This week, and our second in Sri Lanka, began at 4:30am (Sunday) as we boarded the Van for the three hour trip to Hewadiwela Corps. Located in the hill country this corps is one of the oldest (of 42) in the Island.
It was our privilege to share in worship, and mine to dedicate a baby and preach. The hall, situated amongst the trees and built on a rock, was filled to capacity – the timbrels played and the people sang and greeted each other with the Maori, KiaOra.
After lunch we headed out to Pinnawela, the sight of the world famous Elephant Orphanage which is home to about 120 elephants at the moment. Gael and Gay bottle feed a calf before we joined the throng and headed down to the river to watch the elephants parade down the road to have a bath. All before Gill, Gael and Ian rode elephants and Ian shared a shower with an elephant.
Monday we travelled up through the hill and cultural capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy, to the Hunnasgiriya Tea Estate where The Army has begun a ministry amongst the children of the workers. 150 children, all Tamil – some Hindu and some Christian - were waiting to greet us and we didn't keep them waiting for long before we had them singing “From my head to my toes, I’m special” and chasing all black balloons around the room. The puppets made a well received entrance and Gael used the Kiwi to talk to the children about being special.
After removing the leeches from Gael and Gay, we headed off to conduct a Sunday School (on Monday) and to lead a short meeting and prayer meeting in one of the village houses. Hunnasgiriya is located about 800m above sea level, 30 minutes from the nearest town and is home to about 300 families and a tourist hotel, complete with golf course - all surrounded by beautiful rugged rock mountains, covered in mist and tea shrubs.
Today we had the opportunity to visit the Temple of the Tooth and the Kandy markets before heading back to Colombo to resume our program at the Institutions in the city.
