Pastor Banuel comes by my house this morning. He was a little earlier than he said he would be, which kind of annoyed me because I wasn't ready, but then I have to remember that this culture's sense of time is a little different than mine. So I decide to just get over being annoyed. Anyway, one of the first things he says to me is, "Do you need to buy a comb for your hair?" haha. Apparently my crazy, curly side bun that I wear at home doesn't quite fly here. How could someone not appreciate my amazing sense of style?
Then, I get to the school. The past couple of days have been WAY more encouraging as far as student interaction. I had this idea that since I've been leading their song in the morning, I would take advantage of this opportunity to teach them harmony. I mean, I might as well put my degree in music to work, right? I had a few of them sing an alto line to the chorus of "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand." Besides a couple of flat notes, it really was decent. I thought so anyway. As we're practicing, the principal comes in plugging one of her ears and says something to the girls in Tamil. I couldn't understand what she said, but I could tell by her scowl that it wasn't good. Apparently harmony doesn't quite fly here, either.
The power went out around ten, like it does most days, so I quit on the computer for a while and went to visit some Indian girls who are at the school training to be teachers. They're English teachers, so most of them speak English well! They're really great. They ask me about my nose ring. I explain that I got it after I came to India the first time because I was inspired by Indian women. But not everyone approves of it in America. They found that pretty entertaining. Then, they ask why I don't have earrings. I do. I just rarely wear them. Indian women always wear earrings and a necklace.
They did comment on my "golden" hair and said I look like an angel. So that pretty much helped me feel better after all of my cultural shortcomings.
Lesson learned today. "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews...I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." 1 Cor. 9:19, 20a, 22b, 23.
So tomorrow I'm pulling out my straightener, sticking with melody, and wearing my pearl earrings. To the Indians, I'll become an Indian "so that by all possible means I might save some."
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