adjusting to a new culture

*I still need a few more people that I know will be praying for me daily for the next nine months during my mission trip here in India. If you are willing, please email me at christopherjsuh@gmail.com. It would be such an encouragement knowing that people back home are praying for me daily! Thank you!

So it's my third day here, and I'm still getting used to the culture here in India. I'm having a really hard time understanding people during conversations. They speak English, but with a think accent and in very short phrases. But I think I'll be able to catch onto that very soon!

For transportation, we've been taking rickshaws to places or we've been just walking (I prefer taking a rickshaw). I don't have a picture yet, but I will soon post one! 

Every morning, we wake up around 5:30am and join the seminary students at AECS for morning exercise and dawn prayer and service. Then we join the staff, professors, and pastors for breakfast. After, we come back to St. Paul School (it's about a 20-30 minute walk) and we will start teaching in about a week. The KCM team will be coming tomorrow morning, and we will be joining them on their trip to Andhra Padesh. It's supposed to be really hot there, mosquitoes everywhere, and a 10-hour bus ride to get there. We will be leaving Thursday morning and coming back in 5-7 days. 

Today, we were able to play soccer with some of the seminary students back at AECS. On our way back, we stopped by McDonald's to grab some dinner. It wasn't the same like the McDonald's back at home, but it was close enough! 

There are also two other short term missionaries here that are staying for a few more weeks. It's been great getting to work alongside with them! They will also be joining the KCM team on the trip to Andhra Padesh.

This is my room for the next nine months! 

The bathrooms have no shower heads, no toilet seats, and no toilet paper. There are a few bathrooms in the city where there are toilets and toilet paper, but not in the rooms we are staying at.  

This is a first grade class (I think) we visited yesterday. These students have memorized so many bible verses and I was so encouraged by this. All the staff, teachers, professors, and most students are really respectful and courteous. I was so encouraged to see their faithfulness and how diligent they are in everything they do.

This was a traditional Indian restaurant Pastor Abraham took us to.

Cows literally walking down the middle of the road. They say that if you accidentally hit a cow while driving, the neighborhood would come out and literally jump on your car and attack you. Cars would stop for cows, but definitely not for people. 

Double McChicken sandwich, but not the same as the ones back at home.

From left to right: Abe, Bryan, Rebecca, and me! This is the team I have been working alongside with and we have been spending a good portion of our days serving together. It has been such a joy and encouragement working with these brothers and sister.

home for the next nine months

Brothers and sisters,

Abe and I arrived here safely this morning at 5am! The plane ride wasn't too bad, although I had some stomach issues during my layover in London. So Pastor Abe greeted and picked us up at the airport and brought us to the place we will be staying. There are other missionaries who live here at the "Teacher's Quarters" along with Pastor Abraham. We rested and unpacked for a little then went to the service at the seminary school (AECS). There are many different campuses here that I will be serving and getting involved in, and AECS is one of them. After the service, we had lunch with some of the staff at AECS. After, we came back and napped some more. For dinner, Pastor Abe took us out for dinner to some delicious chicken place. 

Some things I learned today:

-The driving/traffic here represents a lot of their culture. The drivers are crazy here; no rules, no laws. 

-Honking is a sign of courtesy letting the people in front of them know that they will be passing them.

-You can throw trash anywhere. It felt weird to do at first, but it's actually convenient!

-There are cows roaming in the middle of the road and dogs everywhere. They say that dogs have fights over territory throughout the night, so hopefully I'll be able to sleep through that.

Prayer topics:

-To have an open heart during my nine months here in India. 

-That I will learn to love the culture and people.

-For God to mold me and teach what He wants me to learn throughout my stay.

I have a request... It would be an encouragement to know that people back home are praying for me daily. So... if your heart is willing, please let me know if you are able to keep me in your prayers daily for the nine months I am here. If so... please email me at christopherjsuh@gmail.com so that I can send you prayer requests more frequently! Thank you all for partnering with me on this mission trip.

A special thanks to all the people who came out to the airport to send us off, and to everyone else who are supporting financially and through prayer!

This is the AECS campus where we had service this morning and lunch.

This is what we had for dinner tonight. It was pretty delicious and reminded me of Mediterranean food back home.

*Sorry there aren't many pictures... I will take more pictures of the school, city, and the place where I am staying at so that you will be able to experience this with me as much as you can! :)