Somebody said that the second week would go much faster, and it has so far. Can't believe it's Wednesday already! Today we have experienced some dramatic thunderstorms - the thunder just kept coming and coming... very loudly! It then rained very hard for a while, I even had to get my rain coat out that I bought to deal with the weather in the North West. It means the roads are covered in puddles and my shoes that must not be named squeak as I walk.
This morning we went to visit the Divine Fellowship School for the Blind. The School was set up by a visionary man who saw how blind people were not accepted in Indian society as having any sort of future (they couldn't work, they couldn't get married....) to provide them with an education so that they could have a future. He started small but the school now has about 100 pupils.
We arrived to the sound of drums as the school assembly began and then we sang with them and acted out the parable of the sower (I was the seed that fell on rocky ground - I wasn't as good as the seed who fell on the path who got very scared by the birds!). We then had a tour of the school.
I was most fascinated by the teaching of writing (in Braille) and Maths (of course). The inspirational methods of teaching to suit the pupils needs are fantastic. For Maths to write out a sum they had a metal peg that must have been a dodecagon with a line across it which was turned 36 degrees to represent each different number which placed in a peg board. The operator signs were done in a similar way but with the other end of the metal peg. I then just wanted to know how they took Maths further and regret not asking.
The school fits in with the theme that keeps coming back - that of transformation. These are people who might not have had a future, but given this opportunity to learn are able to get jobs (and so often are welcomed back by their families) and go to university. All of this again motivated by the love of God.
I was reading again when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is. He says love God and love your neighbour as your yourself. The Divine School is an example of a vision motivated by that love for neighbours, seeing the potential in all, using that love to change lives.
The school has expanded a lot since the beginning... from a few small classrooms to a new two storey with the potential to be three storey building. The vice principal was very aware of and blessed by God's provision.
This afternoon we went shopping with Rebecca, who has come back to India for a second time after coming with a BMS Action Team. This was a totally different experience to the market. We were sat down as we looked around with a cup of chai..... less pressure, more browsing time! The shop looked like a whirlwind had hit it after we left - I think they showed Louise every top in the place.....but it was nice to be looked after and see another bit of Kolkata shopping.
This morning we went to visit the Divine Fellowship School for the Blind. The School was set up by a visionary man who saw how blind people were not accepted in Indian society as having any sort of future (they couldn't work, they couldn't get married....) to provide them with an education so that they could have a future. He started small but the school now has about 100 pupils.
We arrived to the sound of drums as the school assembly began and then we sang with them and acted out the parable of the sower (I was the seed that fell on rocky ground - I wasn't as good as the seed who fell on the path who got very scared by the birds!). We then had a tour of the school.
I was most fascinated by the teaching of writing (in Braille) and Maths (of course). The inspirational methods of teaching to suit the pupils needs are fantastic. For Maths to write out a sum they had a metal peg that must have been a dodecagon with a line across it which was turned 36 degrees to represent each different number which placed in a peg board. The operator signs were done in a similar way but with the other end of the metal peg. I then just wanted to know how they took Maths further and regret not asking.
The school fits in with the theme that keeps coming back - that of transformation. These are people who might not have had a future, but given this opportunity to learn are able to get jobs (and so often are welcomed back by their families) and go to university. All of this again motivated by the love of God.
I was reading again when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is. He says love God and love your neighbour as your yourself. The Divine School is an example of a vision motivated by that love for neighbours, seeing the potential in all, using that love to change lives.
The school has expanded a lot since the beginning... from a few small classrooms to a new two storey with the potential to be three storey building. The vice principal was very aware of and blessed by God's provision.
This afternoon we went shopping with Rebecca, who has come back to India for a second time after coming with a BMS Action Team. This was a totally different experience to the market. We were sat down as we looked around with a cup of chai..... less pressure, more browsing time! The shop looked like a whirlwind had hit it after we left - I think they showed Louise every top in the place.....but it was nice to be looked after and see another bit of Kolkata shopping.
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