Off to Delhi

I am off to Delhi to pick up AA and SD, two cardiac nurses coming to check out Our Fair City.

I am a bit intimidated by cardiac nurses, but they seem like really nice women. :)

They will spend a couple of weeks here, and then tramp around The Great North Indian Plain for a few days before heading back to cold and snow.

Merry Christmas, the first gifts are opened, to much acclamation...

Merry Christmas

Our Christmas is winding down here. We had a good day. The kids opened there presents after breakfast, and the rest of the morning was spent picking up from that and getting ready for the rest of the day.

Visitors started just after lunch, and continued on and off for most of the day. Amy had lots of kabobs ready for the guests, and for ourselves, when we got a few minutes for supper, we had Shake and Bake chicken (homemade), beans and corn, mashed potatos, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce (the only imported item), and lots of Christmas baked goods for dessert.

Hope your Christmas is a Joyful one.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Sometimes You Just Need to Take a Nap... the Continuing Saga

Sam had a big morning, and opted to start his nap while dangling off of one of the dining room chairs.

Trivia Factoid about Lowell

I still comb my hair everyday.

If you know me and have viewed my handsome mug in recent years, you will know that I have almost no hair, and what hair I do have I keep quite short.

But somehow, in the years of my childhood, I learned that grooming is not complete until I comb my hair. And so I continue, whether I need it or not.

The day just doesn't start right until that is done.

When I walk into the Muslim Charity Hospital...

This is the site I am first met with.

This is a quiet morning, sometimes I have to use my briefcase to sort of plow a way through the people.

Not all these people are there to see me of course, few are. There are five to ten other doctors to see.

Plus, for this neighborhood, going to the Doctor or Hospital is a social occasion. One would never go to the Doctor without half a dozen friends or family members or children along. Sifting through to figure out who the patient actually is, can sometimes be time consuming.

I gotted roped into helping with the goat butchering

So do you want to see the more graphic photos?

Tell Me Your Name...

I am curious...
Who all reads this post?

Tell me your first name and which state or country you are from...

Nora Grace and her friend Zoya checking out the goats at the Goat Market

We went with some friends to the Goat Market, as they were to pick out half a dozen goats for Bukri Eid tomorrow. They had fun. But then, they generally do.

Their Hours are Numbered

Tomorrow is Bukri Eid, when Muslims honor God for providing a Ram for Abraham in place of his son.

To celebrate this, Muslims all over the world sacrifice goats, sheep, cows, camels, and water buffalo, giving part of the meat to the poor, and feasting on much of the rest. Tomorrow is the big day.

A local park gets turned into an goat market just before Bukri Eid, as goat is the local Muslims favorite meat option. Tens of thousands of goats change hands in a few days.

So these guys have only a few hours left...

Why Should Boys Have All the Fun?

India has a huge and expanding Middle Class. As these hundreds of millions of people begin to acquire assetts, they begin to look around for things to buy.

In India, for multiple reasons, buying a scooter makes a lot more sense for many people than buying a car. Scooters and Motorcycles outnumber cars by 40 to one. Thus far, most advertising has been directed toward men, especially young men.

But Honda has a new ad scheme trying to get females to buy a scooter, called, "Why Should Boys Have All the Fun?" One of the ads is above.

Nora Grace has been walking around the house singing this phrase.

As a friend pointed out, the unusual thing is not an ad campaign directed toward women, but that they would suggest a woman in Capri pants and a halter top could ride on a clean scooter through the streets of our fair city.

So, Where Do You Want Me To Go?

India currently has an advertising scheme called, "Incredible India".

It is kind of fun, with great photos and such like from all over this great land, encouraging people to travel and tour.

THe above poster is one such advertisement, encouraging people to visit the State of Mahdhya Pradesh.

The only thing I found odd, is that the background graphic is a map of the Carribbean. Hmmmm, what am I supposed to do with that?

Conspiracy Theories Abound

The events in Mumbai (nee Bombay) were tragic. Random killing of large groups of people is a travesty of justice. We may never know all of the details of what happened.

Quite a few policemen and anti-terror police also died in the events that happened. They are being mourned appropriately in this fair land.

But conspiracy theories abound…

There are mass bombings and mass killings on a regular basis in this land, each year will typically have two or three major terror attacks, usually bombs set in religious places or market places. Both mosques and temples have been victim.

A recent major bombing was being investigated by the ATS, or “Anti-Terrorism Squad” in Mumbai. Although the final verdict was not in, many signs were beginning to point to the idea that that this particular bombing had been done by Hindu Fundamentalists (not Muslims), possibly with the knowledge or even support of several leading politicians.

The lead ATS investigator and several other ATS personnel involved in the investigation were all killed in the line of duty in Mumbai, while fighting the terrorists who attacked there.

And Conspiracy theories abound…

They are killing Christians too...

There is a long history of animosity between Christians and Muslims, both in India and the rest of the world.

In the history of India, when tensions exist, Christians are usually on the side of the Hindus, against the Muslims. In the past, Christians have usually voted for Hindus over Muslims, interacted with Hindus more than Muslims, and learned the language of the Hindus rather than Muslims. When rioting and fighting exist, Christians are on the side of the Hindus and the Muslims usually stand alone.

Muslims in India often feel isolated and alone.

In recent months, Christians have been dying at the hands of non-Christians at a rate that is somewhat more than typical. It would seem that much of the most recent killing, Church burning, and threats, are coming from Hindus and not any other group.

Muslims have noticed.

Muslims have a long history of feeling persecuted in India, but have felt alone in their fate. Suddenly they are sitting up and noticing… Christians are also feeling the brunt of Fundamentalism from the majority community.

Several times in recent months, I have had Muslim friends point at a headline in the newspaper and say something to the effect of: “They are killing Christians too!”

Funny the things that bring sympathy for the Christian in the Muslim community here.