I had been addressing Jaya as son and Dr. Rao as brother for some time in our correspondences over the past couple of months and when we finally met it felt as natural to me as being met by my family. Fortunately things were beginning to look up, that is until I tried to get my luggage. As I had failed to check my luggage through customs in Bombay they refused to release the luggage. Dr. Rao, Ravi and I went to the customs office right away where I was interrogated for a couple of hours. It took Dr. Raos son Ravi five full days at customs on my behalf to finally have my luggage released after being searched. Fortuitously everything arrived in one piece. Had this happened in America I am told, I would have been arrested for not going through customs as soon as I landed and so for that I am grateful.After the ordeal at customs and the realization all I had with me now was what I had packed in my carry on (thankfully my undergarments and personal effects were in that bag) we went to their very nice large apartment where their bedroom was mine, I was their guest. Here in America if a spare bedroom is not on hand then a fold out couch or an air mattress is inflated just for company! Ravi is Dr. Raos eldest son; we hit it off like a brother and sister who enjoyed ribbing each other, always trying to get the others goat so to speak. The hospitality of my newfound Eastern friends was overwhelming to me at times.

Jaya and I spent the day in Hyderabad with the Raos, had a fine meal of yellow rice, curried chicken, hard boiled eggs, home made bread, and.cold Coca Cola!I got to call my husband from a pay phone. Yes, things were definitely getting better. We spent the rest of the day resting from my flight before the four-hour drive to Vijayawada where Dr. Rao lived, and then another hour to Tenali to Jayas house and church.