Welcome to India

The first thing I noticed about India was the oppressive heat, followed immediately by stifling humidity and perma-cloud of dust/smog hanging over the city of Dehli. Driving through the streets, I enjoyed watching the signs of life outside my window (although I was also somewhat afraid for my own life).

Piles of garbage on the side of the road are playgrounds for children and feeding troughs for roaming cows (who are literally all over the place here). Whereas at home, roads are usually just for cars (and the occasional bike or pedestrian) here, the roads are more like gathering places for street vendors, bikes, cows, dogs. Three lane roads are somehow squished enough to make room for nearly 5 lanes of traffic (I say nearly because the far lane seems to be just bikes and other super-skinny vehicles). All of the trucks and buses have cheerfully and colorfully painted requests for "horns please" on the back. I'm not sure why they want horns, but every single driver seems more than happy to oblige. Literally, I saw some people driving around with whistles in their mouth which they blow because apparently their horn just isn't enough. The buses are so crowded that I shudder a little thinking about the smell - from the outside, it looks as though people are standing and sitting on top of one another, squished tightly against the windows. And when they cannot possibly squeeze another person in - people start climbing up on the roof (seriously).

Honestly, I waited a little too long after our India visit (granted it's only been three days, but in that time we've been in two other countries) so I cant remember that many more details (everything runs together when you're pregnant, tired, confused about what time and day it is and even more confused about which country you're even in . . . ) So I guess all I have to say is that India is an interesting place to visit, but it's hard for me to be here on a business trip when we drive past SO many families living in tents on the roadside, children running dirty and naked through the streets and people begging for food . . . If I come back to India I want it to be on a mission trip so I can hop out of the car and hug the kids and hopefully offer them some of the hope which I've been so freely given!