Fred and Nancy remained in Chikale (village in India) getting ready as one of the visit sites from the IERD (International Exposition of Rural Development).  They arrived in India in September, 1983 in the midst of the monsoons, spent a week in Maliwada at a council meeting, and arrived in Chikale, walking nearly waste deep in water crossing the creek to get to our house.  Discovering that the German embassy was sending folks out to dedicate the school in a nearby village of PALI, they along with all of their colleagues in the village gasped!  What school?  They got the materials together and with some help from Vijay Lokande were able to build the school in time for the visitors to arrive.  Paula did put them off until after the monsoons.

Then the preparation time for the IERD came and many of the staff were assigned to Delhi for that task.  Nancy was sick for about two months after arriving in India with several “bugs” that one can aquire in similar circumstances.  She remembers spending some time in Bombay but mainly was in Chikale.

Now comes the Rodney and Priscilla part of the story.  Following the IERD site visit and the completion of one phase of the work in Delhi, Priscilla announced that they were coming to Chikhale and taking Fred and Nancy to the Taj Hotel for a couple of days.

Lanphears and Wilsons have been together many times over the past 30 years.  It was always in wonderfully supportive situations.  The last was a visit and introduction to Wilson’s son, Tim who lives in Hood River, Oregon. Rodney and Priscilla flew to Oregon, Fred and Nancy join them near Portland for lunch.  Fred had  been diagnosed with ALS, and Rodney had not been well for some time, we all knew that it was a final visit, at least with the beloved men in our lives.  What a time we had, talking, hugging, remembering ….  Tim took a picture of the four of us old friends together.  What a treasure to have good friends.