It’s been over three years since we returned from our trip to India, and just over 3 year since the last time I wrote. (Chris and Monica and the kids have visited the states twice since then.) It’s always been in the back of my mind, and so far down on my to-do list that it didn’t hit me until I was going to start writing the story of our new house building that I never finished writing our adventure. So here I am, armed with my notebook and scattered memories to put together the final, albeit shorter, ending part of tale of our 1st trip to India.
Friday
We had made the decision to go to a local Hindu Temple that morning, so Sara and Robert joined us for the drive and walk through of the temple. When we arrived we put our shoes in little locker type things before we could enter the temple. I was actually a bit nervous leaving my sandals behind in an unmanned shack for who knows how long, but the others seemed okay with it, so I did it.
Sara took us around the outside of the temple where the Hindi god Krishna’s life was portrayed in paintings and sculptures. His life from conception onward is a very crazy story and Sara doesn’t like telling it because she knows it not to be true and it hurts her heart that so many of her fellow countrymen continue to believe in and worship this cruel deity.
As we were finishing up our walk around the outside we walked into the temple. Oh my heart broke for those people kneeling on the floor rocking, humming, and mumbling prayers to a god that can’t do anything, and yet they still give money
There was a little Southern India snack shop within the boundaries of the temple and Monica wanted us to try one of her favorite things to eat from the southern part of India. We had a very light and airy tortilla with some sort of veggie filling inside and we were served dahl along with it. I remember the flavor of it being quite bland which is very different than the usual Indian fare we had come accustomed to.
After our snack we left and returned home where we sat and debriefed about the Temple experience and also made our plans to have a couple of the teachers from the school that Aida attended come and watch the kids so we could go on a double date that night.*
We started off going to dinner followed by a little shopping for Indian garb for David and I, then while walking home we stopped at the Milk Stand for an ice-cream bar. After arriving home we put the kids to bed and then the four of us gathered on Chris and Monica’s Bed for a good game of Phase 10 which David won.*
*We rarely, if ever, went on double dates when they had lived in the USA. So doing this was a real treat for all of us.
*Phase 10 is usually my game to win, so it was a shocking turn of events, Lol!
Saturday
Early Saturday morning David and Chris left to play in a soccer tournament where David was dubbed “Captain Brown Beard”. When they returned Monica and I got to go on a date to see a Hindi movie not dubbed into English. It was actually a really neat experience and I was able to pick up a few words that Monica had taught me.
While we were watching the movie Chris, David, and the kids played a game of life. Monica and I walked back home and then we all packed up to head to lunch at their favorite place to get American style food. The food ended up being okay, but the service and wait for the food left something to be desired. We were there for an hour and a half and all our food came out sporadically, so we couldn’t even all eat at the same time.
After going back home we just chilled for a while before Chris and David went back to Sammy’s village with a gift that we brought from our church to help with the building of the school.
Meanwhile Monica, Aida, and I played Rummy Kub while Layani played with my hair some more. When the men returned we had dinner, and once we put the kids to bed the parents watched another movie.
Sunday
We were able to have a mini-church service with my brother, that was very cool. It had been 2 years since we had been able to worship God in the same room, that brought joy to my heart. We sang some worship songs, and then we studied Luke 9:49-62 DBS style. It was really a neat way to study God’s Word.
After church we went to a Clubhouse where they offered a Sunday Brunch, all the different Indian foods and fruits and veggies were delicious. After eating we let the kids play on the playset that was there. It was fun to see something like a playset in India because so much of that culture is so different, it was a good reminder that we’re not so different.
With the younger kids tired out and the boys ready to hang out to play some video games, the girls were dropped off at City Center for some girl time. It was so much fun. We started with some tea, and then did a bit of shopping, and then to my pleasure we, Aida and I, were able to sit and get some Henna done. It was such a delight.
On our stroll home, we met a fellow missionary, named Macky, who Chris and Monica and the rest of the team have come to know and work alongside his family’s desire to get the local people making crafts and then having Macky sell them in his shop. It is an easy way for us, and travelers and believers to help get the money directly to the craftsmen and women of India, instead of buying the ‘made in China’ cheap stuff. They make beautiful and creative items.*
That evening’s meal was a light and simple chips and salsa with a creamy cucumber salad. Followed by bedtime for the littles and then a came of Dominion for David, Christopher, Aida, and I. Getting to play so many games with my family was so meaningful for me, it was so awesome to be able to play games without having to worry about keeping my eyes on my own children.
*At some point in the last few days or our time in India we did stop in at Macky’s store and purchase goods for ourselves, family, and friends. It was so meaningful to be able to buy knowing that the money goes straight back into the community to support the believers in India. Helping our brothers and sisters doing life together is very important to David and I.
Monday
Our last day came far too quickly. David went with Chris for one last soccer game time and got to say goodbye to all the guys that he played with. They came back home and took the girls to school. David and I packed our bags and started saying goodbye. Kevin stopped in with a Coca-Cola bottle for David to bring back to the USA* so we were able to tell him goodbye. Then Aida arrived home from school, and David and I gave hugs to Monica and Tekoa and loaded up in the car with Aida and Layani, heading to the airport.
It was a solemn drive back to the airport, that quiet calm that comes over you when you know the end of a trip is quickly approaching. I was still trying to take in all of my surroundings when I focused on something on the side of the road. I looked away quickly and had a good laugh. It was a guy squating on the side of the road using it as a toilet. Lol! (Remember Monica warned me of that right when we arrived a week earlier.)
We arrived at the airport and said our goodbyes. It was a time of mixed feelings. Sad to be saying goodbye, excited to get back home, happy to be able to see them in just a few months, not looking forward to getting back to the normality of everyday life in the Burton house. Such are the feelings every time a vacation comes to a close.
We walk into the airport an hour before our plane is to depart, we get through security and sit down to wait… and wait… and wait. We had to get comfortable after we heard that our flight had been delayed by 2 hours. We recalled once on the plane that we had to show our tickets and IDs a total of 6 times just in the Bagdogra airport. We commented that we wouldn’t ever complain about the USA’s TSA again. Lol!
Last bit of love’n for Aunt Steph. 
Ah… sweet nector. 
Unfortunately guys, this is where my notes of our trip drop off to nothing. I remember that we arrived back in DC, took an Uber to the mechanic to pick up our van, after a $240 dollar repair bill we went on our way to meet with Megan at a Chipotle to get the girls. We then drove 5 hours home. Thankfully Rhonda brought the boys all the way to our house so we didn’t have to drive the extra 45 minutes to pick them up.
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This is where our first adventure to India ends. We came home, back to the everyday chaos of the Burton household, back to schooling, back to work, back to preparing food, and having to be a mom and dad instead of an aunt and uncle. Life continues. We’d love to go back and we plan on it, we don’t know when or if we’ll take a child or two with us, but whenever God puts it on our hearts, we’re ready.