Nearly 22,000 words and nearly 40 pages later, it is finished!!!! :D Caprice and I have completed our ethnography and are just putting the finishing touches on it before placing it in the ever-merciful hands of Dr. Frost. ;-) This project has pretty much consumed the last couple weeks of our time here, but I am thankful it is finished and we can spend our next two weeks enjoying the company of our friends. The Father is so good! Even though I often slip into little bouts of depression at the thought of leaving so soon (like seriously, I was sitting on a bench in a store talking with the man about how soon we were leaving and nearly burst into tears), I try to remember there is a plan and purpose for everything, even if it seems sad at the time. To think positively, I will be home just in time for Thanksgiving with my family, which I felt a little guilty about missing before because it will be my family’s first Thanksgiving without my grandpa. Also, I get to have a little more time with my family before I head off to Missouri and Illinois to visit friends and family. All blessings I should focus on when I get sad about leaving!
So I was going to wait, but I can’t keep this story to myself: We got to spend last weekend with our homestay family. Our homestay sister had returned about a month earlier and she has been begging us to come spend the night. We wanted to, but were unsure if our homestay dad would be all right with it. Finally, it worked out and we headed over there one afternoon (much later than we intended, as always) and spent some time playing with the kids and chatting with our homestay mom and sister. We had a lot of fun, but that’s not the point of my story. The next day, I was outside with the kids and my homestay dad and brother. The kids all wanted to play a game, but, as usual, they all wanted to play different games. I didn’t really want to run around playing the hiding game, so I made the executive decision of duck duck goose. One of the little boys was whining that the ground was dirty, so I told him to squat down on the ground. For some reason unknown to me, I decided to demonstrate squatting to a South Asian. As a result of my lack of judgment, the little boy then preceded to instruct me how to squat better so I wouldn’t soil my shoes, pants, or the sides of the squatty. Mortified, mouth agape, I sat there and watched as he continued to explain the intricacies of squatting and my homestay brother and dad burst into laughter. I couldn’t do anything but laugh at this point because the situation was so very hilarious.
This story can count as a blessing too: Yesterday, our landlord’s house helper, who has become one of our dear friends came and knocked on our door. He told us Bajee needed us right away. Usually, this occurs when she is bored and wants to see us, so we took our time getting up there. Once we walked in, Bajee gave us instructions on how to host her sister-in-law who had come for a visit with her new baby, while she frantically made a cake and prepared chai. Caprice ditched me to help Bajee in the kitchen, but I sat with her Babi (sister-in-law) and played with the baby. Initiating conversation in Urdu is still a little difficult for me, but I asked all of the questions I knew how to. She answered, but never asked me any questions or attempted to keep the conversation going, so it was a little akward. Anyway, I got to play with the most beautiful green/gray eyed baby girl I’ve ever seen since my sister was born for quite some time. After we had chai and helped Bajee make lunch, I decided that she really has adopted us as her daughters since she allowed us to cook in her kitchen and pulled us in to entertain her guests. I felt very fortunate and blessed that, if nothing else, the Father has provided me with a family in this part of the world that love me and that I love very much in return. Even though I’m going to miss them so much when I return, I’m glad that I have been blessed with them during my time here.
Things to lift up: that Caprice and I would make the most of the short time we have left (that we would be bold and discerning at the same time), that my birthday plans would be able to work out (we are planning on having lunch with one friend, dinner with some other friends, and a trip to Gulmarg (a ski resort) the day after my birthday with some other friends) as the Father would have it, that neither Caprice, nor I will get lost on the way home because after London we are flying separately and Caprice is a little scared she’ll get lost in Dallas somewhere (at least they have a really cool theological seminary, I’m sure she’ll find something to do)
