Christmastime in Kerala

Merry Christmas friends!

The month of December was one of transition for me, I had to move to a new site and begin forging new relationships. December was also the busiest month for me so far, between my work, Christmas services and visits; I rarely had a day for rest.

I have moved from Mavelikkara to the Kottayam metro area (Pallom to be exact) to Buchanan Institute Girl's Higher Secondary. Buchanan is a very old school that teaches girls from 5th standard to 10th standard, and now has an adjoining LP school for all children standards 1 through 4. Throughout December, I took free classes at the higher secondary school, getting to know the 900 students! Although I enjoyed interacting with college students at Bishop Moore, there was always a problem with motivation. Only some college students wanted to make an effort to learn English, the others just wanted to clown around. The girls at Buchanan have a great attitude about learning. They may be a little shy, but they are eager! My site supervisor and I finally worked out a more permanent schedule yesterday, and from now on I will be taking classes with 5th, 6th and 8th standards regularly, but finding other ways to engage with other standards as well. In my free time at the school I talked with the teachers, who are tickled pink to have me there. This school complex has a hostel, but they did not have a room ready to receive a permanent guest. Until all the necessary arrangements could be made, I was to live at Mandiram's Society* and commute to Buchanan every day, which is an adventure.

December is a crazy time for educational institutions because there are exams at the beginning of the month, and then preparing for Christmas programs for the remaining weeks before Christmas vacation. Every church, school and social club puts on a Christmas Carol Service, in which members sing songs, perform skits and dances, read scripture passages and listen to a Christmas message. The teachers at Buchanan, still admiring the foreigner in their midst, wanted me to choreograph a dance (despite my assertions that I knew nothing of this art form), sing a solo and teach some students an English song. My attempt at dance choreography was a spectacular failure (really a blessing as this duty was subsequently taken away from me) and there simply wasn't time for me to teach the students a song as I had to leave the school at 3:30pm every day to catch the bus back to Mandiram. I was also saved from having to sing a solo because the teacher in charge forgot to write me into the program. I did however help the girls practice dancing and singing--by watching and listening and saying "good job!"

The rest of my time in December was taken up by the Kerala Christmas experience. Christians in Kerala do not view Christmas as the most important Christian festival--that would be Easter and the Lenten season. However, they have developed some very unique Christmas traditions, one of which is the Carol Service. Like I said, most institutions in Kerala put on a Carol Service, which means that on any given day there will be at least 3 services within a 10 mile radius. I attended 10 services, none of which I could refuse invitations to. These services last anywhere from 2 to 3 hours; yes, you read that right, 2 to 3 HOURS of choirs singing, preachers preaching, scripture reading (mostly in Malayalam) and chair sitting. I did participate in the Mandiram service by singing Silent Night with the other volunteers (in 4 part harmony--impressive I know), and was asked to give the Christmas message at a local Marthoma college. Some services were very well rehearsed, theatrical and lively. Some were somber, some informal, some quite comical. After the service there was always a sponsored dinner, which was usually fried rice or biryani (although two services ended in Kappa my favorite food here), followed by plum cake. Plum cake is a traditional Christmas dessert that is similar to fruitcake but actually tasty.

Christmas decorations here are also different. Kerala has adopted the idea of a Christmas tree, but prefers to use trees that are still alive. Keralites hang these trees with multicolored tinsel decorations, balloons and a few small ornaments shaped like the head of Father Christmas. Very few people string lights on their houses, but everyone has a nakshathram, a Christmas star. These stars are made out of cardstock-like paper and are hung from every shop and house. At night, residents turn on the light bulbs inside and the multicolored glow shines on every porch. The stars are my favorite Christmas tradition here, and one I will be bringing back to the states. Some people also make pulkud--straw houses that contain a nativity scene. I was impressed at how detailed these pulkud were, with rock gardens, streams, trees and grasses surrounding the baby Jesus, his family and his admirerers.

The volunteers celebrated Christmas together in Aluva, at Thomas John Achen's house. We went fishing and paddle boating, exchanged small gifts, drank cider and spent time with Achen's family. Although we missed our families and friends back home, we were actually quite pleased with Christmas in Kerala.

(Final years from Bishop Moore Hostel in the Christmas tableau-->)

*Mandiram's Society is a great place, consisting of an old age home, a hospital, a girl's home and nursing school. In Kerala, most elderly citizens live with their children--old age homes are not very common. However, some families are too poor to take care of their elderly members, and they have no choice but to send them away. Mandiram's Society provides free room and board to these elderly men and women who have nowhere else to go. These Appachens and Ammachis love to chat, smile and laugh. Mandiram hospital provides free care to the poor and is considered to be one of the best hospitals in Kottayam, and its nursing school is also well respected. Within the past 10 years, they have also added a girl's home for those who have no family or whose family cannot support them. The society runs on donations, and staff is made up of priests and local seminary students. All the staff here are friendly and welcoming; they are also some of the funniest people I have met in India. I cannot be in their company 10 minutes without laughing. This is one of the oldest sites for the YAV India program, Tyler is this year's Mandiram volunteer.

Unexpected Travel Suggestions

Friends,
I know it's been an obscenely long time since I've updated this blog, but many things have happened in the past month and half that led to this neglect. One was that the top row of keys on my keyboard (which are some of the most important letters in our language) decided to stop working, which meant that I could not write an update whenever I wanted to. I have also been displaced in Kerala for the past month, meaning I had very little time to find a working computer with which to write and reflect on all that has happened. In light of these obstacles, I ask you to please forgive my lateness.

November was a roller coaster of a month for me. The first 2 weeks of November were the best yet. After returning from a great retreat, I felt inspired and energized in returning to Mavelikkara and to Bishop Moore College. I arranged a Halloween celebration for the girls in the hostel, which went over very well. We carved pumpkins and I had them make masks out of scraps of colorful loth and knock on my door after dinner to get a few pieces of candy. I ended up with about fifty girls trying to get into my room all at once with outstretched hands. It was chaos, but it was fun! I was also able to visit some of the teachers homes and meet their families. They all insisted on cooking special meals for me, and they were more than happy to teach me how to cook when I asked. When I return, I will be able to cook delicious kappa vevacha, min curry, dosa, appam, kadala curry and poori!

And then came Friday, the 13. I received a call from Thomas John Achen, my site coordinator, that I was going to be served a notice from the Alappuzha district police. The notice was to tell me that I had violated the rules of my visa by attaining employment at Bishop Moore College and I had 15 days to leave the country. Thomas John Achen told me to stay calm and that he and the principal of the college were working on getting the situation under control. This was the last thing I had expected and the shock of it left me very emotional for the next few days. After many days of talking to the police and other government officials in Kerala, Thomas John Achen called to give me news of the situation. I would have to leave India, but my visa was not voided. This meant that I could simply go to Sri Lanka for a few days and then reenter the country. I would have complied with the instructions of the police and I could stay in Kerala. However, the police in Alappuzha district had decided to be very strict on tourist visa policy. Although I was not receiving a salary from Bishop Moore College, the police decided that I was employed and, in their eyes, that went against visa regulations. Because Thomas John Achen did not want the YAV program to suffer or to have conflict with local authorities, it was decided that I should leave Mavelikkara and move to a new site.

Right in the middle of all of this, my keyboard broke, which in itself is not that big of a deal but at the time was an indication that the universe was conspiring against me.

That week was probably the most emotionally trying time of my life to date. I had just settled into Mavelikkara, I was forming deep friendships with the hostel girls, the staff, the hostel and college teachers and other members in the community. After finally making a home in Kerala, I was being told that I had to leave, prematurely severing all of these relationships. Some of the teachers and hostel staff were aware of the situation, but the hostel girls were not. I had to break the news on Wednesday evening that I would be leaving Thursday afternoon, never to return. There were many tears that could not be comforted, many questions that could not be answered. I assured all of my Mavelikkara friends that I would be able to come back to visit every once in a while, but that it would be impossible for me to continue living and working at Bishop Moore. Since then, I have been able to visit the hostel for one night to see their Christmas program, but it can never be the same.

The worst thing about the whole situation was how helpless and targeted I felt. I had done nothing wrong, but was being forced to leave my new home and family. I tried to think of something that I had done to deserve this, but could come up with nothing. Did God think that I was a bad volunteer, that somehow I was doing more harm than good in my placement? Had misinterpreted God's desire and guidance for my life and this was just God's way of correcting my colossal mistake? It seemed as though my prayers, for understanding and for intercession, were going unanswered. In the end, the most helpful prayer was one of the simplest: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to tell the difference."

It took time, but I realized that God was with me in my suffering, not the cause of it. Without God's help, I could not have continued to live and serve while my emotions and anxieties were running so high. I don't think God guided the police to evict me from Allapuzha district, but God did guide my friend Salamma to invite me to stay at her home Sunday night. God worked through Ammamma (the hostel warden) to pray with me and for me every day. God helped Thomas John Achen to find the loophole in India's visa policy that would allow me to stay in Kerala, although it would be in a different place. God was there in the other YAVs, who called or messaged me every day to make sure that I was hanging in there and to make me laugh when I needed it the most.

I left Mavelikkara on a Thursday, and by Saturday was on a plane to Sri Lanka. There, I stayed with Chenoa Stock, a previous India volunteer who now works for the PCUSA in Sri Lanka. 48 hours in a different country, in a city (Colombo) that is very western, was a much needed break from my distress in Kerala. I came back to India on Monday, November 23, and was able to have Thanksgiving with all the YAVs on Thursday at Thomas John Achen's house.

After 22 years, this was the first Thanksgiving when I actually felt thankful for something. I am thankful to still be in Kerala. I am thankful for all the friendships I had in Mavelikkara, for all the experiences I had. Although I lived and served at Bishop Moore for two short months, I had been very happy. I am lucky to have that experience, to meet the people I did, to laugh and learn with everyone in my community. I am thankful that I have friends and family all over the world who supported me through this difficult time, and who will support me in future trials.

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." Jeremiah 29:11