Saturday, March 21

This morning most of us are at least up and around. Jan is quite sick and so is Salini. Although not well, we are all able to move around and attempt to eat a mild breakfast. First stop of the day was at the ministry center where we had an official tour of all the floors. It will be quite a building when all done. Then we went to the Prince of Peace school where the students and teachers presented us with flowers and did a program of dances for us. Billy tells us that with their 45 passenger bus they make two morning trips each day and bring in 100 kids on each trip!! After that program we went back to the house for lunch and bathroom breaks. Then back to the hotel for a couple of hours of rest. Ah, what a nice cool room with the airconditioner going. At 4 pm we loaded up again to go to the location of the new school that New Life helped purchase. There were several of the teachers there and some of the church members. There was a big concrete stone there with a big granite plaque on it dedicating the site to the New Life Church. All the team members each placed a much smaller stone into a pit for the cornerstone site. Then off we went to the beach. We drove to the south through a couple of small villages to where the land was very narrow. On one side was the Bay of Bengal and on the other was the Indian Ocean. We stopped close to a small fishing village where the shore was very clean and big. As we got out children from the village came running toward us. Some of the team swam in the ocean, Sam & I waded in the edge of the water, and others watched. The surf was quite high and the water very warm. Billy and Israel had candy and balloons for the children and gathered them around to tell them about Jesus. We found some seashells and watched a beautiful sunset. Then back in the bus to Billy's house for pancakes and soup. And, then a late presentation at the school by some of the orphans from the orphanage the ministry has. Back to the hotel for packing and bed. Tomorrow our plans include being up and leaving the hotel by 6:15 in order to go to the Hindu temple and watch the sun come up over the ocean. Then back to the hotel to pack and check out before going to church. Dinner after church and then leave for Madurai where plans include some shopping time before we board the plane for the first part of our journey home. Please pray for all of us....for health and safety.