An Amazing Day

I was nervous about today. Sona had asked me to go with them on this one day pilgrimage to Arthunkhal Church which she said was 4 hours away and I looked it up on the web .. and it looked like hordes and hordes and go on this special day ... Having seen and heard some of the news about the deaths that occur on some of these events because of stampedes I was a little concerned and not just about that but something much more fundamental like where do you go to the loo if you need to!!! Anyway Sona begged me to go so I left home here at 0530 and cycled to their house in the dark and we got a coach with about 12 of the local women including Sona's sister, mother and grandmother ...

Well I just dont know how I could ever tell you what we did or what we saw today.. we got to the church very early and this is when this picture was taken so very quiet then.. All I can say is that we had a wonderful picnic on the beach ... nothing like you might imagine I suspect, I nearly posted a photo of that ... maybe I can add one to blipfolio later (I just did here).. and I saw Jesus eyes open and close on a statue . but did I? A statue of Jesus whose hair grows .. every Good Friday.. people rolling down the aisle well even from the sea side to the church as a form of worship, gold coloured bows and arrows to take for an offering to Saint Sebastian... But I also saw Mariya Sona's grandmother .. (and they have so very little), give to every beggar .. 10 rupees and discovered that she goes into the city every week to give to beggars and to pray for them.. I experienced them insisting on paying for me just about everywhere ... and them bringing a cloth so that I didn't have to sit on the sand.. they all did!! Oh there is so much more... I didn't see another European anywhere.. I saw India at ground level .. and it was wonderful .. and there were toilets!