Posted on January 9, 2017 under Monday Morning Musings with 3 comments

Belting out a tune at the old age home

Music is the theme of today’s post.

First . A quick note about Kanyakumari. It is the southern most town in India and as such, it is literally the end of the line for buses and trains. Tourists come from all over India and indeed from around the world to vacation here. Unfortunately, because of its location, many people, especially those with challenges, are often abandoned and left at the train station and bus station. Charities, like the ones run by The Daughters of Mary, where I am volunteering, come to their rescue.

In this region, the Sisters operate 11 orphanages, a home for the aged, a home for 100 mentally ill women, another rural property for the mentally ill and a leper colony. These are the ones that I know about. I am sure there are others.

Shortly after I arrived in Hyderabad, I bought a guitar to keep myself amused. While I played it occasionally in my room, I never had the opportunity to use my music anywhere else. ( Maybe somebody heard me singing and decided that Hyderabad wasn’t quite ready for Leonard Cohen, Neil Young or Stan Rogers! ).

Upon arrival in Kanyakumari, I mentioned the guitar and the genie was out of the bottle. A few days after settling in, the Sisters asked me to sing at mass in their tiny, perfect chapel. There was the priest ( Father Dominique ) , the three Sisters and me. The stillness of the early morning ( a 6:00 a.m. mass ), and the intimacy of the chapel provided a wonderful backdrop for  a very short and simple celebration.

Father Dominique gave one of the briefest and most meaningful sermons I have ever heard. He told the Sisters that the religious were called to provide three S’s: soup, soap and spirit. Soup represents food which is the most important thing for the poor. Soap represents health and hygiene. And of course, they are asked to provide spiritual guidance. He added a fourth S: Study. He felt that once the poor had the basic necessities of life, then education was next on the list of priorities. He didn’t refer to any bible readings. He just talked common sense. I congratulated him afterwards for being so practical.

Last week, I did my first field trip, visiting many of the facilities mentioned above. The old age home in no way looks like the ones we are used to seeing in Canada. There are 60 residents: 30 men and 30 women living in dorm style accommodations: 30 in one room and 30 in another. The women’s dorm, in particular, is badly in need of renovations.  Most of these people have been abandoned by their families. There is no funding from government ( and certainly not from the families ) . The Sisters rely on charity to keep the place going. Under the circumstances they do a remarkable job. They are also building a 20 bed palliative care unit so that they can move the very sick and dying.

When I arrived, most of the women were curled up in their beds. The Sister in charge introduced me. The women were nonplussed. I don’t know why I did it or why I chose these particular songs, but I sang “The Kelligrews  Soiree “ and “  I’se The By.” It was like an electric current went through the place. They all got up and came to the front of the room where I was standing. They clapped and more importantly, they smiled, and then they sang a song for me. It was very uplifting.

Something similar happened at the home for the mentally ill women. About 70 of them were in this very large gymnasium type structure, chilling out watching a television program. After being introduced, the Sister in charge asked if anyone would like to sing a song for their guest. It took some cajoling but finally, one lady came up and performed a song.  I decided to sing as well. The acoustics were simply out of this world. I felt so inspired and was really pouring my heart into it. And then a lineup formed. Everyone wanted to sing for “Mr.Len.” They sang in Tamil, in Telegu and Hindi and other dialects I didn’t recognize. I shook just about every hand before I left.

Emmaus, the name of the facility, badly needs to acquire some land so that they can get these women outdoor more often. They would like to get an acreage where they could grow vegetables… good for the body, mind and soul.

The other evening, the Mother Superior of the order and some of her executive members, came to Stella Maris for dinner. I was asked to join them . ( not full time… just for dinner! ). There was lively discussion at the dinner table with many questions about Canada. I grabbed my guitar and sang “ Oceanside Again” and “ Farewell to Nova Scotia” in rapid succession. It didn’t appear to cause indigestion.

I was saving this for the end.

Do you have a pair of pajamas or just some old clothes that you wear around the house, that you’ve had FOREVER? Thought so. I have a pair of St.F.X  gym shorts that I’ve had since the early 80’s. I also have a t-shirt that has seen better days . Combined, this is perfect attire to wear to bed in warm climates.

It was 11:30 a.m. I had been on the go since 4:30 and after a long walk, I decided to cool off and stretch out for a power snooze before lunch. The door bell to my room rang. It was Sister Archana who had just returned from a 6 month stint at the Coady. “ Grab your guitar.” I have come to understand that when Sister says something, she means business. I asked for two minutes to get changed. “ You look fine the way you are,” she said. I hopped in their vehicle along with three other Sisters and we went roaring through the streets of Kanyakumari. They prayed along the way. I prayed that we didn’t have an accident, dressed as scantily as I was (!).

Ten minutes later, we arrived at a mansion of a very wealthy foreign diplomat. He and his family were having a dedication ceremony to a grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Sisters had been invited to pray and I had been invited to sing a song about Mary. His extended family was in attendance. All of them were dressed to the nines. Mercifully, the ceremony was short and sweet as it was held outside in the scorching sun. He had a second grotto on the property and invited us to go and see it. While there, he asked me if I had ever heard the Paul McCartney song, “ Let it Be.” I cranked out a few verses much to his great joy.

He invited us into his house for tea. It was bad enough that I was hot and sweaty and ill attired but when I spilled the tea all over my t-shirt, I swear some people might have thought that the Sisters had just arrived from one of their rescue missions.

On January 6^th., “ Old Christmas” , the Sisters held a postponed Christmas party . They wanted to wait until Sister Archana returned from Canada to have this gathering with staff and volunteers. There was a gift exchange followed by tea and fruitcake. I sang “ Oh Holy Night”, a cappella, at 4:00 p.m. ( usually a midnight mass specialty ), in 34 degree heat…  hardly Christmasy but it felt like it.

Have a great week.

P.S. Video #2 ( Len Live ) coming up on Wednesday. I’ll show you how charity is done quickly and efficiently.

Posted on January 5, 2017 under Thursday Tidbits with 2 comments

An oasis of tranquility. My home for the next few months in India

 

So, I’m driving in a taxi from the airport in Thiruvanatharum  ( say that three times after a glass of wine! ) to Kanyakumari. I hadn’t eaten since the morning as both of my flights were short hops and they weren’t even serving peanuts. I was so hungry that I could have eaten an elephant when what should appear blocking the road? Why, an elephant, of course. The thought of raw elephant seemed tantalizing and even in my weakened state, I thought I could bring him down.

Oh yes. My driver’s name was Wilson. He barely knew any English so you can imagine my astonishment when he plugged in his ipad to the vehicle sound system and started playing English gospel songs and Christmas hymns, including Oh Holy Night. And he could sing too. He attends a Pentecostal Church and is a soloist. Wilson knew how to “pick it” when it came to music. ( Only those of you born 5 decades ago will understand this groaner ).

I was met at the convent at 10:00 p.m by Sister Sophie and Sister Beena. They presented me with fresh flowers and curried chicken. There were two other people in the welcome party. Ninian and Carol Bliss are from Mayo, Ireland and are also volunteering at the convent. They are lovely people and have already been here two months establishing a B@B for the Sisters located on the convent grounds.

When I went to bed, I was struck by the utter tranquility of the place. When I awoke in the morning, I realized that I had landed in a small piece of paradise as their property is an oasis of peace. They are big into horticulture and the grounds are simply lovely. I went for an early morning walk and not more than five minutes away, I was on the shores of the Arabian Sea. To breathe salt air ( and not burning garbage)  was a near mystical experience.

One of the many projects operated by the Sisters is a leper colony which is another five minute walk from the convent. I was shocked to hear that there were still such facilities. There are no active cases of leprosy in this part of the world. All of these people are suffering from the ravages of the disease. On New Year’s Eve, we spent two hours with the lepers walking through their small village followed by mass. It was a humbling experience.

No fireworks at the convent. We went to another mass at a church right by the ocean at 9:30 .During the tsunami of 2005, the church was levelled and a new one erected. Where the water reached is simply staggering to imagine when you climb the long hill ( maybe 400 yards with a fairly steep incline ) up to the main road.

The B@B was very busy and I met some fascinating guests. I must ask you to read Faces in the Crowd even when they are faces that are not familiar to you. I have two new stories that I’m sure you’ll find interesting. One lady does simultaneous translations… for the Pope and Obama, among others. The other lady was the chief protocol officer for the United Nations. Their stories are fascinating. Several other guests from different parts of the world shared their stories of being in India during demonetization. I could go on and on and on about this subject. It still isn’t any better than it was 60 days ago. My vow of poverty remains unblemished!

I am reading the first Harry Potter book. I heard J.K. Rowling interviewed on NPR the other night and decided that I would expand my literary horizons. Tuck this piece of information away for a few minutes.

On Monday, I had my iphone plugged into my computer getting it charged. Both devices were sitting on top of the television set, as the only available electrical outlet was nearby. I needed to take the computer over to the main entrance of the convent to post Monday Morning Musings. I unplugged the computer and started to walk away with it. Regrettably, I forgot to also unplug my iphone. The phone dropped to the ground and the power cord… disappeared. Did you ever think , that after all these years, you were finally “ losing it”? ( and I don’t mean the charger cord )

After a thorough check of the room, I headed over to the convent. I asked one of the Sisters if they could ask the ladies who clean the B@B rooms ( my room is in the B@B ) to take a look. Sister went one step better. She and two of the staff immediately launched their own search party and came up empty handed. I started to wonder if Voldemort was lurking somewhere nearby.

My iphone is my lifeline so I decided to head into town to buy a new cord. One of my children had an uncanny knack for finding lost items. I asked myself, “ where would she look ?” The only place I hadn’t looked was on top of a wall mounted dresser. The room has very high ceilings and the top of the dresser is easily ten feet from floor level… and 20 feet away from the television where the drama began hours previously. Problem is that I couldn’t get up to check. The standard hotel room chair only got me half way up the dresser.

The bed. I got on the bed. ( Please , Lord, tell me they don’t have hidden cameras in a convent! ) I still couldn’t see the top of the dresser so I started jumping up and down like a trampoline specialist until I reached eye level. There were a few items on top of the dresser but I couldn’t tell for sure. I did a perfect dismount ( a 9.5 is my guess! ). I scoured the room and the only item that I could find to give me leverage and extra arm length, while standing on the chair, was the toilet scrubber. I stretched as far as I could and started hauling bits of discarded items towards the edge. And there it was!

I will be writing my own story of wizardry: “ Harry Potter and the Catapulting Cord.”

POTTY TALK ALERT.

You knew this was coming. At some point in time, I had to tell you about Indian toilets. Many of you are sophisticated global travellers and have encountered many types of bathrooms. But for a small town guy, arriving in India for the first time two months ago, it was just a bit disconcerting the very first night to discover that there was no toilet paper in the bathroom. I was staying at the house of a friend in their guest room. When I came downstairs to inquire as to the whereabouts of toilet tissue, he matter of factly stated, “ What do you need that for?” It’s not very often that I can’t respond to a question.

The standard Indian bathroom has a toilet and beside it, a wall mounted device with a tap and a flexible hose. Some don’t have the latter but merely have a tap and a bucket. I did a quick Google search and discovered how to use both methods of cleaning after using the bathroom. ( see “semprotan cebok ) Rather than spoil your breakfast, I’ll stop there but like so many other things in India, I have adapted. I no longer carry toilet paper everywhere I go.

Have a great week.

P.S. MAN COLD UPDATE.

Kashayam.

You won’t find this at Shoppers or MacKinnon’s Pharamasave. It is a hot drink that can slay just about any malady, including the dreaded man cold. You’ll just need to go out and pluck a few leaves off your Neem tree, along with a few thulasi leaves. ( both are medicinal ) Add some dry ground ginger, lots of peppercorns and jaggary ( sugar cane ). Add water and boil for five minutes. Administer to the man of the house twice a day and after 48 hours, you won’t have to listen to your husband, partner or boyfriend whine and complain. Almost worth getting a shipment of ingredients from India, wouldn’t you say?!

 

 

 

 

Posted on January 2, 2017 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

Sunrise Point, Kanyakumari, India.

“ So don’t be sad, cause two out of three ( 1 out of 3 ) ain’t bad.”

Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad . Meatloaf

 

I had given a lot of thought before entering the convent. When a person reaches retirement age, they are far less prone to doing anything too adventurous. It is generally a time of reflection, relaxation and reminiscing. How about that for the “three R’s ?” But going through the front door of a convent requires contemplation, consultation and capitulation. One must take vows.

I am happy to report that the perpetual vow of poverty will not be necessary due to demonetization in India. If I can’t find cash in a city of ten million, then money will hardly be a temptation in a town of about 30,000 people.

Before travelling to Kanyakumari,  on my “ journey of discovery,” I gave it the good old college try and tried to secure some rupees to help pay my expenses. So, I spent my final two days in Hyderabad walking the streets trying to pry some money out of the ATM’s. Yes, I intentionally went looking for lineups because I heeded the advice of a woman I met one morning next to an empty ATM kiosk. “ No crowd. No cash. “

My first stop was a pleasant surprise as there were only about 15 people in front of me. Figuring that each transaction takes about a minute and knowing  full well that people carry multiple cards with them ( their own, their friends, granny’s etc. ), I estimated an ETA of about 45 minutes. The second surprise wasn’t so pleasant as the machine flatly refused to cough up the dough. It rejected both of my debit cards. Undeterred I moved on. I thought I must be suffering heat exhaustion and was seeing things when I spied an ATM with only two people in line. I thought about calling Rome to report a miracle. I was in and out in under 5 minutes. By the time I left, 25 people had quickly joined the queue. The last attempt yielded an all too familiar out. I was two steps from the finish line when the machine ran out of money. The trifecta completed, I decided that enough was enough and hoped and prayed that Kanyakumari accepted credit cards.

Much to my shock, they held a surprise going away party for me at my residence in Hyderabad the night before I left. I was a bit embarrassed that they would go to this trouble. After all, I had only been there two months which hardly warranted this type of treatment. It is very rare indeed that any of us are really surprised when we reach a momentous birthday and friends or a spouse arranges a covert gathering. You act shocked but come on, when you turn 100 , you know that even the Queen is going to acknowledge it. It is one thing to do it in broad daylight but in the darkness of your bedroom? Now that’s a real coup.

I had turned out the lights and was closing in on REM sleep when they attacked with a fury. Every mosquito in Manikonda, Hyderabad formed a guard of honor around my head. Earlier that evening, I had made the fatal mistake of not closing all my windows at dusk when mosquitoes are at their worst. When their leader yelled  “ attack”, I felt the full sting of their assault. Yes. I pulled the covers over my head but when it’s still 28  degrees outside, that loses its charm quickly. Instead of a restful night before a long day of travel, I swatted and scratched until the wee hours of the morning. Some party.

One more thing. I decided on my last day ( when I was not in an ATM lineup ) to do one touristy thing. I decided to visit Fort Golkonda, an important and historic landmark in Hyderabad. It is a massive structure and the view from the top is quite stunning. Of course, I walked there because it was only 5 kilometres away. To get there you have to go through a very narrow s-turned archway that is the width of three motorcycles.. or two auto rickshaws.. or 1.5 taxis. A pedestrian walks through there only if being chased by pirates. It was rush hour in early evening ( I wanted to get a good picture of the sunset ) when I arrived at the arches. Mercifully, they had  traffic cops at either end of the archway. I very carefully made my way through.

Once through the gates, you have to walk about another kilometer through a small town to get to the fort. To add to the congestion, this strip of real estate was under construction reducing passage to a motorcycle and auto rickshaw, or three hungry goats. This was the most dangerous walk of my entire two months… possibly in my life! There were times when I had to turn sideways and suck in my gut to make sure that I wasn’t going to get crushed. It was somewhat unnerving. I finally threw in the towel and as silly as it sounds, I accepted a free ride for the last few hundred yards  from a rickshaw driver who saw me in my hour of need.

This dude would have made Mario Andretti proud. He and his other passenger ( obviously a friend ) were joyriding through this footpath called a road. I am convinced that they were enjoying some recently acquired amphetamines as they played “ chicken” with every vehicle in their sights. I paid him 100 rupees to let me out.

I made a quick trip to the top of the fort. As I neared the summit, I heard a blood curdling scream. I feared that someone had gone over the side of one of the ramparts. This was followed by more screams and when I turned around, I saw what was the source of the consternation. There was a school tour of grade 9 girls. And why the pandemonium? A Bieber sighting perhaps ? No. The  sight of a 65 year old bald white guy had sent them all a twitter. I posed for selfies galore , made my descent and walked home in the dark… to attend a surprise going away party.

Happy New Year.

P.S. MAN COLD ALERT. As I write this, I am in the throes of a man cold. I will give you an update on Thursday provided that I live that long!