Republic Day in India
January 26, 2008 email #21
Cultural events are always a most colorful and interesting occurrence.  Through some very special connections of our Vet-Med doctor we were given a VIP treatment at the Orange City (Nagpur’s fame) Craft Mela (special event) and Folk Dance Festival.  Oh my, was this entertaining!!!  Indians really know how to put together this kind of event with a craft show, handicrafts from all over India all in Pendhals (colorful tents).  I had a terrible time shopping
---not because there were not plenty of things I would love to have purchased---but because if I stopped at any stall every woman around swarmed the booth to also start buying.  Padmaker said, “It must be good if YOU like it.” The fantastically costumed dancers were extraordinary!!!  Each set of dancers was from a different part of India and amazingly can put their bodies into positions that seem humanly impossible.  I was unable to get any good pictures to send because it was too dark.  Maybe the video turned out.???

Today was Republic Day---India’s Independence Day.  It is a holiday, but because it fell on Saturday everyone called it an INJUSTICE AND DEPRIVED holiday---it was already a day off---so they had no real holiday.  There is always a flag raising ceremony, songs, and speeches, and each year there will be some dignitary to give a speech.  This year it was the topmost head guy in the government for all Technical certification of ITI schools.  He is THE one who approves or can cancel our certification for all the trades we teach here at Prakash. After all the hoopla we invited him for the customary tea and he gave glowing praise for Prakash and the quality of our facilities and education.  He said, “There is NO other private ITI school of this quality in the whole of my district.” He would love for us to add more trades.  Loren said, “We would too, but money is always the issue.  The government schools do not have this problem.” He simply wiggled his head side to side in the Indian “YES” way. 

After the ceremony and tea all the staff, students, pastors, etc. had an AUCTION of all the junk that has been recovered from the multiple Go-Downs (storage rooms) from all over the campus.  I truly think Prakash has never thrown anything away.  Some of this stuff is over 40 years old and was broken and useless.  At the beginning of Prakash’s history, I am sure it was very difficult to get some items, so everything was saved ---old traditions are hard to break!  Loren is having a hay-day cleaning out all of the bits and pieces and actually being able to sell it and make a few rupees.  The Auction was absolutely hysterical and in their words, “ AUCTION WAS QUITE A COMPETITION.”
---one wife even bid against her husband, which nearly made us all collapse with laughter.  It was also interesting to see what they considered to be valuable.  One of the pastors bought an OLD metal covered cake carrier.  Later he came to me and said, “Madam, what is this used for?” Someone from America must have brought it ages back and so he bought it without even knowing what it was.  Too funny!  We saw a totally different side of individual personalities during this occasion.  All in all it was a fabulous, fun time together

As John Maxwell so applicably says, “As leaders we want to discover the hidden, encourage the uncertain, develop the untrained, and empower the powerless.”
This is truly Loren and my desire as leaders here at Prakash.  Scripture says that we all need to work together to strengthen the body toward making this happen. 

http://www.prakash4india.org
Sylvia H. Eckhardt
Prakash for India