First Weeks in South Asia & a Deaf Wedding!

This morning I sit on my balcony overlooking the street and the lake behind our apartment complex. I watch the people passing by: the older man walking slowly up and down the path beside the lake, the teenagers laughing and talking, the young boys practicing tricks on their bikes, the men walking by shouting what they’re selling as they carry their products carefully balanced on their heads. And I listen to the birds singing their songs and watch the dogs scrounging around in the garbage. It’s a beautiful day in South Asia. 

I have officially been in South Asia for three weeks yesterday, and wow, has the time flown already. The first two weeks were really busy, just taking care of logistics and getting settled in. I am now moved into my own flat, yay! 

I have also had opportunities to fellowship with Deaf people on three different occasions! Looking forward to being introduced to more Deaf and getting to know and spend time with them! The first occasion was my first Friday here. The two young Deaf men came and hung out with us at our mutual friends’ house. We had a wonderful time visiting and I got a lot of exposure to the national sign language here. I can’t wait to actually start meeting with my language coach and really begin learning the sign language! Hopefully that will be in the next few weeks, I have to find a Deaf woman who can be my language coach first, which has been a little difficult since I haven’t been able to travel and meet Deaf much yet, and since the women tend to stay at home here in my country. 

I did get to attend the wedding of a very

sweet Deaf couple on January 16! That was a lot of fun! It was pretty similar to a wedding in America, with some South Asian flare to it. They had a guitarist playing some music while people arrived. Instead of a ring bearer and flower girl, they had a little boy carry a Bible down the isle, and a little girl carry a candle. Then an older boy and girl each carried necklaces made out of flowers, followed by a maid of honor and best man. Then the groom came down the isle with both of his parents, followed by the bride and both of her parents. During all this they played the traditional wedding march “Here Comes the Bride.” They had a quartet sing some South Asian songs, during which the couple sat in chairs on opposite sides of the podium. Then they had the vows. (The whole wedding was performed in the national language here, so I’m just explaining it as best as I could understand). For the vows, the hearing Pastor spoke, but a young Deaf man, who is a friend of the couple getting married, followed the Pastor’s notes and signed so the Deaf couple could understand. They put the flower necklaces around each other’s necks, the groom removed the bride’s veil, and then she joined him to sit with him on the left side of the podium. Both the bride and groom, and both of their father’s, and the pastor signed what I assume was like a marriage license, and then they prayed over the bride and groom. Afterwards everyone took pictures with and of the bride and groom, and then we went to another place for the reception. The reception was very South Asian style. They had tables and chairs set up in the room, but not enough for everyone. So people would go in unto all the seats were full, then they would bring out the food in big serving pots and platters to each table where everyone served themselves and ate with their hands (the food was rice, chicken, a raw cucumbers and carrots type salad, some cooked vegetables, and a pudding/yogurt dessert). As soon as you finished your food you went and washed your hands at one of the three sinks in the room and left so the next group could come in and eat. The bride and groom did not come into the reception, they sat outside the whole time and did more pictures and talked with guests. Now the bride will move in with the groom's family, the new couple will live in their own bedroom in the home of his parents. The wedding was really interesting. I had a lot of fun! And got to hang out with more Deaf people, including the first Deaf woman we’ve met here!

The next few days after the wedding were filled with getting moved into and settled into the flat. And since then there have been two political protests that have lasted two days each, making it difficult to get out and engage the culture and people. I can’t wait to be fully settled, and for the protests to end, so I can get out and explore more, meet more Deaf, and engage the culture and people!

Thankfully on Friday and Saturday there

was a break between the two protests, and we got together at my friends’ house again to fellowship. This time one of the young Deaf men came again, and a Deaf couple with their son! It was such a blessing to get to spend time with them!  

Another blessing. At our flat there’s a lady who comes and gets the trash from everyone’s flats every morning and takes it to wherever they dump it. She’s so sweet, and it’s so nice to see her every morning, especially on the protest days. She doesn’t speak a word of English, and I can’t speak any of her language, but we communicate with gestures and smiles :)