Holy Cow, Holy Burger

Before I get into the actual post, more pictures have been posted on Facebook. They have been added to the album India 2. If you don't have Facebook, and you received the links via e-mail when I first posted pictures a while ago, then you should have received two e-mails. The second one should link you to India 2. Once again, just e-mail me at cowardm AT gmail DOT com, or add me as a friend on Facebook.

In India the cattle are free-range pretty much literally. Of course, if by "range" you mean a grassy field...not so much. No, the cows here are raised to perfection on a steady diet of litter, raw-sewage water, and left-over food. Indeed, for something so holy, you would think that they would be better taken care of, but in all honesty, I don't know many people who would touch these cows. I suppose it really depends on your definition of reverence. Last night we were on our way out of a shop and a cow, with terribly big horns, started swinging its head at Brittany for no apparent reason. While I've seen one cow almost gore a person in attempt to shake off the flies, this cow had no flies around it and definitely came towards Brittany. It was a bit shocking, as most of the animals here are docile.

Perhaps it was revenge. Earlier yesterday Brittany and I were becoming exhausted with the touts. Everywhere you go there's an auto swerving in your way to ask you if you want a ride, or a shop keeping going "Ullo! What are you looking for?" or a begging child going "no mama, no papa, want samosa [a kind of food]". Saying "nay" all day wears a person out, as we wish we could give to the beggars (for many reasons it is risky to do so) and that the shop keepers would keep to their shops and not annoy the public. And so, finally fed up some shop keeper asked me "What are you looking for" and I told him "a beef burger".

Cats are few and far between, although they are often very pretty cats, dogs run rampant here all fully loaded for reproduction. They are usually about the size of a cocker spaniel, but short-haired. They are always calm, except for at night when the power goes out.

Poverty is really hard to deal with. I walk these streets and children beg and I have no idea what Jesus would have done. I, in fact, don't know how to love these people as they are as ignorant and immune to love as they are to insult. When they say Indians are thick skinned they mean it. Brittany and I have chewed out dishonest auto-rickshaw drivers and they have still begged us for business. Emotions don't speak as loud as money does, and as horribly annoying as it is, I can't blame them as even some of the higher-end business owners are stretched for food in the off-season (India is almost vacant of tourism in the summer as it is so hot, and also pours rain in the monsoon late in the summer). In a country where money talks, where is love? Their gods are not loving. Love does not feed their starving families. It is not to downplay the rampant corruption, as so many rickshaw drivers will try and charge us five times the acceptable prices and even try and take advantage of us after the ride.

To give money is folly. Pan is a drug here that works similar to cigarettes and you would be shocked how many street kids (we're talking as young as 4 or 5) are addicted to it. And if you give food they assume you have money to give, and continue to beg. Some of them will even reject food and some of them will then try and pick-pocket you. Usually it just leads to more beggars all of the time. In America, giving food to the poor is seen as a generous and moving act, but here, it is a gateway to more greed. What can I do? Brittany and I have invested a lot of prayer in this, and we're starting to find we can do little things. Today, for instance, two street kids were begging. Unlike most of the street kids they kind of just followed us around and asked for food every once in a while. Most street kids are tenacious and will even resort to pinching and demanding. We took the street kids aside and paid Rs 5 (probably 15 or 20 cents) for what turned out to be a huge meal for them. We gave it to them and left quickly, so as not to attract attention.

Today, I am to return to the fort to do the last half of the filming for my scene (I say "my" scene, but I'm really just in the background and have no lines). It was hard work last time, and in all honesty, I'm only doing it to say "I did it", and not because it's fun. Last time was very tiring, and I can't imagine doing this kind of work for a living, although, if I was getting paid the big bucks I'm sure it would come easier. I did track this down on IMDB, follow the link here to see about it. I'm still not sure which one the main actor is, but when I find out I'll try and post it. I don’t' think the book has been translated to English yet, but I heard it will be soon.