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Nalgonda, India

Safety

Safety in Nalgonda, India
What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?

People’s Opinions

  1. We were with Solomon and Grace, and we felt safe with them. Chances are, you won’t be leaving without them. The area can be hard for christians, and it’s likely you’d be questioned, so they require you to stay in the church. These people take incredible care of you, and make sure you are totally safe and happy.
  2. We felt safe in the village of Vallala. We had an instance of a group of “media” came with a video camera and wanted to interview us and take pictures of us for a newspaper and we declined. To protect our host and their ministry we refrained from speaking about our faith outside of ministry. BUT also prayed for an elderly man that came to the house every day. Just over communicate with the Shamson and Kavitah and always ask permission for anything you want to do.
  3. We were actually in the village of vallala in the nalgonda district and it was very safe. Our team even went on runs in the mornings and were completely safe. It is suggested to not talk about Jesus with people outside the house churches though.
  4. We felt safe in the area. We were sheltered by our daily host from any safety concerns regarding the community. However, we were not allowed to leave the church for the safety of our host and pastors in the area. Villages have been known to act out against people who strongly identify with Christianity. So, for their protection, you probs won’t be out and about. It’s all good though–we had a blast in the town!
  5. Best precaution to take, watch what you post on social media. You will be trained regarding ALL of this when you arrive, so no sweat.
  6. The biggest thing for personal safety and the safety of your host/ministry is to be VERY aware of what is being posted on social media. No town/village names. No ministry names. No script of the language they speak there. This can have lasting impacts on the ministries and we want them to be able to continue what the Lord is calling them to!

Ministry Summary

Ministry Summary in Nalgonda, India
Breakthroughs? Suggestions? Concerns? On a scale of 1-4 (1 being not at all, 4 being absolutely) how strongly would you recommend another World Race team go to this ministry location & why?

People’s Opinions

  1. Same as Team Eve below. Ministry looked like us going to different villages each night, showing the Jesus Film, preaching, sharing testimonies, singing, praying & eating together. My team didn’t limit our ministry to the evenings, though. We talked to neighbors, played with the kids in the neighborhood, painted nails, the guys on my team did a bible study with Samson.. I would encourage you to rest & spend time with the Lord & the team, but think outside of the box when it comes to ministry. Pour into Kavita – she is so humble & kind. Sit with her & help her with dishes, ask her to teach you how to make curry & chai. Gals – you are a blessing to her. You will see miracles every night if you expect the Holy Spirit to show up. Pray into it, ask the Lord to give you his eyes. If you’ve never preached before, pounce on this opportunity. It’s awesome because you have a translator, so it gives you some time & space in between each thing you share to think through what you’re going to say. I would also challenge you to pray when you arrive at each place & ask the Lord what the people you are encountering need to hear. There were several times where my teammates and I had prepared sermons that we didn’t end up sharing because HS led us in a different direction. We saw people healed from sickness, pain, blindness, & so much more. Our God is SO good. Give Him praise & honor Him in all you do. You will love this month 🙂
  2. All evening ministry! You will spend the day (8A-5P) at the house. It can get hot, so get creative with your team. FIGHT APATHY. Spend time together. Do fun things. Make videos about the squatty potty, it’s worth it. I’d rate this ministry a 4. It was hard some days, but overall, we loved ministry. One person will preach every night, and 1-2 people will share testimonies. Be prepared to PRAY and to see miracles! The Lord is incredibly present here. Solomon speaks incredible English, as does his wife and kids. Communication here is really simple, and they are really great. Be all in.
  3. Evening ministry!!! We gave a testimony, message, sang songs, AND were the first WR team to show the Jesus film in Telugu (SO COOL). The name of the game is roll with it. You never know what’s going on because the host doesn’t speak English but just be prepared: have a few songs (they love motion songs), a few sermons and a few testimonies that are prepared at ALL TIMES. But don’t be scared. It’s incredible. We saw miracles every single night. Be all in.
  4. In Vallala, it was a little hard at first because the pastor doesn’t speak too good of English but we learned to love him and his family a lot. Lots of preaching, worshipping, and praying.
  5. Preaching, testimony, and song/dance–its great. You’ll love it more than you think! We did.

Lodging

Lodging in Nalgonda, India
Where did you stay? What were the accommodations (sleeping arrangements, toilets, showers, etc.)? Cost (per person per night in USD), Contact info.

People’s Opinions

  1. I second all the things Team Eve said below. We stayed at the CCH home in Vallala and camped on the roof under the stars, most nights. You will probably be woken up between 430-530 in the beginning because the hustle & bustle of the village waking up, but it’s not too bad! The days were hot, but we spent time in worship & prayer every day together as a team. As you get more comfortable in the space, make sure you spend time to do fun & light things together as a team because the ministry will likely be spiritually & emotionally heavy, but also incredibly beautiful & life changing. embrace your squatty potty & bucket shower techniques – training camp prepared you well 🙂 BYO toilet paper!
  2. We were with Solomon and Grace, and we lived in the sanctuary of the church. It gets really hot, so we left the doors open at night, and hung a mosquito net over it. It kept (most) bugs out and made a nice breeze. We slept on our sleeping pads. It’s a cute little area that is totally yours, so feel at home. There is a woman who also lives within the compound of the church, and we called her grandma. She speaks really loudly, and sometimes her yells will wake you up in the morning. Embrace it :). We had a squatty potty, that was pretty nice actually. Cold bucket showers.
  3. Nothing to add about lodging at Shamson’s but they have 9 boys that stay with them and they are INCREDIBLE. They respect your space and won’t usually barge in without asking but I want to encourage you to spend time with them, build relationships with them and love them well. This was my hardest goodbye thus far (month 6) and it’s because this family welcomed us with open arms and made us a part of our family. It is hard and a little uncomfortable at first because of the language barrier and the culture is so different but be ALL IN. You won’t regret it.
  4. In vallala, we stayed with Pastor Shamson and his family and 10 orphan boys they have adopted. We stayed in the church above their house and it was great. We slept on our sleeping pads. We had one squatty potty and one bucket shower but they served us so well. We never had lodging issues. Bring your own toilet paper.
  5. We stayed at the local Covenant Church in Nalgonda with Pastor Solomon and Grace and their 3 kids Monica, Shiny and Joshua. We were a unisex team so the guys stayed in a bedroom that has a single king size mattress and the girls stayed in the church. Every Sunday the girls would have to move all of their things to our room for the Church service. There is 1 squatty potty for the team to use (be sure to bring toilet paper) and 1 bucket shower. There are buckets to do laundry in and plenty of clothes lines already hung up to dry the clothes. The cost is $3 a night per person for stay. Overall it is a very fun place to stay and gives you a great feel for the cultural living in India.

Food / Meals

Food / Meals in Nalgonda, India
What did you eat? Where did you get the food? Cost (per person per day in USD)? Contact info (if applicable).

People’s Opinions

  1. SPICY SPICY…Well for many of us. Kavita cooks separately for the teams than she does for the family because we literally can’t handle the same amount of spice that her family can! It was fun to try all the different types of curry & we typically ate dinner out in the village we were doing ministry in that night – you’ll get a good idea of all the different types of curries. You’ll probably eat rice for every meal, embrace the bloat.
  2. You will have rice, curry, and sometimes veggies for every. meal. 🙂 EMBRACE IT. The food is incredible! They will be kind to you and make sure it isn’t too spicy. We had a woman named Andalu that cooked for our team. She is a literal angel. She had breakfast ready at 9, lunch ready at 1, and we always ate dinner in the village. We always ate breakfast/lunch at the house. Sitting in chairs, eating with your hands. It’s so cultural and fun and I loved it. I got a little tired of curry, but truly it was delicious.
  3. We loved the food in Vallala!! Kavitah is an incredible cook. They love getting compliments on their food and love when you eat a lot! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We asked if we could leave early several times to get samosas or popcorn or to stop at a bakery but don’t forget to buy some for everyone to share.
  4. We had rice and curry pretty much every meal. But it was so good. They fed us well. We had chai twice a day which was awesome.

Transportation

Transportation in Nalgonda, India
What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.

People’s Opinions

  1. Same as Team Eve posted below. It does seem like a lot of personal money you spend to go into town each weekend, but it is what is expected of WR teams. You serve typically Tuesday night-Saturday night, go to church Sunday, then take the bus back to Hyderabad. I got a local sim on my iPhone (it’s worth it, despite how much effort it takes) & it was a life saver for my team because we often got dropped off in a different place than we anticipated & were able to order ubers. You can totally get a tuk tuk, but with your big bags an uber works best. Also, tuk tuks are a bit more expensive! Super worth the experience though!
  2. We were with Solomon and Grace, and they have a red jeep that brings you out to the villages. It’s so cultural and fun. As far as going into the city, Grace or Solomon will call a tuktuk for you, and it’s usually between 60-100 rupees both ways. It can get a little pricy. I’d suggest going once at the beginning of the week for toilet paper, snacks, etc, that way you only have to go once. We used a bus from Hyderabad to get to Nalgonda. If you are traveling for off days, you’ll go from bus stop to bus stop. It’s simple and Grace and Solomon will help you.
  3. The rickety man van. Love that thing and the soundtrack that comes with it lolz. BE PREPARED to pay everytime you go into town for personal things. Usually about 500 rupees (about $7). Even on off days when you want to go to Hyderabad you’ll pay Shamson and then get on a bus.
  4. We used the ministry van in vallala with Pastor Shamson. It was a little squished but it got the job done.
  5. We used a rickshaw to go to the the “More” Grocery store when we needed snacks, toilet paper, or misc. needs. The family has a car if there are any emergencies and they also have “clifford” the red diesel mini-van that you will ride in for ministry.

Medical

Medical in Nalgonda, India
Information on local hospitals / doctors / pharmacies. Where would someone go in a medical emergency? (addresses and contact info).

People’s Opinions

  1. We went to two different clinics in Nakrekal, both of which our host recommended. They ran tests & distributed medicine all in the same place. Super cheap. Good experience. Samson will know where to take you, if you need anything while you’re in Vallala!
  2. We went to a local hospital called Virinchi Hospital that was very easy to work with. Solomon, our host went with us and translated. It cost 500 RS to be seen and for the medication. The host has a good relationship with people at the hospital and the staff there told us to come back with any other needs we may have.

Communication

Communication in Nalgonda, India
Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?

People’s Opinions

  1. No wifi in the village, or anywhere near. We got sims for our baby phones from Maria, and some of us got sims for our regular phones too. It was a really intense process. We had to go to the Airtel store, and had to have passport, indian visa, passport photo, SSN, info about where we were staying, etc. It was intense, but if it works, you get activated immediately and you get like 1.5 gb per day.
  2. We actually had zero wifi and no SIM cards in vallala. It was hard to get SIM cards in India so we just had to plan really well and use strangers phones. We had to wait to use wifi until we got back to Hyderabad every weekend.
  3. No wifi in Vallala or Nekrakal. We got sims in Nalgonda much easier there than in Hyderabad. We also got some from Maria before going to the village.

Financial

Financial in Nalgonda, India
Location of banks or ATMs, notes about transaction fees, best places to exchange money, and other money related advice.

People’s Opinions

  1. We did get money out at several different ATM’s most of which we found reliable. We served in Vallala & Nakrekal is the closest village near by (where you will take the bus in/out of) and the ATM surprisingly worked there as well. I didn’t think it was as hard to withdrawal money as we anticipated. But definitely get as much out as you can at one time. Some ATM’s limit you, others don’t.
  2. I would highly suggest getting money out at the airport. There are no fees, and it’s hard to find ATMs that are reliable other than those. Or if you go to Inorbit mall, that’s a good place too. Treasurers, get out as much as you can at the airport.

Translators

Translators in Nalgonda, India
List any local translators – name and contact information, languages spoken

People’s Opinions

  1. We worked primarily with Shanti (He is Samson’s brother) He & his family were awesome, his English was good! We worked with another translator, Israel, whose English was not as great, so the nights he served with us, we weren’t actually sure if what we were saying got translated.
  2. We were with Solomon and Grace, and they both translated for us, as well as their daughter Mounica. They were awesome.
  3. Pastor Shamson in vallala was in charge of getting us a translator who we paid. Our translator was okay but was only there at nights for ministry so during the day communication was hard. Pastor Shamson knows little English.

Off Days / Fun Activities

Off Days / Fun Activities in Nalgonda, India
What activities did your team experience? Recommendations? List locations/contact info. Any locations to be avoided? Any extra safety tips for off days?

People’s Opinions

  1. We went to Charminar, Golconda Fort, the Tombs, Shilparamam, Inorbit mall, etc. Lots of fun places to explore. Go to Golconda Fort. Incredible views! Be careful at night, maybe try to be back by 10/11. Nothing happened, more just precautionary.
  2. Hampi was awesome! Talk to brant about it, the adventures in missions base director in India.
  3. Hampi was so much fun! Lots of trekking, bouldering, sunsets, and ruins.

Other Important Contacts

Other Important Contacts in Nalgonda, India
Additional ministry opportunities, local pastors, etc. Relationship & follow up suggestions

People’s Opinions

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Tips

People’s Opinions

  1. FIGHT APATHY. Spend time together! Find things to do that draw you close to one another. Spend time with the Lord in the morning. It’s worth it.
  2. Use your free time well! You will have a lot of it during the day time. Spend it soaking in God’s presence and using that time for team time because you’ll be super tired at night when you get back from ministry.

Additional Info

Additional Info in Nalgonda, India
Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?

People’s Opinions

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