Skipped breakfast today to do a hot and coldish shower, steam treatment, and sleep an hour more.  I felt much better after that.

During worship we all signed a book called “Steps to Christ” to give to the waiter as a thank you for how kind he has been as he serves us.  At lunch I got to give him the book.  He spoke little English, so I showed him all of our signatures, told him how it is one of my favorite books, and that we were excited to find it in Telugu language.  He accepted the book with a serious look on his face.  I was afraid that he was offended by the Christian book.  He wobbled his head Indian fashion and folded his hands and bowed his head at me in a proper thank you.

After our meal, as I left, I waved goodbye to him across the room; he smiled really big and nodded.  So he wasn’t offended after all!  I know if he reads it he will find it to be such an encouragement through the trials of life.  I was happy that he understood how much we appreciated his kindness.

Back in my room I prepared for the health talk I would give tonight on charcoal and how you can use it to absorb toxins and infections, etc.  I washed some clothes (by hand in a bucket and hung on the curtain rod to dry).  Then watched Lisa getting dressed in a sari by a pastor’s wife.  It is more complicated than it looks, and there are more layers than I thought!

As we drove into the village tonight, 5 giggly young women pulled us 3 American girls into the pastor’s house and had us undress and try on the bra type of shirt thing that they wear under the saris.  This is the only part of the outfit that must be “fitted.”  The rest of it is a simple drawstring skirt and the long silk cloth that wraps around three times and drapes over your shoulder - both of those are a one size fits all.  My “shirt thing” was so tight!  I made faces as they made it fit, and the girl made faces back that it is supposed to be that way.  Ugh.  Their saris are unarguably beautiful, but my American clothes are way more comfortable.

The big scorpion came out on the tarp again tonight.  This time I got a good look at it.  Pr. John tried to kill it by throwing his sandal at it.  But it didn’t seem to phase it.  An older man got a big stick and pushed it away off the tarp.

During the health talk a gust of wind kicked up and there was lightening in the sky at a distance.  People were getting uneasy as it started to spit rain drops.  Pr. Ravi suggested to me that we go inside the church.  I looked at the crowd and asked “will we fit?!”  He replied “No.”  Pr. Kelly decided we would stay outside as long as possible.  Rachel had pre-chosen for the children’s story: how Jesus calmed the storm - how fitting!  And “Small Toni” prayed that God would keep the storm away from us as she began her Bible study.  The power was off at least half the time.  Rachel held Toni’s computer for her so she could read her notes (since there was no power point to work from).  As the rain became a drizzle, Pr. Kelly got up and held his plastic chair over Rachel and the computer to keep it dry.  The people laughed and someone came up with two umbrellas.  At the end Pr Kelly did the quiz quickly.  As soon as it was done, the rain poured down.  I think this was the only night that the people didn’t gather around us to be prayed for.  Everyone scattered.  And as we tried to drive home we had to wait for three trees to be moved off the road.  That gust of wind had done some damage, but the meetings were not stopped.  It was an adventurous night!

At the hotel that night something went haywire with the electricity and there was some sort of power surge, I guess.  I was using the steamer for a breathing treatment when it happened and the cord caught on fire!  Great... no more treatments and I would have to buy another steamer for the lender.