Flying past the mountains, to the world of the needy!

 "Kaakurus"," Kaakurus", yelled the pilot from the flight looking out of his window. I looked around as the children standing near me started to run behind the cocks standing on the runway. Yes, you read it right, there were cocks running on the runway. 

Children running behind the kaakurus

Well, if you have seen the video, you are wondering where is the runway! Well, the green grass is what it is. An airstrip in a remote village called Sendeni, Papua New Guinea(PNG). 

"Can you see the smoke from afar", the pilot told me. I turned left to look into the mountains. We were flying 10000 feet above and the earth looked like a green blanket. "Yes, I can see some smoke", I replied. "Yea, there it is, the airstrip, that is where we are landing" the pilot told me. 

The pilot looking for the runway

Can you see the smoke & the runway?

The pilot is on a mission, to reach the unreached. With rice bags and household goods and with teachers and doctors and health care and education materials to those who are not as privileged. Every other week he flies into this village. Every other day into multiple villages. Difficult terrain, bad climate, rains, and hills do not stop him from flying in. On those days when extreme fog indeed stops him, he tries again tomorrow. Till he reaches them. The poor and the underprivileged. 

The village hadn't seen electricity! 7 villages surrounding this airstrip hadn't. They know no roads either. They can walk through the forest for days to reach the nearest town. Rains do come often here and then walking is difficult as well. 

They showed me the school. But for the children playing rugby, I would not have identified the school. For there were a few huts and nothing else. They were the classrooms apparently. I even saw a small boy cooking and it was heartbreaking. 

The school

Children playing Rugby

The home in a village

The pilot loads in a few cargoes and a few men got into the flight. It is a small 9-seater aircraft and had a few seats removed to accommodate more cargo as the villagers sell coffee in this part of the world, and the ground coffee powder had to be taken back to the towns to bring in some money. 

The kaakurus were cleared and the pilot took off again, through the bumpy runway, and off he went. He took a steep right turn to avoid the mighty mountains standing right in front of the runway and flew away.

 

Can you see the bird flying past the mountains?

As he left me, I stood there looking at the mountains, thinking about the pilot. What if he had decided to take life easy, rather than fly into this god-forsaken place? 

Perhaps, he is flying here, coz God indeed remembered the place! and someone decided 

Measuring life!

"There was a private jet waiting for me, as I finished my lunch; Does it mean I have finally arrived in life?" I was just joking in the family group about my work trip. "It means you have arrived in the place you are meant to go and nothing else, don't talk too much, berated my dad". I apologized. I was just playing anyways. 

As I lay down last night after the grueling 24-hour journey, tired as I was, the thought never went away! What does it mean to arrive in life? How do we measure life? 

Are success and failures good enough indicators to measure life? In that case, what defines success and failure? 

Is money a good indicator of a successful life? or of life itself? But, money is a privilege, is a blessing, isn't it? not everyone is accorded the privilege. The more I travel, the more I'm convinced that money can never be an indicator of success in life. 

Last week I was in Singapore! The modern-day epitome of wealth and success. Clean roads. Swanky malls. Fancy cars galore. From there I entered the country I'm now in. You can see poverty and hopelessness on the faces of people here. Does it mean they have failed lives here and Singaporeans have done life right? No, there is so much left to chance if we measure life like that. 

Then can life be measured based on the influence one has on society? Like, if I'm a doctor and I save lives, can I be called successful? Then, does it mean, people who work hard in the fields fending for themselves and their children alone haven't had a life? 

Can life's meaning be measured by the amount of travel one has made?  If I travel to ten countries every year, can I be called successful? 

Leaving aside all these, can life be measured based on happiness? The happiest having done life right. 

Ah, the complexities of it all! 

Last week, a few friends met together after 20 years. As dreamy-eyed young boys and girls, we parted ways. Life took each of us in its own way. Not one of us followed the same path as the other. Each of us lived our own lives. The way we were taught to/provided to live. 

So why do I have to measure life in the first place? 

I live mine, and you live yours. I respect yours, and you respect mine! 

One year of fatherhood

I was flying way above the African continent, sitting right next to the pilot asking him all sorts of questions. We are doing Monrovia to Harper on a small 9-seater aircraft in western Africa and the Swiss pilot was incredibly kind in answering everything with aplomb. 

"Sir, what was the most difficult flight you have ever done"? I asked him. Remember, the man flies in the remotest of jungles getting off and on amidst rough and difficult terrains. 

"I have three children and helping them soar above the clouds of life has been the most challenging flight of my life", came the reply. 

I smiled, for I knew then that I had just embarked on that journey of parenthood. Suddenly today, it is already a year since. Phew, the time has just flown by. 

'K', has been the cause of Joy, despair, love, anger, insecurity, happiness, tiredness and every other human emotion possible in the last year. As someone who prides himself in not letting emotions overcome me, the year has been one heck of a ride. Yet, it has only just started. 

Early today morning as I was fighting jet lag and sleep deprivation and lying down in faraway land, my dad called me and woke me up to check on me. I was angry. Whoever calls anyone so early, I berated him. Then it just hit me; It is part of his parenting journey, how much ever long it has been, to have that call, to hear that voice of his son. It doesn't bother him that the son he taught to talk, talks back ever so loudly. He just wants to listen to the voice. Ah, parenting, what can it do to you? 

I don't know how long my journey with K is going to be! Perhaps it is going to be a rough ride. I'm sure there will be anger and insecurity. Surely times of absolute despair. Yet, I absolutely look forward to it. Just like my dad looks forward to hearing my angry voice every day early in the morning. 

For through all the bumps on the road, this has been the most satisfying and happiest journey I have ever done. 

Year 2, here I come! 

First Birthday celebration

What a joy he is! 

Sad face coz appa scolded him

His search for life

The footballer

His love for the ball

Like father like son

20 years since the day that broke my heart!

Time flies! Yet memories linger on, like the afterglow of the sun lingering on the horizon. I can recall the day like it just happened yesterday. I can feel the pain as I write this. Phew, time hardly heals heartbreaks. 

I can understand if you thought I had had a failed affair. Yes, you are right. My first love, broke my heart this day, 20 years ago. 

Indian cricket team played Australia in the world cup final in Johannesburg. Of course, the Indian cricket team was my first love. As a passionate young man then, still in his teens, and playing district-level cricket tournaments, still harboring a dream of one day playing for India, cricket was all I dreamt. A World cup final win was all I wanted. Watching India beat Australia was all I lived for. 

When the world cup started, I was writing my class XII exams. Class XII examinations! The so-called most important phase of life. Yet, world cup cricket was all I cared for. 20 years since I don't remember one word of what I studied then. But remember everything about the cricket match on that day. I told you, I was in love with cricket. Whoever forgets love? 

India had a pretty good team. We had only been beaten once before we entered the finals. Once, but that by the invincible Aussies. But hope is a beautiful thing. We hoped that the finals will be different and we can beat the Invincibles. 

It was a hot day. My Indian parents had taken the TV off my radar; I was writing class XII exams you see. So I went to my uncle's house to watch the match. Listened intently to every word of what Mandira Bedi said in the pre-match session. Who forgets Mandira Bedi? Match started! First over. Zaheer Khan, one of India's greatest went on to bowl the worst first over in Indian history. I was still not panicking. When you are in love, the reality is hazy, I suppose. The writing was on the wall. Indian cricket team would not beat the Australian cricket team. Not that day. Not in a world cup final. 

The Aussie batsmen pummeled Indian bowlers. The captain scored a scintillating century. Then the Indian batsmen failed in the run chase. Every time a new Indian batsman walked in, the heart created a flutter. Perhaps this man will do it for us today, I told myself. Till the last man got out.

Then the long cycle back home. I cried the whole way back. As I entered home, my mom, the typical Indian mom started the tirade. "12th Exams ah vachikittu cricket paarthitu varaan paaru (You have exams, and you are watching cricket)". The penny dropped then! It hit me hard that the love of my life ditched me. I cried and cried and cried. My mom didn't know what has hit me. She perhaps didn't know my love then. 

Twenty years later, as I watched Australia defeat India yesterday, my mind took me back to those days. I don't cry anymore. Cricket is no longer the be-all and end-all of life. Not the first love for sure. 

Yet, there is a small portion of my heart that pained, even yesterday. Perhaps, first love can never go away. 

Truly, it is beautiful for a sport to be a teenager's, first love. Isn't it? 

Medical camp in a Eastern African village

 "We walk two days to sell the cows in the market; these days the cows are so skinny and tired that after two days of walking nobody is willing to purchase our cows", N said. You can see the pain in the eyes. Though the smile never left him. 

Drought in Eastern Africa is so severe that people living in remote places are managing to have only one meal a day. One MEAL! I tried doing it for a few days in the name of "Losing weight" and the headache was unbearable. There were children; most of those who looked 15 were carrying babies. 

I had just flown into a remote Tanzanian village with the govt health workers. If the phrase "in the middle of nowhere" has an address, that is the place. The place was dry and had absolutely nothing. We landed on a dusty dirt-filled airstrip. The pilot proudly said this is one of the best airstrips he has flown into.  As I got down from the tiny 6-seater aircraft I was a little surprised. I was imagining being taken to a village, but this place had absolutely nothing. Just plain barren land. A few minutes later people started to trickle in and slowly started assembling beneath one of the few trees. 

The six-seater dropped me off and went to pick up the health workers. Within a few minutes, four smartly dressed govt health workers from the nearest hospital 40 km away dropped in. Yes, you read it right! The nearest hospital is 40Kms far, or as 'N' put it, it is 40 km near. 

"So what do you do in case of emergencies, I asked". We walk to the hospital, said he. Walk? 40kms? yes, we do. It takes us 2 full days of walking. "But in case of emergency?", I asked again. "Yes sir, only in case of emergency we go to the hospital. For small illnesses, we cannot afford to walk the distance, lest we become sicker, he complained". I think it made sense for the sun was scorching hot. Even I, who has been born and brought up in the scorching hot plains of South India, felt the heat. In fact, my lips got burnt. Yet, the woman walked without chappals. They couldn't afford one. 

The smart health workers weighed the neonates. Checked on pregnant women. Issued vaccines to children. Even did a small house visit nearby. Before taking the flight back to their place. 

"Where did you learn such good English N", I asked him. Nobody else in that community could understand me. "Ah, I went to school in the city"; So what are you doing here, why can't you go and work in the city?  I was about to ask, when he replied, " I can't leave my people in this tragedy and be in a city". So I decided to be here and rear cattle instead. I had 21 cows a few years ago. I have 4 now. 17 of them died of hunger". My eyes were getting moist by now. Yet he smiled throughout the interview. 

A few hours away from that place, houses some of the greatest wildlife safaris in the world. Foreign passengers thronged the small airport. There were many small aircraft waiting to carry them all to the forests To get a glimpse of the grand spectacle of the jungle. I guess one day I will do it too.

With a questioning brain, a tired body, and an aching soul, I came back to my cushioned fancy bed and slept like a log. Tomorrow is another day at work; another day to complain about bumpy car drives, interrupted power supplies, and the absence of spice in the food. 

I just hope and pray, that in all the luxuries of the world and mundane complaints of my life, I don't forget to remember the pain and the suffering of the world. 

                            

In awesome ways I cannot see!

Once immediately after a church camp a friend and I was discussing our future. We were both in college then and the question about the future was imminent. We had just recently sung the song "In awesome ways, you cannot see, God will make a way" in the church camp. The discussion veered towards how in the future we will be led in awesome ways which we haven't imagined so far. Well, we had just come back from a church camp. The aftereffects of a camp take time to wither away, I suppose. We were still talking about God, you see! 

More than 20 years since that day, I look back and think of that statement again! I have done things that I hadn't dreamt in the wildest of dreams. Well, dreams show you things only that you know of. I'm living a life that I never even knew existed. Leave alone dreamt. 

One such dream happened today!

I boarded a small flight and flew around Uganda today! Yes, you heard me right. I flew in a 12-seater flight around an African country. Refueling twice. Landing in some of the remotest airfields in the world. 

A few of us boarded at a small airfield near the capital of Uganda. All of them are social workers who have dared their lives to serve the people around them. What am I even doing there?

We went to five different airfields in Uganda. Refueling twice. I met and spoke to some incredible human beings. 

Just to think my job entails this! What?? Why?? How?? I still pinch myself to check on the reality of it all. 

One of the airfields we landed had cows coming in between! COWS! Hundreds of them. We stopped our flight. Waited for them to cross. Started it again. In one airfield, children waited on the side of the runway, dancing to welcome one of the passengers. Different world for sure from mine. But isn't it incredible that such a world continues to exist in the same world as I exist? It is actually stupidly unbelievable that I never knew this world existed.  

"Sir, my eyes are failing. I need to be operated on, can you help me with this?", the chief of black cat security in one of the airbases asked me. I had tears. Didn't know how to answer. I promised him I will see what best I can do. The chief security officer of the airport in my city will have his eyes operated on the best of facilities. The best the world can offer. 

As I got into the last leg of the flight, one of my co-passenger from the US, who has worked a few weeks in South Sudan, asked, "Do you miss your son? I miss my children terribly, she said". My heart missed a beat! I took my phone and saw the picture of K. Ah, his smile! 

As much as I am thankful for providence to have opened my eyes to a world beyond me, I wish 'K' can learn to look at the world beyond him. 

Perhaps one day providence will show K the world in awesome ways he hadn't seen! 

                                                                                My flight

The runway we landed in Moyo (Bordering Uganda and south sudan)

The chief of blackcaps security of the airfield

    

    

                                                                        Airport - Adjumani

Can you see the cows crossing the runway? 

Children dancing to welcome a passenger

Taking stock of a year full of blessings!

Phew! What a year it has been. A year full of blessings; 

As I started to take stock, it warms the cockles of my heart like no other to visualize my son's smile, and that my dear ppl are the greatest blessing of my life and for that, I'm eternally grateful, for the year 2022. 'K' is 7 months old now, already climbing onto everything he can find! I guess I'm bracing up for the rough ride called fatherhood. For now, I'm truly happy. 

2022 had another major change! Another blessing. Change in a job which brought with it a change of places (back to my hometown) and a lot of travel, which I so loved. I seriously do miss my previous job and the people there. They are some of the best around. As the song goes, "Change is a strange thing, it cannot be denied and it can help you find yourself", I have found things within me that I didn't know existed before and for that, I'm truly grateful. Also, the new organization and my team have been extremely kind to accommodate me and my idiosyncrasies. 

2022 took me to places I did not know existed on the planet earth. I flew to the remotest corners of the world, where even google would find travel difficult. Learned how difficult life can be, and how privileged, or blessed, as my wife would prefer me to say, I'm! I think I needed that slap and wish I keep my senses open to the pain and the suffering the world is throughout my life and one of my wishes for 'K', as he grows up, is that God helps him understand his blessings and privileges and stay true to that. 

New friendships have happened! Old friendships have been renewed. 'N', once a hero, has become a close friend and a confidante helping me streamline my scatterbrain. The year also graciously allowed a few friends to start a dream project, something which 'Sh' the best friend, and I randomly dreamt about. We have become closer in the process as well. Though I do precious little for the project, It is something I'm extremely proud of. 

2023 comes with its own challenges! I look forward to a lot of travel, more time with a walking and a running 'K', a lot more reading, writing, and learning, more profound work, and more dreams coming true. 

Can 2022 be replicated all over again in the new year? I don't think I will mind another year of blessing! 

Happy new year, folks.