Last Day

Yup, that's right. Today is our last day in Chennai. We're heading home early ... not because we're wimps (well I am), but because Don is needed in Salt Lake.

Last Saturday (March 26th) was an Elder's Quorum Party at Cory's house. Elders only ... no women or children. So after shoe shopping (my reward) I dropped Don off to party with the guys. First, the shoe shopping. We went to this place called Metro Shoes. The shoes are kept in boxes up in the attic. The guys on the sales floor show the shoe they want and the size and then they drop he box down. Don took a video.

After that, we stopped at KFC to get some wings. The Indians love KFC, so Don was a hit.

Albert, a counselor in Branch Presidency

President Paul, the Branch President

Of course, they played Cricket. Cricket is very big in India ... in fact India just beat their rivals, Pakistan in the semi-finals yesterday. On Saturday, they play Sri Lanka for the finals.

On Saturday, as we were doing our last-minute shopping, we took some pictures of typical things in India ... I hope you enjoy.

Typical storefront

Graffiti 

PVC pipe anyone ?

Candy store

Mobile home ?

I don't know what he's collecting ... but he has a lot of it !

Typical family travel

Notice mom riding side-saddle

Chickens ... they're alive !

Tuesday evening we went to dinner at the home of Brother & Sister Chelladurai. Sister Elizabeth is the Relief Society President, Brother David is the District Sunday School President, and their son, Joe, is a counselor in the Branch Presidency. Joe is 19 years old and will soon graduate with a degree in Social Work, then serve a mission for the LDS Church. They have an older son, Isaac, who is currently serving in the Delhi Mission - he should be home in August. Their home is very nice, about 800 square feet total. It's a 2-story home, they live upstairs and rent out the downstairs. They have a living room, dining room, kitchen and (I think) 3 bedrooms. It's very small but comfortable. They cooked us dinner ... then sat with us while we ate. They didn't eat with us - in India, you serve your guests first, then you eat later after they've left. It was pretty uncomfortable at first having them serve us and watch us eat, but I knew they were just being gracious, so I relaxed and enjoyed the meal. Sister Elizabeth is used to cooking for Americans, so she didn't make the dishes too spicy - thankfully. It was good and we enjoyed our visit with them. They are both currently translating the General Conference talks into Tamil ! They get the talks about two weeks early so they can translate them, so when the talks are actually given, the translator can translate them immediately.

Elizabeth, Joe & David Chelladurai

Yesterday at work, the department had a party for Don. They took him to the Asiana Hotel for lunch and gave him a book and sand painting. At the end of the day, after shaking their hands, they followed him down to the parking garage to wave goodbye to him as he left. He was pretty touched. In India, when anyone leaves, family and friends all go with them to the bus or train station to see them off and wish them well.

Well, in a few hours we will leave India ... most likely for good. In church on Sunday we sang "God Be With You" - in honor of us. I cried as I thought I will probably never see these people again "till we meet at Jesus' feet". I've heard you should leave a place better than you found it ... in my case, India isn't better because I found it, I'm better because it found me.