A day spent at Sholingher, some 120km from Chennai but that 120km transforms into a three hour drive in constant traffic and honking of horns and stopping and starting. The scenery was challenging all the way, changing from the dust and crumbling roadside stalls to the despondency of the slums and high-rise side by side.
In Chennai there is no rich area and poor area but poverty and riches coexist together no more that 10 metres apart. We can’t understand how or why but that is the reality of the situation. As we progress further there are glimpses of fields with people scavenging then your senses are invaded again by another village that crowds in on the road, slows the traffic so your little escape capsule is entrapped in the surrounds of the village. We are sad but looking out we see smiling faces going about their business.
Why does their happiness cause us to be sad?
When we arrive we are greeted by the Presbyter (Minister) of the CSI ( I still want to call him Grisham but Lynn won’t let me). His name is John and he is overjoyed to see us because this whole area was first evangelised by the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
Lynn on a very hot day
Gary receiving the traditional welcome of scarf and garland. We received three such scarves today alone.
They are proud of their heritage and eagerly recite the history of the Church in their area and the names of the Australians who started the Church there, built the first Hospitals and opened the first schools. We spend four+ hours visiting the pre-school, primary school, secondary school and matriculation school as well as the boys and girls hostels which house the children from outer areas.
They are in various states of disrepair with the best we saw being unacceptable anywhere in Australia. During the tour of a school in excess of 1200 students, we only saw four classrooms that had desks. We are sad but they are proud because they are providing the children with an education and they know that education of the children is the most important thing for them.
It becomes very hard as they plead with us to help them. We are from Australia and so are part of their heritage. We talk and pray and offer encouragement but it seems so trivial and pitiful when we see their situation.
Our goal and prayer at this stage is to not let ourselves be overwhelmed by the situation but to allow ourselves to be part of their life and experience and through that allow God to mould and shape us so that we can be of use.
The three hour drive home is extra long and quiet.
Pre-school
In Chennai there is no rich area and poor area but poverty and riches coexist together no more that 10 metres apart. We can’t understand how or why but that is the reality of the situation. As we progress further there are glimpses of fields with people scavenging then your senses are invaded again by another village that crowds in on the road, slows the traffic so your little escape capsule is entrapped in the surrounds of the village. We are sad but looking out we see smiling faces going about their business.
Why does their happiness cause us to be sad?
When we arrive we are greeted by the Presbyter (Minister) of the CSI ( I still want to call him Grisham but Lynn won’t let me). His name is John and he is overjoyed to see us because this whole area was first evangelised by the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
Lynn on a very hot day
Gary receiving the traditional welcome of scarf and garland. We received three such scarves today alone.
They are proud of their heritage and eagerly recite the history of the Church in their area and the names of the Australians who started the Church there, built the first Hospitals and opened the first schools. We spend four+ hours visiting the pre-school, primary school, secondary school and matriculation school as well as the boys and girls hostels which house the children from outer areas.
They are in various states of disrepair with the best we saw being unacceptable anywhere in Australia. During the tour of a school in excess of 1200 students, we only saw four classrooms that had desks. We are sad but they are proud because they are providing the children with an education and they know that education of the children is the most important thing for them.
It becomes very hard as they plead with us to help them. We are from Australia and so are part of their heritage. We talk and pray and offer encouragement but it seems so trivial and pitiful when we see their situation.
Our goal and prayer at this stage is to not let ourselves be overwhelmed by the situation but to allow ourselves to be part of their life and experience and through that allow God to mould and shape us so that we can be of use.
The three hour drive home is extra long and quiet.
Pre-school
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