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PL830
8th March 2020
Welcome back to another week in the little town of Banbasa. We want to start this week with a special thank you to our dear friends Winston and Marilyn Qualie from Launceston, Tasmania. Old friends of the Shipway's, the Quailes have just come out on their 5th trip to India and as always it has been an extremely productive trip.
After helping to install fans and lights in the new staff accommodation, the Quailes turned their attention to the library helping to reorganize our catalog system and waterproof some pesky leaks under the frames of the large windows in the building.
As Ayushi's sponsors, their trip was also a great chance to reconnect. If that wasn't enough, Winston is on the Board of our Australian non-profit, so their visit allowed us to check some boxes with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
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Marilyn, Ayushi and Winston.
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Hard at work in the library.
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A bead of silicon under the windows to stop the leaks.
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We just mentioned the Staff Accommodation, so this seems like a good time to give you an update on it's construction. After a slow couple of weeks (due to some sleepy tiling contractors) we think we are back up on top of things. Our carpenter Ganesh is working overtime to try and meet our goal of opening the building up by late April. One out of the six homes is now completely finished (apart from a good clean).
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In case you forgot what the Staff Accommodation building looked like.
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Ganesh working on a large cupboard.
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Installing kitchen drawers.
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Sunny welding some door hinges under Rick's guidance.
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House #4. The completed home.
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Granite tops and cupboards have been installed.
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A slightly smaller cupboard completed by Ganesh.
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One of two bathrooms.
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The Staff Accommodation is not the only construction that we have our eyes on at the moment. One of our older mission boys, Vencil, is currently building a home for himself in Banbasa. Right next door to the mission. Vencil left the mission about 8 years ago and has been working as an assistant to a doctor in the mountains. We are so proud that he has chosen to move close to home, and even prouder that he is able to build his own home!
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Vencil has worked hard to be able to start constructing his own 2BHK home.
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Jack is back up on his feet and walking strong after his torn ACL. While all the boys under his care are off at school he spends his time out in the fields keeping an eye on our workers, neighbor's chickens and stray animals. We are currently harvesting our mustard crop, so it is great to have some extra eyes on things.
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Jack's slingshot keeps away cows, chickens, parrots, monkeys and anything else foolish enough to try to eat our wheat crop.
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The mustard harvest underway.
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Mustard plants are fed into a thrashing machine to separate the seeds.
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Anil and Jack discussing the crop.
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Have you ever played Monopoly? You either love it or you hate it... or you fall asleep playing it (as games have a tendency to go on for hours!). The newest version of the game, Monopoly Deal, has our kids enthralled! The best part is games tend to be over in about 10-15 minutes...though that doesn't stop our kids from playing for hours!
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Rampal is a champion at Monopoly Deal.
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This version of the game is played with a stack of cards that represent money, properties and other familiar elements of the old classic.
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Shivam and Vishwajeet - working together to take down Rampal.
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Toward the end of the week, our lovely spring weather was overrun by dark storm clouds as a burst of rain sprang forth from the heavens. The sudden dump of water may have lowered the temperature for a few days but the sun will be back out soon enough.
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A massive storm rolling in from the south.
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Gordon and Angel head off to school as the storm brews overhead.
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When the sun came back out, there was plenty to clean up including half an avocado tree that fell.
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Back at the school, it's a bit of a stressful time for some of our older students. Our Grade 9-12 students are undergoing their final examinations for the school year. In addition, all of our younger students will be starting theirs soon enough! As a special little treat for all our students, our school staff held a lovely little lunch (though it is hard to call a lunch for nearly 800 people "little"). Apart from the sour weather, it was a really beautiful day and a chance to relax before (or in between) exams.
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Students sat out on the verandah to eat their special lunch.
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If you want more food, just raise your hand!
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Here it comes!!!
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Amos, Reena, Ayushi, Jyotika and Seeya enjoying their meal.
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Rampal needs all the energy he can get to maintain his Monopoly Deal title.
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Staff hard at work cooking the meal.
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Preparing the bread.
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Deep fried, unleavened bread called puris!
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Even some of our senior students got in and helped out.
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It wasn't just the school that had a special meal this week, our staff gathered once again on Friday night for our monthly Staff Dinner. The rain moved us from our usual spot in the Shipway's garden to the Dining Room - but it was actually a really nice change! We had quite a few absences this month, the most notable being Eugene and Filly who are away on their second week of Long Service Leave.
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Some of the beautiful people who help keep this place running.
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Priscilla's tandoori chicken and fresh green salad were AMAZING!
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Dig in guys! You deserve it!
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Random Photos From The Week
The following are just a few random shots from the week...
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Angel, Sabithri and Gordon ready for their Economics exam.
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A mad dash to school as lightning and thunder smash overhead.
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Ruhani and Niyati are pure cuteness.
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Sunny and Kallu installing a new mesh shield to protect our solar hot water system from stray slingshot stones.
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Kelly preparing to make some chapatis (flat bread).
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Five of our Mission University students are back on break over the next week or so.
Left to Right: Job, Sunny, Clifford, Jessica and Kamal.
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Raymond enjoying our little trampoline.
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While Eugene is away, our good friend Amit Arya has been helping supervise things at the farm and building site. We are so grateful for his assistance.
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Sound like a good week? We sure think it was! Thank you so much to all of you who have been writing, sharing messages on Facebook and Instagram, calling, praying and sending good will. We just love the way so many people across the globe have joined with us on this incredible journey God has us on.
Blessing on you,
Rick, Clifton, Eugene & Priscilla
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For Those Who Pray:
- Please pray for all of our children who are undergoing examinations.
- Pray for fun, freedom from stress, and safety for Eugene and Filly as they ride their motorcycle across Northeast India for a month. They are currently in Assam enjoying the tea plantations there.
- Pray we are able to get things under control with our Staff Accommodation. The big problem we are facing is a tiler who comes for 2 days and then disappears for 4. It sure makes things tough to plan!
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