Feb 15-16 Kut, Puriang, restored Feb 14 Funeral

Tuesday am (15th) Gail visited Jowai Unitarian schools, then we left for the village of Kut. There we saw the church, the school, potato patches and the ruggedest landscape we've yet seen. The school's greatest current need was fencing to prevent vandalism – small size limits enrollment so not all the children are able to attend. The Indian constitution

mandates education for all, but there is a terrible lag. Schools like this are started by the church and staffing needs are partially met by the state. We then traveled part way back to Puriang, where we met Ditol Mylliem, had dinner and a worship service at his house where we stayed overnight, and a good thing as the service ran till after eleven. It was very intimate with many people (children in the adjoining room), and the women took a strong roll in the Q and A, engaging in a lively conversation about church life. We increased our appreciation for Ditol and Helpme, their minister (and predecessor and mentor to Ditol), as we realized this group of women were feeling empowered. Ditol, principal of the school and several of his teachers must have been a bit drowsy the next day, but we didn't notice when we visited. The discipline of learning starts with lining up by class, and singing a morning prayer. The tenth form (grade) meets in the compu
ter room, which serves the district, the school having won the right to house it by being the highest scoring in the state tests. .

Feb 14 Temple, Megaliths, school, Jowai funeral, restored

Monday was exceptionally busy with a morning visit to the oldest Hindu temple in Meghalaya which still boasts the stone from which human heads dropped, the site of even more ancient monoliths, and a school opening in a village with only one, very influential, Unitarian family. Durga temple – I did not take photos from inside as prayer was in session – the sacrifice stone, now used for goats, is to the right of the man in white. The Nartaing Monoliths, 5,000 years old, kept my finger clicking for 53 times. The Ksehrynchang school, set on a knoll below the village, had the most stunning location. The work progressed on the building even as children lined up for their first day after winter break.
Back to Jowai by something like 1:30, we joined the funeral for a Unitarian member who had been failing for a year. We were honored to sit with the family - the husband and three children, ages 7 – 18. The 18 year old boy was to sit for a state I.T. exam the next day. Gail had visited the day before, and he had been deep in grief. Today, he cuddled his young nephew and cracked a couple of jokes inexcellent English. Revs. Laloo and H.H. Mohrmen spoke as well as several relatives. We have been to so manyservices that we can sing along with the hymns pretty good (Khasi is phonetically recorded, the script having been lost to all but a few scholars) The entire gathering, with Unitarians from as far as Guwahati, walked down hill with the pall bearers to the Unitarian cemetery. The brief graveside ceremony brought home to us how well this community of Unitarians support one another.