Buckle up....if you have seat belt that is!

Let me begin by saying there is absolutely no way that any amount of video, pictures or words can accurately describe all that we saw today. It was simply unbelievable. Let's back up to the wee hours of the morning.

When I left you last time we were preparing for a long evening/morning of staying in the Indira/Ghandi Dehli International Airport. The 6 hours in the airport wasn't terribly exciting. We all read, napped a little, explored the concourse and attempted to freshen up. Lisa left her glasses on the counter in the ladies room while freshening up and after a search and a stop at Lost and Found, we came to accept that they were long gone. No worries though, she only needs them to see far distances, so she should be able to manage.About 3:00am they began to open the lines for our flight and we got into line to check all of our luggage again for the flight to Raipur. This was a process that seemed especially long, probably because it was 3:00am, the lines were terribly overwhelming in our opinion and everything moves at it's own pace anywhere and everywhere in India. From the checking of the bags we headed to the security screening. This was a process in of itself. Anyone that has issues with the was the TSA folks back home....you ain't ever flown in India! Someone constantly is asking to see your Passport and your boarding pass oh and did I mention that most of these people are carrying large automatic rifles across their chest? It was something we are not used to in the U.S. and certainly took an adjustment to get......"used" to it. We all managed to make it through ok, Gregg took some extra questions regarding all of his camera equipment and Kelly was asked to explain her large stash of rupees, but we were off and moving. Once you clear security you are welcomed into a beautiful, modernized mall area featuring everything you could possibly want and these super comfortable reclining chairs. Of course we weren't stuck in this part of the airport all night, but that's what makes these trips all the more memorable. After an early morning French Frie craving stop at McDonald's we loaded up the flight to Raipur. We all tried to snag a few moments of sleep during our flight, led by our sleep specialist Lisa. She is going to be providing us all lessons on how to sleep at anytime, anywhere.

So as we are making our final descent into Raipur, you notice the surrounding countryside and a few things stick out. The lack of roads, people and buildings and the high quantity of dirt, shrubs and open space. We knew we were no longer in Avon Lake anymore. The comforts and modernization of the Dehli terminal was left behind
for the small, outdated terminal in Raipur. Our plane was one of only maybe three planes at the airport when we landed. We unloaded from the plane right out onto the airfield and headed into the one room terminal waiting for our bags. I got off the plane and walked across the open airfield in the warmth of 70 degrees and sunshine and took in the surroundings; armored guards everywhere, open fields, beautiful flower gardens and I said to myself "this is going to be something else."

Once we tracked down all 16 of our suitcases we made phone calls to Anil Henry at the hospital and waited for him and another gentleman from the hospital who were on their way to pick us up. After 15 minutes or so and still thinking about how far we are from ANYTHING....Anil pulled up and it was never so good to see a familiar face. We loaded the vehicles and arriving shortly after us was a group from the U.C.C. and the Disciples of Christ Church. They had been traveling throughout India for the past few days and were joining up with us to attend the dedication of a church in Bishrampur. The group included U.C.C. General Minister and President - Geoffrey Black and his wife, Disciples of Christ President - Rev. Sharon Watkins and her husband and many others. So we get everyone loaded and my understanding is that we are heading back to the hospital, but what do I know?

So Lisa, Dave and myself load up in the Jeep with one of the young men from the hospital who will be our driver for the day. So I take shotgun, but in India shotgun is actually on the leftside, so is it still called shotgun? Something for all of you to ponder. ANYWAYS......we set out. We are not a half mile from the airport when we really get to see what driving AND riding in India are alllllllll about. We immediately begin gaining speed and weaving throughout traffic. Let's talk about that "traffic" for a minute. Traffic in India includes cars, MONSTER trucks, walkers, bikers, motor bikers, cows, herds of cows, dogs, children, carts, buggy's, tractors, buses, and every other thing you can possibly imagine! So imagine millions of all of these things all going at their top speeds which vary from 90 mph to a slow trot. Throw all of this together, mix in a two lane road, a couple million people and you have pure chaos! It is the absolutely wildest thing I have ever experienced. I feel like I am riding some crazed version of the video game Cruising World! And everyone honks the entire time they are driving! It's comical, scary and fascinating all rolled into one!

It is almost as if some people got together and said "You know what they need cars in India." And the other person "That is a great idea!" So they decided to educate everyone about driving and rules and laws and tips for safe roadways and then deliver 500,000 millions vehicles to the country. But then someone switched the game plan and the vehicles got here first.

Because At least 4,000 times in our two hours in the car today I was positive there was going to be an accident. But- I have to admit, in the midst of this chaos, everyone seems to "get it" and just go with it. One of my favorite things I saw while traveling at high speeds through downtown Raipur was in one of the busiest intersections there were with traffic coming in all directions....there it was - an Information Booth! I mean smack in the middle of this intersection. I bet you get a free meal at a local Raipur eatery if you can make it to the booth. I mean how could you possibly get to it and the guy manning this 2 ft. by 2 ft. booth looked like everything was perfectly normal. I could on and all night about everything we saw on the road, but there will be more on that later.

So as we were supposedly traveling to Mungeli this morning we suddenly looked ahead and saw the ambulance carrying Kelly, Gregg and the rest of the crew that landed at the same time, on the side of the road and everyone unloading. I am immediately thinking to myself "what are they? NUTS? Get back in the car. This is the craziest highway in the world!" So what do you know - our driver pulls over and we get out too. Before I can even understand what is going on people everywhere are blocking traffic and escorting us across the street. People after people are welcoming us and shaking our hands and putting lays of flowers around our necks. Fireworks are going off all around us (and not your typical colorful 4th of July kind, I am talking M-80s and bricks of black cats), people are singing and dancing and we are all parading down this side street. Well it turns out we were at the site of the church re-dedication and we were all the guests of honor and they were parading to the church. It was a scene. I mean the entire town was there to greet us. We witnessed a ribbon-cutting ceremony, participated in a worship service dedicating the new space and afterward we had lunch with about 600 other people from the church.

During the service we were all working on about 1% energy reserves and the service being in all Hindi made it difficult to follow but no less impressive or meaningful. At one point....Kelly was sitting on the aisle and rested her eyes for a moment. She heard a loud group of giggles coming from the big group of children all sitting on the floor in front of the sanctuary. They had caught her resting her eyes (it was dusty in there and the lights were bright at times) and thought it was the best thing. They were clasping their hands and putting them next to their ears as they tilted their head to signify sleeping and giggling away. She instantly made 150 new Indian friends, all under the age of 11 and girls.

We were celebrities! Families were coming up to us at lunch and asking if we would take our picture with their family. The whole day was a constant sensory overload. Around 1868 Rev. Oscar T. Lohr came to Raipur and to the area and started this church. He was the first person to bring the message of Christianity to this community. Over the many, many years since that time, the church had fallen under disrepair and needed lots of work. Today after many generous donations and lots of hard work the church was dedicated and opened again.

I must say that in a community where so many have so little, it was incredible to see their passion for their faith, their true sense of community and their ability to have such a positive outlook on life. I admire so much about these people in such a short time of being here. I look forward to meeting more and more people and learning about their stories over the next few weeks.

Following the service and the lunch we headed back to Mungeli for our first time at the hospital. When we arrived Dr. Henry was immediately back at work and we had the opportunity to follow him on his quick rounds. He stopped in the surgery ward to speak to his surgeon who was performing an operation, he walked through the intensive care unit, the maternity ward and checked in with all of his staff. On top of all of this a truck had arrived delivering 16 TONS of equipment that will be used in their brand new (currently under construction) cancer ward. 16 tons of equipment on a truck without a lift gate, no dollies, no forklift, just pure Indian muscle....oh and a crane coming tomorrow. For all of us from Avon Lake, we were starting to get loopy and losing track of time and days and the realization was that we all desperately needed SLEEP. So we quickly unpacked all 16 of our bags at the residence and within a few minutes, maybe seconds - we were all down for the best nap, personally - that I have ever had.

We woke up later in the evening, showered, unpacked and shared a great dinner at the home of Teresa & Anil Henry. I really enjoyed speaking with both of them and others from all over the world who are there as part of this truly global mission experience. Earlier in the day we were finally able to meet the incredible Landa! Landa is the pastor at a church in Atlanta and was the driving force, the information guru and the true motivator to get us moving and keeping us on track as we planned for this trip. There are a couple here from California who, along with their 15 year old and 17 year old daughter, are spending the next four months here helping out at the hospital. There are medical students from Europe who are here studying as part of an international medical program. It is what I sometimes think God was talking about when we said to feed the hungry, care for the sick and clothe the naked. God wasn't saying if they are of your race or of your nationality, God simply said go and be my hands and feet.

I have no doubt that if today is any indication of the rest of this trip, I can't possibly imagine what I am in store for. I am positive though that we were called here and that God is truly still speaking in this place and in this time. My prayers tonight are for all the daring and courageous drivers who have shuffled us across the countryside. You don't realize just how talented you all truly are.

Be sure to stop over and check out - http://revgregg.wordpress.com while you are surfing today!

It's well past the time for me to go to bed. The hospital grounds are silent except for the occasional dog barking, the crickets and the far too familiar horns of the Indian interstates......until next time....peace.

-Nate

p.s. pictures tomorrow...i promise! Having some trouble getting them loaded.