more pics...

Hey again. I keep meaning to actually sit down and write a blog, but then get busy with other things. So today's post will be just photos again. Sorry. Tomorrow we should wrap up the interviews and portraits of the kids, so we'll be able to relax a little. I will write more then. In the meantime.....


Steve, Irene, and Roshan, right after we wrapped up Irene's interview



Royal Enfield Bullet 350. Steve and I WANT this!



Is this a cow? Bull? No idea the name of the species, but I think they're rad looking...






Same guy as above, close up.



Steve took some shots of me....






And I took some of him : )






We are both totally addicted to this soda called Limca.





This guy walked up to Steve and I while we were walking to the bakery for some snacks. He wanted to practice his english. He was really nice, and showed us his motorcycle and told us he owned the barrels behind him. Guess he's in the petrol business. His name was Sumari I believe.



Two minute noodles!



Reema. So beautiful, inside and out. This girl has a heart of gold



Reema and I



I swear, I WILL actually write an update tomorrow. Love to you all...

-beks

Photos from yesterday

Hey guys. I will write more later on, but wanted to share a few photos from yesterday and this morning. Hope you like em!

-beks

This old man we met at the veterinary hospital this morning. He was very kind about my taking his picture : )



water buffalo






a new admission to Happy Home



530am. The kids boiling water for their morning baths



Roshan Win Karkada



Happy Home kids

Another sleepless night, another beautiful morning...

If I were a polytheist I would say that the gods were conspiring against me.

Each night I go to bed exhausted from a long day of planning the film, shooting, and playing with the kids. And each night I sleep soundly until 12:30, then awake with a start. From then on it's tossing and turning. Swatting at imaginary bugs on my skin. Reading chapter after chapter in my books. Planning the following day. Editing photos I took in my mind. Everything but sleep. Finally at 5am when I see the first fingers of light slipping through the curtains into my room , I get up and walk past the bleary-eyed children who are stirring from their beds, into the pale light of the dawn.

Meanwhile, Steve comes out of his room, stretches long and greets the day with a slow smile that brings to mind a fat cat who has just eaten a huge meal and is completely satisfied.

Curse my Comer genetics for making me such a terrible sleeper! (Sorry Mom and Dad, but it's is an unfortunate part of what I got from you two. Love you though!)

Anyway, we've been laughing about it ever since we got here. So much so that Steve felt it fitting to write a poem about the situation, and I have decided to share it with you here.

"Oh What A Pity" By Steve Opperman

Oh Rebekah, the sleepless beauty
Oh how the squeeky fan and rock hard beds
Don't bring ease to your racing mind
As they do mine
Oh what a pity

Oh Rebekah, the sleepless beauty
Oh how the ants they crawl
And the sweat, it pours down your back
neck and brow
And yet oddly, not mine
Oh what a pity

Oh Rebekah, the sleepless beauty
Oh how your stomach growls
From the lack of food
Or is that funky curry?
Stating it's discomfort within your weak Western stomach lining?
And as your smile turns upside-down
I ask myself, why not mine?
Oh what a pity


He made me laugh so hard : ) Humor is indeed the best medicine.

Anyway.....

Here are some photos from yesterday:


Irene Godwin Karkada. AKA "Mamma Irene" : )






Need a "Demolisher" anyone?








"Gents not allowed, Ladies only" Sign for a women's hair salon





Happy Home Kids





This is Lohith. He and his 5 siblings all live here at Happy Home. His parents are very very poor and cannot afford to feed and care for their children, so they sent them to Happy Home.





This is Pavitra. She has been at Happy Home for 5 years, and will be starting university this month.





Welll,....we're off right now to take a look at the potential new site for Happy Home. Later this evening we'll be going to see the shoemaker. Apparently he can make any shoe you want for about 600rps (that's about $15). I'll let you know how it goes :)

-beks and steve

India, day 4

Today we awoke at the crack of dawn to try and film the sunrise. Well, the sun was hiding behind some clouds this morning, but we had the chance to film and shoot some of the farm animals that reside here at Happy Home. The roosters were absolutely hilarious. Crowing every few seconds, chasing each other around the yard, and strutting about like they were the best looking things around.






The cows were just chillin' under the closelines....




little feet....




Serving breakfast to the kids




The kids are preparing to start school this coming Monday, so Irene has them doing some homework to sharpen up before classes begin. The kids that are able to read and write will go to local schools, and those that cannot will be schooled at the orphanage by Irene and her sister Stella.








Here is Stella, doing therapy with some of the younger kids. She is teaching them how to say the parts of the face. Eyes, ears, nose, etc.




This woman is a part time staff member who helps with therapy sessions with the kids. Here she helping this little girl how to use her hands, beginning with strengthening her hand muscles with ball exercises.




Well, that's all for now. We are going to interview Irene in just a little while. I will write more later on!

-beks

We made it!

Hey there everyone...

Well, after 18 hours on two planes, a 2 hour layover in London, and a 7 hour bumpy van ride, we finally pulled into the mission compound that houses Happy Home. It is so good to be back. Irene and Roshan and Reema greeted us with love, gave us several cups of chai, let us say hi to the kids, and then, as we couldn't keep our eyes open an moment longer, we went straight to bed.
Steve slept for the following 16(!) hours. I was not quite so lucky, but did get a few hours in before morning.

Today we've spent most of our time preparing to start shooting tomorrow. Writing out interview questions, planning shots, etc. We DID take a few breaks however......

Steve took Roshan's Royal Enfield Bullet for a spin around the field...



Steve also shot some footage of the kid's jumping rope....







Then, after some wonderful fish curry and rice, we decided to wander the neighborhood a bit. I realized when we got back that I seem to have a bicycle obsession right now. At least 70% of the photos I took while we were out walking were of bicycles. Here are my favorites...


















Wellll.....that's all for now. Steve is outside helping Roshan to build a shelf to store medical supplies on. Ironically enough, I am inside watching Darjeeling Limited on the tv.

Tomorrow we will begin shooting. Please pray that all goes smoothly! Love to you all...

~Beks

Testing, one-two-three

Well, it finally hit me this morning...we leave in TWO days. The trip is suddenly very real, and approaching fast. I'm excited, of course, but also a little bit nervous. I've never really done anything like this before....

[Bit of Background]

For those of you who don't already know, Steve and I are travelling to a handicapped-children's orphanage in a fairly small town in southern India for the next 2 1/2 weeks. While there we will film a documentary about the orphanage and the woman who started it, Irene Karkada. I'll be shooting photos of all the kids and the orphanage itself, as well as writing down Irene's story, and those of some of the kids as well. We're doing this so we can give them some tools that they can use to better explain the work being done and the needs they have, and to share the incredible ways in which God has provided for them there.

The orphanage is called Happy Home for the Handicapped (some of the first kids to live there got to name it themselves), and it's in a little town called Shimoga. Shimoga (also known as Shivamogga)is located 275km West and slightly North of Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka. Population is roughly 275,000.
The name Shimoga means "Face of Shiva". The local dialect is called Kannada (Steve, who is Canadian, is rather excited about this fact), but as with most countries besides the U.S., the people there typically speak at least 3 languages, including English and Hindi. (*Yes, I am embarrassed to say I speak only one language, and that rather poorly*)
Besides a few Hindu temples, there isn't much there to attract tourists, the one exception being a waterfall about 10km outside the city called Jog Falls. Jog Falls, which is the highest waterfall in Asia, stands an impressive 829ft (253meters) high.


[End of Background]

Wellll.....it's t-minus two days and about 3 hours till we are winging our way East. We're feeling excited, nervous, and hopelessly inadequate at the moment, but resting in the knowledge that our God who loves us has provided for us immeasurably, and will guide our steps if we will trust Him.

More to come...

~beks