This was day two in India, a Monday morning. I took this video from our bus window. The streets were filled with adults going to work, children walking to school and people setting up shop for the day. I thought it interesting…it was unlike anything I had ever seen. I soon recognized this as “the norm”…the same scene everywhere we went.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH1uG4uC_fY]
What I found most interesting is how aware everyone is of their surroundings. No car accidents, no road rage, no pedestrians getting hit….everyone accommodating everyone. It was magical.
It’s seem like a month ago, yet it’s been less than a week since the Global LifeVision team entered the Rai Foundation school eager to empower 600 plus young women with confidence to fulfill their dreams. The experience was amazing – beyond words. The girls were lovely, gracious and eager to learn with open hearts and minds. Everything is “Yes ma’am” with a bobble-head like nod. Students do not enter the classroom without permission and they stand to ask a question – they sit with laser focused eyes, with real intent, striving to cypher our English within a hot and humid room with very poor lighting. Their excitement to learn does not fade as the clock ticks away the 90 minute class.
My friend and teaching partner, Laurie Olson and I team teach the Spiritual/My Purpose and the Relationships sections of Ideal LifeVision. My favorite was teaching the students about “I am” statements. We start them with five of our own: I AM Worthy, I AM Deserving, I AM Capable, I Trust Myself and I Forgive myself and others, then we filled up the white board with their own “I AM” affirmations …I AM Beautiful, I AM Honest, I AM Kind, I AM Precious, I AM Bold, I AM Giving, I AM a Hard Worker, I AM Compassionate, I AM Smart, I CAN do anything! …the list goes on and on.
Twenty-one countries are represented at the University of Rai, with diverse spiritual beliefs and backgrounds. I emphasized that ALL religions are good – anything that inspires you to be a better person and to serve others is good and should be sought after. We encouraged the students to grow stronger in their faith, to pray often to God and to listen for His whisperings of inspiration and guidance. And last, but not least, to love and serve others.
These girls are bright and their English skills allowed most to quickly grasp what we were teaching. Many wrote and shared their beautiful Life Vision with us. Agnes from Uganda is a born leader and caught on right away the vision of LifeVision., Agnes wants to become a certified LifeVision Coach to make a difference in her home community in Uganda.
We captured Rai student Drishti’s testimonial on video of what LifeVision has done for her belief in herself. Close friendships were made. Tears and tight hugs were common place as we said good-bye with promises to return.
I am grateful to my Father in Heaven for this priceless opportunity to BE taught by these beautiful young women. The students shared their burning desire to get an education to break the chain of poverty and to better the circumstance of their families and make a difference in their county and world.
To the girls of the Rai Foundation: “You Go Girls! You Rock!”
I’ve struggled getting internet and or battled total exhaustion at night, so I haven’t had a chance to blog. So much to Share! What an experience!! Life lessons learned!
Things I have NEVER seen before: An entire family on a motorcycle: Father, child, mother sitting side saddle holding a baby weaving in and out of traffic. No traffic rules of any kind….anything goes, Monkeys everywhere, Elephants and Camels walking down the side of the road, cows walking in the middle of town, cows laying in the middle of the street, cows pooping next to food stands and no one cares, men peeing wherever they want, blinkers are obsolete…honk to signal you are passing, its okay to drive through incoming traffic the wrong way, No road rage, No overweight people, No public display of affection (no holding hands unless you are both male, no hugging and no kissing in public), Only seen three smokers, no immodest clothing….not even on teenagers and its a million degrees outside….two million degrees inside:) garbage is beautiful…must be it is everywhere.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my experience thus far. People have very little or nothing, and are the Happiest people alive. I am learning things that will change my life forever.
I’m out of time. I will blog later about our teaching experience at the Rai Foundation College for Young Women. FABulous!
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