We just received word of the death of + Rev. P. Herbert Anandaraj + ("Pastor Herbert") of Barugur in the Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, (South) INDIA. Pastor Herbert was a Bible student of my grandfather. (He said the class was at an ungodly early hour!). He and his wife live in Grandpa and Grandma's house on the IELC compound. Pastor Herbert was a shy, gentle, sweet man with a resonant laugh. He was so excited about my visit, and his wife got the biggest kick out of my love for lime pickle. Pastor Herbert was semi-retired, having been pastor in Barugur for 35 years. He was helping at a couple of local parishes as an interim/transitional pastor. He fell ill a couple of weeks ago, was hospitalized in Ambur and then returned home. Mother received a call this evening from one of his sons to let her know that he had, as Mom and some of her kin would say, "JJP" - "joined Jesus in paradise." His son Prem Anand met me in Kanchipuram and together with two of his friends we toured one of the temples there. Prem is a great guy, and I will call him soon to extend my sympathy.* To my knowledge, Pr. Herbert only recently fell quite ill (a couple of weeks ago) and had gone home from hospital just a week ago. The funeral service is going on as I write this. It's about 10 a.m. in India. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.*I called Prem this morning (Wednesday evening India time) and the funeral was held about an hour ago. He died at home, having refused returning to the hospital after a heart attack, and died a few days later, with his wife, a nurse, at his side.
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