Willie's celebrates his birthday in India
We were met by Capt. Thacker and Raj two of or World Without Walls partners, then duly taken to our Hotel. The Hotel is not all that great, the Abu Hotel Chennai, its being refurbished, and its badly needing it. The room we're in is full of dust and grime, the marble floor hasn't been polished for weeks. Willie is just reminding me that this Hotel is a like the Hotel Europia in Iquitos, cheap and cheerful in his book. We had some good laughs in that hotel, however I think the Europia, was well worn, but clean.
We were wakened up at 7.30am with a demand to pay the room service bill. I duly explained that it would be better to be added on to the account at check out.
After breakfast we were met by Daniel Abraham's son and an evangelist called Shedrach. (Abraham has a ministry to the tribal people in an area near Dindigual, he is hoping that funding can be found to erect a small medical centre to deal with primary care health issues. Hs wife Ruth is especially passionate about helping the poorer women in that area to have a place where their children can be born in comfort and where anti-natal advice can be offered.
We then went off to collect Erica and Lorna at the YWCA. It was great to catch up with them again and to hear all their stories of how God has been undertaking for them in so many different ways during the four months since they left Scotland. Have a look at their blog Soultouch.
We then met up with Raj and had a tour round the area he calls the slum. Looking at the way people live. Some of the people who live near the church recycle rubbish for a living, around 800 families live in this enclosed area. It is really humbling to see how Raj and Vanitha work to serve this community.
The ladies in the sowing class picture to the left, are now sowing clothes for the Sangita Orphanage, thanks to the generosity of the congregation in Bo'ness. The picture below show Erica and Raj meeting with the women in the sowing class.
Today is Willie's birthday! Raj had a cake for him and we all sang happy birthday.
After lunch we visited the Bamboo and Cane Giftshop and purchased some goods for Branches. It was then back to the hotel to join the first meeting of the Board of the new St Andrew's Charitable Trust India. This is the name of the holding trust that has been set up to deal with the funds that we are now being send out to India from the members of St Andrews Bo'ness.
Posted By: albert Bogle On: 25 Oct 2007 At: 1:52am
HI JACKIE
WILL DO MY BEST WE’RE AT PARSON’S COURT, A HOTEL YOU KNOW WELL! GOT INTERNET CONNECT BUT DON’T KNOW WHEN WILL GET IT NEXT. By the way , as they say in Glasgow we flew with Air France!