Today, Rev. David had us all over lower Tamil Nadu. First, we headed east to see an ancient fort that predated British colonialism, built on the beach to protect the shore. We moved inland to a Hindu temple. We did not enter the temple because men must take their shirts off to do so, and one look at us male team members shirtless is enough to make all of south India ill. Still, it was interesting to see people bathing and washing at the temple pool, and to watch others go to leave offerings at the temple.

Day 9 Click for more pics

After this, Reverend David took us to the Lutheran Seminary in Nagercoil. We were received warmly and greeted as “important guests.” I corrected the seminary principal and told him “We’re not important. We’re little more than tourists. What you teach your students to do; and what they do for the people of India… You are important.” We then visited a Lutheran grade school behind the seminary, where we handed out small LHM Frisbees. They were gone in moments, but I won’t be surprised if more than one of those Frisbees becomes a dish in the near future.

We then moved southwest and saw areas heavily affected by the tsunami. One village lost 300 people as the wave trapped villagers in a local canal, sweeping them out before the water could recede. Near this spot, we stopped to visit a Lutheran Hour Colony, where 16 homes were built for tsunami victims. Some people who get valuable things for free never appreciate them, but that wasn’t the case at the colony. The women kept their homes immaculate, clearly treasuring their value after losing so much in the tsunami. We heard the story of Irene, who lost two children in the tsunami, and then was abandoned by her husband. We can’t even begin to replace what she and others have lost, but we can remind her that she is not alone, and that people – even people as far away as the US – care about her.

After a late lunch, we went into the neighboring state of Kerala. Rev. David took us to “a beach where tourists go.” Sure enough, Coconut Bay had more Caucasians than I’ve seen all over the rest of India combined. It’s easy to see why Coconut Bay is a tourist destination. It is situated in a cove surrounded by a palm forest and flanked by a striped lighthouse to the south. It was a beautiful end to a long day.