Leaving India
Bill and Sandra Write
The heat, humidity, pollution, on-coming monsoon and general stress of living in South India have worn us down a bit. India is stimulating, exciting, and intense, but not relaxing. We have decided to go to Turkey for the next six months. Antalya, to be exact, which is on the Mediterranean coast. We will still have some things to say about India, so do check back. We will post a notice when we have finished putting up all the pictures and writing about our stay. Then, I think we may start a Turkey blog.
We are assuming my freedom from cancer will continue, and we feel we can relax better in a more “westernized” environment. Maybe we are getting too old for the roughing-it lifestyle.
We do want to come back to India again, though, for this country has gotten into our blood and there is so much we love about it. India has been good for us and good to us. We have made some close friends here, and would like to see them again sometime. Besides, we have made a total of five trips to India now, and we’ll have to make it an even six!
So, farewell, India. We will miss almost everything about you. Oh, sure, we are looking forward to Turkey, but it is somewhat sad for us to be leaving India.
One big reason it is difficult to leave is the people. Every place we go for a last meal, the staff is genuinely sorry to see us go. Managers come by the table to wish us well. Almost everyone offers congratulations and offers thanks to (their version) God for my healing.
One man living in our building, with whom we had talked only a few times because he travels so much, happened to be coming home as we were hauling our bags down to the taxi. When he learned of our departure, he wrote his cell phone number on his card and handed it to us. “I have a three bedroom apartment and live alone. Before you come back to Mysore, call me first and you can stay in my apartment for a few days.”
Mala, our landlady, who quickly became a good friend after we moved in, was particularly sad to see us go. However, she had been praying and lighting candles for my healing, so she was also happy for us. We will definitely try to stay in touch with her.
We missed saying goodbye to Madeva, the young night watchman, and Manchia, the older, day watchman. Madeva was off getting married and wouldn’t be back for weeks. Manchia was at the wedding enjoying a few days off.
Carolyn and Hossey befriended us from the very beginning, having us over to their home at Christmas, and loaning us their car and driver when I needed a ride home from the hospital – they were a source of constant help and friendship, as were their daughter, Juli, and her husband, Vivek.
Saying goodbye to the new extension of my church family was also hard. I had come to know the ones attending the small English Sabbath School class well. I will miss the spirited spiritual discussions. I learned much and, perhaps, presented some new ways of understanding the love of God.
Then there are the rickshaw drivers on our corner, some of whom got to know our habits quite well. We just had to say, “Saraswathipurim” for a visit to the Ayurvedic doctor, or “Preethi Cancer Clinic,” or “Green Hotel,” and they would know exactly where to go.
Yes, we will miss you, India, but, Lord willing, we will return. Now, Turkey beckons.
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