Last Day

We had an amazing day today and are filled with so many mixed feelings. We are excited to come home and indulge in some Cafe Rio or a Venti Chai Latte and sleep in our own beds, but we are also filled with sadness. These kids have jumped into our hearts. They have volunteers come through Rising Star throughout the year at two-three week intervals and yet they are so open, so willing to share their lives with us. In America, I can see these transitions causing a closed attitude or cynicism. Here there is only gratitude. It's an important lesson for us all to remember.

We spent the day in Mamallapuram. J'Amy, Natalie, Claire, and Riley went surfing in the Sea of Bengal with James  (Promethean Spark) and Nery (Rising Star).  They said the waves were strong and they did more boogie boarding than surfing. They had SO much fun! Then they went to lunch at Moon Rakers - an amazing restaurant - then they went shopping.

Another group, Baylee, Megan, Paige, Michael,  Leslie, Erin (Rising Star), Klarissa (Rising Star) and Rosie (Rising Star) shopped first then went to the pool and the Sea of Bengal. They loved it. They swam, they had french fries and pizza and were basically in heaven. Paula and I shopped and then took a Rickshaw to the stone temples, which Mamallapuram is famous for. We had a ball! Here are a few photos.

Afterward, we had our last playtime. There were a lot of pictures and a lot of tears saying goodbye to our Rising Star kids!

Last Work Day!

We had a great time today! On the way to the medical clinic we saw a gaggle? group? barrel? of monkeys by the side of the road, literally two feet away from us. It was hilarious! Two of them were working together to raid some guy's knapsack. There were a bunch of mothers with little babies. So cute!

Then we had medical clinic! It was the smaller colony yet, sadly because it only has elderly people and there are only a few of them left.  However, the ones who are there are amazing!!! They are kind, funny, joyous people. We sang and danced with them and painted finger nails, and did puzzles. It was so cool! 

We had Klarisa, Leslie, Kelly, Riley, Claire, Megan, Baylee and J'Amy on our team today. 

The construction crew, Nery, Paula, Paige and Michael moved a ton of brick today. The got pretty innovative! Anything can be moved on a motorcycle or a bicycle in India. Here's Michael showing us how it's done. You can't see it in the photo, but he has a pile of bricks behind him. 

Jenna and Natalie are still teaching. They are on education duty, so I will try to get them when they get back. 

What's Up?

We have had a busy week at Rising Star. Each day we rotate between medical clinics and education or construction duty. We usually are done with our duties by 2:00, have an hour to cool off, then have kindergarten playtime, afternoon playtime, prayer time and dinner. By 8:00 pm, we have a few meetings debriefing the next day's activities and then playtime. We've made the Mango room into the Mango Lounge and the kids hang out in there or other people's rooms.  It's actually a lot of work, but at the end of the day, we feel good about what we have accomplished and the kids have stolen our hearts.
Here are a few photos.

Baylee, Megan and I are on construction together, so I only have pictures so far of the three of us. Here we are standing in a hole we dug. I know it doesn't look that impressive, but notice the large tree behind it. Yeah, roots galore! It was hot, humid and the girls did a great job. Baylee even invented a new method of digging called the "Baylee Swirl". 

Anytime we are on construction, we move a lot of bricks. These piles were from two piles of bricks that were out front. The men behind us were building the septic house. 

This is Baylee, Riley, Me, Klarissa and Abraham. Abraham is one of the patients who comes in for treatment. Even though he has no fingers and is missing half his foot, he still has the best personality. He is singing to us while Riley soaks his feet in order to clean them. Baylee has just cut off his gauze and next I will oil and cut toenails. Then J'Amy, behind us was wrapping. The nurse let her wrap a few patients by herself. Claire was doing eyedrops and Megan was taking blood pressure. 

After medical clinic, our group got to go to the zoo. We were a little hesitant at first and thought it would be 'sad'. However, the Chennai Zoo is beautiful! Parts of it remind me of the main sidewalk in Central Park. It is wooded and the habitats are spacious. It was huge and very well-maintained. 

This is Megan and Baylee and I getting ready for a day in education. We always have to wear the oh-so-attractive chiradurs and then the scarfs signify that we are teachers that day, not playmates. We teach everything from reading to computers. 

Riley is starting to work on our mural. I will post the first sessions and ours when we finish. 

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! We are all a little homesick today and missing the festivities of Park City. 

Working Hard

It's been a lot of fun watching the kids over the course of the week we've been in India.  It's hard to believe we are half way through our trip already.  I am so impressed with how much joie de vivre the kids have approached everything.  In Delhi it was shopping.  In Agra it was shopping.  And all points in between it was shopping, they even shopped from the bus!

They have brought that same joie de vivre to the school.  From the moment we arrived they have jumped right in.  Friday was our first full day.  We've all been divided into two groups, six people per group.  Our group's first assignment was medical.  We went to the largest colony in the area, we served 40 patients by the end of our visit.  Each of us was assigned a task: blood pressure, sugars, removing bandages, washing feet, or assisting in debridement and applying new bandages.  I was so impressed with the tenderness and compassion the kids showed when tending to the patients, it was truly moving and inspiring.  All the people we worked with were elderly.  We set up "shop", so to speak, in the front of the village's nursing home.  When we were finished with visited with a few who were so grateful to have us there.

Today was our second full day.  Our group was divided again, into two groups.  One group was assigned construction, the other education.  The group I was in helped to build a latrine.  Actually, village construction workers built the latrine, we dug the holes.  It was back breaking work - a western-style shovel and wheel barrow really would have sped up the process - but we left with a great sense of accomplishment.  It was very satisfying to have started out with a piece of ground and ended up with a brick foundation (and a 3.5 foot hole, not complete).  All the people we worked with were very helpful and kind. They went to great lengths to make sure we stayed hydrated - I don't think I'll be able to drink orange Fanta for a while. :)

PB