A long trip to Chennai and then home to Singapore (SQ 529).
I like walking in the rice fields - the colors of green are so vibrant. If I'm lucky, the ladies in their colorful saries will be planting. Sort of embarrassing - look at their flexibility - as they bend over to set a rice seedling.
The color of green
More colors. For me, the colors of India is a redeeming feature - I can ignore the clutter and smell and simply enjoy the colors and street food
More Colors.
Sign to Gingee - and all the temples at Melmalayanur
Valathi Outreach Matriculation School - I helped set up a lab here 10 years ago
Inside the school yard
So many smiles. Getting an education in rural India is a challenge. Betty Shelton has built more schools and churches in the Valathi / Gingee area than I can count
More Smiles
Primary school class
Sign
Walking back into the main intersection (only intersection) - banana lady. Price of a bunch of small, sweet bananas - about 10 rupees - or 25 cents
Smile
THis man makes fantastic tea. Instead of making with water, they make it with scalded mile (right pot) - then cool it by pouring it from one cup to another cup
Planting rice
Planting rice and colors of green
The secondary school we built - 1st day of classes
Dedicated on Friday - classes on Monday
More smiles
Driving back to Chennai - we visited on of Betty's churches at Irukundrapalli - that is growing so they are building a wall around the old church and will expand the size
Inside the church
Expanding
Feb 10, 2016 - completion of the expansion
Dedication - and for some reason I don't understand, I am unable to provide the proper orientation of the first 3 images
And the flight home (SQ 529)
C. Frank Starmer