Picnic

Friday was picnic day! We decided to have our picnic midweek to avoid the crowds on the weekends. So we took Friday off and had the school on Saturday. Getting 15 people anywhere is a nightmare. The boys are sent ahead by auto-rickshaw... somehow, like clowns in a circus, 5 of them manage to fit into one taxi. Then the girls pile into the van. Being a respected older uncle I travel in style in the front seat of the van with one of the girls, Vinoda, sitting on my lap...boney bum meets boney quads! We navigate the "adventure" of Indian traffic.... I watch as one bloke drops his motor bike and slides to within a couple of metres of our van.

Tom was the first to make himself comfortable after we arrive at a local, pay per person admission, park. As is common in India why employ one person when you can give several a job, so one man sells us our tickets then supervises another who collects them just inside the gate.
It is a beautiful park. Grass lawns edged with low hedges, meticulously maintained by a team of male and female gardeners, outnumbered by the team of uniformd security guards. This is a `lovers park' where couples are permitted to meet and chat, something frowned upon elsewhere. I'm not sure if the role of the security guards is to make sure nothing gets out of hand, but Anil catches some of the security guys seeking bribes from a couple whose parents would not be happy to know that they are seeing each other! Both Anil and myself are surprised by the number of girls wearing Burkas (eyes only showing) who are meeting their `friends'.

Decorated paths lead to different sections of the garden. A fragrance garden, a flower garden and a water garden are each quite different to the other. It is so refreshing to be out in fresh air and I'm sure the girls in particular must've enjoyed the freedom to wander and play. They seldom go out beyond the fence at the school. Deepa enjoyed the rose garden. Vinoda, on my right in the photo is a very young 20. Her mum came to the Lord from a Hindu background as she sought God's healng from deafness and the rest of the family followed. Her dad works in Bahrain, not unusual in India to have couples live apart for years. Despite her seeming immaturity Vinoda tops the class in every exam. Usha lost her Dad when young, then a sister hanged herself the day before marriage negotiations. Usha carries those wounds, but has a wonderful servant heart and feeds hungrily in class. Mary is sitting next to PJ in the swing. Her husband attacked her with a machete last year and she barely survived. She stuns me! She has no idea what the future holds for her but out of that deep well of sadness and loss somehow infectious joy bubbbles up. Sasi, or Suzy as we call her, is shy and sensitive but growing in confidence. PJ is a pastor's son who has been quite rebellious but is being challenged by God. He has crystalised his big decision this way... `will my life be about me or about God?'

Fun in the park includes the sorts of swings that have been banned in most aussie parks! It is Childrens' Day in India so lots of schools bring their students for at least part of the day. We have a treasure hunt .... think Amazing Race with clues hidden in the gardens... Cricket (no photos because my hands were full :-) ... shuttle cock... and then finish the day with ice creams (of course!), enjoyed over a game of UNO.
Anil is like a mother hen with her chicks around him. They love him and he loves them dearly. He has a soft spot for each and every one of them. He corrects them, challenges them, brings them to fits of laughter, but mostly he shows them the love of God for them.