India Trip Day 6

The cold water stopped working in the morning. It returned after a few hours. Between two or three times every day the power would cut out. It would take a minute or two for the generators to kick in. When you miss a ceiling fan, that's a long minute or two.

I try to imagine it as part of my daily routine. It's kind of like living in the Catskills, only with generators.

The boys at V.B.S. asked if I eat with my hands. I try several methods, the most popular being like the Skill Crane game at the arcade. It gets food to my mouth, much of it anyway.

This was the final day of V.B.S, so most of the morning was spent practicing skits and songs for the afternoon program. Before that, we sang all the old favorites.

Before that, Ashish cornered me for another interview. We established some basic geography and my profession in Korea among other facts of my life. Meanwhile a crowd gathered around us as more boys listened. I was soon surrounded.

We observed that India has more trees and grass than Korea. I mentioned that because Ashish asked, "How are your surroundings in Korea?"

Good, except for the absence of grass and trees.

"I am a friend of trees," Ashish stated.

Me, too, I agreed.

Several kids asked if we were coming back next year. I hope so. "Remember me," they would say.

The young man who asked to see my camera asked that. I asked his name.

"Denver. There's a city in America with that name."

I agreed.

"Denver is in Colorado."

Denver, Colorado gets bonus points for geography.

After song time we sat and watched each class practice songs or skits. At one point Denver and some friends surrounded me for questioning. I should write an autobiography before I travel.

We asked Shajy what one song meant.
"It's in Hindi," he shrugged. "I don't know Hindi very well."

Soon after that Denver, Colorado tried teaching me some Hindi. The previous conversation with Shajy repeated in my head. Many people don't speak it.

Denver and friends asked me if I like the Mizo song we sing in V.B.S. I told them I did.

"It sounds like 'Summer of '69'," one boy observed.

That song is barely younger than me. I didn't expect a twelve-year-old to know it.

Denver and his song-savvy friend proceeded to argue whether the Mizo song is rock music. Denver argued it is since it's loud.

Denver, Colorado was obsessed with cameras. I asked him if he's going to be a photographer some day.

"No. Computer programmer." he shot back. More responses one wouldn't expect from a twelve-year-old.

We joined the chaos known as picture time around 2:00. As teachers directed kids to stand still, other kids asked us to sign autographs. That was a first, and hopefully a last.

The closing program flew by like clockwork. The highlight was a skit based on the book of life passage. If someone's name wasn't found in the book of life, girls in black came to take them away. The little kids screamed and giggled with glee as boys had to be carried off. They avoided being touched, so thankfully any controversy was avoided.

I was asked to share a testimony time for five minutes. I went over time a bit as I asked what the students learned that week. Shajy forgave me later.

After awards and thanks they sent the children back to their buses.

"See you next year," the children said to us. I hope they will.

Everyone who helped with V.B.S. met one last time. Dr. Isaac pointed out how international our group was. We represented Myanmar, the U.S., and various parts of India. Next year he wants us to return with a larger group to make it more international. If we can, we will.

Dr. Roy mentioned it was another special day-someone's birthday. When he said the name the man was more surprised than we were to learn it was his birthday. "I'll never forget this date," he told me later.