The fruitcake I bought at the market today is so spectacular it deserves its own post. The place I went to buy it is world famous in Hephzibah. It is a bakery owned by a Jewish family that have been in the city a long time. Their Christmas fruitcake is very famous - did I mention that? I have eaten fruitcake from there in 1995, 1998 and 2008  so I thought it would be fitting to  buy from there again. The price seemed a little steep which I guess is the price for going to a world famous establishment with a reputation to maintain.

Anyway after I bought the cake and after it was boxed I went and bought a papaya. I was a little concerned how I would get the papaya home as they are prone to bruising. The cake box did have rather sharp edges. By the time I had finished a latte in a lovely air conditioned café I decided I needed a little something for pudding at nights so I went back into the market to buy something cake-ish. It just so happened I chanced upon another bakery with a much cheaper cake. I decided very quickly that one can never have too much cake especially at bargain prices so I bought one. I think I will keep the Christmas cake for later on in my travels.

Tonight after a chicken egg roll first course  I ate one piece of cake. And then another. It was  very tasty. I only hope the other one is as good...

Mmmm cake.

 

Despite the other 20 million people who are out and about,  it is relatively easy to travel around in this city. All you need to know is the name of the bus stop or place you want to go which are sometimes the same thing and tell the conductor or whoever is driving. Mind you, making yourself understood is not always easy. Keewee accents can be  a challenge for some people. Then to get home again all you need to know is the name of the stop closest to your house. Simple really.

Where I have been living the past two weeks there are other forms of transport to use. One is like a moped with a trailer attached. It is very cool to sit on the back of that to go to the market 10 minutes away. And much less crowded also.

Today I went to my favourite shopping place, bought some lovely fruit cake twice, did a few other jobs, including coffee and came home. Unfortunately when I emerged from the metro underground rail station I had no idea which way to go next. I should add that in 2008 I found my way countless times on my own and this time I have done the trip several times with a companion. I needed to find a small street where I could catch a cycle rickshaw home. Did that street elude me!!!  I walked back down into the  train station and exited by another entrance. I still could not find out where I was. I had already asked  God to show me the way but  I was unable to recognise anything.  After a while I still had no idea where I was so I asked God to send me an angel to help.

Next minute who should turn up but a friendly cycle rickshaw man who asked me where I wanted to go. I told him Punjabi garage and he motioned for me to ascend to the heights of the seat. He crossed the road and off we set. I did have a funny feeling I was on the wrong side of the road.  It took me quite a while for me to recognise where I was. In my defence he did go a longer route than usual  because I was starting in a different place to usual. I was so blessed for his kindness I slipped him some extra payment. I hope he doesn't expect all foreigners to be a soft touch. Chances are he will though. I'm sure I would if I was in his jandals.

 

It is just about time to get up in NZ and I can not go to sleep. Somewhere in my room a bloated insect rests replete. I know this because there are at least two puncture marks on my arm where it feasted free of charge. I turned off the fan because it is not that hot but without the constant movement of air mosquitoes turn up to dine.

I am lying thinking which is never good -  isn't blog writing a little narcisstic? It is a dilemma I have had before. The good thing about it is people know I am still alive but isn't it a little self-absorbed to think people would find my adventures interesting? The other good thing about it is I have such funny experiences in this place, usually at my expense, and it seems a shame not to share them. It is also is cheaper than counselling.

My great quandary  is how I will keep in touch with the score in the All Blacks Wallabies game. Last week I found two blogs on media sites that gave details of the game. However, it takes an awfully long time for 80 minutes to pass when you are sitting waiting for an update of the action when it is being entered every 3-5 minutes.

I do not think there are any sports bars in Hephzibah and I am not sure I would want to go to one until 11.30pm. The other challenge is I will not have unlimited internet access like I do here. So I may go to bed and find out in the morning.

Our barbecue was very tasty. The meat was placed on a netting grill suspended over a smokey fire. Here are two of the cooks in action. It gets dark here fast!!

 

 

 

This is what the barbecue looks like in daylight!!
 

 

This is the way we build a house, build a house...

Commissioning went well although I suspect the students could be a little perplexed about my relationship with Winnie. I dare say they are not the only ones. Tonight we are having a farewell barbecue. I will be sad to say goodbye. It has been fun living with these young people and getting to know them. Tomorrow I will go back to stay at my friend's house closer to the centre of town until I fly out on Tuesday evening. I am looking forward to having another crack at catching the tram to town. Now puja is over maybe everything will be back to normal whatever that looks like.

A building is going up next door. It is rather fascinating watching its progress. The first part was started before I arrived but the last few days a digger has been taking out soil for the second half of the structure.

 


After the digger finished yesterday a layer of bricks went down and today the concrete wallahs are covering the bricks in concrete.

This teaching lark may not be all it is cracked up to be. I have discovered to teach twenty hours of material on one subject for a week two weeks in a row is quite a commitment. It wouldn't be so bad if one had all the material needed prepared beforehand but I have been adding information in as I have been going. Fortunately I have with me most of the studies I have  put together over the years so I have been using that material. I possibly should also included the book synopsis' I have completed too. Guess the first time was always going to be a steep learning curve.

Winnie would be proud of one of the illustrations in my commissioning talk. After explaining Winnie is my purry furry girl and showing several photos I am going to tell them this:

 

Sometimes Winnie likes to sleep on a chair and you think she is fast asleep. You think she has no idea what is happening in the room but if you look carefully you will see her ears move sometimes and she will open her eyes just a little to see what is going on. If a mouse comes into the room Winnie knows immediately. She jumps up very fast and bang she has pounced on the mouse and caught it before the mouse knows it.

 

What will happen if Winnie is too lazy to catch the mouse? The mouse will stay in the house and it will invite its friends to come too. Next minute there will be many mice in the house. They will eat the food. They will make a mess. The house will smell of sou sou and piekaner. It will be very bad.

It is the same with our hearts. We have to be very careful what we allow to live in our hearts. Sometimes naughty little thoughts will try and live in our hearts but we have to be like Winnie and pounce on them before they make their home there. We should also be allowing God to show us the little mice that are already in our hearts that we need to remove.

 

 

Something rather bizarre happened at 4.15am - my phone rang. I thought it was on flight mode but I must have switched it off. I did not answer it partly because it was such a surprise and partly because it would have cost me money. There may be a little credit on it but there can not be much. We decided it was a New Zealand number but if anyone really needed to make contact, would send me an email. The time in NZ would have been about 11.15am I guess.

In hindsight I should have left a message on the answer phone saying I was unavailable due to extenuating circumstances. I am sure being in Hephzibah counts as that. I am also aware it is pretty much useless to hide where I am in the world because somewhat ironically my little friends have put  my photo on a social networking website.

Tomorrow is the commissioning service for the students. We had an amazing time tonight where I shared a message about servanthood and then staff members washed feet. It was not part of the plan but then students turned around and washed staff feet. The presence of God was powerfully present.

It was not that easy to talk about servanthood given that since I have been here no-one will let me do anything for myself. They won't let me wash my dishes, make a cup of something although I do manage to wash my clothes.  I am not a very good role model of a servant leader even though being a servant, especially an invisible one, is one of my favouritist past times.

The slightly nerve-wracking thing about the service is I am also giving a message. I thought I would speak on the subject of guarding your heart. It is the well-spring of life after all.

By ther way on the way home from one multi-storied air conditioned mall I just so happened to be sitting in the back seat of a car with a local person. I asked her where is the money coming from that people are gaily spending in shopping malls, old money or new? New she said. Wages have gone up considerably. And not only that but women have jobs too. Now people go to work in cars they own, the old taxis are gradually being replaced with new vehicles and the company making the taxis is no longer able to compete with the imports. There is much more congestion on the streets because of the increase in number of privately owned cars. Some households own several cars to cater for the needs of family members, she said.
The new consumerism is imperialism in new garb she agreed.
Ki korbo I said.
I hope that as well as catching our consumerism they do not catch our bad morals.

I am regularly challenged by questions such as if someone washes a plate or cup in well water and then puts your food on it will you catch anything that is lurking in the droplets of water that remain? How much polluted water does one need to ingest to catch a lurgy?  Then there is the rat which helped itself to the guava in my room when I was away for a couple of days. I thought the girls said the guava went rotten but no the R word was rat not rotten. Why didn't the rat eat the biscuits also? What will I do if the rat returns? If I shift the fruit to the other end of the room will he run over my body to get to it? If I leave my balcony door open at night to let in the cool breeze will rat think I have left it open for him?

I am feeling very sorry for little Chris Cairns. It is not looking good for him. Guilty or otherwise it all seems very tragic.

Today I started teaching about cross-cultural communication. Such fun.

I should not be left alone in air-conditioned multi-storied shopping malls in Asia. However, that is what happened yesterday. I have been to this  mall before in 2008 and I needed counselling after going there.  The mall reeks of consumerism and other ghastly stuff and I find its presence in Hephzibah distressing. I had refused to go there this trip when someone wanted to take me but this day I needed a place to crash for three hours.

I wandered in through the security check and decided the toilet should be my first stop. The toilets were lovely. You might think that was an unnecessary observation but one never takes it for granted that toilets will be clean. Next I caught the escalator to the third floor where the food hall was. In this particular  hall one needs to put credit on a card which is then used to buy food. I do not know why this system is used. I guess it keeps the cash in one place and gives more  people a job. The chicken tandoori pizza looked rather large but  it was the food that most appealed to me  so I ordered it. Ten minutes later I sat down at a table and started to eat. Mmmm pizza. It was very tasty.

I ate it slowly because the warning signs said I was not allowed to sit at the table unless I was eating food purchased in the hall. They also said I was not allowed to sit at the table to go on the Internet, have a tutoring session  or sit with a coke or glass of water only.

People in food halls are fascinating to watch. Seeing as I am under constant scrutiny I do not mind having a good look at everyone about me. A chap two tables away sitting with his wife and two others had  a spectacular bushy  grey moustache. I am not sure why moustaches intrigue me so much. They always have.  Fortunately he was too engrossed in his pizza to notice me watching his moustache.

Opposite his table are  ten young boys also eating pizza and drinking a brown coloured trade marked beverage. They are  accompanied by two adults who fuss around catering for every whim.  It looked suspiciously like a birthday celebration but there were no presents to be seen.

I sat there wondering how come people have money to spend in a place like this. Were they spending money they had inherited from their parents or were incomes so improved they were spending their wages. I mean this mall mostly comprises shops selling internationally -recognised labels. You would find the same shops in a mall in Dubai. I had the horrible revelation that maybe I was observing the new form of imperialism for the twenty-first century. Or colonialism reincarnated which would be very appropriate for this nation.

The pizza was very filling which was the only disadvantage of eating it.  There were lots of yummy cake shops about. I did have room for coffee though so I found a coffee place.

The first coffee was not that hot and disappeared rather fast so I ordered another one. It was only my first for the day. I managed to fill in half an hour there. Then I went in to a stationary shop and found my favouritist pen in the world which I lost one Christmas when I was at home. I bought two plus refills. I think they were much cheaper than in NZ.

My next stop was the underground supermarket called Spencers. After another security check I entered the supermarket and chatted to a nice young man about Canon cameras and found out I could get a camera better than the one I use at work for about a $1000. I would like a new camera because the camera I have is not really designed to take sports photos. It does an ok job but is slow to focus at times. He showed me the latest model. It has super quick focusing but is a little too expensive. I do not think people who have a heart for the poor should spend $1000 on a camera especially if they only need the camera for sports reporting which is something they do not intend to do much more of in the future.

After that I went looking for biscuits - my favourite chocolate ones. I was looking for Sheer Delight but I think I remembered the name wrong. I found some called Pure Magic. They are chocolate and filled with some kind of icing. Then I found my favourite kind of jam and then some milk powder and some pappadoms. By the time I had finished I did not have enough money in my purse so I had to leave my groceries with the checkout man. I went out through the security check, up the escalator to the money machine, back down, through the security and back to the checkout where I noticed the shop had eftpos and I could have safely  used my card.






 

I needed a serious dose of counselling this morning when I realised how much milk powder is left. Earlier in the week I was congratulating myself on having the brain wave of bringing it. Silly old me. In just over a week I have consumed nearly one kilogramme of powder which equates to about seven litres of milk!!! Of course it is my own fault. I should have given people directions as to how much to use. Our milk powder is full milk and makes a stronger brew than the Indian variety which is probably better for you. A couple of times I looked at the milky residue in the bottom of my cup and wondered how much was being used. On another occasion I saw someone put in two heaped dessertspoons into a cup of tea for me.
It is not a serious problem - just rather amusing. I can go and buy some more. I do seem to spend a lot of time chuckling.
A crow was laughing at me this morning while I did my washing. I have at least managed to retain my independence in this area although if my kind hosts had their way they would also wash my clothes.
You see those hand operated water pumps on TV and marvel at how they make life so  much easier for people who previously had to lug water for several miles. However, I have to tell you that it requires about ten pumps to fill the bucket and about four bucket loads of water to rinse a few items especially if you tend to put in too much soap powder like I do. And pumping water is not as easy as it looks.

I really look forward to meal times. The main meal of the day is lunch. Once so far we have had meat, chicken. I also had it for dinner as there was some left over from lunch. The meals are very simple but flavourful.  I am always given a  vegetable selection that usually contain my favourite okra. Dinner is usually Dahl, runny lentil soup, poured over rice with chutney sometimes available.
The students do not complain about the simple fare. I think one reason is budget restrictions have come on because not all of them have paid their fees.
I was expecting the meals to be like this because I can remember in 1992 my friends staying at the YWAM base here used to sneak out and buy egg rolls.
However, I think if we tried to feed our DTS students in Riversdale as simply as here, there would be a revolt.
Last night a terrible smell came in the window during the evening teaching session. I thought it was the leather factory but it was the chutney cooking. It smells aweful when cooking but is very tasty but chilli hot.
I am pleased I brought with me a packet of milk powder else I would be putting a strain on the budget with all the cups of tea I am drinking.

I woke up this morning at 3am. Next minute this voice came over the pa system located outside our house, "Hullo, hullo, hullo."
Then came a long list of words. I lay there wondering whether to get up or not but decided 3am was just a little early. I went back to sleep but the same thing happened again at 4am and 5am. At breakfast someone said the person was calling out to the gods. I wondered to myself what would happen if one of the gods was missed off the list. I bet they would be ticked off. I also prayed the Living God would stop the gods from turning up.
So far the expected all day and half the night playing of music has not really happened. I think it is a miracle, an answer to prayer. There are times when the music does play but if it was continuous for hours it would be very wearying. There is no way to escape it. Our house is not sound tightable and the music is very loud.
 

This teaching lark is really growing on me. The students are really responsive- it is very encouraging.
I managed to get my washing done this morning but was glad of the help someone gave me to operate the handle of the water pump. It is hard going pumping water by hand.
All in all I feel like I am receiving far more riches than I am imparting. It is quite humbling really. It would be a good lesson for many Christians to see the way these young people walk out their discipleship journey.
 

I have just come to the end of my first three hour teaching session. I was a bit nervous before hand but I think it all went well. I think a key factor will be figuring out how to help students apply what I am speaking to them about.
Everyone is very kind and I am being overwhelmed with hospitality. I made the mistake of saying in NZ I usually drink about 10 cups of tea a day which is a slight exaggeration probably. Hopefully. Anyway every time I walk into the kitchen  someone asks me if I want a cup of tea! Or else they bring me one without  me asking.
My next challenge will be to wash my clothes without anyone taking over.
The place where I am staying now is about an hour and a half from where I usually stay. Traditionally it is an area where leather is manufactured. There are piles of leather scraps decomposing on the road sides. I have grave concerns about the water quality here. It very quickly turned my silver rings black. We only wash in the water and so far no-one's hair has fallen out so am not concerned for  myself but for the people who live long term here. They have an ingenious water filter system set up with sand, charcoal and bricks in a large bucket which takes out some of the nasties.
There is very loud music playing in the park 50m away next door. I was warned in this puja/worship season it would play loudly for long periods of time for most of the week.  A couple of times I have prayed for God to stop the music and it has stopped immediately. My good friend Dave from Hokitika told me to expect miracles. Fortunately the loud music  does not affect our teaching sessions.

If you don't laugh you might cry

I find a merry heart does good like a medicine. Yesterday I arrived at the tram stop bright eyed and bushy tailed only to find the tram ran down the middle of the road and two rather scary lanes of traffic coming at speed were between me and the door of the tram. I elected not to catch the tram. I could have waited 15 minutes for the next tram but decided to catch a bus instead. I figured I could catch the tram on the way home. Silly old me.
I made it to town ok. I went to the market and found the spice man but he doesn't have a spice grinding wallah  anymore but he did sell me some spices. Then I went wandering around the market which  is always a challenge because people who are paid to channel foreigners into shops are lurking.
You want silky scarf madam. Salwar? Saffron? I managed to convince them I was fine. Anyway I did discover a shop that had rather stunning long tops so I stopped there. By the time the man finished he had clocked up a 7500 bill for me to pay. To be honest I could easily have racked up another 75000 worth of gear. I really liked what he was selling. He was a little shocked I only wanted to pay 2000 but I was his first customer for the day so he was happy to drop his price. Well that is what he said. Eventually we settled on  2600 which is about $60. He still will have made a large profit I expect but I have a bargain, three tops and one pair of baggy trousers. It's not whether you win or lose it is how you play the game and marketing is surely a game.
I went to my favourite New Regent restaurant for lunch where I ate one butter naan. It was totally delicious. I have been eating naan there since 1992. In the old days when I was a slim young thing I would have finger chips and naan but I don't need all that carbohydrate now.
By this time it was about 2pm and I was ready to catch the tram home.
"No sorry madam the tram does not go there."
"But it went there this morning. I saw it."
"No madam the tram has not gone that way for six months. Service is discontinued."
Eventually I figured out what I had seen written on the tram and asked if I caught a tram to this place could I catch another to where I wanted to go.
"Yes madam."
Off we went down the road rattling and clanging. It was great. I love riding the tram. Except next time I must remember to sit in the front of the second compartment, the view is better. When we got to the first destination I asked where the next tram left from but wouldn't you know it that tram was not running. However, if madam caught the 205/A bus she would get to where she wanted to go.
I managed to find the bus stop. The bus even turned up. I managed to get off the bus. I managed to figure out where I was and then I managed to walk home after taking a quick coffee break in an air conditioned café.
I was a very tired bunny when I arrived home at 4.30pm but I was still able to see the funny side of my adventures in a land far away.
 

Today I went to town along with several million other people. This made it not as easy to get around as usual. Not that it is easy to get around usually. Police were warning the crowd to make sure they kept their purses, wallets  and valuables safe from "miscreants in the mêlée". The English language can be used very poetically at times.
I had a companion who was very good company but was likely at odds with the purpose of my trip which was to visit my old haunts. It is probably the sport of expedition one should attempt alone.
It was amazing the number of people who recognised me. Also a little scary in some respects. Thankfully all seemed pleased to see me and my wallet or was it just my wallet?
Tomorrow I am going back on the tram to visit the places I did not get to today and find the spice man who I gave up looking for. I love the tram. The chances are town will be even more crowded but the tram won't be.

All week I have woken up at 4.30am. I am not complaining as when I do I am bright eyed and bushy tailed. I do have a rather long wait for breakfast though. Some famous people who were used mightily of God got up at that time of the day and prayed. I also pray when I arise that early  but I can not take any credit for being able to. It is not discipline that gets me up but a body clock that has not adjusted yet. I am really enjoying being able to spend that time with my saviour without wanting to fall asleep again.
As I was sitting on a rooftop this morning I was reflecting on what an amazing collection of people and experiences I have had in the past 25 years of walking with Jesus Christ. My life has been enriched beyond measure because I came into right relationship with my creator and saviour.
In the house next door what sounded a little bit like a Gregorian chant but with a single female voice was playing. When one of the girls came out she said it was part of the people's puja/worship. I had thought it must be that.
Then the tragedy of worshiping something that is man-made hit me. What robbery, what a lie to worship the created instead of the uncreated creator. I gained a new insight into what the apostle Paul said when he wrote to the Ephesians for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. It is the same dark power, the god of this age, who  has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4). People are trying to earn their own salvation by worshiping the created and doing good works  but what they need to do is accept they have a sin problem that no human work  can  expunge. They need to believe that God has taken care of their sin problem in Jesus Christ and receive the free gift of salvation offered to them.

 

Just been to the market and bought some jalebi. I have stolen away to my room and eaten them. Unfortunately jalebi are not the gastronomical delight I remember. Actually it is probably fortunate they no longer appeal to my taste buds as they are runny batter creations piped into oil and cooked. Then dipped in sugar syrup. Rather fattening I would think.
I have been trying to convert large 1000 rupee notes into smaller ones. The notes are only worth about $25 but when you have to buy a bus ticket worth 7 rupees a 1000 note is overkill and unappreciated by the conductor. I also have a few of them which makes it very tricky. The other problem is I am very conspicuous and to be flashing large bills of money around is fraught.
I woke up again at 4.30am this morning but decided to get out of bed. I discovered the rooftop while checking out what lay at the end of the flight of stairs beside my bedroom. I love rooftops.

 

Well here safe and sound in the YWAM base.
This morning I woke up very early and it felt like lunchtime which it was in NZ but was only 6.30am in Hephzibah.
I managed to shower with only one bucket of water but I think if I use less shampoo I can use less!!
It is very hot here. I woke up sweating with one sheet covering me. Probably shouldn't have turned the fan off but it was quite noisy.
In the night Mr Gecko shouted at me a couple of times and when the traffic started at daybreak which was earlier than 6.30am it sounded like an angry wasp outside my window. Such blessings.
Everyone is very kind and treating me like an honoured guest which is very embarrassing but also a blessing.
Tomorrow I am going to stay with my friend Hi Pong. I can not remember why we started calling each other that in 1995 but it had something to do with deodorant, neither of us having body odour  and it was very funny at the time.
I am about to go exploring. It is 10am in the morning but it feels like 2pm which it is in NZ.Apparently there is a market 10 minutes down the road.

New entry from Singapore. Fortunately this is writing in English. All the other instructions are in a language I do not know! I have an hour to fill before catching my flight to Hephzibah. I have just had a lovely shower and a cup of lavender earl grey tea. Both very refreshing. The tea surprisingly so.
So far the only real blunder I have made is eating the small ring of chilli that was decorating my dinner on the plane. It burned a hole on my tongue. Glory to God.
I had one of those thoughts as I was sitting on the plane. I think it was a God thought. What would happen if I viewed everything that happened to me in the next four weeks as a blessing. Incidentally I did have that thought before the chilli experience.
I have worked out it is about 11pm in NZ and by the time I reach my destination it will be 6am NZ but only 10.30pm in real life. Such fun. What a blessing.

Isaiah 62:4  No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married.

I am about to return to one of my most favourite cities in the world and it has always been my hope God would move there in a similar way to how he moved in Ninevah centuries ago. 

Then that city would no longer be called deserted or desolate but Hephzibah, the one whom the Lord delights in.