Day 9: Hyderabad, India

Yesterday we arrived in India after a long flight. We all lost sleep since our flight departed Hong Kong and we arrived in Delhi at 230am, then from Delhi to Hyderabad at 630am, I think. This place is signifigantly different then Hong Kong, much more foreign and poor. I think there have been two key adjectives in describing India thus far: the land of contradictions and struggling. Although India is growing economically, the cities are still smattered with broken buildings, atructures, and people. Two former missionaries to India have really helped guide us here in Hyderabad, Robbie and James (Pancho), who I found out go to the same church that I just got a job at.

Notables in Hyderabad:

1. Mango Season! Fresh mangos as well as bananas have been really, really good.
2. Beggars- I'm still not sure what I have to offer or what the proper response should be, the situation is complex
3. Theology is messy on the ground. With a growing middle class in Hyderabad because of the developing IT market, the church we attended this morning was very, very Western. It was like they were taking Bill Hybels and directly applying that methodology here.
4. Please pray for me, I got a sinus headache today which almost put me out of commission. I hope that doesn't occur very often.
5. We met and had lunch and tea with a wonderful Indian Christian family that ministers to a certain people group. It was great to spend time with them and see how this culture talks about Jesus and what God does in their lives. Pray for Lazarus (Sing Saey) and his wife and family.
6. Traffic here is unbelievable and crazy. Where there is a void, a car, person, taxi, motorcycle or goat fills the gap. Plus, we've had some crazy drivers.
7. Tomorrow we are going to work at an AIDS clinic all day.
8. We've eaten India food as well as pastries from a bakery, KFC, Pizza Hut, and lots of water. So far no one has gotten sick, except for my headache. The India food is good, I like the different dishes and spices. Yogurt is my best friend, because you mixed it in with the spicy food and it helps control the temp in your mouth as well as your stomach.