Alicia kim's blog

Day 5 (2/27)
I couldn’t believe time had gone by this quickly. It was already the last day. We were supposed to go to the elementary and nursery kids, but the missionaries thought that it would be best if we went to the middle and high schoolers. I think it’s because of the strong emotional connection we made yesterday. We first went to the elementary kids, and while doing their class, we went in to hand out letters that were written by APIS students to the kids. We also handed out Choco Pie and juice boxes for everyone else. Then, they came out of their classroom to give us what they had written for us, including letters and paper flowers. I felt so special, especially because I didn’t expect anything from them. However, we had to say bye to all of the kids to go to the HESED school. Before we left, we all said bye to the students and the teachers. I couldn’t feel that this was my last time, so there was a small tear in my eyes, but it didn’t drop.

We arrived at the school, but quickly realized I didn’t bring every material needed for the activities. The treasurer of THEIA and I had to go back to the hotel since it only takes us around 15 minutes to get there, but it ended up being 25 minutes due to the traffic. We ended up being late for lunch, and I felt really bad for the missionary having to take us. But in the end, we split up into groups and lead ddakji, a Korean traditional game. After that, we went inside for another skit, while others were preparing for the water balloons. It took more time than I thought it would, and we ended up “flooding” the bathroom. We took it upstairs and started our game. We split up into boys and girls. Although the balloons lasted for only a small amount of time, I could tell everyone was having fun with them. I thought this was a great ending and closure to our services today. It didn’t feel like the last time since we are coming back on Sunday for the worship service, but I could feel a tiny bit of the end of the tunnel.

Day 6
Today was finally the tour day. I was so excited to go to the city, but maybe I had a high expectation of the food and souvenirs in the streets. We took around 1 hour to get to Old Delhi, and our first stop was Jama Masjid, a huge Muslim mosque. The traffic was so busy in the roads, so we had to walk through the tour buses and tuk tuks (taxis). When we arrived at the mosque, we took our shoes off and put on a gown. It was really beautiful and grandiose, and we paid to go up to the tower. However, the way up was harsh, with the asphalt ground being spikey, and the tower being so narrow, but the view was absolutely breathtaking. It showed the whole city view, and I could see different temples and mosques from afar. After that, we cruised around the area, going to the traditional market streets. Because of their religious traditions, there was a lot of strong incense and crowded streets. The air was bad with dust going around. From that experience, I instantly realized how quiet Korea is compared to that street.

I survived through the markets, and we ate lunch. It was our first time eating proper Indian food at a restaurant, and the texture and flavor were truly different in a really good way. After that, we headed back to the van, which led us through streets that were unpleasant at first. I started looking at the beggars on the streets, and couldn’t help but feel sorry for them, especially little children, and wondered whether they are able to get a proper education. Our last stop was Shri Laxmi Narayan Temple, a red and gold striking Hindu temple. Although the time spent was very short, it was really interesting to see how it is still open to the public for worshiping their gods. Our day was tiring, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret since we weren’t able to do more, as we had planned. It was truly both a cultural experience and a shock.

Day 7
I woke up early to pack my bags and to eat my last meal at the hotel. Then, we went straight to the school for service, and I could tell that a few elementary schoolers came to the service. During the service, we did worship dances and sang worship songs. I looked around the room to see how the students were reacting to the worship. But only three caught in my eyes: the girls who were worshiping on stage. One of them was wiping their tears, and others were raising their hands high. This was the second time that I could feel that God was working in this place. Even in this harsh condition and environment, they still praised God. After the worship, we had goodbyes together. We went up on stage and stood in a straight horizontal line. After the president said a word of gratitude to them, the lights went down. The kids all came up and gave us letters, and they gathered in front of us for a short prayer time. During that time, I prayed for them, putting my arm around them. I had my tears in my eyes, but they didn’t fall. I think it’s because I’ve gotten used to serving in the school and felt like it was a home. After I prayed, I still wrapped my arms around them, holding them while they were still praying. I could hear some words, but it wasn’t like the prayers that we share with God; it was like crying out to God, but without the words, and with passion and love in their hearts. I think that moment is the moment that I’ll cherish forever.

After that, we ate together for the last time in the cafeteria, and they were getting ready to leave for their break. The trio I hung out with was taking pictures with me and talking to me for the last time. I remembered to tell Payal that she should pursue her dream and to meet together after we achieve it. I wanted to give her motivation to not drop out of school, but develop a novel notion that women don’t have to always be housewives, but in an extremely indirect way. I went down to the first floor to say bye to Afsana, who was leaving before us. After saying bye to everyone, we did our reflections together, but even then, I couldn’t believe that we were leaving India. After our reflection as a group, I shortly talked to the missionary, and I remember her expression being proud of our group, but also thankful for the great time the students had. Because I’ve built a strong relationship with her, I felt a bit bittersweet to leave India. (Honestly, she felt like my mom.) She had also mentioned that she felt like seeing her daughter by seeing me. After we all said our goodbyes to every teacher there, we rode the bus and were on the way to the airport.