Hospitality - from Heather

Greetings again from India.

I write to you this morning with a full stomach - compliments of Indian hospitality.

One aspect of this trip that I think the group has been very surprised, delighted and a little embarrassed by is the hospitality that we are shown where ever we go.  I say embarrassed, because it seems that people are extending extreme hospitality towards us, and we are not sure we deserve it and not sure that our culture would do the same to an Indian group traveling in the United States. 

Just one story of hospitality - this morning, Sara, Laura Murphy, Peter and myself set out for breakfast.  We had heard there was a restaurant in the blood bank, which is a clinic sponsored by the Rotary Club here in Kottayam.  Peter had met the director of the blood bank in his previous trip and wanted to stop in to say hi and eat at the restaurant there.  We were understandably a little unsure when we walked by signs that read things like, "urine samples" looking for a restaurant.  We found Peter's friend first.  We never actually found the restaurant, and I am not convinced it exists.  Instead, we ended up in the director's beautiful apartment that was in the top floor of the building housing the blood bank, and were being cooked breakfast by his wife.  While breakfast was cooking, we got a tour of the facility. 

Sara's quote: "This is the first time I've set out for breakfast and ended up at a Rotary Blood Bank!" 

The blood bank was not a shiny as one you might see in the states, but the facility was very impressive and clean.  And it seemed to mark a change in medical treatment in India.  Our host told us that in the past, if you needed blood you would be responsible for finding it.  Now the responsibility shifts onto the community to supply it for those in need. 

After the tour, we returned to the director's home for breakfast - the table was beautiful and bountiful.  The director and his wife had stopped everything they were doing this morning and extended to us wonderful hospitality.  It was both humbling and wonderful.  And it was not the first time that we have been on the receiving end of such extravagant welcome.  It is my hope that we can bring at least a bit of this practice of hospitality home with us.

I hope you are all staying warm in snowy Lawrence.  We think of you all often.

Peace,
Heather