Vaidas did not delay me into security yesterday….he and his partner arrived at 4:35pm and took me quickly into a restaurant there at the airport. We all had “hot apple pie” and ice cream! He is pastor of the New Generation Church in Vilnius, and a very sharp guy. He spoke quickly of their desire to expand their educational offerings in this new Riga (Latvia) based church. I had done some research on Google and they are indeed a phenomenon with their founding pastor Alexei preaching in the US and Germany to large crowds. They formed out of a split in a Latvian Baptist church I believe, so that raises questions….but reading their doctrinal statement is seems solid and does not make “tongues” a pre-requisite for salvation. I offered a few ideas including urging them to connect with Marlene Wall at LCC. I hope to connect them with Carlos Campos at Regent when I return.
The flight to Helsinki was uneventful except that we were delayed 30 minutes in departing Vilnius, and then taxied in Helsinki to the FARTHEST RIGHT end of the airport, probably 1km from the main one and with no terminal. We had to be bussed to the main terminal…which of course is slower since everyone has to be aboard the bus before anyone can leave. Then the gate for India was at the opposite end of the main terminal from the place where we pulled in. I didn’t run….and make it policy NOT to run!....but it was unclear whether I’d make it. Then I found that of course I did not have a boarding pass, so I had to do some persuading. Never did get one….they just scanned the passport and told me the seat number.
The good news was that there were empty seats. So I snagged one at the secondary exit which meant I could stretch out all night. I worked and caught up on notes, took my Tylenol PM and sacked out. I think I actually slept some….so before long we were in Delhi….the flight path took us over Moscow…
so I couldn’t help think how much longer that flight would have been during the cold war….except I guess Finland (and FinnAir) may still have had special overflight privileges even in those days.Delhi airport is a disaster!
First I saw no signage to transfer flights. So I wound up outside in my heavy winter coat in 92 degree morning temperature hounded by dozens of cab drivers, and throngs of people all going in different directions! After more than one stroll down a maintenance alley…wondering if this was REALLY the way all transit passengers went….I eventually I was steered to a gate, then back down, and eventually right back to an unmarked hallway off the main exit from baggage claim. But then I couldn’t get on the shuttle bus to the domestic terminal….4 miles away!...because I had no boarding pass for the next flight or even a printed itinerary. (Actually I do have such a printout but it was buried and I had time, so I guess I was probably just bucking the system to see just how they’d work.) Some kind folks in Jet Airways….did you know that Kingfisher Airways is a big one over here?....pointed me to a desk where I got an itinerary, then back to the entry desk for a stamp on my itinerary so I could get on a 60 passenger shuttle bus, wait 15 minutes, and drive through numerous construction sites on the airport and across multiple live runways and along the outer boundary airport fence to another terminal. There everything was still under construction….can’t say how many U-turns the bus made. I got a boarding pass and passed through x-ray….tho not without forgetting to put new name tags on my bags which are used for stamps by the xray people and are checked at least 5 times (honest) by myriads of security people between the xray machine and my seat on the plane. It’s lucky India HAS a lot of people, because they need them to run the security operation. I have rarely seen so many security people. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry carries an automatic weapon….and I saw at least 3 jeeps parked on sidewalks among throngs of ordinary people manned by army and sporting heavy caliber machine guns! Well eventually I found the place to wait….rode another bus back out to the plane…and slept to Bombay (Mombai). But they feed you tons of good food on even 1 hour flights….what’s wrong with us in the US? So I didn’t sleep the whole time! In Bombay, it was another comedy….there are no jetbridges, so the bus took us in hot weather to the terminal where again there seemed to be no signs for transit passengers… but after going out to the street and inquiring I was redirected back in to the same building but through a door a little farther on….to find beautiful monitors with my flight listed but no gate. Well I went through security….but left my boarding pass….where DID I get that?!.....in my jacket. When the guard let me through and asked for me to come back with it to stamp….he stamped the wrong pass…the one for tomorrow back to Delhi…which I intend to through away anyway since I’m taking a different flight…later that was arranged by CSI. Anyway, time was short, so I went ahead but the control agent at the gate required a stamp on my pass for THAT flight. So I was kindly escorted back to the security agent who stamped the right one and voided the first one…..are we having fun yet?sThe flight to Coimbatore was smooth…I slept AND ATE again….feeling more groggy each time. Managed to stow my heavy coat so I’m a bit cooler now. It’s so nice to carry all my luggage…it lets me pass directly through when I arrive. Coimbatore airport reminds me of Vilanculos airport in Mozambique…or even Vic Falls in Zim. There are no jet bridges but the walk in is across a beautifully flower-planted “front yard.” The climate felt like Mombasa or Dar es Salaam. I was greeted by Mrinalini David, (Principal of the College)
and Susheila Williams (Secretary of the College and one of the founders of the whole operation…more later.) 
Each of these kind ladies gave me a bouquet of a dozen roses, and the assistant Steve and the drive, were very gracious. 
It’s even a bit embarrassing to have the driver dash around to open and close my door…..they drive on the left side by the way…..thanks to the Brits. We went to the hotel….Sabari’s Nest next to the College by 2:45pm and I was able to wash laundry, shower, start charging my by now dead phone and computer…and even rest for 20 minutes. Even got them to take a shirt for laundry despite my being here only 24 hours.At 4pm, we visited the college
where two departments had prepared for my visit. I saw 15 digital media students working on projects…t
hey are obviously doing pretty sophisticated stuff. I saw the art studio and many of the professors own works. I saw their computer lab (70 computers and neat as a pin!)(India’s reputation for software is apparently well-deserved.) 
Visited the girls practical school with 150 women…that is one of the multiple schools or agencies associated with CSI’s campus here in Combatore. It was begun by missionaries in 1831 (!) and headed by my own guide, Susheila Williams for many years. She is obviously nothing short of a legend around here.CSI means Church of Southern India. It was formed in 1947 by the amalgamation of Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Congregationalists. Now THAT’S a miracle. Their differences of church polity would be enough I’d think to keep them apart forever. But they are now 3,000,000 in southern India….with 22 dioceses (including naturally 22 bishops..of which Bishop Manickam Dorai is one.) His diocese has 150,000 members.
The “campus” comprises 24 acres in the heart of town….and houses the College (1200 students) and several other organizations including the girls school, the diocesan church, the College, and several other social service agencies. The College which has 9 undergraduate programs/majors:
Catering Science and Hotel Management,
Computer Science,
Visual Communication (Including Journalism, Commercial arts, Writing for Mass Media Film-Making, Advertising, Graphic Design, Photography, Marketing, and Radio/TV production),
Costume Design and Fashion (Coimbatore is a large textile center…tho many are dying off with the increased price of cotton and better paying jobs in the Bangalore based computer science business),
Business Management,
Commerce, and
Social Work.
Mathematics
English Literature
Plus three Masters degrees: Social Work, Computer Applications, and Costume Design and Fashion.
I was given a quick tour of the CSI Technical and Vocational Training College for Women….headed by Flavia Princess (sic!) a dynamic woman with a solid MBA who passed up good government jobs for this ministry. She showed me a powerpoint of her Tsunami project that has so far brought 44 women to her “college” trained them in secretarial skills, sewing skills, and computer skills, given them certificates, and returned them to their tsunami ravaged areas to make an impact. She is a dynamo!
I was fortunate to be able to attend a wedding in the main church…site of the diocese. What fun! The band playing outside as we emerged was great! I greeted the groom who is a prof in communication and the homily was delivered by the dean of Education! Pulling up in the College vehicle to the very front steps then having doors opened and closed for me, certainly drew attention.
We visited the Bishop in the beautiful diocesan house, 
surrounded by palms swaying in the balmy evening breezes, and circling the romantic missionary era circular drive in front of the diocese house. The new chapel is Bishop Manickam Dorai’s doing…and I hope to see it tomorrow. He is striking, in his long while robes and purple braided cords. He recognized me from the several Presidents’ Forums he has attended in Washington. He’s busy with his 150,000 congregants, but gracious. He obviously relies on Susheila who accompanied me everywhere and will do so tomorrow. The bishop did plead with her to give me some time to rest…so instead of a tour at 8am, I get picked up at 9am. He obviously wants to talk to Susheila directly about what to tell me so they will all be on “the same page.” So after a nice stroll in the dusk under the palms and in the balmy breeze I said good night with promises to talk tomorrow….and returned to the hotel for supper. Despite meals on three flights, I ate some delicious chicken fried rice in the hotel restaurant….and here I am…falling asleep.Oh…one more thing… I did manage to dash off 500 words to Mike Plunkett at CCCU for the “Last Word” article he wanted from me for some CCCU publication. I can hardly keep my eyes open….those 29 hours of travel take their toll………
Have to add that is nice to begin to get emails and posts on my wall on Facebook saying some people have subscribed to follow this blog…..It’s nice to know…and comments in the comment sections would be welcome! Tomorrow begins at 9am instead of 8am thanks to the Bishop…and will focus on seeing more of the campus, meeting with students, meeting with staff, and finally ending with 90 minutes with the Bishop, Principal Mrinalini David, and Secretary Susheila Willams Sargunar.
Again the diversity of the CCCU institutions strikes me….as I wrote in the piece tonight for the CCCU. What an amazing ministry we all have.
No comments:
Post a Comment