India - Day 1 from Steve B

Our first day here is drawing to a close. My observations so far ... in no particular order of importance or kingdom priority...

--It's veeeeery humid here. We're just above the equator. Our prime directive as given by several coaches: three liters of water per day.

--India traffic gives new meaning to the word 'congested.' All manner of vehicles occupy the road. The guiding principles of operation seem to be: (a) You'd better have a horn, (b) Always use your horn at all times, (c) Right-of-way belongs to the larger vehicle, (d) Westerners should trust their Indian drivers to get them there safely, (e) Texting while driving would definitely get you killed here!

--There's a LOT of people in India!

--Breakfast in the international dining room is the BEST! Cooked-to-order omelettes, french toast, fruit, oatmeal. Waaay surpassed expectations.

--My bed seems made to order for me. Praise God!

--The staff here takes good care of their guests.

--There's a LOT of Western influence here.

--There's a lot of love for Jesus here too!

Today was mostly about getting oriented, drinking lots of water, meeting key staff, going over our schedule, drinking lots of water, finding our way around, a short shopping trip to acquire some light cotton shirts, and trying to NOT do culturally-insensitive stuff--all while drinking lots of water. We also had time for a nap, which was a huge blessing considering our sleep patterns the past few nights.

Tomorrow will be dominated by an extensive campus tour and mtgs with dept heads. We came both to SERVE and OBSERVE--so tomorrow will be heavy on observation. Serving opps will get heavier as we approach the weekend, and continue into next week.

It's hard to believe we're on the other side of the world!

SB