Negombo Branch chartered a bus to Kandy. We all gathered at the Branch Building in the morning. We met a darling family before boarding the bus: Pathmasiri (father) Dec 24; Champika (mother) Jan 8; Thushal 17 (brother) Aug 26; Deshika 14 (sister) Mar 25; Piumi 10 (sister) Mar 4; Gaghana 1 (baby brother) Aug 14 They insisted on giving us their birthdays...in hopes of receiving birthday gifts?? The bus ride was fun! They were singing and playing instruments in the back of the bus. The bus was decorated with pictures and beads. There was beautiful foliage along the way. We stopped at the Elephant Orphanage and took pictures of them bathing. When we finally arrived, I took pictures of President Kumara (Kandy Branch) with President Roshan and Elder Lee. The Relief Society President made delicious Dahl. Our Branch Relief Society prepared the rice, fish and sambol. Everything was delicious! We all ate with our right hands...using our thumbs as pu...
Today, Colombo Branch had set up appointments for us to visit two more families with Brother Tandiman . First, we visited Darshani Sellar and her children: Deyan 18, Anju 16 (friend-convert), and Casy 14. Darshani is the Colombo Branch Primary President and a hairdresser. The young man pictured in the back is Shamika...he drove us to Colombo today. Darshani told us how 10 years ago she taught a group of 19 young Buddhist girls English...they all ended up getting baptized. At that time, she owned land (inherited), which she sold, so she could take all 19 girls to Hong Kong to be baptized for the dead in the Temple! Seven years ago, her husband disappeared. She was angry with God and stopped going to Church. However, when Elder and Sister Condie were here, she came back, and is now thriving with her hair and wedding business. Her three children (the 16 year old boy is not shown) all are preparing to go on missions. They read scriptures as a family and individually ...
We left for Chilaw at 8:00 AM. We stopped at a Holiday Market to buy a papaya and a saron for Vijith's birthday. Piyasiri, (Shermila's husband, and Shammi's stepfather) and Brother Roy wanted to have their picture taken with Elder Lee. Niluka demonstrated how to wash rice!! Niluka's mother, Sister Melan, looked tired from all her cooking over a fire! We sat out on the porch while it rained lightly off and on. Vijith modeled his new saron. I love to go into the kitchens of those we visit...it’s always a party! It is common for the women to eat in the kitchen while dinner is being prepared...all over the world, women must taste the food that is being prepared! Shamalee and President Saliya also were invited to celebrate Vijith's birthday. The food was beautifully displayed!! The guests ate at the table with the “Birthday Boy” while the rest of the family watched us eat until it was their turn! For an every-day dinner, here in Sri Lanka, the women sit down to...
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