen trunk, still looking for something to eat.
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Paying their respects.
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Raju, Shane and Ankit. On the way home, a late-in-the-day pose.
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This baby goat loved Jyotika...but who doesn't?
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For the record: The elephant is slowly fading and will likely not be around for next week's update. All the expert reports confirm this. Though this is not the end to the story we were hoping for, we consider ourselves lucky to have been able to meet this beautiful creature in such a close and personal way.
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Barring any dramatic change, this will be the final update for now.
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Another journey we all have been taking is the slow, cold march though winter. This week has seen some particularly chilly temperatures, especially in the morning. Caps and warm sweaters help, but really only the approach of summer will finally remove the foggy damp blanket that's been covering us as of late.
But we're getting there. This week saw the return of Basant Panchami, the Indian festival celebrating the return of spring. Though it's not officially springing just yet, it was a chance to get outside and fly kites, which is usually a holiday activity. There wasn't a ton of wind but we did manage to put together a little video for you to take a look at. Happy Basant Panchami to all of our Indian friends!
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Trying to show how cold the air is, but the steam doesn't really show up.
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Cynthia ready for some kite flying.
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Two-minutes of cute kids and kites. What's not to love?
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Certainly the most spectacular march of all took place on Friday, when all of India celebrated Republic Day. Traditionally, it's a time for schools to hold special programs to honor the Indian Constitution and the country, but this year, the Maxton Strong School went a step beyond. More than 700 students and staff marched the 1K into Banbasa, raising their voices and their hand-made signs, declaring their national pride.
It was solid walk with nearly constant shouting, but the kids rose to the challenge. To avoid any meltdowns, the youngest children got to ride the school buses, though this did not diminish their enthusiasm one bit.
It was quite a spectacle that stopped traffic and had a local police escort clearing the way. Through the market, past shopkeepers and shoppers, it was a raucous, patriotic parade that just may become an annual event. Take a look at a few snaps from the day as well as a beautiful video complete with drone footage you wont want to miss.
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Principal David and Ikindar, playing the part of Gandhi on Republic Day.
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Kelly helping to keep order on this sprawling march.
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A view from above Banbasa, watching the parade go by.
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Trudy, still smiling at the half way point in the rally.
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The smallest kids going nuts on the bus.
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There is not a lot of smiling for men in Indian pictures.
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Some of the smallest performers, getting ready for their big number.
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The Republic Day Dancers.
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Cynthia was a dancing star in the the post-march program.
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Cynthia with her dance team in their traditional attire.
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Another dance performer, loving all the attention.
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Relive the morning with this 2:45 video. You'll love it!
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One final journey to report came after the Republic Day festivities were done. Just for fun, the kids were going to have some games against two nearby colleges and we all met in the playground to watch.
The boys played cricket and won their game and the girls played a game called Kho Kho. Kho Kho is like organized team tag in a line, with the most important rule being, a tagging team member can only run in one direction. If your opponent cuts back through the line of players, you need to tag another member of your team facing the appropriate direction who can give chase. It takes skill and timing to play well and our girls did a good job tagging the other team before they switched sides and had a chance to try and keep away from the tags. Each team had seven minutes. The team with the fewest tagged players win, on this day our girls took home the victory for Maxton Strong School.
Like all great struggles, whether a child's long walk into the jungle or a freedom fighter's march toward independence of a nation, the trick is not to give up. When times are hard, you soldier on. Even when you're exhausted. Even when you have nothing left to give.
This is what our Jimika did in the Kho Kho battle. The other team simply could not catch her. She's fast and strong and she knows the game. She's smart. Her timing is perfect. For five long minutes, the opposing team tried in vain to tag her but she kept away. And soon she was hanging on the boundary pole, barely able to breathe. Yet still she ran and dodged and dove. To see her on the move was to see a champion leaving everything on the field. Needless to say, our girls won by a long margin and cheered Jimika for her all-out effort.
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Jimika keeping watch for the next attacker.
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Always one step ahead of her opponent.
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It is truly a team sport and here's the whole winning team.
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For now, our journey continues. Soon the foggy chill will be gone and the seasons will change...our wheat crop will grow and need harvesting in no time. And these children we have the honor of caring for will grow and change too. Through it all, we are so grateful for each and every one of you, for caring enough to undertake this journey with us. It really does make even the longest road feel like just a walk into town. Thanks so much for being here.
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Blessing on you,
Rick, Clifton, Eugene, Priscilla & John
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