Mom's School and Last Day in Delhi

I think I've said this a million times before, but its true.
And it keeps happening.
GOD OPENS DOORS. He literally has KEYS to EVERY door you could imagine,
and we've seen Him do some pretty amazing work.
And it just keeps happening. I can't explain it any other way. And by now, 5 1/2 months into my journey, I am THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED.

So our mom came to Delhi, India, back in 1964-65, and went to school at the American Embassy School for her Junior and Senior years of High School. Really cool, huh? Her dad, my grandpa, was a professor of Leisure Craft and Counseling (fun major, huh?) where they taught people basically how to have fun. (Games, family trips, community events/dances, etc... the field of study came about after the 2nd world war, when people had more time on their hands to spend with family, b/c there was more automation w/ farming, business, etc.) He got an assignment to come to India from Champaign, Illinois, where they lived and he was on staff at the University of Illinois. So the whole family (except for oldest son, Jon, who was out of the house by then) packed up and moved across the world to INDIA. Crazy. I grew up hearing stories about India, and my mom's adventures at her school. It was actually a boarding school - so she lived w/ other kids, and I think they had a house mom.
But they had LOTS of fun. :) We heard stories of them sneaking out at night and bribing the guards w/ bubble gum to get back in... and of the cute French guy who asked her to prom. We also heard about cows in the streets, and "Namastay" (polite greeting), and mom traveling by train on weekends to see her parents. And growing up, Grandma and Grandpa Regnier always had lots of cool stuff from India in their house - brass plates, pillow cases, wall hangings, etc... So needless to say, visiting India has always been something I wanted to do - to see where my mom lived for 2 years of her teenage life.
When I flew into Mumbai from Australia, I could only try to picture my mom, back when she was 17, flying in with her 3 sisters and parents, with all of their clothes and belongings - wondering what was up ahead for them. It was cool to think about.
So when we arrived in Delhi, one of THE main things I wanted to do was visit my mom's school. Mom had sent some emails to some old contacts she had, asking around if anyone from the school (her old classmates) knew of anyone still in Delhi. It turned out everyone people knew were dead, so that wasn't very helpful. :) Craig and I checked on the web for the school, b/c mom even heard that they were tearing it down... but we found out (way to go, GOOGLE!!) that it still existed and they were just under renovations. We copied down the phone number and sent an email to their Contact Us link... that was on the Monday of the day we started to try to extend my Visa; which turned out to stretch into a week!!!!! (I was naively thinking it would take maybe a full day. Ha!!) So needless to say, we didn't make it to the school that day. Because of the VISA Adventures (more stories later), we didn't get to go until Thurs of that week... the day after my Visa officially expired.
We took an autorickshaw down to where the Embassies are - southwest side of town. I was SO thankful I was an American citizen. There were literally 100's of Indians in line, trying to apply for visas - for school, or work, or travel, or moving, or who knows for what... and I could just walk past all of them through all the security (there was TONS!!! metal detectors, leave your camera and phone behind, check purses, sign in, passport check) and into the office for American citizens!!! It is SO GOOD to belong!!!! wow. I loved seeing the eagle and the flag and seeing some Americans w/ their beautiful American accent!! And they were SO NICE, compared to most of the Indian gov't officials we had been meeting.
Its a long story here, but I'll shorten this part to say that we found out how to get to the school - just a block away, and got to the gate to request to enter. But we were stopped. The guards were not allowed to let anyone in, even w/ our passports and story of our dear mother who attended here in 1965... they were sorry, but they couldn't let us in. And we found out that they weren't going to budge - they didn't want to get in trouble. We tried many different ways, trying to convince them that this was our only time in Delhi, we had travelled all this way, we were probably leaving tomorrow, and didn't know if we'd ever be back.
Nothing. Ok, God we KNOW you can open up ANYTHING. They said if we find a parent who could let us in, we could come in. It was summer break now, and everyone of leadership position was gone - just construction people.
We went back to the Embassy - and I saw a woman who looked friendly/important (i love women!! as you travel, you realize that women can be your best friends - women to women helping each other!) and I said, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you, but my brother and I....." and told her our plea. She was busy at the moment, but quickly scribbled down her office phone number and extension and her name, and said call back later today and I'll see what I can do. Praise God!!! It was a little open door!!!!
We had to leave shortly after that to get back to meet the VISA man, who said be there by 3pm. (more stories later) We called the nice lady to tell her our plans, and say we may not get to visit the school - it depends on what happens w/ the Visa - and we'll be in contact w/ you.
So we get the VISA approved that day (i hope i'm not spoiling that story - it was an AMAZING VICTORY of GOD!!!) and headed out for Shimla and the Himalayas that night (if we didn't leave then it wouldn't work for us to go - b/c it took 12 hours of bus travel... thru the night)... When we got back after that weekend in the mountains on Monday morning... I called back to the nice lady's number. A lady named Tiffany answered, and she said that our friend was not in yet, but she would get the message to her. I felt prompted to share with her what Craig and I were trying to do - and AMAZINGLY (God AMAZES ME!!!!) she said, "Oh, I'm a mom of kids who go that school..." (What?? This could be our entry pass!!!) She said she would try to get back w/ us at lunch time.
This was our last day in Delhi, I had a plane ticket to fly out of Delhi that next day to Hong Kong... we also had other little side Adventures of me trying to find out where I was going to stay in Hong Kong - an email I had sent to the YWAM base where I hoped to stay had come back to me, "failing permanently" - i hate that phrase! And I didn't know if they got my request... and I was flying the next morning!!! Jesus!!!! So I sent out a bunch of last-minute-does-anyone-know -anyone-who-lives-in-HK??? emails, and then Craig and I left to try to get into Mom's school one last time around noon...
We get down to the American Embassy, and the guards stop us. I thought they were just being butts (did I say that?) b/c the other day we had just gone right on in... but he made us call the nice lady (who wasn't there - answering machine)... and then walk down to another gate down the street. He said everyone was at lunch until 2pm. It was 1:50. It turned out that man was directed by God, but both he and we didn't know it. At the other gate, we explained our situation, and they brought us in to wait for lunch to get over. (Taking our phones and camera.) As people started to come back in - Craig tried to stop a guy to see if he could help us, b/c our friend may not be here today. We don't know who he was, but some American 45-55 year old man, who was friendly enough, but who explained to us that everything was high security, and everyone was worried about potential terrorists, and that we could be wanting to scan out the place to do something bad to it... or something. He said its probably not true, but that's what we're dealing with, and we have no way to find out if you are legitimate... so try to call the Pres of the school board, and he may be able to help you. Ok, thanks. And he walked off. (Friendly enough, but not too willing to help tons.) Just then, another lady walked in from the office side, and said, Did someone call for nice lady? (not her name) We did! Well, she's not here today, she's sick. Ohhh. (dejected.) Try another route - Well, we talked to a Tiffany this morning, who said she could maybe help us... Oh, yes, I know Tiffany, you can come back up with me to speak with her.
YES!!! We're in!!!! (This is still at the Embassy, not at the school... but doors are miraculously opening... if that woman would not have come down, and if we would not have known Tiffany's name, none of this would have happened - God is AMAZING. He can work all things!!!) We went upstairs through MORE security, but by this time I knew some of the guards - we smiled at each other. :) Its nice to know people.
Our new helper took us back to Tiffany's desk - a bunch of cubicles that could have been in any city in the States, for all we could tell, and Air Conditioned!;
and met Tiffany. She was a nice lady who's husband also worked for the Embassy, and she found out our full story, and then called over to see if her husband could walk us over. PRAISE GOD!!!!
The husband took time to come over, get us and walk us to the gate to see what he could do - he was a parent, too, but you never know. We told him our story as we walked over - seeing a lot of the Embassy buildings along the way; compounds of beautiful manicured areas - didn't seem like India to us. (But the cool thing was, he trusted us!!! And he didn't have to - who knows who we really were... but praise God for this man and his wife!!!
We got to the school gates, and the guard who was there last week when we came was there again. He saw us and smiled. The man introduced himself, with his parent/visitor badge (and by that time Craig and I also got badges, b/c we were with him)... and the guard smiled and let us IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God is AWESOME!!!!!!! (think of how many steps it took and doors to open to get us into that school.... it AMAZES me. Our God has the KEYS!!!)
So we go in, walk around, and see what MAYBE our mom saw 40 years ago... although they did a lot of renovation back in the 1970s; new buildings, etc. We walked around, in awe that we were ACTUALLY in the campus. Then we stopped by the main office and talked to some secretaries there - Indian women who told us about the renovations and that if we could come back next week, the library would be open and we could check out the old year books! So COOL. But sadly we would be gone. Oh well, we were just glad to be here. We walked around some more and then the dad w/ us said, why don't we check to see if the library is open. Ok. So we walked up to it, and saw the door propped open - what? We went inside to the cool AC (you can ALWAYS tell when there's AC, such a contrast to the HEAT outside), and a man came up to us and said, can I help you? Turns out, he just happened to come in that afternoon to get some work done, he wasn't going to, but then decided to... CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!??
Our God is GOOD. (He has SKILLS.)
He showed us where the old yearbooks were - and we found the approx right years... went to the Jr/Sr. Section... flipping through the pictures, names... and got to R... RACHEL REGNEIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I squealed out with excitement!!! There she was!!!! She is beautiful!!!! wow. I know that, but so cool to see her in the yearbook, back when she was 17-18, read her activities, sports, involvements, and then flip back to see her in the team pictures.... wow.
The guy let us photocopy the pages - so I ended up making a small yearbook for her!! Of all her senior classmates, and sports teams, and faculty.... so cool!!
I guess Ghandi's wife also came to visit and speak at her school while she was there... that's pretty neat.
We finally left, but were so amazed by God's handiwork of the Day. He seriously can do anything. Later that afternoon, we met up w/ Pastor Marlo Philip, a young guy who we had contacts w/ in Delhi (who's friend took us up to Shimla and the Himalayas that past weekend, and helped us w/ the Visa Adventure - b/c Marlo was down South visiting while we were in town). He and another friend helped Craig and I (well, really me) go shopping to get some gifts and things - they did a nice job; it was fun to watch a local go at it. They were good....
When we went to get our luggage that we had stored at the YWCA during the week, I got to check my email, and was praying and TRUSTING God to provide for me in Hong Kong. The 1st email I saw was one from the YWAM base in HK, saying that I COULD COME, and it was packed full with LOVELY directions on how to get to the base, phone numbers, what bus to ride, etc... THANK YOU, FATHER!!!! (Another open door... wham - wide open!)
Then Marlo took us to a nice Indian restaurant to finish the day - one last Indian meal (I still liked it!!); and then back to his apartment to pack for my flight... we got back at about 10pm, and I stayed up 'til 3 AM to pack and get rid of my extra stuff.... Bless Craig, God, for taking all my extra things home!!!
Marlo ended up taking me to the airport w/ Craig, we left about 3:15 am, for my 7 AM flight... there were rains that night, so we had another FLOODED encounter w/ the streets - but prayed that the car would get through. It did, God protected it / us... the taxi who came to get me (and who said he didn't want to drive me back to the airport), had wet floor of his car from the flooding - but God protected us/Marlo's car. We heard an amazing story from Marlo about his family and his dad - an alcoholic, living it up, not-present dad/husband, well-to-do-doctor... finding out about Jesus - God becoming real to him; changing his life; and then going full-time into serving God... living by faith. Dad died at 46; but the Lord has totally blessed all the kids - and they are all a tight family and serving God in amazing ways.
I said goodbye to Craig - sad to have him leave. My family member who has been with me for a month... getting used to traveling w/ each other, and understanding each other, and being blessed by one another... He prayed for me before we said goodbye - then I went into the airport (and they drove off - have to have a flight ticket to get in; and Craig stays in India for 2 more weeks)...
Had a little trouble getting in, b/c my name wasn't on the flight list, and I didn't have an updated ticket (I had changed the dates for the flight); but then found an email copy I used at the VISA place w/ new flight info!!! Went to the desk and found out that my ticket had been cancelled. But at this stage in the game, and b/c I hadn't had any sleep, I was very chill about it and knew God would work something out. He already had done a million things before this.
I was told to wait until 6 AM, and they would try to put me on the flight (it happened b/c the people/company I changed the flight dates with did not give the airlines a certain number they needed, so it got cancelled). At 6 AM, I got back in line, and they PUT ME ON THE FLIGHT!!! Praise God, with my sleepy self!!!
The flight itself was nice - great views of China below and clouds, and I got some sleep, but I was seated next to a new mother with a baby who was either very tired or sick... and was SCREAMING pretty much through the flight. I tried to help her amuse the baby and every once in a while, she fell asleep. That was nice. But it was a very cute baby.
And now I'm in Hong Kong and I'm tired of typing.... and i'll bet you're tired of reading. :) ITs been great to be here at the YWAM base - I had no trouble getting here (you still have moments of, oh buddy, i hope i got on the right bus, and got off at the right place, and God, give me a good taxi driver who will charge me an honest fare, and not kidnap me.... but other than that, it was smooth and there were some very nice people along the way who helped me! And I had a nice taxi driver.)
The past 3 days have been sleeping, eating, talking to people here (telling them what i'm doing), sleeping (i slept until 12:45 the 1st morning!!!! i couldn't believe it!!! i think my body is recouping!!!), and typing!!!! Don't you love it??!
I hope to see the city a bit, and maybe cross over to China (mainland)... and I have to work on getting my flight confirmed to Johannesburg for Saturday night. Pray for good connections there - i'll be there one night, and then fly to Cape Town on Monday morning to meet up with a ministry team.
Thanks so much for all of your prayers!!! I know God uses everyone of them to bless my trip and help lube the travel wheels!!!! :)

Love and Blessings to you all through our WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL HEAVENLY DAD!!!!

ericka :)