Dave’s Blog

Wow what a day. I checked my email and there was a note from Mike Wood saying he had talked with his daughter about the girl with no uniform. She immediately said that she would pay for her tuition and 9 of her friends for a year. I think there might be some other people who would like to help the children here.

I think that I mentioned earlier that this village has no school. I found out that they do have a government school but it is very minimal and I think heavy on the Moslem message. (TO UPDATE, I FOUND OUT THAT THEY USED TO HAVE A SCHOOL BUT NO LONGER HAVE ONE.) I found out that to start a Christian based school they would need $20 per student to get books, supplies and whatever is necessary for a school. Talking with one family last night, they are sending their child to Shorkot and paying $3 a month tuition and $16 a month for the rickshaw just to transport her to school and back. Anyway on to the rest of the day.

Sunday School here in Christian Jinnah Colony at 10 and Church at 11. I worked with a good group in Sunday school. We redid what we did last week for the new ones and then added some more things. At church I had the sermon time and told a folk tale and related it to the lesson I was teaching on. The story was very humorous and we laughed together. They did get the connection to the Bible concepts I was trying to get across.

We had a light lunch of rice and lentils, salad and flat bread. Then we left for another village, Chak No. 636. It was in the opposite direction than we usually go. Same flat country, same busy assorted traffic and same beat up narrow roads. As we entered the village you could see the church. A small rectangular building with a Cross on top in the middle of an open field. It is another Church of Pakistan congregation.

We stopped at a home across from the church and went into the living room. There were about 8 men in that room and activity going on in another area. Two boys came in and each gave me a packaged bouquet of silk flowers. After a while they brought in glasses of Coke for us and some cookies. After that I got up to look in the other area and my host ask if I would like to see the rest of his house.

There was a room for he and his wife, a room for his parents, a room for his sister and her children and a very large courtyard, garden and livestock area. He had pigeons, ducks, geese, chickens and fruit trees. In another area of the compound were the water buffalo, goats, donkeys and who knows what else. He was quite prosperous.

He ask if I would like to use the toilet and was very proud to show me they had a real porcelain toilet that you could sit on. The next cubicle had a squatting toilet like all the ones I have seen in this country. What luxury. Then it was time to go to the church.

As we walked over the open space I heard a band of drum, tongs for rhythm, shaker rattles and something else. There were also 10 children lined up on each side with rose and bougainvillea petals that they threw at me as I entered. They also gave me a tinsel and silk flower lei. What a reception. I am the first foreigner that has come to their church. They are most honored.

We went inside and there were about 60 people. We sat in front and they sang some songs and had some prayers then I was on. I did the creation story and taught many figures for it ending with the separation of God and man. Then some figures for the Gospel story. We did a short break and then I gave the sermon that I gave this morning. Two hours and they were wanting more.

After handshakes and some individual prayers we went back to the house. The band followed us to the house and Pastor Rauf slipped some money to me to give them. In the house we sat in the living room for a while. My host asked me to come into his room, they wanted to “gift” me something. They had his neckties laid out on the bed and ask me to pick out one. I picked out a red one for Christmas and then he said pick another one also.

We then went into the courtyard for tea, cookies and a home made cake. His mother brought out a box with two vases in and asked if I liked them. I said they were very nice and she said they were mine. It is amazing what joy my presence is giving them. After praying for that family we went on the rounds of families in adjoining compounds that were related for prayers then to a couple other homes to pray for them. At two of the homes the man shook my hand and slipped me some rupees. We collected all our things and headed home.

Back home, Pastor Rauf explained that they usually have evening service there but because of some robberies and killings he wanted to be out of town by dusk. That is why we were there in the afternoon. While on that subject we also talked about the problems in India and he said that Pakistan is on a red alert. He does not think anything will happen but told me to carry my passport with me at all times and if he said I was to leave the country, I was to do it immediately. I really feel safe here on the compound but they urge me every night to keep my door locked. We take so many things for granted at home.

Dave

Well, we did not start out at 7 am as planned. The driver had two flat tires and we left about 10 am instead. We drove to Toba Tek Singh and picked up Rauf and another man then drove to Chak no. 424. Each village is numbered as to where they are on the irrigation system. It took over 2 hours to get there.

The village is rather small but has a large Episcopal Church…aka Church of England edifice, a remnant of the colonial days with the British. We went to the pastors home for the Church of Pakistan and dropped off some books for him and he went with us to our first school visit.

The Girls Primary School had boys and girls, about 150 of them. We had a good time trying to get some of the younger ones to make some things. I am not worried when they don’t get something because I know that others in the school will teach them later. there is something magical about standing under a tree in a dusty village, telling stories and having fun teaching the string figures. The principal was an older woman who tried everything and was very succesful.

We were driving to another school when we stopped in at, I think, the church. They were having a special service for a baby that had died just 3 days earlier. It was a typical courtyard gathering with rugs covering the dirt and nice chairs set up for the leaders in front.

We were ushered up front and as we were going, Rehman said it would be very special for them if I said a few words and gave the prayer. I gulped twice and said ok. It turned out well and I was able to give some comforting words that I think helped.

We then left there and went to the Government Primary Boys School. It was all boys and they were ready. The principal lined them up in the courtyard and had them sitting on their feet…the aboriginal squat that I can’t do. I noticed that when I stood in front of them, they were looking directly into the sun. I was also standing in the sun. I suggested that we move the direction and I stood in the shade and they could see much better. There were 240 in that group and they were very competent. The boys here seem to do better as a group than the girls with the string games. Lots of laughing.

We went till school was out and then drove back to the church were they had prepared a snack/meal of a dish like fried rice. It had lots of things in it. Don’t ask! I knew that we were to eat in Toba Tek Singh soon so I only had a small helping. We left that village and headed home.

As we were driving along, Rehman remembered a Sunday School that had been running for 6 years and we pulled off the main road to another village, Phulam, We drove to the end of the street and walked past the water buffalo and other assorted animals to the teachers home. We explained what we wanted. Rahmen said there were about 20 in the group.

After the teacher got all the kids and grandkids in her compound dressed up we moved to the Church of Pakistan building. It is one room with a simple alter and rugs on the dirt floor. About 25 kids assembled and then a few more came in. We started and a few more came in. Some adults joined them and a few more came in. We ended up with 130 people. That filled the church to capacity and maybe a little more. It was a real multi generational group.

We then left and drove to Rauf’s appartment in Toba Tek Singh for a nice meal of rice with chicken in it, fried chicken, stewed meat and a relish plate with carrots, radish and tomato. The electricity went out while everyone was getting ready to leave. Rauf, his wife and 4 girls were going back to the village for Sunday.

We ended up with 9 in the car for the trip home. I was getting very nervous as Usman the driver was driving in a construction area with only one lane talking on the phone and reading his text messages while going along at a pretty good clip. At one point I suggested the I would talk on the phone while he drove.

I am really tired and ready to wind down. I am giving the message tomorrow in church and talked with Rehman a little about it to prepare him for translating. I just have a few more thoughts to share.

People here have not been exposed to so many things. Yes, they have cell phones and a few have a refrigerator but so many things are new. My hearing aids fascinate them. A hearing aid here is a box in your pocket with a wire to a big apperatus in your ear. Mine, that fit inside my ear, have them all talking and looking.

Yesterday I went out front to trim my nails with clippers. Two or three people came over to see what I had and were very curious as to how they worked. Some of the simplest things are new inventions here. I gave Sinthea an apple ciniman herbal tea bag to make me a pot of tea. I got one cup and they drank the rest to see what it was like.

The final thing is my age. The brothers keep telling people, “You know he is 70 years old”. I am only 69 but they keep rounding it up. People this old should be sitting in the sun letting their children take care of them. So much for that. I am having too much fun for that to happen.

Dave

We drove on back roads through irrigated fiwlds of rice, cotton, sugar cane, and some food greens and also through much dry desert country to get to the village. It is just amazing what a little water will do. Many carts with a thorny brush that they use for cooking fires. It takes a lot of twigs to cook a meal. There were also some trucks, donkey carts and bicycles loaded down with cotton going to market.

The school was down a dusty street surrounded by shops. Just room for classes…no play area. It is an elementary school with about 135 students. As with all schools these students had uniforms. Everyone had a back pack and copy book. That and a chalk board were about all there was. I had laid out some National Geographic maps to bring and forgot them back in Oklahoma. They would have been so welcomed.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude to think of the traveling I get to do. To see schools in villages that haven’t changed except for maybe having chairs in generations. I am getting into homes and schools that are just not accessable to the average tourist. They tell me I am the only white man for many miles around. Everyone wants to have their picture with me.

The younger children at this school were having difficulty making some of the figures but were just happy to play with the string. They need to just play with them for a day or two and then have an older brother or sister show them something. It is so different that they don’t even know how to look at it.

There was one boy, about 5th grade, that knew cat’s cradle and he could follow everything I was doing. Some would get one and some get another and I know they will be teaching each other for a long time.

There was one girl way off to the side that I noticed was getting every one. She was about third grade and about the only one that did not have a uniform. She was obviously very poor even by this villages standards. She was amazing in how she could watch and do exactly what I was doing, even from her vantage point at the side. I would praise her for doing something and she just beamed. What a bright, creative mind.

I found out later that she cannot pay the fee of $2 a month for books and uniform. She will be getting a free uniform next week. When a family on average only makes $20 to $30 dollars a month, tuition is a major expense. And that is the average family. What a shame that a bright mind like this will probably not finish elementary and surly not go on to secondary school. All for $2 a month.

Drove home and I sat out front for a few minutes. One girl came along with a string on her wrist. She was very polite and with some difficulty let me know that she had one but her brother did not. Could she have one. I gave her one and she left. 3 minutes later 6 boys came running to ask me for a string. Please! Please! Please!

I had already decided that I can’t give to one for this very reason. I told them to come to chruch Sunday and they would get one. At this two of the boys said ok and pulled a string out of their pocket and started doing something with them. This is why I just can’t relent and let one have an extra.

We had a lunch of peas and potatoes in a spicy sauce, rice, yougert and Nam. Then to keep up with tradition, I took a nap.

Dave

This morning Pastor Rauf and I went with Usman the driver and friend to Al-Usman Ideal public School in Shorkot. It was just a short distance from here. We met the principal and visited for a while as the students were getting ready. Pastor Rauf and Usman went into the school and gave out strings so that when I came out the students were all sitting on their feet in lines on the patio. I cannot imagine staying for 1 hour in that position but they did it.

The 160 students were about 10th grade and very bright. We laughed a lot as they made things and I told stories. I was careful not to mention the rib in the Adam and Eve story as the Muslims do not have that in their tradition. Pastor Rauf is really getting into this string stuff. He asked to teach the story of “connecting with God”. He gave the story and taught the figure in Urdu. It is amazing how disciples are formed. After a lot of fun we had to stop so they could take a state exam. A big thing here also.

We went to the principals’ office for tea and visiting. We seemed to be spending a lot of time visiting and I found out later that we were waiting for a class change so I could work with another class. Often I am not told what is going on, I wait and see. The principal, his assistant, another man from our village and the three of us were joined by pastor Michael to go to a class of all girls, about grade 11. I told the Anansi story and they enjoyed the animation emensly. I really had a good time with these older students today. They can see the complexity of these figures and understand the stories. It is not just entertainment but learning.

There was one Sheite young woman with the black burka on that only showed her eyes. She was having trouble with one figure so I stepped over and helped her make it. She was very pleased to be able to do it. I wondered later if it was ok to touch her hands but was told that it was fine. They said she is probably bragging that this white man helped her.

Back to the compound for lunch, rice, lentils and nam or flat bread. Pastor Rehman joined me for lunch. I then rested until about 4 when Pastor Michael brought in the computer for me to check my email. Just as I started, the electricity went off. He then asked if I would like to go visit some homes in the village. What a treat it is for me to see life just as it is and was many years ago.

The first compound we visited had a man and his 6 children, his widowed sister in law and her children and his sister who hadn’t walked in 35 years. They were preparing bread. One mixing it up, the next making it into little loaves, the next patting it flat until it was about the size of a dinner plate. The last girl was cooking them on a grill with a special circle of metal that she could use to take it off the grill and hold it in the fire for further cooking. Quite an operation. All this was done over a fire of straw and very thin sticks.

In another part of the compound they were cooking a curry meat dish on another fire. Have I told you that the smoke here is quite heavy? Everyone here has one or two fires for cooking and there are some fires burning around just to have something to stand around. That combined with the diesel exhaust from truckes, tractors and motorcycles makes for a heavy smog. It has me coughing quite a bit.

The electricity came on just as we went to the next home. This man uses a donkey and cart for his occupation. Pastor Rauf gave one of his daughters a sewing machine that she uses for tailoring. It was a very neat place. He also has 6 children. His youngest son was at the church Sunday and learned some string figures. He loves them. I gave the other children strings. I say children but 3 were young adults. We had fun learning some new figures. One of the boys made the witches’ broom. I had not taught it yet. He said he already knew it. (A sighting of a figure in a new place.)

Mom made tea and French fries for us as a snack. Pastor Michael told me she had made a snake for us. I am helping him with his pronunciation and he is helping me learn a few words in Urdu and Punjabi. My ears are getting better tuned to the accent here and so it seems that their English is getting better. It is all perception..

Anyway, the snake was Tea, French fries and some packaged cookies. I don’t think they ever make anything like cookies. I will find out about that later. We visited and had a good time. Walked home to be greeted with a supper of curry beef and nam. I have a lot to be thankful for. Michael ate with me and then we visited for a long time.

I am writing my blog in word perfect and will transfer it to the web since I seem to loose it in the middle when I work directly on the web.

Dave

I was invited to attend an engagement party here in the village for one of the families in the church. It is a different couple than the engagement party that I attended the other day for a prospective groom.

We arrived and were a little early. They were still getting the rose petals ready to greet us and the photogropher was not set up. We went out and visited with her father who was cooking a great deal of curry pork in two enoumous pots over open fires. It was smelling great.

In a little while they called us to come into the reception. The three Pastors Swan and I were the honored guests. They had brought in a chair and a couch for us. Rugs were on the dusty patio and a colorful sheet was over the brick wall behind us. There was singing with a drummer and a male singer leading and then the brothers officiated at the ceremony. The bride was nowhere to be seen. Still getting ready for her apperance.

I was ask to give the homily and sort of winged it. They were happy with it and at the end, the father of the bride gave me 100 rupies for my service. Back to the party…The couch was vacated and they moved the chair right in front so I could see all the happenings.

The bride was led out with much fanfare. She was dressed in the finest with bangles and rings. She had tattoos on henna all over her hands. She looked beautiful but very sad. Not all arranged marrages are met with joy. Members of the crowd sat, one at a time, on the couch with her, gave her a bite of sweet rice and placed money in her hand. Everyone was laughing and having a good time but her.

After these festivities, the brothers and I were led to another part of the compound into a room and seated at a coffee table. We were served a delicious colorful rice dish, curry pork and flat bread. They served water but I passed on that. Just at the end of the party the electricity went out and people started leaving.

People are treating me as royalty and as their difficulties are told, ask me to pray for them. They all want to shake my hand and have a picture taken with me. The cell phones are really busy taking pictures. It was a busy day but a good one. Time for some fruit and nuts and catching up on email and writing this. Then to bed for another day of who knows what.

Dave

Had a great day at this private school. It is all in English so we only had to translate for the 2nd graders, and then only a little. The 450 children had so much fun the Sister Miriam wants me to return another day and work with some of the older children. I also said I would work with the 4,5 and 6 year olds in their montesori classrooms. Sister Meriam told her teachers to watch especially how I handled the children. She slipped me an envelope with a nice note and 1,000 rupies.

Went to Pastor Rauf’s home for a little and then drove the 30 minutes back to the village. We saw a herd of camels, many goats, donkey carts, water buffalo, trucks, cars, rickshaws and more, all on the road. Many of the roads are one land so meeting a cart with a great load of cotton or straw means lots of honking and no one wanting to give way.

I was tired from the day and rested.

Dave

Today we went to Shaheen Elementary School. Left about 10 am. We were going to leave earlier but time is relative. When we got to the school we met the owner and principal of the school, Mohammed Riaz. Public schools are really private schools in most countries. Government schools are private.

As I said, time is relative. We visited and visited. Then another man came in and we visited some more. They brought in some bottled water and I showed some string figures to the men. They wanted to learn a couple so I taught them. All this time, the principal would get up and check on things. After about an hour of visiting we went up to the roof where the children were assembles. 55 children from kindergarten to about grade 4. The older ones did a good job with the strings and we told the younger ones that the older ones would help them later.

We then went back to the principals office and visited. He sent out for sandwiches, an almond cake and Sprite. We ate and visited some more. This is the way things usually go on my school visits. Lots of visiting and waiting, not usually knowing what the actual agenda is. Flexibility and patience are the two bywords of mission work.

We then went to Convent of Jesus and Mary School. It is a beautiful facility in Toba Tek Singh. It is also where Pastor Rauf’s daughters attend. We met with Sister Miriam and explained what I was doing there. She was from the states and we had a good visit. She said we could come tomorrow morning and work with their children, grades 2, 3, and 4.

We then went to Pastor Rauf’s home near the school for a time. He is renting a home there so the children can go to school since there is no school out here in the village. His aunt and uncle stay with his wife to operate that home. After a while there, we came home. A nice lunch of curry chicken, a vegetable dish, salad and flat bread about 4 in the afternoon. I will rest then we will take another foray into the village this afternoon.

Dave

After a nap I was reading as dusk was setting in. Then the electricity went out. REhman and Michael decided that would be a good time to take a walk. We went on the pavement out to the main road and back. You had to watch out for donkey carts, bicycles, motorbikes and a few people.

We came back to the village and decided to visit some homes of some of the church members. By now the lights had come on but walking the paths of the village was a challange. I had a flashlight but that is for sissies.

We would knock on the outer gate and someone would ask who it is. David Titus they would say and they would open it. We usually waited in the courtyard with the animals while they straightened things up inside, then we were invited in.

Eating was finished and everyone was on their pallet…all in one room, watching a little tv if they had one or talking or getting ready for sleep. I was given the chair to sit on. Sometimes they brought out chairs and a couple of the beds to sit on in the courtyard.

No one here has a table for eating. Eatings seems to be more of an individual thing and you sit anywhere with your plate. You use your flat bread to pick up your food. God invented fingers before forks.

At each home I was ask to pray for the family, usually with specific problems going on. Childless women wanted prayers, older people with maladies and the children can always use prayers.

When we were ready to pray the women made sure their shall was covering their head and the men made sure that their turbin or shall was not covering their head.

Dave

After breakfast of a hard boiled egg, flat bread with beans and spice paste in side and yogurt I was waiting to go to the school. Had three friends of the brothers come in my room to meet me and we visited and I taught them a couple figures.

I also checked my email here. They have a computer set up in my room just for my use…well some others come in to check their email also. They are taking such good care of me. By the way, I would love to hear any news from home. Email me.

Usman drove Rauf and Rehman to Nawa Chak, Shor Kot where the school is. The principal, Rana Inam has things set up in the dirt courtyard under a tree. Chairs for the honored guests and a table with water. The children…50 middle school girls and about 20 fifth graders all waiting patiently.

Rehman and I taught them the creation series from star and sun, animals and mosquito to man. This fit well into the Muslem teachings. I then did a sign language story with them and we had a good laugh over it.

When we finished they were lined up for a group picture and then we were served tea and cookies. A nice time with all. The children here are not bashful and will respond when approached. Sometimes I am places where especially the girls just shut down when you ask them to show you something or when you try to help them. Not here.

They kept bringing figures to show what they had made. They love the 2 person figures. The principal was amazed that the schools in the US would pay for this activity.

On the way home we stopped to look at the canal that carries all the water for irrigating the rice fields. They were talking about the prevelence of dinghy fever and malaria. Oops, I am not taking malaria pills this trip. Didn’t think of it since it was supposed to be winter. Of course winter is 85 in the day and 55 at night.

I am waiting for lunch then will take a nap and look around the village. Life in the not so fast lane. Rauf brought me some local money. 1,000 rupies or about $12. Well, I guess that the $10 bill that I gave the prospective groom at the engagement party was really quite a bit of money. Hope they use it well.

Dave

Woke up early and had my morning absolutions with cold water. It was only about 55 degrees outside so it was not too bad. Waited for the compound to start stirring and then had breakfast.

Flatbreat on the grill, two hard boiled eggs and yougert. Then tea with milk and sugar. (Tomorrow we have worked out for me to have coffee.) They served me in my room.

It was still early and so wandered around. Went outside where the father and a couple of elderly men were sitting on a wood and rope bed framework. Sat with them and enjoyed the sun. Everyone going by had to stop and say Shalom and shake my hand.

They asked me to work with the children for a time while the adults were in worship time in the church. The 60 or so kids and I did strings. Told them to save their strings and that I had only brought one for each child. I knew I would be seeing them more times and was not giving one out each time.

About 11 I was invited to the church for the preaching and teaching time. There were about 150 people. Women sitting on the floor on one side and men on the other. They had a couple of drummers and an accordian like insturment. They sang and prayed for a little while longer.

Then they welcomed me. And what a welcome. Artificial flower and tinsel leis and a welcome song. Prayers and clapping. I then brought greetings from America and thanks to my hosts.

We then passed out the strings. Need I say more than we had FUN. Fun with a message and everyone joined in. These people have very little and were enjoying it greatly. We went on for about an hour or more.

After the service most all wanted to shake my hand and many wanted me to pray for or with them. I am not used to this veneration. They get to see very few foreigners and I am the first visiting pastor to the church. My age also adds to this a measure of respect.

Back to the room for a short rest then lunch of rice, vegatable tray, cooked vegetables and potatoes, stewed chicken pieces, rice and pomegranets. Coffee with milk and sugar.

Then off to meet with the children again. This time there were about 75 and very excited. Many wanted more and the rest wanted what everyone else had. Knowledge is a great thing. These kids do not have a school in their village and are so eager for learning of any kind.

What a great time we had. They got very boistrous at times but in a healthy childlike way. We were able to learn some new things and remind them of some of the things I had taught earlier. Next time I hate to think of how many there will be. More about that next Sunday.

Next I was invited to an engagement party. Just a short walk to a home. They brought out chairs for Rehman and I to sit on. They had borrowed rugs to put on the cement patio for the rest…men on one side, women on the other.

The proposed groom was there but not the bride. She doesn’t attend this function. It was an arranged marrage and the friends and family of both sides were there. The in-laws were there giving gifts.

Many people joined the young man to give a gift of money and feed him a bite of sweet rice. Mine was the only American money in the batch. They seemed very honored to have me attend and asked me to pray and bless him.

Then he went inside and Rehmen and I were moved to his chair and food was brought out. Served first from the stewed chicken pieces and potatoe dishes as well as flat bread, vegatables and a sweet rice dish. It was all very festive.

When we got back, Rauf and I had time to visit. We talked about the ministry and how he had found me. He is very pleased at how it is reaching everyone, young and old. He was also talking about picking up some string in town and making more strings for the children. We are going to busy if we run out of 4,200 strings and need more. They do know the numbers here better than I.

The women have added fruit to my room and some nuts and other snacks, in case I get hungry at midnight. Boy are they taking good care of me. They also picked up a pair of flip flops for me.

Dave