24th
November 2012
For those who don't know us or our story, briefly, Kris my wife and I are both born again Christians. We believe that God has put India in our hearts and has sent us to work here. We have sold or given away all our possessions to raise money for charity and come here in faith that He will provide.
Over the next few months we will tell our story of all the things that have happened to us since we came here and are yet to happen.
Kris is an artist and ex senior Nurse and Health visitor,
I am an ex Engineer/Horticulturist/Teacher.
I have not always been a Christian, for many years I walked a different path, including drugs and violence. If you want to read my story about how I was saved I have written a book about life and my journey to Jesus, it is called 'A Long and Winding Road' and is available from Amazon ISBN number 978-178035-315-9. All proceeds from sales of this book go to charity.
I know that some people who read this blog will not agree with our views, sorry but that's life, they are our views and beliefs if you really want to know more please email me.
Where to
begin, if I was to begin where this journey started for us it would be last
November in a park in India with Andrew Westerman praying for guidance from
God. We had visited Albania and seen where there could be work for us but there wasn't the compulsion we both felt we would feel when we found where we were He
wanted us to go. We had also looked at working in the UK but nothing ‘fitted’,
we prayed but no word other than ‘go where you will do the most good’ came to
us until that day in Udaipur. Then we were truly answered.
I came home
knowing that Udaipur for me was now where I had to be, it took Kris about three
days to admit it ‘I want some time to think’ for three days she was subjected
to India wherever she looked. On TV ‘Top Gear from India’ then ‘Truckers’ yes,
from India. So it went on until a bus passed her ‘Visit amazing India’
emblazoned along its side. She held my hand looked up and said ‘Ok God I give
in, I get it’! We were going to India.
To list all
the times the path we have walked to get here was smoothed flat by God would
take more than I could write but let me put it this way. In December of last
year Kris and I knelt and prayed, we said the words, we gave our lives to Jesus
to do with as he chose, and we would follow where he led no matter what the
cost to us as individuals. There was no doubt in our hearts, no limits set,
only a deep desire to serve Him as He commanded. We have told many people who
have asked that this relocation isn’t our idea or plan but God’s, some
understand and bless us for our faith others think we have gone mad. I clearly
remember a neighbour remarking when he heard we were selling all of our
possessions to give to the poor of India that ‘charity begins at home’ and we
really must have cracked. I did my best to explain why, and maybe he understood
a little better after that there is a higher purpose to this life than just
getting all the money and possessions possible from it no matter the cost to
your soul. When Jesus chose his disciples he didn't say ‘Go home and sort out
your affairs so you will be secure in the future, put your possessions in store
and fill up your bank account’ He simply said ‘Come, follow me’, and in
complete faith they did. I tried to explain that to him, maybe I planted a seed
there, and to this day I don’t know if he understood, I pray so.
In time we
sold or gave away all we owned and the money raised from that, my book sales
and the many many generous donations we received from individuals and churches
raised the total far above our original target. It will go to Panawar Boys
Hostel in India, and make a real lasting difference to their lives and to the
lives of other boys who will pass through that hostel in future years. To all
who gave we cannot say how much your gift has meant to us, but we assure you
every penny will be used, none will be wasted.
Finally the
day of our departure from England came; it had not come without pain and stress,
even doubt but throughout God guided our way and stayed at our side. There was
no ‘plan B’ we were then and are now in God’s hands. We have left friends and
family behind, we will miss you all but the joy we both feel now and on that
day overcomes all. We haven’t left; we have come at last to where we should be.
India, to
those who have been here you will understand what I am trying to say, to all of
you who haven’t yet visited all I can say is if you ever get the opportunity then
take it and come, you will never regret it or forget the impact it will have on
you.
It is said
that India is an assault on the senses, I have to disagree, I have found it to
be a huge expansion of your senses in the best way possible. You see more
colour here, more smells (good and bad) more tastes, even the people are
different from any I have ever met before. We are struggling to understand the
caste system and how it moulds people’s lives from birth to death, and yes if
you are of a particular caste it is so hard to be anything but of that caste.
We take for granted our freedom to change jobs and careers, not so easy for an
Indian. Indian people we have met from a High Court lawyer (QC) our landlord,
to the woman who for 200Nr (£2.30p) a month sweeps our drive and takes away our
rubbish have all been friendly and warm to us.
Some are at first reticent or perhaps shy would be a better choice of
word but as they get to know us they relax and then you are privileged to be
given a genuine smile and a greeting when you meet again. We are not the
stereotyped English ex pats they seem used to, we never could be. Even the tut
tut drivers are learning we won’t pay tourist rates ‘WE LIVE HERE’ amazes them
and given a little English and our small Hindi we are slowly being accepted we
will never be ‘locals’ but living away from the college is proving to be the
right decision for us.
A quick word
about the journey here: to ship three boxes of 30Kg each (all our worldly goods,
including our Pc ‘The Beast’ (massive memory and super-fast) door to door we
were quoted £900 by a Uk company. We did it ourselves for less than £400. It
took us a while to sort out but it was certainly better than paying that much. Air
flight and customs import charges weren’t too bad we used a local agent (met
him as we were getting lost and asking directions) he gave a few well-placed
presents to various officials and our boxes flew through customs with only a
cursory glance and minimal import duties. Friends at ‘Tree of life church’
Mumbai arranged an overland journey for us to here, 13hrs by road packed into
an SUV but it was so worth it. We saw country that we would never otherwise
have seen, three major accidents and drank ‘chi’ at half a dozen different
places, finally arriving at about 9pm (NEVER drive at night here, nobody dips
and many vehicles have NO lights) we had to borrow 2000Rs (£23) from Finny to
pay the last costs of the driver, finally I found time to kneel and thank God
for our safe arrival and for always being with us throughout. We went to the
flat provided for us (after hello to Janet) and slept. To be honest I don’t
remember that night too well, but I remember the joy of the morning, waking to
find it was real; we really had arrived at last.
Since then
we have been out with Janet (who has been a star, helping us so much) and with
Mark and Elana for meals, we have also been out with Debi from PMF who has also
helped us so kindly even giving us some beautiful curtains for our new home. By
the way he is now the proud father of a fine baby girl, a sister to his son;
both mother and baby are doing well.
Before we
left the UK I was in contact with several house agents here, one in particular
has been fantastic throughout, not only helping us find a home but shops and
suppliers we needed. He, Sumeet has become a friend. He charged a flat fee for
his work as an agent but has gone far beyond that in helping us. We have met
his family and were privileged to be invited to his home for a meal last week.
He works with his brother and runs the business his father started and has all
but passed on to them, he still takes an active interest but the brothers do
the day to day work of running the company. They are a successful family, that
we would regard as middle class having a large house and several cars and
scooters but they are in no way arrogant about their good fortune, just
grateful. We met Sumeets Mother, Grandmother, Wife, Sisters and a few I have no
idea about! The food was wonderful,
course after course of ‘starters’ ‘try
this, now this’ then the main course that all in all left us so full if there
had been anything else we would have burst, wonderful hospitality indeed. Just
think, Sumeets grandmother remembers when Britain ruled India; she has lived
through her country under British rule then as an independent country, then
through the pains of separation from Pakistan. She is 83, small and alert, if
only I spoke Hindi what questions I would have for her, what stories she might
tell.
We have as
you may have guessed found a house here in Udaipur, it is a dream, detached three
double bedrooms one downstairs that we shall use as Christine’s studio all
en-suite, kitchen, a large lounge / diner, three story’s all in marble with
white walls and cool rooms, garden front and rear (in need of work) two
terraces from the upstairs bedrooms and a roof terrace that gives us a view of
the surrounding hills. It is about 5 Kilometres outside Udaipur off the main
road to Mumbai in what is known here as a colony, we would call it a private
estate, quiet secure and off the beaten track. Just around the corner from us
about 200yrds away is a ‘Resort’ (Country club) cheap to join it has swimming
pools, bar, restaurant, gym, sauna etc.; our rent, less than it would cost in
the UK for two weeks in a bedsit. We have truly been blessed. Kris and I have
been shopping as it is unfurnished so it gives us a chance to live as we want
to, we have bought sofa’s table chairs etc. and equipped one bedroom (ours) the
guest room can wait a while. If you should be visiting Udaipur then we have a
spare double en-suit room with its own balcony, if you just want a holiday we
will be doing bed breakfast and evening meal at very reasonable rates. We are
serious about this offer because should you want to come it will reduce your
costs, hotel, guide, knowing where to eat, shop etc. you will also be staying
in a Christian home where you can safely leave valuables without any worries,
and it will help us finance our stay, and we get visitors from the UK so
everyone wins. We have bought a large
fridge freezer and gas cooking (4) rings, Micro wave, plus all the usual stuff
cups plates etc. etc.! It really has been fun to do. We had a budget for a car
but have decided to buy two scooters instead, it may not sound like it from
where you are but here it really makes sense, they are cheap to run and can get
through the traffic much better than a car and in a country with very cheap
transport in the form of ‘tut tuts’ (three wheeled powered rickshaws) and nine
months of sun who wants to sit in a metal box in a traffic jam?
To everyone
who hasn’t had a reply to an e-mail of late, sorry but until we get Wi-Fi our
only internet access is at the college and now we are in our own home we don’t
get there every day. As soon as we are either working or have our own internet
connection things will as they say ‘return to normal service’.
I remember a
mail from Janet before we came out here, she warned us that patience is a
necessity…………she wasn’t kidding, try getting a phone! Read on.
We are at
the moment struggling with the endless Indian red tape where we have to give copies of all our
documents, passport, work permit, proof of address and a photo and the phone
number of a referee just to get a sim card for our phones. It has taken a week
so far and they are still not switched on…..I must remember, ‘relax, breath
in/out, ah, I am a tree, be calm breathe’ oh dear, next we will try to get
wifi, I wonder what that holds in store for us!
Kris has
started to look at things we see with an artist’s eye, planning paintings and
sketches, I think she will develop her own style here, perhaps a cross between
the formal and the vibrant, the colours are fantastic, who knows, no matter
what it will I am sure be interesting. She has now unpacked her brushes,
pencils and the few other materials she could bring, some water colour paints
but very little else. She has bought some paper and has spoken to at least one
local artist about the different way paint is worked here in this heat. I think
the key moment was when she hung her painting apron on the back of her studio
door!
It is now
winter, daytime temperatures are about 20-23deg C, night time it falls to about
6-10 deg C, I’m told it will get even colder soon! I may have to start using
socks again and wear a jumper in the evenings.
We visited a
mall recently just outside Udaipur, very western, very commercial, all the
usual shops, ‘Next’ ‘Subway’ even a ‘Walmart, McDonalds’ all within one
building where we finally found some things we were looking for that aren’t
easily available in Indian shops for our home. In some ways it was nice to sit
and eat a sub again, all the Indian street venders sell either sweet and sticky
or spicy and hot. I think this may become a treat for us, a trip to the mall.
Soon we hope
to be able to start work with PMF and i-connect we are both looking forward to
that. It seems to have taken so long to settle in even this much but when we
consider it has only been 25days since we left the UK and 17 days since Mumbai
then it feels better. We haven’t visited Panawar yet (maybe next week) so when
we do we will send photos of the day. On that subject, sending photographs will
be difficult from here so we have decided to have a Twitface account or
whatever it’s called, look out for updates on this!
Today,
Saturday, we have unpacked our shipping containers, during all that journey
only one breakage (glass in a picture) and that is easily solved. Everything
else came through unharmed, to those who have seen it………the beast lives again
(Pc) we now have thousands of hours of music, films and all our important files
and photographs here with us stored digitally. As I sit here writing this in
the cool house outside the sun is shining, I sip my ice cold water, I listen to
‘The complete works of Chopin’ playing in the background, ah it’s a hard life
in the colonies!
Our bibles
are now with us again (that feels so good) as are all the Christian films I
downloaded to the Pc to help in my teaching here. As I will be teaching young
Christians Conversational English I thought it would be a good idea to have a
‘film night’ maybe twice a month and show stories they have heard from the
Bible but in English to engage another sense to aid learning. Cinema is
completely out of their reach so I hope this will be successful. I will use my
laptop and an external memory for all the films, and a borrowed projector to
show the films against a white painted wall in the college.
Ok this is
where I start begging again. If you are reading this wishing you could help,
well you can. I will need a projector that I can keep for film nights, less
chance of it being damaged if it is not used by whomever needs it and then I
could use it at Panawar as well. They are not cheap, especially the bigger ones
here where electronics are expensive. I need someone to take on the task of
raising some money for this. After you have all given so much already I feel
almost as though I shouldn't ask for more but as you can see in faith I am
asking, can you help?
Well on that
note I must close this report from us. We are both mindful that without the
help of so many we would not be here now and will always be grateful to all
those people who so willingly gave of themselves to help us and our calling
here, God bless you all,
Chris and
Kris Hyde.
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