INDIA

Western four wheel godsappeareverywhere.Polish the god and it will serve you well.She is stronger than the rickshaw, the bicycle, the ox and cart,the pedestrian.Invoke the protectionof all the godson the journey,least karma be displeased.Displeased and unleashed,she pits human flesh againstthe mighty power of her metal momentumand you get to meet God firsthand, courtesy of Tata, the god of insolent trucks.

4 Wheel Gods

Artisanscraft the deityamongst the poverty.

Through dead eyesthe deity gazes back uponthe creator.

A few rupeesfor the master craftsmanfor a job well done.

Honour and worship,garlands, incense,music and food offeringsfor the cardboard idol.

Bowl of rice for the artist.

Art for Gods Sake

In a grim worldthere should be colour,there should be laughter,chores can wait.

In every worldthe girls are girls,who eye the boys,who eye the girlsand giggle some.

In all the worldCoronation Streetis any street you care to nameand lady madonnaalways has the inside story.

Lady Madonna

A wheel is good - you can make a wheelbarrow.

Two wheels are better - you can make a cart,balance a load and engage a drivetrain.

Three is better, a trike has class, you can load it and it has stability.

Four, now four wheels is what makes the man.

Key to Commerce

So nice to see you,do come in.Excuse the mess,I haven’t vacuumed today.Would you like some tea?Ohh sorry - I don’t have cakes,oh, and no cups, or tea for that matter.I could boil some creek water and maybe some grass,if you’re happy, that is to drink from the pot.The weather sure is nice this time of year.Hope it dosent change for the worse,the draughts and rain just drive straight throughthe non existant walls.I really must talk to the landlord about that.Going so soon?I understand, your life is so busy.Do come again, anytime, I’m always here.

Home

A sells seashellsby the seashore.

B sells spices,to mix with your rices.

C sells opportunitiesto say I saw a beggar.

She Sells Sea Shells

A

B C

Some people climb mountains because they are there,

I’d rather save kids...

Gilgal Childrens Home 1

Man shall not live by rice alone,neither by ipad or iphone,the clothes I wearare all I ownbut I’m thankful for a Christian home.

Gilgal Childrens Home 2

Steel yourselfwhen venturing outon the mean streets.This is no place for the feint hearted.It’s full metal jacket on speedCollision carnival 24/7Life and death in conflictby the discretion ofthe possessed.

Steel Beast

Serious faithmeans serious works.Take the plunge,Kalcutta...to the hilt.Jesus watching overTeresa’s streets.Just enough room at the innfor one moreprostituteto see something more than neon light at the end of hell.

Thanks Kerrie and Annie....

Up to the Hilt

Weep not for meMy husband and sondead,my possessions, all I carry in my sack.

Still, foreign white man,you stopped and sat with me.We compared scars andlaughed and for a momentI forgot.

Weep Not

Little Angelstake the bus,read from the blackboardand sing a song of thanksgiving.Eat their rice,poke the frogs,jump in puddles.Beware young angelsof the slithering snakesthat have offer’stoo good to be true.

Little Angels

In the eternal cycle of Hindu kharma,everything must have been badin a previous life,‘cos everthing in India is slumdog-I-don’t care,watched over by some laughing Bollywood Goddesswho dosen’t give a rats arsein this life.

Kharma

Suffer the little children,and they do.Sickness, burns, abuse.But the Kingdomis for children,joy and faith.Even the scapegoat is welcome.No kidding!

Of Kids & Goats

I provided the seedthat gave you life.I raised you, fed you,worked and worried for you.Gave away our substanceso you could be married.

In returnYou could not feed me,house me or tend me.You discarded me to the street.Like a used plastic bag.No room at your inn.

A poor Christianloved this Hindu more than flesh and blood.Rents us a house he cannot afford,Shares his food, his love.Tell me - who is my family?

Elders

From the demon withinhe delivered us,bestowed dignity,hope, a future.No greater lovethan a man should lay downhis life for me.

JESUS

Like Mary Magdalenewe wash your feet with our tears,our worshipbelongs to you.

Worship

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UN-KNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly wor-ship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:Apostle Paul, Acts 17:23-27

Everyday Gods

Life as usualeverydayand today.Tommorrow will be betterand if nota billion babiesawait totake my placein another day.

It’s India

From the scrapbook India 1992

www.seriousmed.com

India is a land like no other. It is colourful, noisy and both beautiful and ugly. A land of the bizarre. I love it and its people. I have been privilidged to have been involved with some great Indian nationals - people I consider the most worthy of saints, giving their lives for the sake of the gospel. This book is a few of the snapshots I have taken, I hope it inspires and challenges.