JMC

Today was our only planned training day in the office. We will defintely need another day. When we got into the office the internet wasn’t working. We tried three different USB hot spots, finally “borrowed” internet from one of the other office computers. We thought we can set up the team’s workflow to make it streamlined while Matt and Jilu would work on the print newsletter, so they would use my laptop.

One thing after another kept going wrong. photoshop wouldn’t activate because there was no internet. Lightroom couldn’t be installed. Transferring files over was taking so long it was terrible to bear. Around 1:30pm I was feeling really frustrated. The term from Blood Diamond, TIA comes to mind… except it should be TII (This is India). Even the 3g data cards we bought were not working.

Sandeep and I went out to check out a print vendor we might order posters from. The prices were okay, but i am iffy about the materials. Printing on canvas seems to be the best option but I’m worried about the image quality.

We then took a train to an area where all the computer shops are at. This was pretty neat. It was good to hang out with Sandeep. He’s a great guy.

• got hard drive
• train ride back, subs on rickshaw
• super rich mosque
• mumbai fun facts (see twitter)

After we got back we finally got work done. We showed Ballu how to update the website homepage. Shibu got Lightroom installed on the machines and adobe activated.

Around 5 the rest of the gang joined us in the office and surprised Shibu with a cake. The cake looked awesome. We then took a walk to Jeevan Jyothi again, with the girls. Us guys were really worried about anything happening to the girls, so we took extra precautions, even prohibited them from speaking. It actually worked :)

Getting there was cool. The kids were singing when we got there. we also got to go to the roof of the building. Raj showed me a ladder to the very top and without even thinking i started climbing. I hate climbing ladders and this one was at least 25 feet and made of rusty metal. But the view was awesome. Shibu and I were up there for a while taking in the view and making the most of this photographic opportunity.

We went back down for a while more. The kids sang to us and then we announced it was Shibu’s birthday. Shibu said some touching words and even started to choke up. I was recording this from the side and even I started to choke up. The icebox is melting.

Sandeep called me away and says big Raj wants to take us up to one of the buildings to take photos. This isn’t a BTC building though. It’s a high rise that isn’t quite finished yet. The doorman either knew Raj or didn’t care, but he let us take the elevator. Raj shows me a stairwell with a great view from a window there. He tells me we can get to the roof, if we can find someone who will let us up. We go to a different floor and he knocks on a random door. The guy inside lets us in and Raj starts to tell him about BTC.

Originally we were planning on taking photos from this guy’s window, but there was enough furniture in the way to make it a difficult task. So the guy goes to the front lobby and asks for the roof key. Residents of the high rise are usually allowed, but since he mentioned he was letting us go on the roof, they were giving him a hard time. The guy threatens to complain to management and put up a fight for us to get the key… he just met us a few minutes ago! Amazing!

He accompanies us to the roof area. The view was stunning. I borrowed Shibu’s camera since he had better lenses for night photography. I’m not used to a Canon at all, and it showed. For the first twenty minutes I had no idea how to change the aperture. So I basically rested the camera against a cement ledge and used my chin to stabilize it. I’m sure Raj and the other guy were wondering what the heck I was doing. But I got some great photos either way.

By Alex Kuryan: “Unfortunately, the day didn’t get off to a great start.  Larissa, Shainu, Vicki, Sue and I had employment visas that required us to register with the Bureau of Immigration within 14 days of arrival.  If we did not do so properly, we would not be allowed to leave India on our scheduled departure date.  I won’t go into details, but due to a poorly organized, confusing immigration office, various bureaucratic inefficiencies, this process unnecessarily took over 5 hours.  However, the women and I were able to have 5 hours of bonding time to talk about our families, sexual slavery, and some of the amazing but also sad stories of several BTC staff members.  We also squeezed some time in to complain about the Indian government.  As an added bonus, I also learned much about buying and negotiating for saris and Indian outfits as Vicki had spent some time the other day shopping for her upcoming wedding (my wife, Sara, will be happy to hear about that part).  At the end of our ordeal, Raj (who Larissa mentioned in her post yesterday) came to pick us up on his motorcycle along with his 18 month old son, Mark.  We needed to meet the rest of the team in Bandra (about 13 miles away).  As a rule, only four passengers are allowed in a taxi.  Raj arranged a taxi for the four ladies.  He then asked me to hop on the back of his motorcycle for us to make the trip to Bandra.” Read the rest at the Seven Mile Road blog.

By Larissa Elaine: Greetings from India! Today was our second full day in India, and our first day at the medical camp. We are trying to keep a daily update of our trip on the blog. When Josh proposed that we each take turns writing about our experiences that day, I jumped in line to be first (I must say there was no fighting over it, probably because I’m traveling with a group of Indians).  I knew I must write because my experience is unique compared to most on our trip, since this is not only my first time traveling to India, but also my first travel abroad. It’s also my first mission trip of any sort.

Today started off with breakfast at the YMCA, and the arrival of Vicki, Sue, and Jilu, making our team complete. After breakfast, we took a bus from Mumbai Central to New Mumbai. After an hour or so drive, our bus dropped us off on a narrow dirt side street in front of the alley way that houses the brothels. We were lead down the alley by Raj, one of our BTC staff volunteers, to the clinic site.

As we walked down the alley way, we passed the brothels on both sides of us.  The brothels look to be six to eight feet wide, each consisting of only one level – a dirt floor. Women used in prostitution, madams, and children sat outside the brothels, many glaring at us as we walked past. The women sat under awnings which overshadowed much of the alley. Scrawny dogs hung their heads low as they meandered the broken sidewalk.

After an introduction to the neighborhood, I desperately needed to use a restroom. We were told we could use the community restroom, but luckily Raj and his mother (a former madam who has been saved) arranged for me to use a brothel madam’s private bathroom. Now as ladies, we always travel to the rest room in groups, and this was no exception. I was accompanied by Shainu, Shelley, Vicki and another BTC staff member. The brothel manager rinsed the floor for me (it was squat style) and I took a big gulp and stepped inside. Afterwards, I emerged and stepped into the small interior room. There Shainu had been asked to pray in Hindi over one of the brothel women. It was amazing. We hadn’t even opened the clinic yet and already God’s presence was being requested by the women! Amen!

A short while later, KK Devaraj, the founder of BTC, arrived, spoke, and we prayed as a group. After prayer, I introduced myself and mentioned how the BTC book made such an impact on the hearts of those at my work. To my awe, Devaraj placed his hands on me and prayed over me. What a surprise!

By that time the community was ready and waiting for us, and we were part of a small ceremony acknowledging the local political officials and their allowance of the clinic today. We were able to interact with the red light community, each in our own way. Monday we saw some 127 patients – praise be to God for a great turn out! Free medical care mixed with curiosity brought forth a community eager to interact with us.

Our day ended with a prayer and delicious meal with Uncle Devaraj.

Originally posted on the Seven Mile Road blog.

We ended our first full day in Mumbai by walking through the red light district. All around us we saw homes with rags for roofs, young women working the streets and the scumbag men pimping them out. A dark reality. The walk ended with a stop at Bombay Teen Challenge’s orphanage right in the same area, where we met about 40 kids (ages 4 to 12) who were once abandoned on those very streets. But despite their circumstance, we saw hope in their hearts and smiles on their faces as we prayed and sang with them to Jesus. What stark contrast – from such darkness there stands such brilliant light. Indeed the Bible speaks truth when it says, “… we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.”