Day 62, Oct. 11


The highlight of the day, of course, was Mass. It was Sunday. We had awakened later than usual for the 9:30 Liturgy (my usual wake-up time has been before 6::00 am several times at about 4).
After Mass we did recognize the bishop on his 30th anniversary as a priest. But, the feature that highlighted that was the noon meal after it. We met in a large courtyard with many people and boarding students and gradually made our way visiting each of the 5 convents of religious women which are located very near each other making the area a Catholic compound of major proportions. The sisters were predominantly Indian, but the orders had foreign motherhouses. That’s important since one order were the P.I.M.E.’s from Italy. Those sisters learned to cook Italian and thee contribution to the feast was past dish that was perfect to my taste. After two months of a pure Indian diet, this treat was too good not to commit gluttony over. I didn’t go that far overboard. However, several other diners had less to share after the bowl was passed to me.
We rested a while and a few of us prepared for a long ride to the tribal area to visit a project at a village where a primitive tribe lives. We arrives there only a little time before sun set (since India is near the Equator, the sun rises at abut 6am and sets about 6pm). The government (like the TVA) moved this tribe when life for them became had to sustain in their traditional location. So they were relocated at a nice place where the homes, common planting areas and other features were nicely planned. The men could continue to hunt and gather in the forest. The indigenous tribal people are welcoming and peaceful. Each little village has its own council and tribal leader. The village where the main church is located (others have missions [called sub-stations]) has elected the pastor as its tribal chief. Among other responsibilities, all petty disputes are presented to him for judgment. He does so by asking questions of both parties until they come to an agreement.
We talked in the darkness with only a dim light coming from a generator (there is electricity there; but it operates a few hours a day). We learned all sorts of things. A priest who served in New Guinea pointed out that there still are cannibal tribes thee and that some tribes are now Catholic and are very good people. During the conversation Bob Leffew and I inquired if they grew tobacco there and f the made cigars and I they sold them. All the questions had affirmative answers plus the request if we desired to try some. We did so. In a few minutes, we had some aboriginal cheroots in our hands. I lighted up. The taste was pretty good…for a while. Soon enough I accidentally took a deep puff and got a bit too much smoke in my system. I became nauseous and sick. Fortunately, it was time to go home. Even more fortunately, someone put the A/C on to super cold. Except for the driver, I was the only person in the SUV to stay awake; but it was bearable. I wanted to run to my room and greet my porcelain pal for a long while. But, even better, a staff member asked if I wanted hot tea. (The others were going to receive a snack. I waited for it and then went to the commode. I made the room warm, drank the tea and sweated my symptoms away during the night.