This was my dedication:
In our brokenness there is a power and we are enabled to follow the leading of God's Spirit to the point where intent truly comes alive. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Since we live in the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit. Allow the process and observe. Slow down and enjoy. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides Thee.
07/29/09 6:20 PM Central time Chicago - The flight here was bumpy but I didn't seem to mind. As I look on the people waiting for Delhi I realize I am a minority. I just realized that I will be a minority for the rest of my trip. I'm the 'outsider' and it's blatantly clear just by skin color. The desire to control change is our greatest obstacle to wisdom. (Ram Dass)
12:30 PM Kolkata time - 1 am Denver time. Flying over London 8am, I can't sleep and don't know which time my body is in. Should prove to be interesting when we land at 8pm. Change in plans, we are landing in Frankfurt Germany to refuel. We can't fly over Afghanistan and Iran so we need to detour. This is just a reminder of terrorist lurking in this part of the world.
I'm in a 5 seat row on the aisle. There is a man on the other end aisle. I attempted to take 2 seat to lie down, but he invaded 3 seats so his feet were touching my head. I believe this is why 2 pain meds, 2 Valiums and 2 muscle relaxers did not work. Everyone on the plane took their shoes off and the smell is only a tiny sample of what I'll be in. Approximately 7 hours from now...I hear customs may take 4 hours so it will help with my 12 hour layover in Delhi. Time to stand and be still, embrace the smells, sounds and people.
OK, its 10am mountain time and 10pm India time and I've been on the plane 18 hours. It was daylight at midnight. We landed for fuel at 2am and it was daylight. Now we are approaching 10am mountain time and it's dark. I'm disoriented, I stink and I will be happy to get out of this glass booth of emotion. The plane is so dirty, I don't think I've ever seen a plane so dirty before.
2am New Delhi time. It's about 90 degrees and very warm and humid. As we departed the plane the captain came on the overhead stating the flight to Delhi was American Airlines longest flight, but with the stop in Germany it was AA's longest flight EVER....I agree.
There are no fat people here. Oh sure a few with a little belly but nothing like the obesity in USA. I have more than 7 hours until my flight to Kolkata. I re-read "Still Here" already and I don't have the mental capacity to read anymore. I took my first restroom break. The toilets are western but they don't flush toilet paper. All I can do is laugh. I'm thirsty but don't trust the devise I purchased yet. I'm tired but can't sleep until I get to Kolkata and I'm looking at guards with guns. Not just revolvers but machine guns. There is a car alarm that has been going off for 2 hours now. The airport is freezing so I'm outside. My little handheld fans are coming into use. I have an upset stomach from the airplane food and hope it doesn't get worse. I don't know what to do. Going inside and freezing or stand outside and sweat. I'm out of my comfort zone. I can't understand what people are saying to me in English.
The cars are really small here, the alarm is still going off. There is thunder in the air. There are about a dozen people sitting on the curbs in the parking lot in different groups. I wonder what they are doing. Looks like some are sleeping. I just sprayed deet on me, the mosquitoes are starting to stir. Guess I'll go in and freeze (I'm really feeling like I don't want to exist at the moment)
Ahhhhhhh, it's only 5am and I still have 4 hours before my flight. I can't sleep and I'm freezing. I'm on raw nerves. There was a platoon of soldiers that passed my way. Don't know which army I see American, Indian, Pakistani. I'm trying to figure out how long I've been awake...I think more than 36 hours. I'm tired.
7:25am - still waiting. I feel like Tom Hanks in the movie Terminal for I have been here it seems at least a month. Lesson learned: No more 12 hour layovers ever again.
OMG 7:55am - I'm going nuts...
3:30 pm India time and I just got settled. India has a scent unlike anything I've ever experienced. It seems ancient and holy and at the same times its dirty and nasty. The hour ride to the YWCA was an eye opener. I kept waiting for the better part of the city but it was only different levels of poverty. People were emptying plastic trash bags and sorting food by the river, the lean-to make shift homes with laundry hanging on the wire, people sleeping on the side walk nude, these little 4x4 tents people would be selling their goods on streets with no lines and cars, bikes, scooters, buses, etc. honking their horns endlessly. After 30 minutes I wondered why I wasn't sweating and then boom, it felt like it was raining in the cab I was so wet.
The YWCA has me freaked out a little since it's co-ed and that was my main concern. I was told there are separate quarters, true, but in the same building. I was the last to arrive and I'm the only one here. I hope they didn't turn around an leave.
It IS quite overwhelming. I've seen maybe 3% of this level. My heart ached at how filthy everything is and how the people survive off garbage. I thought the plane was dirty after the 18 hour trip and I can see how these people just don't know any better. There has never been a street sweeper in this city, no community gathering to clean up the river banks and no emission controls. Lord, please let these girls show up. I'm sitting on the bed which is harder than my carpet and my sacrum will have to deal with this for a month? The sheets are a heavy cotton. I'm in for a hot evening. I'm soaking wet, I might as well take a shower with my clothes on and wash them as well. I'm going to attempt to sleep. It's been over 48 hours and I haven't done a few all nighters since I was in my 20s.
Turns out they put me in the wrong room so I had to move everything I just unpacked. After unpacking twice I finally took a shower and passed out at 4pm, woke up at 4am...the sun is coming up.
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