Chennai challenge photos!

Yes, it seems ages ago that Imo went to India however it is never too late to show you more photos. 

Talking about family, Chennai and Napoleon!

We've just come back from spending a week caravaning in Heacham in Norfolk where we visited my father-in-law Laurie. We were pleased to see that he is keeping well even if his breathing is difficult. 
On Sunday, we went to the Methodist church (Heacham) as Steven was invited by Mike and Kim to preach there.
During the service Imogen talked about her charity Chennai Challenge and her trip in India for a few minutes and also thanked everybody for their support. We then stayed for a chat over a cup of coffee.

At the beginning of the week, we took dad bird-watching with us. He stayed in the RSPB coffee shop at Titchwell. Imogen kept him company after taking a walk to the sea (about 1 mile). We saw our favorite waders, i.e. avocet, sandpiper, golden plover (photo below)...

On Monday, we went to Kings Lynn to the Orange shop to sort out his mobile, it failed to charge. While the boss and his dad were discussing the problem, Imo and I went round the shops. 

There were some sales but nothing exciting so we came back half an hour later only to find them still talking through.

Eventually, they told us that dad would get a new phone on the following day and we had to be home from 9 to 1 pm. Guess what, they brought the new phone at 12:50! 

That evening, Imogen asked if we wanted to watch a dvd at dad's and she chose Napoleon Dynamite. I don't know if you have seen that film. Here is the review I found in IMdb: A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home. To cut a story short, dad watched the film but the boss did not...I realised that I watched it before but it had not made a big impression on me then..
Imogen was not allowed to choose any more films for the rest of the week!
Blessings to all. N.

Only 2 days left before Imogen flies to Chennai...

Today, we took Imogen to town as she wanted to buy the last bits for her trip to Chennai, some cereals bar , travellers cheques, antibacterial gel, cup a soups, etc.. Steven went to change one front tyre but was told that the other front tyre was not good enough so he had to buy two new tyres..still it had to be done as soon we will have to drive from Staffordshire to Hyeres. 
Back home, I explored the very interesting Chennai challenge blog written by members of Team A who left for Chennai a week ago! 









Mumbai was not the only newly named Indian city in 1996. 
In August of that same year, the city of Madras, located in the state of Tamil Nadu, had its name changed to Chennai.

Both the names Chennai and Madras date back to 1639. In that year, the Raja of Chandragiri, (a suburb in South India), allowed the British East India Company to build a fort near the town of Madraspattinam. 
At the same time, the local people built another town close to the site of the fort. This town was named Chennappatnam, after the father of one of the early rulers. Later, both the fort and the town grew together but the British shortened their colony's name to Madras while the Indians changed theirs to Chennai.

The name Madras (shortened from Madraspattinam) also has links to the Portuguese who were present in the area as early as the 1500s.

Madras is a much older name than Chennai. Despite that fact, the city was still renamed Chennai because it is in the language of the area’s original inhabitants and Madras was seen as being a Portuguese name and/or was associated with the former British colony.

News from Chennai Challenge

The Chennai Challenge leaders organised a series of meetings to train all the young people who will go to South India to help destitute children. 
Imo and Liz attended one of the meeting last week and will be going to another one in London soon. 
Now they have to fund their project and must raise a minimum of £1400 before the beginning of August.

Nochikuppam Slum Chennai is described in the website Walking through India as “The city of flyovers”. It has Nochikuppam slum with 1,300 huts where around five thousand people live below poverty level and don’t have enough money for two meals a day.
The inhabitants are mostly rickshaw pullers, seasonal small vendors, house maid servants with a family income ranging from a meagre Rs.1500 to Rs.3000.
As I teach citizenship in my school we were discussing media and particularly advertisements, one of my12 y.o students confessed that he did not like to see adverts from charities asking to help and donate money to far-away countries. 
I asked him if he knew why. His answer was that they were so far that he did not think it was his problem. 
The other day I was listening to somebody saying that when you are young, some children will share with others more than others. 
We need to promote this Christian value of sharing with others.

This is what we read in Isaiah 58:5-7 (The Message)
 What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
   sharing your food with the hungry,
   inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
   putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
   being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
   and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
   The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
   You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'


In Proverb 31: 8-9 sons are urged to
'Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. ⁹ Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.'

If the Lord puts on your heart to support Chennai Challenge with your donations, click on my profile to email me. Blessings. Your sister in Christ. N.

Chennai challenge

Imogen is over the moon or shall I say delighted because she has been accepted on the Chennai challenge run in Stafford by youth workers Cathy and Robert Short.
She is going to spend three weeks immersed in real life South India supporting the work of dedicated local leaders who run this charity project for Chennai's destitute children and young people.
Her friend Lizzie is going too and they can't wait!
Each team member needs to fundraise their trip and programme  minimum of £1400. 
Blessings. Yours in Christ. N.