I knew she was going to attack me...
All in all, the trip was indeed an enjoyable one. I thank the Lord for the time away from Singapore. When i first left, i honestly wasn't really looking forward to it and the only reason that kept me going was that my long-time childhood friend Roby, who had been more like a brother to me had requested for me to be his best man. And to have turned that away would have been a total lack of care and gratitude on my part. So i went. But the moment i landed, the Lord blessed me with the greeting of another long-time childhood friend when i never expected it. The joy written on his face at seeing me after almost 13 years was there to see. What amazed me was the instant reaction of sheer elation that filled my heart when i saw him!
From there on, every person from my childhood, whom i saw, (most of them were really like family) filled me with much gladness. It seems that they had been waiting a long time too and when they heard i was coming... they too were elated. I guess it has been really long.
Besides seeing and being re-united with family, even if for a short while, i got to see how some of them are still serving the Lord in a full-time capacity from before i was born till now and are continuing to do so. Despite their age and their struggles be it financially or with family or with whatever else, there still exists this feeling in them that their service is unto the Lord and that beats everything else. Seeing how the villagers are satisfied and give thanks with the simple things in life too made me think whether i had grown too accustomed to the comfortable luxuries of Singapore and. Seeing people living in trash bags put up as tents made me thankful for how the Lord has blessed me. You know we often complain about our government, about the "lack of freedom", about how could they treat us in school in such a way, about why our parents don't treat us like that other kids parents, about how we can't get that computer game we want or that particular item or even about how people around us are so "unfair".
Some of these maybe valid claims in a properly viewed context, i don't deny; but let's be honest, how much of us actually just wants more because we've been spoilt by the knowledge that more can be attained elsewhere or because we want the simpler life? The Lord never promised us that we would get every whim and fancy of ours. Instead He told us to be prepared to pick up our cross and suffer for His name. I must confess though that plenty a time i have yearned and seeked the easier way out.
It turned out that going back to my "roots" was just what i needed to end the year off. Though i don't think i can stay in that country for too long, 4 - 5 days was good enough ( i could feel myself falling sick already). More than that, i came back much refreshed, not physically, coz i was more tired from the trip than i was during the CCPOD (Crazy Christmas Period Oct - Dec), but uplifted in my soul with much thanksgiving.
The day i landed in India, i wasn't expecting anybody to pick me up. But the Lord blessed me with a very special welcome! My childhood friend Sudhesh, who i had not seen in eons turned up at the airport to pick me up and even got me flowers in the midst of his busyness! It was a joy to see him after so long! How he has grown...but we both commented that we still look the same as 17 years ago haha... 
Such a cool reading lecturn!
The pulpit!
Christ Church High from the outside!
The big clock tower...
When we stepped out of the restaurant into this area, we thought we had warped back to Singapore...
People, you have not tasted CHeese Nan until you taste the one at Pritam Restuarant in INdia!
More cricket amidst the skyline...
Sigh isn't she adorable...
Wackos...
4am in the morning, the night where one is suposed to sleep after a long day of wedding stuff...here we were getting ready to go back...4am...sigh...oh but the driver who drove us back to the airport - he was skillful man! The mist at that time of the morning all the way till 6 plus only allows you to see the vehicle right in front of you! ANd since 99.99% of the vehicles in that region hav back red lights that don't work...you can only see the vehicle infront of you when it comes within the range of you front lights! Even the street lamps don't work!
Yes...4am...
We tried to spruce up the wedding chambers...but i have no idea what the glass of milk was for...
Now you always need these family photos...what would weddings be without them? (A lot faster :p)
She danced so much that we had to change her out of her white dress... and she still continued after that! Mind you there's no air-con in the village ok! But i must say the weather itself was a blessing...natural air-conditioner...
Legs! Tsk :p
My dad dancing with another girl...oh oh there was a very romantic moment when all the couples involved with the family of the groom took to the dance floor...the whole floor just for them!
Me & the groom (Roby)...i like my suit! :p hehe...
Yes...full blast speakers, amps, lightings and a lit up dance platform in the middle of a village...you wouldn't believe it...
Me & Ruby...mother of oh-so-adorable Ria...
I was in that jeep and what happened was that after we left the church once the wedding and the crazy photo-taking session was over, we drove around in the jeep for a short drive (some kinda tradition?) and then drove back and into a huge tentage that had been prepared for the wedding dinner.
Their big day...Mind you, all this was done in a village...
I think i was too tired from smiling for the past 2 days, that i couldn't smile...
We stepped out into pitch blackness from the sanctuary... and suddenly a lamp from the videographer flashed up and we got snowed big time!
I was waiting for the kiss... but it never came... instead they exchanged garlands...-_-'..
The signing of the wedding cert.
Becky took this shot...very nice!
My dad being the witness for the wedding...
The whole 4 days i never knew what was going to happen next... it really forced me to trust that everything was in control and that the Lord would be by my side even if it wasn't... it's a bit nerve wrecking when you're in a totally different culture and involved in a big event but you have no idea what you have to do or what's going to happen next.
Do i have a double chin??!
Mum & Ruby...I think they really hit it off!
AWWWWW!!!! Love them :)
Isn't she lovely...
Me & Bunty... father of Ria who has certainly put on some since i saw him many many years ago...
Ruby & Me...
I look funny...
Before the whole village filled up the church...
Oh so lovely...
This church was 100 years old...
The inside of the church at the Christian mission...
Roby praying on the afternoon before his wedding...
Old windows man..
The offering of the villagers... their harvest! So traditional and biblical!
What do you call these things?
The 100 year old church...
The band outside the bride's house...totally wasn't expecting that!
The groom entourage...heading to the bride's house for lunch on the day of the wedding...
Rachel & Ajay...*ahem*!
HAHAHA!
HAHAHA 2!
This fella just popped his head in out of nowhere!
Raju-moushi (raju Aunty)...
That's the 3 of us...Roby, his brother Bunty... and me...and yes that's me in a kurtha... a dress...
Waitin outside the bride's house on the track on the engagement night...
Rachel, Ruby & Rebecca....
Rascal! Don't be fooled by that smile!
Engagement Night...
The groom basks in his moment of ...er... marital bliss?
HAHAHA!
I knew she was going to attack me...
All in all, the trip was indeed an enjoyable one. I thank the Lord for the time away from Singapore. When i first left, i honestly wasn't really looking forward to it and the only reason that kept me going was that my long-time childhood friend Roby, who had been more like a brother to me had requested for me to be his best man. And to have turned that away would have been a total lack of care and gratitude on my part. So i went. But the moment i landed, the Lord blessed me with the greeting of another long-time childhood friend when i never expected it. The joy written on his face at seeing me after almost 13 years was there to see. What amazed me was the instant reaction of sheer elation that filled my heart when i saw him!