Special Issue: The Story of the Two Brass Swans

Once upon a time there were two brass swans, a boy swan and a girl swan. The boy swan lived in the United States and the girl swan lived in India. One day the girl swan had the opportunity to fly to the United States, and the boy swan met her and the male swan thought she was nice (February 2007).

As fate would have it the male swan had the opportunity to fly and stay in India (March 2007). Well, as fate would also have it, the girl swan also had the opportunity to fly to where the boy swan was living. The boy swan and girl swan met again and the girl swan thought that the boy swan had a clean nest.

A few weeks later the boy swan received a call from Mother Goose who asked the boy swan if he would consider building a nest with the girl swan.

At the same time Mother Goose asked the girl swan to think about living in the boy swan's nest.

So, both the girl swan and the boy swan began to think about building and living in a nest together, and both the boy swan and the girl swan thought it was a good idea, so the boy swan took a two-day train trip to visit the girl swan(sometimes swans do not fly). The boy swan and girl swan spent a lot of time together with both Mother and Father Goose and IT WAS AWESOME! The boy swan really thought that the girl swan was amazing. When the boy swan was getting ready to leave he really thought that it would be a wonderful idea to build a nest with the girl swan and the girl swan thought that she would like to live in the nest.

So, the boy swan took the two-day train trip back home (sometimes swans do not fly) and both

the swans thought and prayed about it more.

Then, a month later(December 7), the boy swan decided that he should start collecting the straws to build the nest but thought it would be a good idea to ask the girl swan if she was sure about living in his nest. So, he took her to a five-star bird house and asked the girl swan to be his wife.

However, building a nest is not the same in India as in the United States and the boy swan had to be accepted by the girl swan's mom and dad, talk with the girl swan's brothers and cousins, and then have a wonderful celebration (December 15) to celebrate the engagement and exchange rings.

Well, the swans are very happy and they make a delightful couple. They plan to build nests in the United States and India but will perform the traditional wrapping of their necks in the near future.

The end.



Cast
Gregory Byrnes
as the boy swan

Daizy Joseph

as the girl swan

Thom and Linda Wolf
as Mother and Father Goose

Dear Friends,

It is with great joy that I announce to you all my engagement to Daizy. She is a fabulous women who has been ministering in Delhi for twenty years! She has started a church here and serves as its worship leader. She is publishing a Christian comic book, translating Bible stories into Hindi and lending her voice to audible stories as well. She has waited 38 years and turned downed many offers to be wed and I am the most fortunate soul to be the man she has chosen for her spouse!

We are most definitely planning an Indian wedding and American reception and will notify you as of the dates in the near future. Please keep Daizy and I in your thoughts and prayers. I am just ending a week up in Delhi and will be returning to South India on the 17th. We are tentatively looking at March 7 as our wedding date and planning on being in the U.S. in April, so there are many plans to be taken care of in a short period of time, however, this is the custom in India and everything will come together.

Please be praying for Ana and Wilbur as they adjust in being parents in a foreign country. I have been blessed to have them come to Delhi with Wilbur's parents to be present at the engagement ceremony. We have agreed that my marriage will mark the end of my partnership with Team South Asia in Southern India and the beginning of my new life with Daizy in Delhi.

Please pray for Daizy as she cares for her mother and father who are getting along in age and that she is able to balance that responsibility with her ministries as well.

Please pray for me as I reassess my budget and prepare to help fund the wedding (common among Christians in India), provide for a wife and family, learn Hindi and begin to seek ministry opportunities in Delhi.

Finally, let me just give thanks to so many people that I know have been praying about my future wife, recently and over the years. Thanks to the Wolf's, particularly my and Daizy's bicholia (marriage arranger), Linda Wolf. They have quite literally walked beside us the whole time, blessing us with their wisdom and seeing that we have not done anything that may have been the sligtest bit culturally unacceptable. Linda is Daizy's spiritual mother and I am flattered that she has thought me to be a suitable life partner for Daizy.

Daizy and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you shortly.

Blessings,
Greg and Daizy

November, 2007

The Economics of Scarcity

The economics of scarcity is a phrase that we’ve brought up amongst TSA often and it wasn’t until recently that we began to understand its full meaning and what it does not mean. The economics of scarcity, in this region, doesn’t that people go without what they need but that they approach how they get what they need (or want), if a manner that we are unaccustomed to. The fact is that not many people are at a level of poverty that westerners associate with India. Not everybody has shoes but nobody starving. On the flip side, people have gone ion debt, sometimes for a cause, often times because they have purchased gold, which is ostentatious in our view but honorable here.

Back to the economics of scarcity: One of the first encounters with the economics of scarcity here was driving the motorcycle here. The idle was so low that it would stall unless fully warmed. The idea was that a low idle would increase the life of the motor. On one occasion we drove into town to buy mutton because it was cheaper. It didn’t matter that we spent two hour on the journey and $1.00 on gas which was more that savings would have been if we actually able to find mutton (stores close early on Friday so Muslims can go to worship). Another discussion we had was about purchasing a extra power strip so we would have to keeping unplugging our laptop and so we could use the video player in a another room at another time. In the states we wouldn’t think twice about buying another one in order to get around the “inconvenience”, but its not consider an inconvenience here, just something that has to be done.

So, now you have the skinny on the economics of scarcity.

New Prospects

When we returned from our trips abroad (Greg to Thailand and the Moys to Hong Kong), we were faced with the daunting task of assisting our host with financial indebtedness. Most of this stemmed from the purchase of our car for which he had borrowed money from his sister-in-law. We cancelled that debt buy purchasing a share of his ownership of the car. It was a prudent thing to do because originally we would have had to purchase a car in full. This option still gave him ownership and the opportunity to use the car. It also established more accountability regarding the paying of gas, service and insurance on both sides.

We were next faced with the task of assisting with immediate expenses- food, rent, and his son’s schooling and transportation to school. We opted to tithe to meet most of those needs and a portion was covered by an account established by our San Francisco Association. It was at this point that we needed to call on our own organization for assistance but they were not in a position to assist and it was determined that it was not our or their responsibility to raise funds for the livelihood of our host. We were all in agreement but that did not alleviate the problem. . Mahadevan, our host, and his assistant have found employment outside the village and TSA has bought the remaining portion of Mahadevan’s ownership in the car to supplement his other income for a few months. Currently, we are thinking and talking a lot about how we can continue this partnership and continue to care for the orphans.

In the meantime Greg has meet with the head of the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) project in this village. They had also responded to the area after the tsunami and had been working here ever since. The director, Mark Antony, has been with YWAM for ten years and his supervisor who established the main office in Chennai, is now heading up the office in San Francisco! After another conversation with Mark Antony and an invitation to celebrate his wedding anniversary, we feel that there are some opportunities to work together and will be meshing those out in the next few weeks

Greg was also at a meeting of the Tsunami Association. Believe it or not, this group (comprised of Christians, Hundus, and Muslims) meets to discuss how to meet the need that still existing after the earthquake nearly three years ago! At this meeting, Greg meet a teacher from St. Mary’s Matriculation School and has had a meeting to discuss starting a pen pal program between this school and his alma matter in San Francisco, St. Gabriels. Both schools are interested and the team has drawn up a draft what it might look like. More to come!

Priorities, Thanks, Needs

· If we decided to discontinue this partnership, we will have to make new housing arrangements as both house are in our hosts name.

· We are still looking for a language teacher, but we are studying what we have learned on our own.

· We have all been healthy.

· The November delivery of the Mays’ baby boy. ETA: 11/18

· Our national partners as they discern what to do and where to do it.

· Discernment in forming new partnerships, establishing projects and generally just taking our next steps.

· At the writing of this update, Greg has already left for Delhi and may be traveling to Chennai to visit friends and gather information pertaining to the orphanage and other business ventures/opportunities.

What You Didn’t Know

(and probably don’t care about)

• There are 19 million Sikhs in India, making up 2% of the population; however, Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world. Where are the rest of Sikhs located? The two largest populations are found in Fremont, California and Vancouver, Canada.

• Greg’s weight loss has stalled at -38lbs. (neither a priority or a need at this point)

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the weather like?

A: Summer is in May and June, 90-95 degrees and 90% humidity- very sticky. Then the monsoons come, normally for about two weeks, although this year it was only a week. A couple of weeks ago we one week we were in a cycle where it was partly cloudy in the morning, clear and hot in the afternoon and rain in the evening. Right now it is mostly sunny and hot but the humidity is not that bad (or I’ve assimilated well). Rain comes sporadically.

Q: Can I mail you a burger?

A: No. We actually get beef in this area. We don’t buy it often because is it the costliest of the meats we get here and we have to go to the city to get it or pay more in the village. We can also get beef sausages at the store in town but they are a bit bland, though good with onion and pepper. We also found bacon which is very good. We are mostly eating chicken and fish, and just picked up some more canned tuna. Skippy Peanut butter is available but at U.S prices. As it turns out the store we go to is owner and operated by an Indian national who started two of these stores in Arlington, VA.

We are trying to cook some Indian items as well, soups and breads and different curries.

TTFN,
Greg

September, 2007

Romi's Wedding

July 15 I left for Delhi to visit a good friend, Romi. I met him on my first trip in 2004 and stayed with him and his family. He was and still is working as a teacher to children in a slum area of Delhi. We have been thinking a lot about Romi for the last few months. His mother-in law had accused him and his wife of robbing her house and that they were living together for eight years, neither of which was true. We thought that the marriage would alleviate the problem. The mother was at the wedding and even bought a beautiful bed and dinning room set but has continued to press the court case.

Anyway, it was good to see my friend, although it was short-lived. I took a 50-hour train ride from Trivandrum to Dehli (July 15-17), celebrated the weddng on the 18th and jumped on a plane on the 19th to host some friends from San Francisco. They arrived on the 20th and as I write this update they are debriefing the 10-day visit. More about their blessings below.

Friends from the City

From July 20 – 31 we were hosts to friends from the City. I wish that I could say that we had more for them to do but they’re stay here was very special. Everyone had their own opportunities to traverse the village and make acquaintances. We will try follow up on those relationships during the next few weeks. We also invited a couple friends down from New Delhi to provide training for us, our friends from the states and some other students from the surrounding villages. It was a well-presented lesson that simply taught how to tell stories and ask a few questions that open up more discussion. After two days of training we took it to the streets, along with translators. One couple had the opportunity to meet, talk and have chai with seventeen people in the course of two hours! We also had a trip to the very southern tip of the continent, visiting the city of Kanyakumari. Just off the coast, three seas converge, the Arabian Ocean, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

Of course, no trip would be complete without visiting with the orphans. This time they came to Greg and Pranjal’s house. It was a great time of more story telling, games and bubble blowing, and, of course, arts and crafts, topped off with a wonderful lunch. We’re not sure when the next group of friends is coming but the Moys’ parents will be visiting soon, as well as Pranjals’ mother and father (their first visit to the areas after the birth of their first grandchild). Consider yourself invited!

Blowing the Taco Stand
Well, the very next day we all (Greg, the Mays, Mahadevan, Usha, Pranjal and Ricky) jumped on a train and headed for the east coast city of Chennai, the fourth largest. We met another friend from the states who had started an orphange, Little Flock, in a rural suburb of Chennai. We spend only a couple of days at this wonderful establishment.
They began discussing this venture in 2000 but the project was expedited after the 2004 tsunami. Little Flock is operated by a non-profit in the states and a non-government organization based is Chennai. The eight-acre piece of land is home thirty-four orphans from different regions of the state. The goal is to eventually build housing and provide staff for one hundred children. It was good to get an idea of all that is involved with starting this type of venture and nice to see the good work that is going on in Chennai.

After this visit Greg and the Moys departed the country for some R&R. Greg met up with friends from the states in Thailand, and the Moys headed to Hong Kong and spent time with Wilbur’s family. Then, it was back home where language study begins again!

Priorities, Thanks, Needs

• Two months after moving into his home Greg has finally gotten a stove! This may not prove well for the weight loss scheme.


• The continuing process of learning the language.


• We have all been healthy.


• Safe travel within and outside of the country.


• The November delivery of the Mays’ baby boy.


• Safe travel for Pranjal’s parents early this month.


• Discernment on establishing financial parameters with our national team.
  

What You Didn’t Know(AND PROBABLY DON’T CARE ABOUT)

• Public urination is not an infraction in India.
• No sound permits are needed in India, which makes it easy for temples to broadcast their worship songs at 4:30 in the morning or during festivals, and there are always festivals. It is considered bad luck to celebrate between July 17 and August 17, but that doesn’t mean you can’t worship.
• The Tamil word for diarrhea is baedhi.
  

June 2007

Travel Tribulations and Blessings

The first weekend in June we all enjoyed a time of “rest”. Mahadevan and Usha spent time with their son Ricky, as it was his last weekend before school started. They had the opportunity to visit Mahadevan’s grandmother. Up until a week ago they had not seen their grandmother is ten years, and his grandmother had never seen Ricky! It was pleasurable time for them all.
Wilbur and Ana spent the week on at a town on the west coast but on their ride there they had a flat tire, which caused a minor delay. Pranjal and Greg visited a school in Madurai, a.k.a. the temple city, in light of the plethora of temples found there. The bus stopped for a short break but left without them, along with Greg’s money, camera and passport! Fortunately, one bus driver was leaving in the same direction and knew where their bus driver stops for lunch. They were dropped off on the highway and jumped back on their bus to complete the six-hour journey.
Pranjal and Greg just returned from another excursion up north. One of friends, Manoj, who we meet last summer has been and was recently hospitalized. They went to visit him in a Yotmah, Maharashtra. This included a 36-hour train trip to Nagpur and then a 3-hour bus ride to the hospital.
Manoj was not in good shape, physically emotionally or spiritually. He had been given much encouragement from those closest to him. It turned out the he tested positive twice for HIV. This was the fourth such case in his small village of about 30 families. Pranjal and Greg spent some time with him for the next three days. The day after we left he began eating and the next day was released from the hospital. Please keep him in your thoughts. A couple of his uncles have stepped up to help and one of Pranjal’s friends works a facility that assists people with HIV.
On the train trip to Nagpur, Greg and Pranjal meet a labor leader who invited them to speak in Amarvati. This was a Sunday evening occasion, in open air, the first in over a few decades. Greg also had the opportunity to speak in Pranjal’s hometown, Umri, that morning.
Another door was open on the train trip home. They met another gentleman who was in the Information Technology business and who was providing assistance to villagers in low income areas around southern India. We hope to be in touch with him more in the near future.
All together Greg and Pranjal spent over 90 hours on the train and bus in this week-long trip.

Wedding Invitation

Last summer, Ana made became friends with a woman, Vimela, who teaches at a school that prepares women to be preschool teachers. A few weeks ago, her nephew (sister’s son) invited us to his wedding. Although none of us knew him at all (we had never met him), Ana’s relationship with Vimela was our ticket.
Weddings in India are quite festive and can include an entire week of dinners and other gatherings. Often times weddings are very public with the bride and groom riding through town on horses followed by a small band and procession of friends. We did not actually do to the wedding which is usually only attended by those closest to the family and which can last a couple of hours. We were able to attend the wedding reception that included over 300 family members, neighbors, and foreigners!

Time with Ricky

Wilbur had the idea that each of us should spend a little time with Ricky, our host’s son. Now and then Wilbur will play music on his laptop and record a movie of Ricky dancing. This is quite entertaining as we gather around the laptop to watch and laugh. Sometimes Ricky and Ana frolic at the beach or they spend time of the Moy home. On one occasion Ricky and Greg walked around the neighborhood taking pictures of people and landscapes and other things. Eventually, we will post these on the web. Altogether, we enjoy spending time with Ricky but with school in session he is very busy.
Of note: This young boy, all of age seven, speaks three languages- his native Tamil, Hindi and English! A couple of the photos his took is pictured below.

Orphan Excursion

We had the opportunity to spend more time with the orphans before they also went back to school. On Friday afternoon we all piled into a couple of cars and headed to a swimming hole in, about an hour’s drive from the village. After having a nice lunch we all ventured to the swimming hole. One of the more precious moments was when Greg left the pool. Reshma greeted him. As we mentioned last month, this little girl was so shy last summer. Well, she just grabbed Greg’s hand and began chattering with no end. Unfortunately, Greg did understand a word she had said! They are all back in school and with our language study we are not sure when we will see them again, but we do look forward to it.
While Greg and Pranjal were traveling up north, Ana and Wilbur were present when school supplies were brought to the orphans. There is a concern that the orphans are not getting enough tutoring and we have discussed the idea of spending some of our time during the week helping they study. More to come!

Priorities, Thanks, Needs

• Greg moved into his home on June 26 and Pranjal moved in on July1! Much relief from the dingy hotel.
• The continuing process of learning the language.
• We have all been healthy.
• Manoj
• Romi, Greg’s friend in Delhi, is getting married on July 18. This wedding is being rushed because the bride’s mother wants her daughter to be married. This has led to some tension because Romi’s family is still in mourning after the death of his brother in November. Typically, families will not celebrate for an entire year after the death of a family member. Also, Romi has no funds for the wedding but friends are providing assistance. Greg plans to attend the wedding.
• A team coming from the states will be here in mid-July. They will be here for 11 days and there are a number of logistics to be completed.

Q &A

Q: What is the cost of gas?
A: Over $4.00 a gallon (Rs. 48/ litre, you do the math)

Q: Can we send you anything?
A: Yes. Letter, photos, etc. can be mailed. I have set up a wish list at http://www.wishrepublic.com/. You can log on and pick what you want to send. Items must me mail by July 14. They can set to:
FBC-SF
c/o Gregory Byrnes
22 Waller Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Just click on “Search”. My email address is GMByrnes@gmail.com

I also made a wish list on Amazon.com. Click on “Find Gifts”, then “Wish Lists”. Typing “Gregory M. Byrnes” will get you directly to my list. The items will be sent directly to FBC.

–Blessings GMB