Namaste from Jasola Vihar!
I am currently listening to Blur's eponymous album while pulling an insomniac special tonight as my body has yet to adjust to a new sleep schedule. I figured now would be a good time to let everyone know that Josiah and I are alive and well in our little corner of Delhi. Though the high hovered around 108 degrees today, don't worry. We have not melted. Yet.
A little background... After spending two fantastic weeks on the farm in Kentucky, we arrived safely on Tuesday night at Indira Gandhi International Airport and spent the last couple days meeting with the school's founder and director, Dr. Ananthi Jebasingh, in preparation for our classes, which start on Monday, June 8.
Today we met with our students for the first time. They are the absolute cream of the rising 11th Form at Good Samaritan School. I believe the official count today was 13 boys and 2 girls, a few of which had studied with Josiah back in '06. These are tentative numbers right now as the school is on holiday; we anticipate a few more will add to our crew.
As you can tell, the males are out in force. Please pray for more females to help balance out the testosterone. Come on Ladies!
From the moment Josiah and I started a pickup game of touch football (American style!) I knew these kids would be an absolute joy to instruct and perform alongside. It was especially heartening to see our pair of females pick up the basics of the game right off the bat and mix it up with the boys. I wish you all could have watched as a small, bespectacled girl named Parminda threw perfect spiral after perfect spiral to her classmates. Astonishing.
I promise pictures of the school and our flat will accompany my musings on the next post.
For now I want to share some items of consumption on our journey:
Finished Reading: The Skriker - Caryl Churchill, The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
Started Reading: Henderson the Rain King - Saul Bellow, In a Pit With A Lion on a Snowy Day - Mark Batterson
Watching: Carnivale (season 1) and Entourage (season 4)
Hope to Watch: Star Trek
Okay, the Lakers are up by 6, the Cubs game is delayed and the ol' stomach is growling. Which means it's time for a well-deserved round of mango nectar and nutella toast... Have a blessed Friday and we'll talk atcha soon!!!
cheers
MR
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Website
For some reason the link did not show up in my last post (still getting used to this blogging deal). So here it is for real. I guess just cut and paste it into your browser of choice.
www.friendsofthegoodsamaritans.org
Thanks!
MR
www.friendsofthegoodsamaritans.org
Thanks!
MR
One Week To Go!
Hi all!
It's a humid Memorial Day here in Garrard County, Kentucky. The rains have come and gone, the clouds broken to reveal a comforting glow of sunlight. It's like, totally beautiful.
I am currently listening to Animal Collective enjoying a delicious brunch on the back porch of the Correll farmhouse. Wish I could show you how gorgeous this place is, but alas, I am still waiting for my digital camera charger to arrive from LA. We will definitely have visual capabilities by the time we get to New Delhi, so no worries.
Let us know what you think of the site and become a "follower" of the blog so Josiah and I know who's reading!
Finally... we are nearing our fundraising goal for the trip thanks to the generosity of so many kind souls nationwide.
Please visit the Friends of Good Samaritans website and consider making a tax-deductible gift to our mission.
Friends of the Good Samaritans
Attn: Laura Marie Troutman
Re: Josiah Correll and Mark Richardson's Trip
PO Box 328
Stanford, KY 40484
Thank you for your time. Look forward to more exciting news as it develops!
MR
It's a humid Memorial Day here in Garrard County, Kentucky. The rains have come and gone, the clouds broken to reveal a comforting glow of sunlight. It's like, totally beautiful.
I am currently listening to Animal Collective enjoying a delicious brunch on the back porch of the Correll farmhouse. Wish I could show you how gorgeous this place is, but alas, I am still waiting for my digital camera charger to arrive from LA. We will definitely have visual capabilities by the time we get to New Delhi, so no worries.
Let us know what you think of the site and become a "follower" of the blog so Josiah and I know who's reading!
Finally... we are nearing our fundraising goal for the trip thanks to the generosity of so many kind souls nationwide.
Please visit the Friends of Good Samaritans website and consider making a tax-deductible gift to our mission.
Friends of the Good Samaritans
Attn: Laura Marie Troutman
Re: Josiah Correll and Mark Richardson's Trip
PO Box 328
Stanford, KY 40484
Thank you for your time. Look forward to more exciting news as it develops!
MR
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Preparations for Delhi
Happy May to all and thank you for visiting!
It's been a while since I have blogged regularly. Last time you read anything from me I was a volunteer for the Obama campaign so the focus was on mobilizing voters, clarifying our positions on vital issues, and sharpening our tools for victory in October, which we achieved! Hooray!
Unlike that blog, this column will not espouse any political bent (though of course I still have a wealth of suggestions for Team O). The focus here is on the students of the Good Samaritans Schools in New Delhi and the adventures we will enjoy this summer.
Here's a brief summary of the Good Samaritans and how I came to be affiliated with them:
The Good Samaritan School was established in 1979 to provide free education, nutrition, and medical care to India's impoverished children. You can learn more about the history of the organization and its remarkable founder and director, Dr. Ananthi Jebasingh, by visiting the websites listed below.
On June 1st, I will depart from Newark, NJ with my friend and colleague, Josiah Correll, for a 10 week mission teaching theatre at the schools. Josiah and I met in 2007 while interning at B Street Theatre in Sacramento following his first trip teaching theatre at the Good Samaritans. We quickly hit it off. While working together, Josiah and I realized we shared similar values including a love of Christ, a relentless energy for theatre, and a eagerness to learn and explore. When Josiah invited me to help him expand the theatre curriculum on a follow-up trip to New Delhi, I was floored.
"Who, me?" I thought. "TEACH theatre? I barely know what I'm doing myself! I just enjoy telling a good story and making people smile." Josiah smiled and said, "That's exactly why I need you working with these kids." I must say I was both flattered and humbled. After weeks of thought and prayer, I felt the Lord calling me to accept Josiah's invitation. Once the internship ended, Josiah continued working in Sacramento while I moved south to start a career in Los Angeles; however we both agreed that our mission had to happen soon. Thankfully the fine folks at Friends of the Good Samaritans agreed to sponsor a trip in June 2009 and well, here we are! I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to pursue my passion for the stage and I look forward to helping talented young artists follow their dreams.
As I said, we are going under sponsorship from Friends of the Good Samaritans, a 501(c)3 organization based out of Stamford, Kentucky, established specifically to support the work of the Good Samaritans.
Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the school at www.thegoodsamaritansonline.com/aboutus.htm and our sponsors at www.friendsofthegoodsamaritans.org. Any financial, material, or prayer contributions are greatly appreciated.
Check back here often for pictures, videos, and updates on our progress in New Delhi!
XOXO
mark
It's been a while since I have blogged regularly. Last time you read anything from me I was a volunteer for the Obama campaign so the focus was on mobilizing voters, clarifying our positions on vital issues, and sharpening our tools for victory in October, which we achieved! Hooray!
Unlike that blog, this column will not espouse any political bent (though of course I still have a wealth of suggestions for Team O). The focus here is on the students of the Good Samaritans Schools in New Delhi and the adventures we will enjoy this summer.
Here's a brief summary of the Good Samaritans and how I came to be affiliated with them:
The Good Samaritan School was established in 1979 to provide free education, nutrition, and medical care to India's impoverished children. You can learn more about the history of the organization and its remarkable founder and director, Dr. Ananthi Jebasingh, by visiting the websites listed below.
On June 1st, I will depart from Newark, NJ with my friend and colleague, Josiah Correll, for a 10 week mission teaching theatre at the schools. Josiah and I met in 2007 while interning at B Street Theatre in Sacramento following his first trip teaching theatre at the Good Samaritans. We quickly hit it off. While working together, Josiah and I realized we shared similar values including a love of Christ, a relentless energy for theatre, and a eagerness to learn and explore. When Josiah invited me to help him expand the theatre curriculum on a follow-up trip to New Delhi, I was floored.
"Who, me?" I thought. "TEACH theatre? I barely know what I'm doing myself! I just enjoy telling a good story and making people smile." Josiah smiled and said, "That's exactly why I need you working with these kids." I must say I was both flattered and humbled. After weeks of thought and prayer, I felt the Lord calling me to accept Josiah's invitation. Once the internship ended, Josiah continued working in Sacramento while I moved south to start a career in Los Angeles; however we both agreed that our mission had to happen soon. Thankfully the fine folks at Friends of the Good Samaritans agreed to sponsor a trip in June 2009 and well, here we are! I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to pursue my passion for the stage and I look forward to helping talented young artists follow their dreams.
As I said, we are going under sponsorship from Friends of the Good Samaritans, a 501(c)3 organization based out of Stamford, Kentucky, established specifically to support the work of the Good Samaritans.
Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the school at www.thegoodsamaritansonline.com/aboutus.htm and our sponsors at www.friendsofthegoodsamaritans.org. Any financial, material, or prayer contributions are greatly appreciated.
Check back here often for pictures, videos, and updates on our progress in New Delhi!
XOXO
mark
Sunday, May 10, 2009
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