Flowers On the Water for New Years

For New Year's Eve, everyone in my community gathered at one of the local churches for a special service. After singing various church hymns in English and the usual sermon that instructed the congregation to turn to Jesus as their savior, we observed the New Years tradition of dropping flowers into the ocean at sunset. It reminded me of my time in India on the River Ganges in which we placed candles on the water while sailing at sunset. We said goodbye to 2011 and welcomed 2012. As the sun descended on 2012, I wondered how much the new year would impact my village, where very little seems to change day to day. However, perhaps my presence in the village will initiate changes that nobody there, myself included, will anticipate.