Mungeli......the people, the place, the lives behind it all

Hindi is extremely hard to learn, hard to speak and really hard to pronounce. I can only tell one Hindi word for sure, that I am absolutely correct about, ok well two, Mungeli and Namaste. I have no clue what Mungeli means and neither does the internet search engines of Google and Yahoo. Namaste is hello in Hindi and everyone is always saying it everywhere you go.

Living in a community and a country where do don't speak the language is very interesting. I have a whole entire new appreciation for what a language barrier is and how much languages must have played into the development and the history of our world.

So it was another average Wednesday in Mungeli and I had a small list of to-dos for the day and was looking for someone to run with. Lisa was continuing to sleep off her stomach bug (which I must say, as of 10:05pm on Wednesday evening in Mungeli, Lisa said to me "I think I'm alright."), Dave, Gregg and Kelly were in Bismantuckett, Shane's wife and daughters were out in the villages doing research and the kids were all in school. So who did I decide to run with for the day???? But Shane of course. What a day it was. I had a list of random things we needed for the fair and the school; nails, staple gun, cd's, rings for ring toss, batteries, binder clips and other odds and ends. I also wanted to stop at one of the clothing shops to pick out something for Lisa. Off to downtown Mungeli we went....

Back to what I was saying about Hindi earlier. It is a beautiful thing to watch people communicate when neither have a good understanding of the other's language. We were attempting to by nails and it was a lengthy conversation that ended up involving drawings and hand motions and everything! For nails!!!! I can't imagine trying to ask for the thingamajigger that screws into the whatyoucallit on the back of refrigerator. But....when you do find the answer and everyone gets on the same page, it is cause for celebration. And so it is and so it was whenever we shop in the town....

Our first stop was a "paper" shop. Basically it was a mini Office Max. Wall to wall with office supplies and text books. The owner and the son of this place are known for their ability to never smile. It is something that Shane says he always expects when he comes in here. We asked about a staple gun and he searched for a bit and looked all while waiting on other customers and chatting with friends. It's like customer service has a horrible case of ADD in this country, well in particular shops I will say. So we finally attract his attention and he shows us exactly what we are searching for - a staple gun and binder clips. The real task was finding the right staples. He gave us some that fit, but we asked for longer ones, or deeper if you would and you would have thought we asked for him to drive 3 hours away and bring the right ones back. It was amusing to see his lack of interest. For some bonus entertainment, we were front row for a motor bike and bicycle collision right in front of the store. The two drivers engaged in a heated argument and finally after some persuasion for a bus driver, they moved their vehicles and their argument to the side of the road. As I heard from many in India, when an accident on the road takes place, generally both parties try to solve it among themselves and agree on a set price without involving the police. Notifying them of an accident can often lead to you getting a ticket. Fortunately or unfortunately for these two they wrecked right in front of the police station. The officers patiently listened to both of their stories and would eventually make a decision about the accident. It was interesting to watch it unfold and thankfully no one was hurt.

Back to the paper store. Shane finally asked the guy "You know, I come in here all the time and you never ever have a smile on your face. What gives?" He went to explain that he is responsible for this entire store and feels the need to be very stern and carry himself in a manner that lets others know he's in charge. He continued as he said that he also works 15 hours a day and that it is tiring. I immediately took empathy with the story of this shopkeeper. I can get why sometimes you just are not in the mood for smiling. I enjoyed the opportunity to truly get to interact with some of the locals who call Mungeli home. This was a theme that would play out throughout the day.

From there it was on to the next stop - Maggie's Clothing. The owner's son Maggie, is a 25 year old who moved to Mungeli when he was just a child. I had met him a couple of days ago when we all were in town shopping and everyone was buying scarves and pillowcases. I had told them that I wanted to get something for Lisa and that I would be back. He is the exact opposite of the paper store owner - always smiling, always friendly and a master at hospitality. The first question he asked me after we exchanged hellos was "well what will you be drinking today?" As I browsed several different choli's (a fitted women's Indian traditional top) and struggled to make a decision, I was presented with a tray of two steaming glasses of chai tea and biscuits. So as we chatted and shopped, I shared a glass of tea with Maggie. After picking out some tops and waiting for them to be packaged up, I continued to learn more about Maggie. The store had been in his family for over 50 years. His grandfather started out as a struggling laborer and then purchased a very small shop to start a clothing store in Mungeli. Under his guidance and leadership the store grew and they were able to purchase their current and more spacious store space in 1985, the same year Maggie was born. We chatted about driving licenses and work schedules. He told me how he works from 8:30am - 8:30pm, 7 days a week. He lives in the apartment above the store. I asked him "when do you take time for yourself?" He said he really doesn't. He said he loves the store and he only has one best friend and that friend runs a clothing store too. When his father is there he is able to get away at times, but other than that, not very much. I was fascinated speaking with him and hearing about the life of another one of Mungeli's residents.

We left there and stopped at an a small roadside store, that apparently specialized in cookies and treats. I needed some cookies for the school fair and this was definitely the place. Again the hospitality was the name of the game. I had no longer than picked out the five packs of cookies I needed and loaded my bag, before the store owner begged for me to sit and stay for awhile. I was offered a milk crate and sat there in front of his tiny shop along with him and Shane and we enjoyed an ice cold Pepsi. People were there greeting us and talking to us and we had a very enjoyable time again at this small shop. We were carrying full bags at this point and decided to make a stop back at the hospital to unload.

After unloading everything from our shopping trip we tracked down things for the school fair in the chapel and I tagged along with Shane as he took a loop through the hospital to say hello to some of the patients. We stopped in to see the 3 newborn babies and we said hello to the women who just last night had a large cancerous growth removed from the side of her mouth and face. It is incredible to see the before and after ALREADY of this procedure. We checked on others who were recovering from surgery or awaiting operations. I have truly enjoyed my trips through the hospital when I have had the opportunity.

Following our trip around the hospital we went for a walk. We first stopped at the small cantina behind the hospital next to the guest family housing building. We enjoyed a mimosa (looks like a deep fried fortune cookie, but has some kind of stuffing in it) and conversation with the store keeper's there as well. After a light snack we walked the property behind the hospital. We checked in at the makeshift tent and encampment of a local man who lives under what could be the biggest tree in Mungeli. He makes his living making brooms. There were evidence of his work and his work in progress all over the place. Another thing I noticed was the pile of cow pies stacked and laid out to bake in the sun. In a part of the world as desolate as some of the areas are, cow pies can actually serve as fuel for a fire. Yep, nothing like cooking your dinner over some hot steaming poop. That's something I think I'd have trouble with, but again - survival. I asked Shane "what's this guy do when it rains?" he shot back - "he gets wet!" Touche. Touche.

We left there and hiked down to the river to see what was going on. There were fisherman on the far side casting their nets and picking out fish as they pulled them in. I was amazed that anything could possibly live in this water. I am more amazed that anyone would eat anything from this water. Survival. Period.

Our next stop was another happened chance at great hospitality. As we came up to the main street from the river we noticed a mill across the street so we of course wandered over. As soon as we walked onto the property, I mean instantly, one of the men jumped up and insisted that I sit down. The crew was enjoying a break from cutting logs and sawing pieces to make fences and other things that people in this community need. We asked about the machines and the owner quickly assembled his crew back to work and all them with great pride and smiles to prove it, began to work the machinery that provides them all with a living and a way of life. Moments later we were presented with a small piece of wood cut and carved into the shape of a man. The owner said it was a gift to us. We hadn't done anything or given them anything. We weren't important people, we were simply nosy neighbors, but to them we were guests. The only way they treat guests is with great care and joy.

On the way back from the mill I spotted a wall that grabbed my attention immediately. It was covered in drawings and words and swirls and flowers all done by the hands of children using sidewalk chalk. I love things that make us all us. I love that 7,000 miles away there are kids in Ohio who will spend many summer days chalking up and down their city sidewalks. The fact is we are all in this together, the reality is we don't want to acknowledge it.

We left there and returned back to the hospital. I spent some of the afternoon making notes and lists of supplies needed for the games for the fair on Friday. Lisa went through and organized all of the awesome toys that were donated by everyone back in Avon Lake and before we knew it was almost 5pm. I realized I was forgetting a few things, so I asked Shane for another lift into town. Off we went on the motorbike with more adventures awaiting us. We drove alongside a friend he had made who's father runs another garment shop in town. We asked him where we could find a wooden stool that one of the med students was looking for. He had us pull over and personally walked us back to a small wood shop behind the bus station. He was another young man who is trying to make a better life for himself. He has no plans to go into the garment business like his father but instead he is studying business and wants to join a company that makes water wells for communities like Mungeli. Exactly what India needs - young people who want to make India better, who recognize the situation and the solution and want to make things happen. After we left the wood shop, we stopped into one of thousands of little tea shops and enjoyed a cold Sprite and some chai tea. We sat at a table in the back and my seat faced the front of the restaurant. Literally every person turned and just watched us the entire time we were in there. Not with contempt, but with admiration. It was a funky feeling - but there's a lot funky in India.

We returned back home, enjoyed a nice dinner and shared all of our stories from the day. One of the things that struck me the most today was the work ethic that so many of these people have and the dedication for their shops. I hope to meet more people like Maggie and the paper show owner and the aspiring water well designer and everyone else in between. India is full of people and every person has their own story. What would the world look like if we could all "know" or "see" everyone's story as we approached them or passed by them on the street? Would we treat them differently? Would be be quicker to show compassion instead of passing judgment? I made a lot of assumptions about a lot of these people in my first few days here. These people are lazy, they are filthy, they have no pride, they can't be smart because who would pollute their own river with tons of garbage and sewage? But my assumptions and my thoughts are definitely not accurate for all of them. Too bad it took me getting to know some of the Mungelians to realize that. My prayer tonight is for safe travels from Bismantuckett for Rev. Kelly, Dave, Gregg and Anil and my other prayer is for the people of India. You all have a story to tell and your stories are not so different from the stories of people in America and all over the world. I leave you with this. One of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite presidents;

"Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future and we are all mortal."
-John F. Kennedy

Tomorrow we will reconnect with the rest of our team, Lisa is planning a short trip into the villages with Lisa and Marcie to survey the women there, fair preparations continue and oh so much more! More pictures next time. I need to get to bed - I have a skype date with my Sr. High youth at 5:30am!

So long!
-Nate