A Season like no other

We may never have such a unique Christmas season again as this one spent in India. Among the 2% of Christians in this predominately Hindu (79%) and Muslim (11%) nation, we hardly make a blip in the macro scheme. We become even more microscopic when you figure the percentage of Christians that are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here. It can make one feel like it's hardly noticeable to celebrate the birth of the Savior here, except only to ourselves. But perhaps because of its obscurity, we feel it's more important than ever to take this opportunity to stand out with our faith to those relatively few people we have contact with. Yes, in the community at large we see some Santa sightings and hear the singing of Jingle Bells and Rudolph. People walk in our office and ask us if they can take their picture by our Christmas tree. At one community event at our mission president's apartment complex that we were asked to sing at, we were the only group that sang a carol about Jesus' birth. To India, it's merely a secular holiday. And to many Americans as well. So it's caused us to ponder again and again this year. If we were back home, would we simply join in with our culture's secular traditions? Seeing the shallowness of it here, the answer glares obviously to us. BUT, we suppose when those secular elements are combined with family togetherness and friendship, they can indeed bring the Spirit of Christ into those moments of celebration. 

So we had three invitations to do "Christmasy" things this week. Sister Jessy of our ward invited us to her parents home to feed us Indian food and to watch them decorate their Christmas tree.

Nothing says Christmas more than biryani and curd.

They started with the ornaments first, then the beads and then proceeded to drape the lights around the branches in haphazard crisscross fashion trying not to knock everything off in the process. It was tempting to want to step in and tell them there's a better order, but we have to curb that urge in so many areas already, why not sit back and just resist the urge to micromanage?

            Oh what a tangled web they weave!

                But the end result was just fine

In so many areas and ways, we have to accept India where it is. We could be bossy Know-it-alls, pointing them to better procedures and ways. Elder Dunlap battles this all week as he does the finances in the Indian way. But we've found it isn't always helpful to suggest changes and sometimes it just makes things worse to impose our ways on them. So to deal with the chaos that swirls around us daily, they have their coping mechanisms to survive and we've found a few of our own or we would all be in a state of perpetual despair. 

        Lord, the burdens they carry are heavy

This week I walked to the engravers 3 times to pick up missionary badges. They kept promising me they'd be done the next day but they weren't. This was mildly bothersome. And this is a "Trip of trip hazards" of every possible kind, and with every step I take, there's a constant maze of uneven paving stones, piles and piles of leftover construction rubble, gaping sewer holes to fall into, mounds of gunk where they've cleaned out clogged sewer pipes, overhanging wires ending in a tangled mess, doggie doodoo, dust, dirt, mud, and debris and trash in every nook and cranny. I kid you not. Will it ever get cleaned up, you ask? We gave up helping when we were asked not to. And if some government employees were to pick up a pile or two, wouldn't there just be more piles to replace them the next day? Though I make conscious efforts to stay positive, I can feel despair if I let it get to me mentally and this week of all weeks, it did. This is one time I can't say "chin up, Alley" because I gotta keep my head down and watch every step! As a way to keep my sanity, I pray with vigilant eyes open as I walk and cross the congested streets. I thank the Lord continuously that he sends angels to help me not fall in that pit or to stumble on that uneven pavement or hit my head on that overhanging metal bar or trip on that wire or bump into that motorcycle or, the motorcycle bump into me or, or, or. Well you get the idea.  When I get thinking about India's future I honestly think it's going to take an angelic legion clean-up crew to ever beautify these large cities, even just the few blocks surrounding the future temple. It's a God-size problem. It overwhelms me to think about how massive an undertaking it is. I see the obstacles to a grassroots approach: too many are more concerned about getting by day to day to have any extra time or energy to worry about changing their environment. The other obstacle is the pervasive mentality, perhaps caste related, that someone else is going to pick up after them. They don't see it as a group effort where if everyone did their small part, it would start to get better. But they've ignored it for so long, it's not even on their radar anymore. That's how they cope. I've witnessed firsthand their blindness to it. So the problem is perpetuated continually with no hope in sight for change. Sorry, I do not know why I took this tangent. I should probably just delete this, lest I offend my dear Indian friends. I love the Indian people, especially the Saints and missionaries. I hope that's obvious. I see in them the hope for the future, except they're such a tiny crew!  They are earnestly trying to better themselves, serve others, and make ready their lives for the Lord's coming. As the world takes on the Culture of Christ, we will begin to see those improvements. Rather than change their streets, Christ will first remove the slums out of people's hearts.  Well...these are my thoughts at this time of year and my Christmas wishes are only this- please Lord, please bless this country! And bless our homeland too with its many troubles too big for us to fix. We don't need more presents or cookies or mistletoe. We need you!! 

Sorry but not sorry, for the outburst of stream of consciousness writing, now back to the blog.

 This week at church, we met Michael, an international businessman who splits his time between India, the UK, and the US. He invited us and the young Elders to his high-rise home that is directly across the street from the temple. He asked us what cuisine we would enjoy eating at his home. Since we get a lot of Indian food and we cook American food at home, we voted for an Italian meal. What thoughtfulness on his part to accommodate our request! 

   Hey, we've never seen the front view before!

                     Still a work in progress 

We, Elders Macdonald and Kaithwas, and Michael and Maina enjoyed our time together. Michael is already financially successful at his young age but it's his generous spirit, not his portfolio that was inspiring to us. He said he began his real estate business with $200 in his pocket. He supports many local missionaries and gives his tithing to his ward in India to strengthen the church here. We suspect he will do much good with the wealth the Lord has blessed him with. He sure put smiles on our faces. Let's hear it for pizza and spaghetti! 

Our last holiday gathering this week was with our fellow office employees held at President Bushi's home. We have 4 employees who work in finance that are Hindus so it was fun to build bridges of friendship with them. We honor their vegetarian diets because we too observe dietary restrictions. We get it. 

We never knew Pinky is great with child! 

All the male church employees in S. India 

are a jolly bunch! 

 In this spring weather, we have to keep a steady stream of Christmas carols in the background just to remind us 'tis the season. We watched the Church Christmas devotionals, Tabernacle Choir concerts, the musical Scrooge on Youtube (if you haven't seen this version, Alec Guiness as Jacob Marley is worth your time!). We always shed tears of joy to watch Scrooge's repentance and transformation. Inspired by his generosity, we found an opportunity to bless the lives of a couple of people we've come to love that needed some help right now. You all know how good that feels.  Service blesses both parties. But there's a nagging feeling that we could do so much more and it would never be enough. Well, let's all be content to simply do what we can do.  

And that's pretty much it for us this Christmas. Well not quite. It's only the 23rd. We look forward to some FaceTime with our families and one more gathering that we'll report on next week. 

From Bengaluru India, We wish you all a Merry Birth of Christ Day and hope you are pondering on what it's higher purpose is in your life.

 We encourage you to scale back on the secular and step up to give of yourself and lift where you stand. We can all do something to make the world a better place. And we can look to Jesus Christ in faith and hope for better days ahead. Fear not little flock. He's coming. 

"Lift up your head and be of good cheer behold the time is at hand...I come into the world to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets"

3 Nephi 1:13