Friday, March 20

This is a sick day. After our supper last pm I started feeling bad and was sick all night. I felt it would be best to stay at the hotel today. Sam went on to the conference center for the morning sessions. He came back to the hotel about 11:30 to ask if I felt better and would like to go take a boat ride on the Indian Ocean. I was feeling better so went along. The van was completely full. The Nazarene West Tamil Nadu District DS Rev. Jayakumar and the India Field Director Rev. Shanil (who was with us in Calcutta), had been invited to join us in Rameswarem and arrived today. They joined us in the van. First we were taken to the railroad station site where the Paulose's first arrived in Rameswarem nearly thirty years ago and to the fish factory where they had slept at night. The next stop was at another "day care" center. Then we went part way over the bridge connecting the island with the mainland.where we pulled into a little seaside park. The team was divided into two groups because the boat was small. I opted not to ride on it after all because by now I was feeling bad again. Instead I went out and walked right in the edge of the water and even sat down in it. It was very warm. Sam said the boat was a glass bottom boat that went just a short ways out to some coral reefs. The ride didn't last long, maybe 15 minutes. Then we came back to Billy's house for lunch but Sam & I came on back to the hotel. I understand that there are at least two others beside me sick with stomach troubles today and several feeling queasy. Sam and those others who aren't sick went back to the mission center before 5 p.m. for a pastor's foot washing service. Sam's report when he returned to the hotel was that the team members washed the feet of each pastor and then the team members feet were washed.(for those of you who are reading this who don't know the significance please read John 13 in the Bible). Of the 14 team members only 8 were present as the rest of us are ill, and by suppertime tonight another person was stricken. Please keep us in your prayers that those of us who are sick will recover quickly and those who aren't sick will remain healthy. We have two long days of travel home starting Sunday. The influx of flies has decreased dramatically. The government sprays the area on a very regular basis to keep the mosquitoes down (in fact we are not bothered at all by them). Too bad that can't be done for the flies also! There is a tiny little gecko lizard in our bathroom at the hotel. It's about 1&1/2 in long. There was a larger one at Billy's the other night on the wall, attempting to eat the flies and another, even larger on the patio wall at Billy's parent's house the first night we arrived here. Tonight, the BCM ministry gave the team members gifts of decorated seashells. There aren't any places around here to shop for souvenirs. In fact, other than being taken to buy appropriate clothing for our stay in Rameswarem we haven't had the opportunity to shop at all.