Home sweet home...

As you can see, I have changed the name of my blog from Stop Caste Now! to World Next Door. This is my attempt to better reflect my new vision. Same blog, bigger purpose... Enjoy!

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Wow. I'm home. That fact still seems a bit unreal. Less than a week ago I was chilling in New Delhi, sweating in the sun and eating with my hands. Now, I'm back in Indy driving my own car and catching up on The Daily Show.

Did I really just spend three months in India? Crazy...

Well, seeing friends and family has been great. I got to attend a service in the new sanctuary, and it was awesome! Apparently absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

The Fam reunited down at Lucy's school.

Anyway, I've loved catching up with people, but it's going to take a while to see everyone. So I've decided to answer a few of the common questions I've been getting. This way, in case I don't see you for a month or so, you won't still be wondering about my return home...

How was India?
It was great! Fantastic! I learned a ton.

What did you do there?
Ok. You didn't read my blog, did you? :)

What was the first thing you ate when you got back to the U.S.?
Well, I had coffee and a muffin at a Starbucks in O'Hare, but Tuesday night, Mom made brisket and mashed potatoes. Un-be-lievable...

So, was the trip totally life changing? Are you a new man now?
Actually? No. It didn't really "change" my life. At least, not the way Kenya did. My year in Nairobi radically reoriented my life's direction. I got good and truly wrecked there. India, however, was much more of a continuation of where I was already heading. Sure, I grew and learned and matured, but the trip really just propelled me along a path that I had already started walking.

My last few moments with the Truthseekers guys...

Are you still recovering from jet lag?
Actually, I'm doing surprisingly well. A couple of tired days and I was back on my feet. Just as chipper and perky as I usually am in the mornings (in other words, not very). Hah.

What did you learn?
Woah. Ok. That's a pretty big one. I mean, mentally, the answer is easy. I learned a lot about the history of India, the ongoing struggles of its people and the causes of systemic injustice. I learned what south Asian slums look like and saw first hand the dangers of overpopulation.

As far as what I learned emotionally, however, I still have some processing to do. I know I learned about my capacity for selfishness and had my life's calling confirmed, but there are still a few unresolved issues in my heart.

As much as I loved the people of India, I was honestly quite discouraged a couple of times. There are so many problems there with so few people doing anything about them. I wanted to walk away from this trip abounding in hope and excitement, but the apparent indifference of the rest of the world has left me scratching my head.

Let me get back to you on that one...

Now that I'm home, I can play around with my fast computer again!
And with the magic of Photoshop, the Taj Mahal seems just a bit cooler...

Finally, the most important question of all...

Can I buy you coffee or lunch and hear all about your trip?
Yes. You definitely can. I wouldn't mind that one bit...

The road ahead...

Well, my time in India has come to an end. Just a 15 hour plane ride, a 4 hour layover in Chicago and a last little 1 hour hop, and I'll be back in Indy!

As promised, I want to share with you all what my plans are for the near future. Two months ago I didn't have a clue what was next, but now I'm pursuing a vision so huge that it keeps me up at night! It's exciting, it's unique and it's just a little bit crazy.

Here it is: I am going to start a journalism ministry focused on social justice issues! For the next few years I plan on being an "Ernie Pyle" for the kingdom.

Basically I, and a team of other writers and photographers, will travel around the U.S. and the world, "embedding" ourselves like news correspondents in different ministries and locations, and then capturing the things we learn and experience on a central website.

We'll use many different mediums such as written articles, photographs, videos, podcasts, books and more to get people in suburban Indianapolis plugged in to issues around the world.

We'll travel to Kenya to capture slum life. We'll travel to downtown Indy to capture homelessness. We'll travel to Ukraine to capture the stories of orphans. The possibilities are endless!

Essentially, we will be taking the success of my India blog and multiplying its depth and scale. Just like I did for Truthseekers, this ministry will allow us to give readers an inside look at these ministries they've heard so much about.

One of the comments I've received a lot from my blog is that many people would love to travel around the world and immerse themselves in these issues, but they just don't have the flexibility (Um, yeah. It is sort of hard to run off to third world slums when you've got kids to take care of...).

Well, I want to provide these folks with the opportunity to expand their worldview, get engaged in kingdom issues and get "wrecked" without having to quit their jobs and move halfway around the world.

Of course, there are several other really awesome possibilities that might come from this too. First, I want to take groups of young writers overseas for 2-3 month full immersion experiences. It will be a chance for them to be developed as writers, but also a chance for people back home to journey along with them as they get "wrecked."

Second, I want to take groups of high school students into the city to spend a weekend with homeless people. They'll spend their days walking the streets and hearing the stories of men and women who live there. Then, they'll write what they learned or experienced, and I'll publish their work and photographs in a book for their families to keep.

Third, I want to develop a team of "free-lance" writers who can contribute even without having to leave their everyday lives. I know of a whole lot of great writers who could capture their experiences at Third Phase or Shepherd.

And of course, there could be a lot of other really great stuff like storytelling nights, live video webcasts, etc.

All in all, I think it has the potential to become a really fantastic ministry. Now, I don't know if or when it will go full-time and I don't know if or when it will become a non-profit. But I do know that I'm going to start writing for it as soon as I get home. Within a few weeks, I expect to be posting about the realities of inner-city Indy.

So buckle in, my fellow adventurers. I may be on my way home, but this journey has only just begun!

A few awesome things!

I am pretty much the luckiest guy ever. Through working with GCC's Outreach team and traveling abroad, I've had the chance to meet amazing people, hear amazing stories and see how God is working in totally unbelievable ways. And the best part of it all is that I get to share it with you!

Well, here are a few more recent things worth sharing... Enjoy!

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First of all, I've had the chance to get to know a man named Stefan Eicher here in Delhi. He runs Reflection Art Gallery, which is focused on issues of cultural reconciliation and social justice. I'm not very conversant with fine art, but this is way cool.

Stefan with his wife and son. Even though he's white, his family
has been in the country for 100 years, so he's practically Indian!

Several times a year, he gathers his eclectic group of artists together for weekends of painting on a specific theme. The artists come from all walks of life. Some are professors and businessmen, but many are formerly destitute people from Sewa Ashram. Their diverse backgrounds make for some really thought-provoking galleries.

It's beautiful. At one point they painted their perspectives on the concept of "disparity." Another weekend was dedicated to female foeticide (a rampant problem among the wealthy in India). Just last weekend they tried to capture the pollution of the Ganges river. Click here to see some of their paintings.

True disparity. This little girl is sifting basmati rice, but she
will never be allowed to actually taste it.

Unfortunately, things aren't perfect with Stefan's ministry. You see, in many Indian churches, art is viewed as a waste of time. As a result, it is difficult for Stefan to raise support. Even in the U.S., he has to begin by convincing people that this gallery is actually worthwhile. It's enormously frustrating.

Which is why it was so exciting for us to meet. Back home at Grace, art is an integral part of our church. It works into our services and into the lives of our people. I think Stefan was a bit blown away when I told him this.

Reflection Art Gallery

Anyway, Stefan will be traveling around the U.S. in November, and he'll actually be passing through Indy. I'm going to insist that he comes to see Grace and meets a few people. I'd love it if some of you were to join us! What do you say? Any interested in meeting Stefan? Hearing his story? Please let me know, and I'll make the arrangements.

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Ok, I mentioned a couple other things that I wanted to share...

One, my good friend Maeven Mendoza recently returned from a summer in rural Malawi. She literally lived in a village, took bucket baths and hiked miles and miles through the bush. According to her, it was a life-changing experience.

Well, guess what? Now that she's re-entering American life, Maeven is writing about her experiences on a blog. It's fascinating to hear how her worldview has changed and to listen to the stories of some of the people she met. If you've enjoyed my blog at all, I'm sure you'll enjoy hers!

Best part of all: she's a great writer! Check it out! everythingsmall.blogspot.com

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Finally, I along with another of my good activist friends, Curtis Honeycutt, have begun a different blog called Brave Not Safe. This one is a collection of awesome websites, books, movies, blogs, and organizations that focus on social justice issues.

It will be a great resource for those of you looking to get more involved in social justice! Here's the link:
Well, that's it for now. Only a few more days left for me in India! I get back on October 7. Keep your eyes open for my next post. I've got some exciting news about the next steps in my journey... See ya!

Old Delhi...

Yesterday I took a journey into Old Delhi to pick up some saffron for a friend. But this was a little different than heading to the supermarket...

To get to Old Delhi, I had to take the city's relatively new subway system. The trains are as sleek and modern as in any Western city, but there are definitely still some elements of the developing world. You see, for some reason, many people here seem to think that, unless they board the train right away, they won't be able to get on.

They crowd up against the door, waiting for it to open. When it does, it's like a mad free for all. Everyone's jostling each other, people trying to get off the train are pushed further in, mothers are dragging their screaming kids by the arm. Chaos. Finally, everyone settles in and waits a good half a minute for the doors to close!

To be honest, it really frustrates me quite a bit. I don't like being pushed and shoved. But I suppose I can't really blame them, considering how crowded everything else is here. If it were a bus or a train, they really might not get a seat!

The Delhi Metro, after the chaos...

Once at the right stop, I walked out of the metro station and began trekking down Chandni Chowk. This street has been a famous market since the days when Delhi was still a walled city called Shahjahanabad (yeah, good luck pronouncing that right on your first try!).

The street is a fascinating microcosm of Delhi itself. Once, Chandni Chowk was a bustling bazaar filled with skilled artisans and rare goods from around the world. Now it's a rather depressing stretch of shops full of tinsel jewelry and knock-off clothing brands. Like Delhi, it has lost much of its initial wonder and charm due to encroaching westernization.

Chandni Chowk today. Wow! Some "genuine"
Tommy Hilfiger jeans for only $3? Wait a second...

It was a bit of a disappointment, to say the least. However, once I veered off of the main road and into the heart of Old Delhi, I began to get a sense of what the city must have looked like before cars and McDonald's.

The winding streets of Old Delhi still look much the same as they have for generations. Tiny mosques and temples are nestled in between crumbling havelis. Small vegetable stands provide produce for each neighborhood.

Groups of Muslim men stand around chatting, waiting anxiously for the Muezzin to call so they can break their Ramadan fasts. Children chase each other down alleys while their mothers enjoy some afternoon chai. It's a little bit like stepping back in time.

I'll bet this man can remember when
Delhi was a very different city.

I wanted to take pictures of everything, but I had a really hard time asking in Hindi. Don't really know why. All I had to say was, "Kya mai apka photo ley sakata hu?" Of course, when you compare that with Swahili ("Pige picha?") it's a little easier to understand my difficulty! :)

Thankfully, most people were gracious enough to indulge me, and I got some really interesting shots! Once, after struggling to get the sentence out ("Kya apka... no. Kya may, wait. Mai..."), the woman I was asking answered me in English, "Sure. Why not?" Oh well... I tried.

Finally, I arrived at my destination, the spice market. As every Delhi guidebook points out, the sights, smells and sounds are overwhelming. Burning incense, pungent spices and the ever-present stench of garbage clouded my head. I wandered around in a bit of a daze, wondering when Aladdin was going to run by, chased by a bunch of turbaned men with scimitars...

A dried fruit vendor in the spice market. Where's Abu?

Well, after 20 minutes in the market, I figured that I had punished my olfactory glands enough. It was time to leave. My little journey into Old Delhi had come to an end.

I checked my bag to make sure I had the object of my mini-expedition. It was there all right... a tiny little box of saffron.