We got up at 5:00am this morning to pack up all our gear and to fold up our tents. I am super exhausted because we didn't even get to bed the night before until close to 1:30am. We got everything packed onto the buses and said our last goodbyes to the families and children. It was so hard to say goodbye to them. They cried and didn't want us to leave...and I cried and didn't want to leave either..:( But knew that we'd be coming back in the future.
After we left, we had about a 4 hour bus ride back to the hotel in Chennai. That bus ride seemd to take forever! I was so super tired and was sick of riding in horrible India traffic. We finally got to the hotel and had about 2 1/2 hours to shower, nap, rest. I took a LONG shower because I felt so super dirty. Then I laid down and slept for an hour. It felt so good. Even if it was just an hour...I felt a little bit better. :) We then headed to KFC for lunch. It was SO good to eat American food again.
{awww yeah. :)}
We then headed into downtown Chennai, to the highest elevation in the city...St. Thomas Mount. The place where doubting Thomas came to India and brought the gospel. INCREDIBLE. It was so beautiful overlooking the whole city of Chennai. There was the church where people today still go in and worship at. Just unreal to be walking around knowing that a long time ago, doubting Thomas was here as well, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. So unbelievable.
{the church at St. Thomas Mount}
{overlooking Chennai up on St. Thomas Mount}
{overlooking the city}
{Jesus on the cross}
{about to go into the church...posing with an elephant..:)}
{inside the church on St. Thomas Mount}
We then left St. Thomas Mount and headed to Spencer's plaza. This is a 4-story "mall." It was pretty dirty and people basically begged you to come into their shop to buy things. It was a little overwhelming at first, but then you got the hang of just ignoring people and walking by. :) I got some really beautiful scarves for family/friends back home. I can't wait to give them to them. It was lots of fun to shop around because I got to relax a bit and just take in everything one last time. We then all met up at Pizza Hut for dinner. American food again...yum! I am not supposed to eat pizza either, but I would have given my left arm for American food, so I ate a piece of pizza and ended up paying for it later. :( Oh well...
{pizza hut in tamil!}
{spencers plaza}
We now just returned to the hotel and we get to shower, and sleep for about 2 hours until we have to leave for the airport at midnight. It is sure going to be a long night and long travels home, but I am so ready to be home and to get to see my family. I'm ready to get back into my routine again and be clean. :) We leave Chennai around 4:00am and fly to London which is around an 11 hour flight...and then back to Chicago and land around 3:30pm which is around a 9 hour flight. Yikes...lets just hope I can sleep on the plane this time! :) Let's hope we have smooth, safe travels!
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