Days Meeting & Thalakona ("Head Falls")

I will have to recap 2 days today...Friday we had a "Days Meeting" for a few local congregations. It wasn't a full blown one, because it is summer and many don't have the income to spar the $3 for transportation and food to get to the hospital. Above is the group of 40 or so that did show up. I was asked to address them for a bit, so I did. More like a tag team with G.Bushnam. We are called the "Two Jokers". And that is almost all we do. It is either an intense conversation or intense laughter. He is like my "Indian Older Brother"... although he could be my father. Except he looks only 40.
Hopefully I will get a picture with him next friday, and the rest of the LINK team. The rest of the day I spent watching cricket, reading and taking some deeper notes on office issues.



This is Adam in the forefront (John Basha's son). John is a member of the LINK team of chaplains and preachers. In the back in Baskar (Baskarvel formerly) and his son Prashan. Good men to know in these parts. The love the Lord, can sing, and can hold the rhythm. So, all are good qualities around here as well.



Here is the little one (Santosh) finishing his soft coconut. First they cut the top, then you suck out the juice with a straw. Then you give it back to them, and they open it up and scoop out all the goodness for you! We are on are way here to Thalakona, "Head Falls". It is a federal game reserve that has bear, deer, and many other animals. Unfortunately it is the summer season and many animals are back in the forest near the upper water chambers of the mountains. But we still enjoyed the trip. (Jennisa, my sister has been complaining that there are no pictures... so here we go!)



So, the theory is that if you tie a stone onto a tree with some fabric... you are creating a baby crib. Kathryn and I are only JOKING!!!! We are NOT expecting.. but here she is asking for 3 and I am asking for 6 kids.



These are the famous falls. This is actually the lowest time of year for the water. So you can imagine how awesome it must be when 4x as much waters is rushing down this mountain in the rain of January! I didn't have to edit the light or the contrast on this photo very much at all. It really was that beautiful!



Here are the in-laws, Emrys and Usha Rees. They are posing for a picture with Usha's camera. I am sure we will get those photos tomorrow to post - there are several other photos of Kathryn and myself on her simcard. No matter. Here is one of the few shots where my mother-n-law is actually in front of the camera, instead of holding it.



Here are some monkeys for my sisters kids to look at. Yes we have them here, but they have the personality of a rabid cat. So they are like a bunch of old men running around... and can be pretty mean, unless you have a stick!



The Falls were near the village of one of the workers at the David & Lois Rees Hospital. So we stopped at his wife's parent's house to eat lunch. The best Chicken Curry I have had in many years!!! And spicy! They are a farming family by trade and have both of their daughters at home frequently to help with other business, and to see the grandchildren. Here is the "token" Paroubek cow shot. For some reason I love cows in India. I just thought this was a good time to show the typical upper class village house (this would be poor for city standards). These folks make roughly $300 a month combined -- but that is enough for high living outside in the "Montana" regions of India.



WISH YOU WERE HERE! I hope you enjoyed a few pics. This normally would take someone 20 minutes to edit and post this many pictures... but I have been siting here for 80 minutes... so that is all you get tonight! REALLY, we wish you were here. The best time to visit India, at least this side, is when it is 70 in the evening and 90 during the day, lush, rainy and fresh smelling from late October - February. We would love to take anyone interested in a trip sometime in the future. You will be changed, no doubt. This is a beautiful land, beautiful people and the NEED is great for God's people to work here. Even though it is averaging 110 degrees now (the dog days of summer) it is still one of the best places to be on earth... right in the center of the forgotten, needy and oppressed people of India.

Prayers: Please pray for everyone's health as we kinda over-extended ourselves today.

Praises: I love "Second Saturdays" ... they are like a built in family holiday each month on the 2nd Saturday. So I praise God for this nice time away with family today. AND I praise God for my two grandmothers, my mother, my mother-in-law and my sister today. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL MOTHERS.. BUT ESPECIALLY DIANNE PAROUBEK.

(none of this would be possible without my mother... and I love her sooo very much!)

As always, from India...