Goodbye India

My last week at Rising Star flew by! The day I flew out, Saturday, they were having the dedication for the new wing of the school and the eating pavillion for the kids. Currently the kids eat all their meals outside. So the last week, we were busy with all the preparations. Lots of last minute cleaning, finishing up half done construction projects. I couldn't believe how much work the kids and staff put into beautifying the campus. They strung home made flags all over campus. They put up twine and then folded and glued thousands of individual flags of crepe paper onto the string. They also folded hundreds of bamboo leaves into hundreds of pretty decorations that we hung with the flags. With the festivities, a whole slew of people have come in. So our little group of 12 people has quickly become closer to thirty! The founder of RSO, Becky Douglas, and a bunch of the key people have been staying at the hostel and it's been really neat to hear their stories and get to know them.

I also got to go pay a visit to Bindu Art School, where the leprosy afflicted paint and sell their paintings. A few of them have gone to Europe for international exhibitions. Their paintings there sold for thousands of dollars. I ended picking up a small painting and got to talk to the artist and have my picture taken with her. My roommate, Sarah, was nice enough to pack it home for me since there's no way it would have survived the next part of my trip.

With the the artist and the picture I bought.

Saturday morning we were up early to help clean up the campus and sweep the road before all the guests arrived. The kids' families were invited too. Families are invited to Rising Star once a month, but many can't even come that often due to the cost involved in getting to campus. And if you can believe it, the leprosy afflicted aren't even allowed to ride buses. So, Rising Star sends a van to the train station to pick all the families up and bring them to campus. It still baffles me that India treats their own people like that. They are all cured of leprosy and are now just living with the results from it going untreated for so many years. Luckily, it does seem like attitudes are changing and I have no doubt that Rising Star is a big part of that.

We decided to wear saris for the big events since there would never be a another time in our lives we'd get to wear them. The hostel has a bunch of saris to choose from. I ended up getting a blue 60's print that was fun. The housemothers at the school helped us put them on with the help of many safety pins. Didn't want to take the change of anyone's yards and yards of carefully folded and tucked fabric, coming undone during the program!

The dedication has a whole of great speakers and dignitaries, including a $25,000 from the Marriott family! But the most exciting part was definitely the dances performed by the kids. They did a couple of traditional tamil dances that were so good. And then they performed to Michael Jackson's "Black or White" and they killed it. It was so cute to see the boys just rocking out. After the dancing and singing, all the families got lunch catered by the Marriott. We got to eat lunch with the kids and their families. It was so fun to meet their families and see how excited they were to have their parents there. It was so sweet to see how the families just spoil the kids. Many of them got new outfits to wear and candy. I think they were all thoroughly sick by the end of the day.

All the volunteer sessions get to paint a mural on a section of the wall surrounding the hostel. So we finished up our painting and then I left for the drive to Chennai and then onto Phnom Penh! It was sad to say goodbye to India, but I'm really exciting to meet up with Ryan and explore Cambodia.

Decorating the campus for dedication.

Playing dress-up.

Two of the dancers before their tradiational Tamil dance.

Sardi, one of the boys in my "family" and his family. There was a noticeable lack of fathers at Parent's Day.

Me and Ruthish...a boy in my family and one of my favorite kids. He's so funny for such a young kid and is so good at imitating people.

One of our kids in a brand new dress and matching hair bows.

I love giving kids my camera and seeing what pictures they take. Sometimes they're the best shots!

With a woman at a leprosy colony. She was so sweet and looked beautiful in her green sari.

Pondicherry & Beyond

On Friday, the other volunteers went to Delhi and Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Since I had already been there, I stayed back and went to the coastal town of Pondicherry with the summer volunteer directors, Raegan and Jenny. We got the cutest hotel room - all bright colors, antiques, and a swing in our room. It was amazing. We had a great time shopping and walking around. It's a former French colony so it has a really different feel than most of India. We went to the local temple and got blessed by an elephant. In the picture, it looks like the elephant is whacking me in the head. But mainly we ate and ate....everything non-Indian that we could find. We found an Italian restaurant owned by an actual Italian who was also the chef. He sat down with us and we had a great talk with him. After we told him we were from Utah, he asked us if we were Mormons. We said yes and he said "Fantastic! You are the first Mormons I've ever met!" Then periodically during dinner, he would burst out and say "fantastic....Mormons!" It was so funny. He asked us to email him a photo we took with him so that he could hang it up in the restaurant. It was really funny. We took the bus back to Chengalput and it ended up being a lot longer than we planned because of traffic and trains and construction. I had a good time chatting with the locals. I was listening to my ipod and this little kid asked if he could listen too so I gave him an earbud and put "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" on. He loved it.

On Monday I got to go to Bethel Nagar, another colony. Three of the boys in my "family" are from Bethel Nagar. It was mindboggling to walk around the village and imagine my boys living there. The kids at Rising Star are really westernized and speak English and are dressed well and are really clean. The kids in the village look poor and unhealthy. The kids go home to their families a couple times a year and I wonder how they cope being back in that environment - are they popular because of all the knowledge they have of the western world, or are they resented because of all the opportunities that they have.

I washed feet and got to interact with some really neat people and hear some amazing stories. One man, in his 80's had been blind for 20 years. Our doctor, Dr. Kumar, convinced the hospital to do an eye surgery on him even though they'd turned him down several times because they said he was going to die soon anyway. They finally agreed to do the surgery after Dr. Kumar told them that they wouldn't hurt anything by trying. The surgery restored his sight and he was able to see again. He said his wife looked more beautiful now than the day he married her :) Before the surgery, he was really unhappy and depressed, but now he's so joyful. He tells everyone the story and always raises his arms up to heaven and says "halleluiah, halleluiah". It's such a great story and his joy is palpable.

This is the man who could finally see again after twenty years. His surgery was last year and he's still ecstatic about his restored vision!

His happiness is contagious.

I got blessed by the elephant at a temple in Pondicherry.

Our Italian so delighted by his Mormons.

The end of Week 2....

I've gotten the chance to go to another three leprosy colonies over the past couple days. We basically go out with the doctor and two nurses and help them with whatever needs to be done. We take turns testing blood sugar, blood pressure, and then washing feet. Leprosy destroys the nerves, often in the feet and hands, and as a result, patients will get an injury or wound and not realize it. Many lose their feet because they will injure their foot and keep walking for days and weeks until there is a huge ulcer in it. So, at clinics, we remove their bandages, wash their ulcers and then the nurse re-bandages them. I was a little nervous the first time I washed someone. Some of their ulcers look incredible painful, but most can't feel it so it makes it easier to clean it thoroughly. And the patients are so sweet and kind. One of the colonies, Bhatapuram, is like a senior citizen's home for leprosy patients. One lady was so cute, the whole time I was washing her feet, she kept pinching my cheek and then kissing her fingers and smiling at me. I was trying to communicate with her, but she only speaks Tamil, no English so we weren't getting past "hello" and she just kept staring at me blankly. Then a Tamil speaker came over and interpreted that she was asking me what I had eaten that day. Here, after you say "hello", the next question is "have you eaten today"? It's like asking "how are you" since the answer will dictate how you are doing. So, I told her yes, and she asked what I ate and when I said "toast" she burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing she'd heard all week. A couple of other ladies sitting near us started laughing their heads off too. So there must be a Tamil word that sounds like "toast" that is really funny. I also cut a lot of toe and fingernails. We only had fingernail clippers and I was having a hard time cutting a man's toenails because they were so thick. But every time I managed to clip some off, he'd say "oh, very goooood". It made me laugh every time.

Bindu Art School is in the colony we visited as well. Some of the leprosy patients are amazing artists and even though many have no fingers and little or no feeling, they are producing amazing words that sell for hundreds of dollars. We got to visit the school and see some of the artists work and talk to them.

At one of colonies we went to, a man in his 80's, had had a heart attack that morning and was taken to the hospital. Dr. Kumar was talking to his wife and she started bawling because she was so worried about him. Then she came around to the three of us volunteers and one by one, took our hands and then laid her head against our chest and just cried. It was heartbreaking. All of us were fighting back tears. Even though we couldn't communicate with her, I think she understood how concerned we were about her and her husband. Aye...I know it's a cliche, but I think all the time about why I was so lucky to be borbn in America in this day and age. These kinds of experiences really drive home how fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the volunteers, Raegan, trimming toenails.

Leprosy patients.

Artist at Bindu Art Center.

One of our sweet patients. She was so nice.

My little lady who laughed so hard at "toast." When we had our picture taken, Kaci told us to say "toast" and we both started laughing again.

My little toast lady.

One of the patients.

A Bindu artist.

Bindu's seal on their paper.

Mamallapuram

Last Saturday we got to be tourists and go to the beach town of Mamallapuram about an hour away from Thottanaval. Mamallapuram has some ancient rock temples from 665 AD. The other girls shopped while I browsed....I spent way too much money when I was North. Then we went to the beach and kicked back and relaxed. On the way home, we stopped for dosas. You're not in Southern India if you haven't had a dosa. It's basically like a big rolled up crispy crepe. So yummy.

Monday and Tuesday I was at the school and did some tutoring in reading. I like the one on one time with the kids. Most of the time when I see them, it's at recess or at night when we're in our "families" and they're running around like crazy people. One of the greatest benefits of having American volunteers is that the kids get to practice their English and we help them with their accents. Without Rising Star, most of these kids wouldn't have much of a future because of their status here. They would stay in the colonies and many would be out on the street, begging with their parents. But, Rising Star is giving them a good education and lots of practice in English so that they can succeed when they leave school. In fact, many of the huge companies that have outsourced jobs here in India, have already agreed to hire Rising Star students once they graduate and have passed their exams! That is a huge deal because these companies pay really good money. It's really exciting to be a part of this, alebit a tiny part. The founder of Rising Star got here a couple days ago and has been telling us the most fascinating stories. Some are horrific and tragic. Others are funny and about how hard it is to get things done here in India. But, it's been really inspiring listening to her because she started Rising Star not that long ago, and they're already seeing huge changes. Pretty heady stuff!

Krishna's Butterball in Mamallapuram.

Naveen - one of kids in my "family" and one of my faves.

The kids put a book in a cardboard box and pretend they're watching a movie. So creative!

Recess time. The kids loving having their pictures taken and using our cameras.

Moot Leprosy Colony

On Friday we went to Moot Colony: a small leprosy colony with only seven people. When we first arrived, I think all of us volunteers were a little nervous - they don't speak English and we don't speak Tamil. One of the volunteers here is a dancer, and brought some Tamil music and speakers to play. One man, Krishnan, has no feet or hands and gets around on a small, wheeled platform. He couldn't hear the music because he's partially deaf so we cranked it up and held it up to his ear. He got the most beautiful, happy smile on his face and kept saying "Tamil, Tamil." He danced a little, moving his arms back and forth. It was so fun to see because I don't think he had heard music for awhile. Dr. Kumar, the doctor that Rising Star Outreach employs, brought Krishnan a new platform that is lighter and easier to maneuver. Watching Krishnan when he saw the new platform brought tears to my eyes. He was so happy and excited.

To have leprosy here, is to be the lowest of the low. Many people will try to hide it because if word gets out, they will be cast out of the town and their own family members won't even visit them or ever see them again. It's heartbreaking, considering it's a completely curable disease, but it's  I wish I spoke Tamil so I could speak with them and learn more about their lives. But since I don't, I had to be content just sitting with them and enjoying their sereneness.

There was one man, Jai-Raj, who was a real ham and hilarious. He speaks some English, and a whole lot of Tamil and never stops talking. He actually reminds me a little of my brother, Matt. He wanted a lot of pictures taken. For some reason, he likes to pose with his mouth open.
As we were leaving Krishnan motioned us to bend down and he blessed each and every one of us. It was so sweet.

This woman was so sweet. She would just sit and hold my hand and smile.

Me and Jai-Raj and his favorite photo pose.

 .

The small woman is such a gentle soul. She saves scraps of her food to feed the birds out her window. She barely has enough to eat herself, but always makes sure the birds eat.

Krishnan's leg. He has a wheeled platform to get around.

Getting blessed by Krishnan.

I wish I had a picture of this man by himself. He has the most beautiful face and gray hair.

Rising Star - finally!

I started volunteering with Rising Star Outreach ( http://www.risingstaroutreach.org/) on Monday. A group of seven of us got picked up in Chennai and driven two hours to the tiny village of Thottanaval. Rising Star's goal is to help leprosy colonies become thriving and self-sufficient. They have a school  for kids who have a family member affected with leprosy. The kids are provided with nutritious meals, medical and dental care, and a good education. They also have medical teams go out to the colonies and provide health and dental care. They also do micro-finance and help the leprosy-afflicted set up businesses so they can support themselves so they don't have to beg. Having leprosy is a huge stigma in India: up until a few years ago, it was legal to beat a person with leprosy if they touched you. Rising Star is working to change that stigma. For the three weeks I'm here, I'll be working in the school, as well as going out to the colonies with the medical team.

The first day we got here, we had lunch, had our hair strewn with jasmine, and headed out for to play with the kids for their recess. It was amazing how friendly and loving they all are. As soon as we got there, it was "Aunty - play with me. Aunty - come chase me." They call us all "Aunty" and I'm "Shelly Aunty." It's darling. The kids sleep on campus at their hostel and are broken out into "families." We were assigned into our families. I'm with about 17 boys, the youngest is 5, but the majority are about 10 years old. This has been the first real exposure to boys I've had. Growing up in a family four daughters, I'm not used to boys. But, it's been a ton of fun so far! One little boy, Veerin, has stolen my heart. He's got the sweetest smile and is so charming and knows exactly how to use it. He has a huge lump over one of his eyes. It started growing one day and they're not sure what it is, but it seems like it's starting to get better.

Every night we eat dinner on the roof of the hostel and get to see the sun set over the mango grove that surrounds the playground. Each night we have to say our high and our low for the day. Some days they're silly, other days they're poignant. One of my lows this week was about a little girl with growths on her face. All the kids here love digital cameras and love to have their photos taken so they can see themselves. I was taking some pictures of the kids and this little girl came up to me and wanted to see the photos. I asked her if she wanted her picture taken, and she said "no, I don't have my photo taken because of my face." And she covered her cheek with her hands. My heart just about broke right there.

This week has been a little unusual because the kids were out of school for three days for a Tamil holiday. So we tutored some of the kids who were a little behind in English and Math for the first few days. But every day we head over at 4:30 to to play with them at recess. Dinner is at 6 and then we break out into our families until 9.

Wednesday we headed over to a colony to help build a community center. Basically it was manual labor that I'm sure could've been done a lot faster and more efficiently if we weren't there, but it's the thought, right? Basically we formed a line and passed huge bowls full of sand and rocks down. It was 100 degrees in the shade that day, so you can imagine how hot it was in the sun. I thought the most I've ever sweat was when I was in Italy during that huge heatwave where thousands of people died....but this was much worse. I was soaking wet by the time we finished. But - it felt good.

First day fun! No shy kids here.

Little Veerin

                                                      The playground and kids hostel

Morning assembly, surrounded by palm trees.

One of the students at my "talent" class. We made thank you cards for adults in their lives.

Agra & the Taj Mahal

I took the train back to Delhi and spent one night there before leaving for Agra: home of a lot of beautiful monuments, including the Taj Mahal. I love driving around India, because there are enormous statues of the Hindu gods, in the most random places. I'm especially fond of the Ganesh's and Hanuman-ji's. I spent two nights in Agra and went to Agra Fort and Akbar's Mausoleum. Both were just breathtaking and beautiful. Akbar's Mausoleum is built out of redstone and marble and uses both Hindu and Muslim elements of design. I also loved Agra Fort...it was so much more interesting to me than the Red Fort in Delhi. And of course, I saved the best for last: the Taj Mahal. I was right there at 6am when the gates opened and seeing it in person is just as amazing as you think it will be. I was a little worried it had been built up that it wouldn't seem as impressive, but it's even more awe-inspiring in person. And there weren't that many people there so I was able to get some pictures with hardly anyone in them. Unheard of! 

Akbar's Mausoleum

Darling kids I played with at Agra Fort.