Tuesday Jan 22, by Art Milton

The day was interesting and quite moving at times!

The train got in to Tirinvilli on time, nearly, at 7:30 am. Most of us seemed to sleep ok.

We missed all we left behind for healing and care in Kochi. Bishop Wollersheim and Polly and Helen Meier stayed to care for Bill and Isabel Wittig, and for Jay.

A pleasant morning as we walked down one platform under repair and then back on another one under repair, to the station itself. Not nearly as busy as the Chennai Central station. We got into a collecton of vehicles made it to the hotel. Termperatures reached about 85 today.

I napped a bit, then grabbed a veggie burger and coke for lunch. At 1 pm we bused through Tirinvilli, seeing where John and Esther Prabhakar grew up. They both came from well-established families here, with the many Christians with schools and churches. A very good place to grow up.

We went to a Church of India [a amalgamation over about 40 years of all native protestant churches, except for the Lutherans], which followed a fairly standard liturgy, similar to the Episcopal form. The church was beautifully designed, and all white; it glowed in the sunshine. The Bishop of this area and the priest of the church held services, along with Pastors Rick Meier, Kim Lee Brown, and Bob. The organist was good, obviously enjoying his work. Our group sang the hymn we have done before, with good effect. Communion was very meaningful, and the welcome juice and cookies were good too.

We then went the a 100 year old school for the blind, originated by one the the churches years ago, and on land still owned by the church. The classes of 4-8 kids, ages 4 to 22, set up in the standards and forms, all were working very hard. They and their attentive teachers were working with abacus-like boards for numbers, plastic geometrical shapes, braille in English books, reading aloud....all quietly efficient and intent, ...and blind.

We then went to the weaving building, where again blind adults were spinning thread and weaving beautiful cloth. Dave Lonsway bought a tablecloth 100" x 60", which the headmaster said would take about two days to make. Students stay in this school until they are able to find work.

We then took the flower leis given at church to Esther and John's family cemetary. Originally in the jungle, now it is surrounded by houses and is closed to more burials.

Again today, I am very conscious of the importance of family and the tradition of working actively in the church and its missions. I am seeing more and more how much the Christian churches in India do and have done for the poor and helpless, as Christ charged his followers. Somehow, we in the US have become used to letting institutions work for us, and we just pay, rather than practice what we are preached. Hmmm...

We then came back to hotel. I went across the street for "barbecued chicken pizza." which was ok. Typing this, and then to shower and to bed.

Tomorrow we travel south to Cape Cormorant. We will eat lunch at a good resort, maybe swim, and then return.