We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard.
The room had a glass wall between the bathroom and the rest of the room...
With a pull shade.
We had dinner at a special buffet.
Here is the salad bar...
And the dessert bar.
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Fireworks celebrate Diwali Hindu festival outside our windows.
The first village is Madaram. Here the workers are finishing up the preparations...the sign goes up, the garland is hung, and the equipment is ready to be activated.
Village people patiently wait for the celebration to begin.
Sister Newton visits with the children.
Villagers check out the celebration area.
Elder Newton and President John Gutty of the Hyderabad Stake visit with some of the village leaders.
Houses in this village are old and weathered.
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Sister Newton is asked to cut the ribbon!
The Reverse Osmosis equipment is decorated with flowers, incense is burning and we're ready to break coconuts!
Above from left to right: the leader of the village, Stake President Gutty, Sister Newton, Elder Newton, Second Counselor President Mekala.
Top: Mr. Reddy, the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) visits with Elder Newton.
Left: Elder Newton receiving a flower lei in gratitude.
Right: Elder Newton presents soccer balls for the children.
Sister Newton is presented with a shawl in appreciation.
About 200 villagers came to celebrate their new clean water!
Women gratefully accept their new water containers.
A real blessing to these women who can now provide clean water for their families!
We're off to the next village--Reddynaik thanda. Here we see rice fields and piles of rice drying in the sun ready for sifting off the chaff.
The building is complete, the sign is up...
Breaking the coconuts...
Sister Newton turns on the RO equipment...
Assemblyman Reddy makes a point to Sister Newton and the village leader.
Receiving leis and shawls from grateful leaders of the village.
And we're off to the next village--Narayana giri about 20Km down the road!
Presidents Gutty and Mekala pose at the sign...
The RO equipment is decorated for the occasion.
Villagers patiently wait for everyone to arrive for the celebration.
Elder and Sister Newton take the opportunity to visit with the people.
Assemblyman Reddy cuts the ribbon!
Elder Newton counts it down...
3-2-1...
The button is pushed, the equipment starts and everyone celebrates!
The village leader speaks of clean water for the village...
Presented shawls that were hand-made by the villagers...everyone unique.
Assemblyman Reddy speaks of appreciation for LDS Charities.
Elder Newton is asked to say a few words.
He tells the villagers how much LDS Charities appreciates the village allowing us to come "Help families help themselves" and how, "Though we cannot understand your Telugu language, we do understand your smiles and your hearts."
A beautiful sunset at the end of a beautiful day.
The next morning's local newspapers:
Not front page and center...but it is in the local papers.
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