Sunday, August 14,
Yesterday was a repeat of Friday with little new to report, expect that the virus I’ve been battling since Thiruvalla has gotten worse.
Today Amy preached at the Christ Church Cathedral and I preached at the English Methodist Church. Several of the students and professors attend both churches. At the English Methodist church several of Leonard’s students make of the large portion of their praise band. It surprised me that I knew all their songs.
The influence of the West on India continues to make me feel uneasy. I suppose it shouldn’t but it does. I find myself wondering which has had the greater effect on India, England’s imperialism of the USA’s economic imperialism.
Of course it was missionaries from the west who first began these churches and colleges. The English Methodist Church I attended was established in 1887. My surprise at the west’s influence is that it still feels so pervasive and has such a strong influence on their music. Every song the praise band sang I have in my collection of music. I realize my disappointment is in not hearing Christian songs they had written or that other contemporary Indian writers had written.
One other custom that Indian and American churches share is the after worship coffee hour, except here it is tea. It’s quite a formal in that in every church I’ve attended they have provided a cooked snack of some kind. Sometimes is equivalent to a full meal. In every congregation there seem to be designated men and women whose job it is to continually fill up your plate and bring you tea. Even the advice given me at the first of the trip, “to never fully clean your plate so they think you’re not finished,” doesn’t work. I’m not complaining. Their desire to welcome and host us is always from the heart.
Monday, August 15, 2011
India Independence Day
Today has been a special day. To be able to share in their Independence Day festivals helps to see the deep pride this community has in their homeland. Students decorated the area around the flag pole with streamers and flags. At 8:00 throughout all of India a siren is sounded and the flag is raised to the national anthem. Here Revd, Rodgers led the student body and faculty in prayer. People came dressed in their native cultural clothes, all of which are beautiful and colorful. Their children were equally adorned.
We adjourned to the chapel for worship. What a worship it was. I was impressed by the indigenous service on Friday but it was a pale shadow of our worship today. A full mixture of standard hymns, classical Indian music and dance, readings from leaders across the religious philosophical spectrum: Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian. Again there was a Ranghi drawn on the floor along with flags of India. It was a uplifting celebration.
Later tonight there is another Cultural program planned by the students. The students will represent all the different areas and tribes from which they come and their native dishes.
Tomorrow we leave early for Bangalore and our last few days in India.
Blessings,
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