Being a Celebrity

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On one of our Saturday’s off, all of us took an hour bus ride to the Indian Ocean. It was such a beautiful day out, not to hot or cold and the sun was shining down upon us. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky! While we were there, I felt like a celebrity and I am sure everyone else did as well. So many Indians were looking at us because we were white. They wanted to shake our hands and take pictures with us. Eventually, after all the handshakes, Nate joked that we should start charging 5 Rs. (Rupees) per handshake. He actually said it to some Indians that came up to him to shake his hand. They looked at him in disbelief! I can imagine why. Just think if celebrities here started doing charging, that would be ridiculous! The amount of 5 Rs. when we were there was about 9 cents, not much at all. I had my picture taken with a family that really wanted their picture with a white person. Here’s the interesting thing though, they didn’t have a camera, and so I used mine. They didn’t even get a copy of the picture. I showed them the picture afterwards on my camera and they thanked me and did the Nameste bow. It was really quite interesting. I try to remember to pray for them every time I look at their picture. It is so strange to have that much attention paid to us. Some people were not even asking us for a picture but just stood kind of close to us, off to the side and had someone else take their picture with us in. They were trying to be very inconspicuous, but it didn’t work very well. I have been wondering if that’s what it feels like to be a celebrity. If that is what it feels like, then I don’t like it. People watching your every move, it’s not a fun place to be in.

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Photos

All the Girls at the Indian Ocean
L to R: Lisa, Cristal, Kirstin, Rebekah, Hayley, Jordan, Tierney, Daisy, Kelsie

Comments

[Mom]

the celebrity effect
KHB: Thinking about how they just wanted to stand close to you white people. Is there something intangible that they though was going to rub off on them, or have an effect on them that would change them or their lives? I know all of us at some time have felt that if we could meet someone, whether a celebrity or someone of admirable character, something, no, Something, would be different in our lives. I guess my 'celebrity' has been Elizabeth Elliot. She has encapsulated so much wisdom and so concisely delivered it to me that I always wanted to 'stand next to her'. I did get to hear her speak at Urbana in '81, and sat VERY close to the front. Ironically, those who arrived just in time, after all the seats had filled, got to sit at her feet on the stage. I had arrived quite early to get a good seat. God does have a good sense of humor, doesn't he? So the tendency to follow is in each of us, after all we are sheep who need a shepherd, and He is the one most worthy of our association.