Turbans and Swords

This past Saturday was absolutely bizarre. The two men in the picture get all the credit. As you know, I've been staying with national partners this past week. Abby and I decided to take a detour on the way home and visit the Sikh Golden Temple. It's in all of the travel books, so we didn't want to miss out. We booked a train to the town where the temple is located. We absolutely had no contacts in the city; we didn't even have our nifty tourist book. We just hopped to get off the train and hoped to find the temple w/out any difficultly. We so easily deceived ourselves.

We knew once we exited the train station the taxi and auto drivers were going to pounce on us like weak prey. They know they can get more money out of foreigners b/c we don't have a clue what we're doing. At most airports and railway stations there are stands that you can pre-pay for a taxi so you don't have to bargain w/ the drivers. We could ask where the stand was in Hindi, but they kept on telling us that there wasn't one. Of course, we didn't believe them. We were literally walking around outside the station with about 10 men following us trying to get us the hire him. Then the man to the left of Abby appeared. At first we were skeptical, but we realized he was with his family so we trusted him. We told him where we were headed and he said he was going there too. He and his family were taking the free bus, so we decided to tag a long w/ his family. While we were waiting for the bus to arrive the guy on the right side of Abby entered our circle. He told us that we looked really nice in our outfits. Most tourist don't wear the suits, so we impressed this guy.

Well the bus finally came. We had never ridden a bus because they are always packed. It pulled in the parking lot and everyone started running to the bus. It was crazy. The dad was holding up my heavy backpack while it was on my back to help me run. Once we got to the bus, we were literally pushing and shoving to get on the bus like our lives depended on it. We had an advantage b/c people were sort of cheering for us to get a spot on the bus. Some people threw their bags through the open windows to reserve seats. Abby and I finally made it onto the bus w/out any black eyes. Abby took one of the seats the guy in blue reserved for us and I went to the back b/c people were motioning for me to go back there. Well once I made it to the back a battle broke out between me and guy who was standing outside of the bus. I tried to put my backpack down in the seat, but he had his sandwich there to reserve his spot. Everyone inside was telling me to put my bag down and sit down. Well this guy was pushing with all his strength against my bag. I just put my weight into it and shoved his hands out of the way using my bag as a shield. I thought I had the battle won.

Then the man starting pulling my bag out of the window and screaming at me. At this point a crowd had formed around the outside of the bus and all the men in the back of the bus were trying to keep my bag inside. I was sort of laughing b/c I didn't know what to do and I didn't think the guy was going to be able to get my bag through the window. Others on the bus were laughing at the guy yelling at me too. I felt like the screaming and tug of war w/ my bag was lasting forever. Then the guy in blue started hitting the man's hands with his sword. The smile immediately left my face b/c I didn't know what was about to happen. Thankfully he didn't take the sword out of the case and the guy let go of my bag and the bus pulled off.

If I had this whole ordeal on video, it would provide laughs for years. You can see the handle of the guys sword in the picture above.

We finally reached the temple. I wasn't too pumped. Mainly b/c I don't get excited when I see hundreds of people worshipping a false god that they think lives inside the Golden Temple. Here's a pic. of the temple. Men and women are allowed to go inside to be in the presence of their god.

Afterwards we ate food that was served to us like this:

YUM!!! Is All I Have to Say!!!!

There were a few other odd events, but I've already written a book.

Witnessing people being bound to false gods helps me grasp how fortunate I am. Not fortunate to have nice clothes and plenty of food, but to have a personal relationship with the One True God.

Please pray that people in S. Asia will come to know the truth...that they will know the God in this scripture:

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would see him and perhaps reach out to him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:24-18

Oh yeah, the red buckets of sand are fire extinguishers.