June 2008

Move to Delhi

I (Melanie) decided to accept an invitation to work as the office manager in a struggling but growing fair trade company in Delhi. I really enjoy the challenge. We have just made the big move from a beautiful cool vacation paradise to the sweltering congested city of Delhi.

How we found our new home

This is a long story, so I will just tell you a little. It took six days of Scott’s life and three of mine over three weekends, and it gave us a lot of cultural exposure, some exercise, and lots of practice in being a visitor in other people’s homes and totally out of control of the situation. It also gave us the patience to wait many hours for the house agent, Lucky, to turn up. On the upside, we made new friends: Kiran (Lucky’s wife, who gave me a ride home twice); an Iraqi student, Ali Rakesh, who would always tell us “no problem”; Salim and Suresh, who lived over the shop (Salim works in the Hilton at the front desk); Bobby, who did not want to put in a kitchen for us in his house; his wife Shelly and daughter Tiya; also our new landlords, Bobby’s uncle, Suresh Kukar and his wife Naveen, who were persuaded to add a living room and kitchen to the existing two bedrooms on the roof. So we were forced to learn a lot about the area before we moved here, such as where to get take-out food, etc., which is an advantage.

I love the neighbourhood with its small streets, interesting houses, and quiet back roads with a few trees and parks. It reminds me of Kathmandu:  little shops, beauty parlours, small printing shops, all you need within a stone’s throw.

Leaving Mussoorie

Leaving Mussoorie, Woodstock, Sister’s Bazaar and all our friends was really hard. But once again we were able attend the graduation ceremonies and be part of a wonderful international celebration. Next year it will be Hilary, our last child, finishing high school.

The long moving day

Scott at the entrance to our new apartment, which is on what in the United States we would call the third floor.

8:00 a.m. -  Truck came to Sister’s Bazaar
9:00 a.m. -  Four daily workers came to help move our stuff. Clouds rolled in but no rain. Raveen’s mother came with sandwiches, John Montgomery, physics teacher at Woodstock School, took over loading the truck. Devina was around offering help. Immu came by to pick up my office key and a few things I wanted to give her.
10:00 a.m. -  Shiv came with his taxi to drive us to Delhi with the truck.
12:00 -  Left Mussoorie, stopping at Char Dukan to say goodbye.
8:00 p.m. - Arrived in Delhi at Lucky’s property office, with one stop on the way. Were fed and watered, then juiced, then tea-ed. No sign of the truck.
9:00 p.m. -  Decided that Shiv (driver) should take Hilary and me and a car full of the most important things to the Hudson’s in South Delhi, so Shiv could drive back to Mussoorie that night. He was booked again the next day. Outside the Hudson’s house, the gate was locked but after working with flashlights and keys and doorbells we got in and were welcomed by Sue, Dave, and Mary.
10.30 p.m. - Scott went to our new home but was told we could not store our stuff there as they wanted to finish work on the rooms. He was told that Bobby (the house owner’s nephew) would store our truck load of furniture. Scott stayed waiting for the truck, which eventually phoned at 10.30 to say it was in Delhi but did not arrive until midnight.
11:00 p.m. - Coolies fed a meal to keep them from leaving.
12:30 a.m. - Truck was unpopular as it backed down the side road where Bobby lives. Bobby not happy with the time of night or the amount of belongings we were storing.
1:30 a.m. - Scott was given a couch in Lucky’s office, for the rest of the night.

The next day we visited and were welcomed as usual with water then tea. There was heavy construction going on in our potential new home. The windows look good, and we discussed where to put the wiring and plugs, sink, fans, air conditioner, water tanks, kitchen counter, floor covering (it is marble now, we said leave it) etc. They really want to do the right thing. Bobby (the nephew storing our stuff) was there giving advice.

Open hand office and shop

My new office mates, Monica, Vinod, Christiaan and Sanjay.

I went to work thinking there was not much need to go, but Christiaan (my boss, who was on holiday in South Africa) sent an 18-item list of things to do, so there was plenty to keep me occupied. Open Hand mostly deals in exporting textiles and furnishings, but the workers also pride themselves in selling “the best coffee” in this tourist area, Pahar Ganj. The shop is hard to find because it is down a narrow alley that one normally would not stroll down. It has just moved here, so not many customers come.

The Internet connection is not working nor is the office phone, one of the many problems of doing business in Delhi.

The main production this week is high-quality sheets (about $100 per set). About 12 people are working on them, but we do not even have the space to lay the fabric easily on the floor to cut it. We have to step over the cutting to go upstairs.

Scott’s training in Fatahpur

Scott is away for a week doing training for the community health staff, who are hoping to develop women’s groups in the communities. The staff worked on the technique of focusing the community on one problem at a time. They worked on the real problem of the inaccessibility of the hospital to women at the time they give birth. They discovered several ways of addressing the problem, such as proposing the hospital have special rates for the 40th week so the mothers-to-be can come to the hospital early, talking to the whole family, including the mother in-law, on making a delivery plan (who and when to take the mother to the hospital, who to phone, what kind of care to give before delivery, etc.).

On the way back on the train Scott was first on the waiting list, thinking someone would cancel. But he ended up spending the night sitting on his suitcase outside the bathroom in a third-class sleeper. It makes the air-conditioned two-tier sleeping class seem very luxurious.

Wedding in the United States

On June the 29th we are going to the United States mainly for Kelli’s wedding on the July 19 in Iowa City. We have seen Iowa City on the news every day this week, with the flooding. Thankfully, Kelli lives on high land. We look forward to seeing many friends and family at the wedding. 

Let us know your news, and please note our new postal address and phone numbers. In the United States you can contact through Kelli at (857) 204 4637 or Kelli Smith 943 Davenport St, Iowa City, Iowa, 52245.

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 114