Weeks Ending November 10, 17 and 24, 2019

- December 08, 2019

We had a couple of uneventful weeks followed by a visit from Gena and Seokhee so we have a little catching up to do. Here goes.

There is always something interesting in the street. These fine fellows strode by one Wednesday afternoon while we were outside our gate waiting for a cab.

We flew to Kolkata early Friday morning (November 15) and spent the first half of the day checking out the Indian Museum. Founded in 1814 by the British, it’s the oldest museum in India. Afterwards we had lunch at a cozy, quirky little place called Kewpie’s before going back to the Sonnet (our hotel) to meet with Presidents Sujal and Anita Pyne, head of the branch and the Relief Society respectively.

Saturday I went to a good movie with Anita and Sashrika. ” Jhalki” is about a nine year old girl who rescues her brother from a rug weaving operation. It is based on true events and ended with a series of heart-wrenching footage of real children being rescued from exploitative work situations through the efforts of Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Afterwards we made a ministering visit to Mosumi Das, an inactive member. Grant worked in the hotel room all day. That night we had a wonderful Bengali dinner at Sonar Tori with President Sujal and Sayantanee, his wife and the Toones who were in town to find a missionary apartment.

We had a busy week getting ready for the arrival of Gena and Seokhee on Friday but we had an interesting week even before they arrived. Monday evening we visited with Fazalur Rehmaan (in the white kurta and green vest) in Old Delhi. At the time of partition his father operated a small restaurant in Old Delhi near the Jama Masjid and began feeding the poor for free each day. This tradition has continued without a break since that time. He and his family continue to feed hundreds daily as they line up outside his place, while paying customers eat inside. He has been a friend of the senior missionaries in Delhi for about a decade.

We dined in his newly renovated home along with his son Adam (pictured) and his family, Brother and Sister Katuka (next to Adam), the Toones (Sister Toone is pictured here) and the Platers.

Gena and Seokhee arrived early Friday morning (November 22). That afternoon we visited the Qutb Minar and the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, the "real" Old Delhi.