Arrived!

We are into our apartment at Silver Oak School in Durtlang, a northeasterly superb of the fascinating hill (mountain) city of Aizawl in northeastern India. In his family-parenting videos, Gary Smalley suggests that men, more than women, are eager to arrive, to conquer the road and reach their destination. However, in this case, I think Ellen’s eagerness surpassed even mine for getting in our own dwelling, setting up house and making a home! Our new home is a four-room apartment on the second floor of a two-story cement structure built for staff-quarters. A larger dwelling is being built for us on the top floor. It will be sometime before that is a reality. Basic kitchen appliances include of a 242 litre refrigerator, a butane powered four-burner stove, a 6-litre spin-drier washing machine, a small electric-toaster oven, and a 30-litre, candle-type water filter.

We hope that no one is feeling sorry for us! The scenery is majestic. You need to come to realize how good God was when he created this corner of his earth. And, to re-quote a famous apostle, as I have said before so say I now again, the only thing more spectacular than the landscape is the people that inhabit it. Now, the weather (for those of us accustomed to the arid prairies) is tediously rainy! The result is that clothes maintain a dampness that can easily turn into mildewiness, and more annoying, our roof is leaking at several junctures. Oh, well, the rainy season will soon (maybe) come to and end and winter (with its chilly plus 10ºC nights will soon be upon us! How does that sound to you brave prairie folk?

Silver Oak School has two more months of regular classes before examinations take place in early December. The new school year will commence on January 17. Opportunities to make a difference with students, staff and parents are many. My English and Bible classes seem to be going well, as does my English class at the Mizoram University.

Today, a 12-hour bandh has been imposed on all of northeast India by the students’ union of all seven states. They are sympathizing with grievances of students in the state of Manipur. For those of you who, to date, have not been privileged to experience a bandh, it is a forced shut-down of all traffic—not offices, school, and very few shops. Joy!

However, since it is anniversary time, I have arrange to take Ellen out for supper—rice, curry, dalh down 140 steps at the student mess (cafeteria)! Enjoy!

One last item. Our plan is to return to Canada in June and, then, return to Silver Oak in September 2005. The May – August segment would be a very opportune time for two or three college students to replace us—teaching classes here at SOS. Or, there may be teachers who would like to spend the better part of July-August making a difference here in NE India.