August 2016 in Rajahmundry

Larry now reads the local Telugu newspaper...

Well, he reads the pictures and the numbers.

Our office has gathered lots of stuff on the walls now...there's a bulletin board on the back wall next to the window just above Larry's laptop computer; the large white board on the adjacent wall also above Larry's laptop has all of our projects listed with status notes; above the printer is a new GANTT chart for the new borewells in Gubbi Taluk, Tumkur outside of Bangalore. This project started as an idea in September 2015 and was approved on August 30, 2016.

We try to make the days count and not count the the days...






Ten months before we leave.

We saw these signs painted on the back of this lorry and thought it was worth a picture:   "Pappa Drive Slowly---Mommy Waiting for You"

These photos are on the road to a village called Mandapeta--about an hour west of Rajahmundry.

Notice the river is brown. That is what happens to the rivers during the monsoon season of July and August in India.

At the edge of the Godavari River, which runs next to Rajahmundry, just before the river runs to the Bengal Sea there is a statue of Christ very much like the one on the mountain near Rio de Janeiro. Here is a silhouette with the afternoon sun at His back.  

Three new stores opened up on the first level of our apartment building--an optical shop, an infant and maternity store, and a store specializing in traditional dhoties (men's skirts) and good quality shirts for men.

One day we were walking down the road near our apartment and found this creative shade hat that an apple seller had. It is an apple box packing cardboard.

I said, "Nice Hat" and the guy grinned proudly.

Raju's son, Jesse, dressed up as an Indian Freedom Fighter for a program at his school.

Here, Jesse is standing near the statue that is up the street from our apartment where the freedom fighter he represented is located.

It was a holiday commemorating the freedom fighters of India--the statue had decorations and there was a program at the statue earlier that day.

Brother Sampara and Sister Anita became formally engaged on August 24th. Their marriage was not necessarily "arranged" but, the parents of the couple have agreed to the marriage.

Here decorations, fruit and flowers are arranged. Professional photographers record every aspect of the engagement party with both video and still photographs. Over 100 people attended this party at the church house.

The couple wears one set of clothes at the beginning.

Later, each gives the other another set of clothes to wear as the engagement process proceeds.

Each family presents the gifts to their new son and daughter-in-law.

Here, Anita receives special bride's gifts and blessings from her new family.

Of course, there is also lots of Indian food to eat!

Outside the barber shop where Larry gets his hair cut a grandfather brings his grandson's bicycle to the bike shop for a tire repair. The boy watches intently as his treasured bike is repaired so he can once again stretch his independence.

There are wires stretched every where in India.

While in Hyderabad we saw this "Newton" institute.  We are not sure if it is an institute for crazy people or what...