India Newsletter, June
Welcome to the second issue of our online Indian Thread! This issue includes an update from the office director, stories from a recent project trip, introductions to our team, and more...
New Beginnings, Unwelcomed Reunions
As it welcomed the New Year, EMI India also welcomed its new Director team, new interns, its updated staff roster, several expats to India, and everyone (after some quarantining) back into the office. Since the onset of Covid-19, this felt like the first time things were finally getting back to normal. Indeed, as 2021 started to move along, it seemed that the worries and disruptions of Covid-19 were just a bad dream that we had finally finished clearing from our eyes. We were back to eating street food, meeting friends, and going about our (mostly) normal lives. We were even starting to travel around India for both project trips and leisure. And then, like a tsunami, the next wave hit.
In Delhi, our unwelcome reunion with Covid-19 as our nosy neighbour has again familiarized us with government-imposed lockdowns, overflowing hospitals, and a life of working from home. Unlike last year, everyone here is now touched by Covid-19. Sadly, this time around it seems more common to have had Covid-19 than not—and more common to know someone that has died from it than not. Despite this, the disease is no longer the great enigma and monster of fear that it was a year ago, but rather sombre ever-present ash that covers our city and a dreary haze that clouds our futures and waylays our dreams.
Thankfully, EMI India has been able to continue to move forward through these uncertain times. We continue to work on projects for a variety of organisations around India. Our staff and Indian interns (who thankfully hung around, despite the obvious challenges) progress on designs and construction support whether at home or in the office, rain or shine. Recently, new opportunities have arisen for EMI to assist hospitals in their fight against the Covid-19 crisis. However, the challenges faced by the people of India are numerous, and the organisations we partner with have continued to move forward their work to fight poverty, abuse, homelessness, hopelessness, and to instead bring Hope. Recent projects have varied from the support of local handicraft artisans to a music school, from theological colleges to community centres. In the variety of needs we aim to address we are reminded of the great diversity present in our world and that we have been called to help all we can in whatever we can, with the ever-present hope that we may mercifully save some—but better yet all. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as our co-workers in the great purpose before us—even more at a time like this!
Peace,
Director, EMI India
