I have to admit that when I read the thread title before clicking on it, I thought "Oh no...what did we do now...", because I am so used to sarcasm about America, both from Americans and non-Americans. Thank you for your kind and heartfelt words. They are a refreshing change of pace.
I don't know about every other American, but I have a great affection for India. The few Indians I have met have all been very kind and welcoming people, and I very much like some aspects of Indian culture (some of the music, some of the food, and of course the many, many languages!), and am humbled and feel great joy at being in communion with several million fellow Orthodox Christians in the Syriac Orthodox and Malankara Orthodox Syrian churches based in Kerala. I don't know that I could ever learn Malayalam, but I
wish I could, because it's very beautiful in their ancient hymns and prayers. According to tradition, your country was blessed by the preaching of St. Thomas, the apostle of God, in
53 AD! If I were an Indian, I think I would be very proud of that, even if I personally met the Lord somewhere else.