Report to Church Supporters Re: Woodstock, 2011

December 2011:  An Update from the Thomases, former mission workers in Northern India

During our weeklong Eid-al-Adha break from our teaching positions at ISG-Jubail School in Saudi Arabia, we took our son Coleman back to Woodstock School in northern India.  Believe it or not, Cole is a senior this year!  He wanted to visit his former classmates at the boarding school in the Himalayan foothills one last time before they graduate and go their separate ways. For us, it was a time to visit with former colleagues and students and check on the progress of projects that this church supported during our four years in India.

Some things had changed – the new international airport terminal in Delhi was stunningly beautiful and modern. Many things had not changed – the air pollution upon exiting the airport still burned the throat and stung the eyes. The eight-hour drive from Delhi to Dehra Dun was still fraught with fright as we dodged camels, ox carts, huge trucks and people on bicycles while avoiding huge potholes made by earlier flooding. The winding road up to Mussoorie now has metal guard rails to keep cars from plummeting down the side of the mountain, but still has sacred cows sitting in the middle of the road. This is the India we remembered.

The  weather was cool and the air crystal clear in Mussoorie.  We were greeted warmly by students and teachers, and they were grateful for the teaching supplies we brought. Coleman stayed happily in the senior hostel with his “batch-mates” and we walked the bazaar road, being greeted by vendors along the way. It felt like being home.

We met with Rakhi Meher, the woman who handcrafted the adorable “Mussoorie Monsters” that began a women’s self-development project still in existence. With money from the Thomas India Mission Fund, women are encouraged to keep working to support themselves or their families.

We worshipped at St. Paul’s Church, which your congregation helped renovate and support. The beautiful historic church is now open to the public during the week, and the church pews were full and the Sunday School active.

We met with Pastor Timothy from Kellogg Church who had invited our participation in starting a school in the tiny village of Bel Gaon. We learned that the school now has three teachers, and there is talk of moving the school to a nearby larger village to serve more children.

The next stop was Shishya School and Orphanage in Dehra Dun. The boys instantly recognized Coleman as  “the boy who taught dancing” when a mission group that Barb and Coleman led visited there in 2010. The boys were sprucing up the grounds in preparation for the visit of the state governor – a very big honor.  Founders Frieda and Ken McRae appreciated the school supplies we brought, but even more were grateful for our contribution towards the surgery for Josh, who will get a glass eye to replace the one calcified since birth. Josh happily remembered the softball games led by the guys of our mission group! Josh is hoping to go to college to study law – and we feel this articulate, confident young man will do just that. Although some of the cost for his surgery will be covered by growing social organizations in India, there is still a need for travel and lodging fees during his recuperation. You can visit the website of the school at shishyasociety.org and make a donation if you feel called to help, or let us know and we can put you in touch with the McRaes by email.

We took the overnight train back to Delhi and toured the city, going souvenir shopping along the old Janpath road and taking in a tabla/jazz concert at the modern Habitat Center. Reliving our time in India, we gratefully remembered your support of us and these projects.
Until we meet again, Namaste – Barbara, Jeffrey and Coleman Thomas