Go Fly a Kite

Go Fly a Kite
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 by Dan Allen

The phrase “go fly a kite” takes on new meaning here in Hyderabad during a religious festival honoring the harvest gods. Literally hundreds of kites are flying in the air like undisciplined buzzards searching for nonexistent road kill.

From the advantage of my 4th floor hotel room, I see dozens of families on rooftops partying with kites. Little kids are trying to get this paper-thin, 18-inch square (without a tail) kite off the ground. Often it dive-bombs back into their leg or the chest of their siblings. The real pros are the big kids, the dads, who have mastered not only getting it off the ground, but soaring into the air. It truly is a talent. Once they get it airborne they keep it up there by pulling, yanking and moving the string. They start by giving it some rope and then yanking in hopes that some air will get under it, then they give it more rope and yank some more. This continues until it gets into air currents. But even then there is more pulling, yanking and moving or gravity will take over . . . the effects of which are seen on the domes of the temple next door, a lower level roof of the hotel and surrounding trees that now resemble an Easter egg hunt in the leaves.

A local boy, trying to dislodge his kite in “overhead electric cables” almost electrocuted himself when he used a metal pole to get it down. The local paper said his family rushed him to the nearest hospital with burns on his right palm—“His condition is out of danger” a police inspector noted.

Not sure if any birds become victim to these intruders in their space. A flock of pigeons seemed a bit confused as they had to weave and dodge the kites during their late afternoon flight maneuvers.

It is now dark out and I’m assuming all the kites have come home. There’s still some activity on the roofs as I see an occasion flash from cameras; someone carrying a torch and there’s dancing on one lighted rooftop. Not to mention I see an occasional fireworks burst in the distance.

It’s also dark at the center where the Pastor’s Conference was held. All the brothers have gone to their respective home and ministries. I’m praying that the teaching on the Old Testament book of Joshua will have encouraged them and the outlines will help them as they preach through this book. They did a “testimony” time at the end of the session telling what my teaching and that of the South Asia Director of “Walk thru the Bible” meant to them. Several spoke. The problem is they did so in their language. I have no idea what they said. In fact, I leaned over to my co-teacher, Rev. Sathyabal, and said: “I hope they are saying positive things.” He assured me they were.

During my closing remarks I mentioned that it was because of at least 90-supporters that made it possible for me to come and minister. And, it is the prayers of countless others who undergirded my ministry.

As a thanks to you and seeing how much fun these families were having this afternoon, I’d like to tell you to “go fly a kite,” but I’m afraid the meaning would be lost to the eight thousand miles between here and home.