A Glimpse of Life in INDIA

I have found beauty and the true meaning of love

2010-06-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

The road ha come to an end and as much as it hurts to think that I leave tomorrow I have found a new beginning. Last night I was on my knees and prayed to have one last heatfelt experience. I know Heavenly Father is there for me because what I experienced today has changed me for good. Coming to India I knew I would have a great time and be able to offer a helping hand. I did not expect to feel all of these unexpected feelings and have a life changing outlook. Today we went to one last colony with all the volunteers and staff. There were only six members of this colony and they were the poorest out of all we have seen. The moment I stepped off the bus I would not have guessed that in a few moments I would be overwhelmed and very moved.
I immediately hugged and kissed the faces of these beautfiul people and they were so happy to see us. There was a man sitting on a little seat with wheels that were worn thin. He had no fingers left but such an optimistic attitude. He would scoot on his seat and wipe his sweat with a rag that was draped over his shoulder.

Another woman in brightly dressed clothes grabbed everyone and began kissing our faces, while grabbing our cheeks.
Later I looked down to find a 30 year old woman, who looked much older, with one eye left and zero percent body fat. She had such a beautiful smile. When she got up to walk I noticed she was walking on her hands and one foot. I was overwhelmed and tears began to stream down my face.

The whole time I have been in India I have had had many moments where I was choked up but did well to hold back the tears. Today I could not hold it back and let them flow down my cheeks. There was another man who was the happiest man I have met since being here and he had such a spunky personality. He sang, danced, and spoke all the english he knew. He called himself the Master!

We turned on music and began to dance with everyone there, which was so fun for them. They caught on and would do what they were capable of doing. The man sitting on the seat found a bucket and we gave him a spoon to play it as a drum. It was like a dance party in the village as a small family.

Their faces were so bright and they did not sit there and feel sorry for themselves. The man on the seat had no fingers but hit that drum the remainder of the time we were there. I sat back after dancing and just watched each person. I had to hide behind Matthew because I couldn't stop crying. I looked over to see the man on the seat trying to push himself with his paw like hands and then he looked at them because they were dirty and scuffed up. His friend brought out these little shoes to put on his hands. We all just sat and enjoyed each others company while listening to music and I was so moved.
It would be so easy for these people to just sit and give up on enjoying life. The nurses handed them medicene and I notcied they had caps on them. I always feel bad asking people to do things for me but here they have no choice and are compleletely helpless. This does not stop them from giving up or showing off their beautfiul smiles. They offer their chairs to us and to me this simple task says a lot about the type of people they are. I know I will try my best to never complain about anything because I know if I was affected with the conditions that they were it would be hard to be as happy as they were. I learn something from these people everyday and really look up to them so much.

As we left I put in my ipod and just stared out the window....yes tears were still coming. ha Geez, get a grip I know! I have found it funny that in the past when I listen to music and it is about love I would think about a certain someone or when I may find that person. Every song I listened to that had to do with love, the people of India and the children I have met were the ones coming to my mind. I really do not want to leave and I have been able to love more than I ever imagined. This place is full of beautiful people who do everything they can to get from one day to the next. I will miss seeing the women in the fields with brightly colored clothing folding palm leaves or washing their clothes in the lakes. The faces of these people are engraved in my head and the culture that they cherish so much. Driving through the villages and seeing everyone wave makes me smile every time. The resources that we have in America make our lives so easy and I know I have taken it for granted. I never thought I would miss bucket showers and eating on banana leaves but I really will.
When we arrived back at our home we painted the wall for other volunteers to see. Each session will have the same oppurtunity to paint their own thing on the wall. Since we were the first session we chose to say, "Foundation for Tomorrow!"

I ran over to play with the children because I knew the moments were running low. Today was perfect and so much fun! We played on the playground and did a hands up stands up contest. Sure enough I ripped a whole in my pants and the kids found that hilarious! "Auntie!" and they pointed and laughed. I ran to go change and began to play frisbee with two boys and soccer with Anarasan. I want to mention that I was multi tasking which I have never been good at. I would kick the soccer ball to Anarasan then throw the frisbee; back and forth it went. It actually worked out really well! A couple of the boys came and sat down next to me and asked if I was leaving to America tomorrow. I said yes and they wanted to know when I would be coming back. I didn't even want to think about it. I am having a hard time because I feel I have finally established a meaningful bond with the children and I have to say goodbye. Anarasan ran up to me before they went to go eat and held up our sign then kissed me on the lips!
While the children ate dinner the volunteers came back to pack and get ready to say goodbye to the children. I thought the day could not have been any more emotional but I was wrong. We did not have much time with the children which was good because I hate saying goodbye and to drag it out makes it much worse. I took a deep breathe and walked in to the room and Nagaraj came up to me and said, "Eliza here are my pictures of Jesus." The tears came rushing down my cheeks as I stared at 2 large portraits of Christ and Nagaraj smiling as he showed me. He asked to take a picture and then all of the children ran over to me to see why I was crying.

Every single child told me to stop crying and hugged me without letting go. I don't think they realized that it did not make the situation any better. The housemother pulled me into another room and asked why I was crying. I informed her that I was sad to leave and loved her dearly. She started to get teary eyed and said I will pray for you right now. Next thing I knew we were on the floor kneeling and she gave a long prayer in Hindi. I opened my eyes to find every child kneeled down next to me folding their arms. To see that was the most powerful experience I have ever felt and their love rushed through my body. It was the most beautiful prayer and she was so kind to give a part of herself to me. Everyone came in for a group hug and we continued to take pictures.

My eyes were obviously swollen from what had just happened.
My favorite part was while I was kneeling on the floor trying to pull myself together and each child would come kiss me and say they loved me. It was amazing that they knew what was happening and we all promised to pray for each other every night. The way they stared into my eyes as I was crying was with deep concern and a need to make everything better. One boy who is usually very shy and never says much came to me from across the room and just wrapped his arms around me; he did not let go. I still continue to cry as I write this last blog and feel that today has been a miracle. These children will forever be a huge part of my life. They taught me more than I could have ever taught myself. Everyday I went to bed in awe for the blessings I have been given and the people in my life.

Tonight for our last event we are all dressed up in saris and had a huge dinner at our hostel with all of the volunteers. I had a housemother put mine on and as I walked out all the kids said, "ahh!" I gave them one last goodbye and left. Putting on this sari made me feel like a Princess who would not rather be anywhere else. Even though I still do not have any make up and air dryed hair I felt on top of the world.

We ate dinner and shared our experiences with each other the rest of the night. Many of us were moved by the things that were said and what stood out to particular people.
My time in India has shown me how to touch people who were untouchable.

Something that I want to bring back with me is remembering to seek and open my eyes to those around me; letting them know they are loved. A girl tonight shared her feelings and explained how when we were getting off the bus at the Taj Mahal out of the corner of her eye she saw a teenager who was bent over walking on his hands while his leg dragged behind. Amazing how someone who is so close to the ground it became easy to overlook him. He was made invisible by the visibilty of his appearace. A simple gesture like this and asking how they are may change someone for good or give them the strength to keep living life the best they can.
Amy, who is over Rising Star, told us to leave our blood, sweat, and tears behind when we left here. I know that I have done this and my sweat is literally in the soil of India. I hope I have created a foundation of love for the people I have come in contact with here. India is not about the land but about the people who make it what it is. Charity and loving others is not about buying gifts but simply bringing all of yourself to the table and loving them. In doing this you will find the true meaning of love within yourself. I know I have felt this love from them and once you feel it you will never be the same. This is the real world out here in India. This trip has been filled with beauty and I feel liberated. There is something about this place that helped me step out of the chaos of my own world.

Tonight is is lightning outside and the rain is pouring down so hard. Listening to the thunder from outside my window I think about when I first arrived to India. At first I felt compressed by the pain and wounds my eyes saw when I first came here. These wounds and affections these people had I now do not notice. I have learned moments have everything to do with people and really taking a look deep down inside of them. There is a child that lies within each of us no matter our outward appearance. We are all in a world looking underneath the same sky and for me that reminds me that we are all one. I hope I never forget that within everyone lies a struggle of some sort or another and with a little love and awareness we all change for the better.
"Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can-there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did" -Sarah Caldwell
"Every moment is made glorious by the light of love" -Jalal

Thank you for everyone who has taken the time to read my blog while I was on this journey. Your comments and prayers have been felt out here and I love each one of you! I am so grateful to have shared this experience with my cousin Matthew and the chance we had to become very close. He has taught me so much by his example and willingness to always help. I love him and look up to him so much for the gentleman he is. I loved getting to know Audrey and the personality she brought to this experience.

Feelings of Importance

2010-06-09T04:08:00.001-07:00

This morning I woke up at 6:30 am to work out and noticed it was pouring rain. It was very rare to be raining this hard during the the month of May. There is something about the aura in India that rejuvenates me and makes me feel alive. There is a feeling of serenity that takes place here in the mornings. I get so much done in the morning and get a lot of reading in. Starting the day off with this schedule makes me feel like I have accomplished a lot and have the rest of the day.

After breakfast Audrey and I immediately ran outside and just stood in the pouring rain. We had been talking about how much we would give to jump in a pool and as luck would have it the rain came tumbling down.

Today we got the best excursion because we drove a couple hours away with the directors of Rising Star and Dr. Kumar to a board meeting in another colony. Men on the committee came from different cities and states. This meeting was about the micro business that have been started and the main funder is Padma. Padma is basically a princess in India; her dad used to be the President. She is the Mother Teresa of today and the most amazing woman I have met. She lends money out to leprosy colonies and they pay her back. Once leprosy afflicted people are cured they still are not able to find jobs because of their stigma so Rising Star and Padma have worked together to help these people get enough money to start businesses and then they pay back their loans. People in the villages also give the very little money they have to one person and then that person pays back and so forth. I am just learning about how micro lending works but it is very fascinating. Padmas goal is to make it so there is no longer any beggars. Her family has disowned her because her social class is very high compared to the people she chooses to associate with. She does not dress wealthy because those things are of no importance to her. Many women here wear silk dresses and love to wear jewelry but not Padma. Once she saw how silk dresses were made out of silkworms she became anti silk. ha It was so fun to sit in on the meeting and watch all of these men talk even though I did not understand anything. I felt very important though to be able to listen in on something that is making such a huge difference in India for the better. Everyone there had been cured leprosy and it amazes me how far they traveled to give back.
Quote: You can start with nothing, and out of nothing and out of no way, a way will be made"
It is hard to be a woman in India and be as powerful as Padma is. She has done so much for other people and when she was a child she would play at the feet of Ghandi. What an amazing experience that would be! People know her from all over and her parents are very proud of who she has become. She could have everything she wants in the world but she chooses not to. She was very sweet and explained to us in English what discussions were taking place during the meeting. I wish I could be like her and change the world little by little. She is brilliant!
On our way home we got ice cream once again at the junction Audrey and I bought a Fanta. We still have not figured out why we buy a Fanta every time we spot one; it is confusing as to why we crave it so much. Back In America I would never think to go buy a Fanta. The whole bus ride Matthew was cracking jokes and insisted that every man In India had a mustache. For most of the ride we tried to prove him wrong but the odds were against us.
Break time consisted of us lying down on our beds and I was so excited to see I had an email from my mom. I love knowing that family is always there and always wants what is best for me. I have also found a family here at Rising Star and these children have reminded me what unconditional love is. They all act like brothers and sisters and are so loving. From the moment I got here they accepted me by calling my Auntie. I want to be that way with my family back home always. I am so far away and have had many moments to myself just thinking about life. I finished reading the book The Secret today and I love this excerpt that I read. I love the quote, "Man becomes what he thinks about"
Today when I walked over to participate in play time the children that are my favorite ran up to me and yelled my name. They actually remembered! I picked them up and did not want to let go. After dinner there was a Birthday so we sang and at cake. This cake was way too sweet for my taste buds. I was so disappointed because I was looking forward to that cake, dangit! I walked into my little house tonight and the kids were the best behaved they had ever been. It was like Christmas morning when I walked in and everyone was lying down on their mats ready for bed. Matthew went in the room with the older boys to do homework and I laid down with the younger ones and the housemother while reading books. It was so cute how the housemother would ask me how to pronounce words and asked what each word meant. She did not speak very much English at all. The children were so calm and listened to me actually read the story. It was definitely a tender moment because I felt like they were in tune and excited to hear.

The best news about today was when my family emailed me and said we may sponsor a child here for Rising Star. I got to choose who to sponsor and I chose Vanaresin. At the beginning of my trip I met a boy in a colony named Cartee who stole my heart. I haven't seen him since but there is something special about him that will always stay with me. Once I got to know the Rising Star children Vanaresin's smile reminded me so much of Cartee. I had the same bond with him that I had with Cartee. It was so amazing how it happened and ever since we have been very close. This is his first year at Rising Star so he does not speak much english but enough to get by. We have an I love you sign we do with our hands and he says, "I love you!" Tonight I pulled him aside and told him I was most likely going to sponsor him. I am not sure if he understood what I said because when I asked if he would like me as a sponsor and he replied with, "YES!" then pointed to the cake. ha I explained how it worked and I truly feel he understood because he kept smiling and was so happy. I love him so much and am so blessed I have the chance to keep in touch with him after I leave here.

Tonight we played games with everyone in the Mango Room and Audrey and I checked each other for lice. We used the lice shampoo just in case. We aren't paranoid at all! ha So far we are clean; so everyone back at home don't worry. Everything that I did today I kept thinking about how it is the last time. One thing is for certain and that is I never expected India to feel like home as much as I do. I have given all that I have and I am having a hard time thinking I have to leave it all here behind. I realized though that the memories and experiences I have created here will stay in my heart forever. Something that will always stay with me is how I have changed since being here. My eyes have been opened and my heart too. I was planning on helping these people here but they have helped me. For that I will be eternally grateful....

Successful day!

2010-06-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

This morning we combined two groups and headed off to work at the construction site. On our way we stopped at a leprosy colony where the leprosy afflicted people paint and draw. They sell their art and it is some of the most amazing work. It blows my mind how talented many of these people are with no fingers or any previous experience. There were hundreds of painting to choose from but I ended up finding the perfect one. I was so excited when I found out the man who painted it was there sitting next to me so I got my picture with him and the piece of art he had created.
Down the street was the construction site and we hauled bricks from one location to another for a couple hours straight. I tried carrying some bricks in a bowl on top of my head. I realized that it is not the most comfortable thing unless you have a rag on your head. I truly appreciate a good brick building after participating in the process and seeing the amount of time it takes. These women are saints walking around in their long draped outfits hauling everything you could imagine on their heads. Before India I always wondered when I saw a construction worker they were never working, but more or less sitting on top of a cooler underneath a tree. Well now I understand that it is exhausting in a very short amount of time and breaks are much needed. I wish I had kept track of how many bricks we did hauled today.

On our way home we got ice cream at the junction and it was the coldest it has ever been; SCORE! Teresa was nice enough to buy everyone one. The first thing I did was run to the bucket shower and get rid of all the red dirt. After I wiped off my face I noticed my face wipe was dark. Gross! We had a half hour break and left on our way to have play time with the kids.
Today we were all exhausted from staying up last night and working with energy we didn't have to expend. I knew I would regret just being lazy later on so I played soccer with a couple of boys and played catch with the girls. Rahtig came up to me today and yelled Eliza while showing off his Indian dance moves. He never ceases to crack me up! I loved watching the two kids, brother and sister, walk around together today holding hands. These kids were the ones that Amy brought over from the colony so they would not have to beg anymore. They are so close to each other; it was neat to see the brother and sister bond that they shared.

Dinner tonight really hit the spot and this was not because it was something different than usual but because I was starving! Afterwards the volunteers played sardines!

Matthew and I braced ourselves for the kids once again but to our surprise they were more mellow than usual. Mellow would be considered an understatement but if you had seen what they were like before there would be no confusion. One boy continues to speak to me, not in English, and he does it just to bug me. I start mimicking him in their language. The kids laugh so hard when I do this!
We tried to just sit down and start reading so that children would not be running around like baffoons. One thing I loved about tonight was how a kid named Argay kept bringing me books and was always trying to hold my hand. I realized it was one of the boys who have fallen asleep on me last night. He is so quiet but I taught him how to read tonight and say, “I love you!” The way he sad it made me want to squeeze him to death.
After reading I noticed a kid today that had not really caught my eye before and I noticed him folding his underwear and laying them out to dry on the bars. He walked into the other room and began to fold all of his clean clothes; nicely setting them on the shelf. This little boys name turned out to be Joshua and he looked younger than all of the rest. I was so impressed; I kept thinking was there something in it for him. It wasn’t till shortly after I noticed Nagaraj, (the leader of the pack), directing everyone to clean up. I love how everyone listens to him and stops talking once he says something. If we didn’t have him in our family I don’t want to know what chaos would be going on. I need to pay him to come to my house and get order in line!
Joshua still impressed me because he was such a good listener and did everything as soon as he was told. It took the others quite a bit to actually start helping. My favorite part was when Nagaraj started to speak and began handing out everyone’s blankets. Let me remind everyone that this kid is the same age as everyone else! I am pretty sure he will be the next President. He brought me into the other room and said to me that he wants me to take pictures of his pictures that he has of Jesus. I absolutely loved this! As I was leaving another little boy in a different family played a role from a movie and was the best little actor I have ever seen. I hope he gets discovered.
The night ended and I just kept thinking about how different my life is going to be without these kids to look forward to every night.

Today was a special day

2010-06-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Waking up this morning was rough considering what time we went to bed last night. I was planning on doing construction but a few things came up that caused road blocks in our day. Amy received a call saying that the group headed to the colonies car broke down and they needed a ride. She sent the driver to go pick them up and the rest of us went to a salon and had threading done to our eyebrows. Unfortunately Matthew was not allowed to come inside so he roamed the streets while waiting for us. Amy, Audrey and I only paid 1 dollar total for the three of us! This is one reason that I love India. Once we finished we called to find our driver and we were told his car broke down on the way to pick the group up. Great luck for us; we got to take a rickshaw car to the colony where the car had broken down. Interestingly enough our driver was drunk and our rickshaw broke down 3 times. We took a picture and our driver wanted us to take one of him posing next to his car. What a weird character! ha
This day was not in our favor at all but we found it hilarious. Instead of doing construction we tag teamed with the other group and were able to visit two different colonies. The first one we mostly walked around visiting the leprosy afflicted people in their little homes and getting to know them on a personal level. Amy's job was to find parents of a child who is at Rising Star and inform them that their son has tuberculosis. I promised myself today that I would remember to give everything that i had and to not hold back because this week will be over before I know it. I love being kissed on the arms and hands by these wonderful people. It is the best feeling seeing how happy they are to see us. I met a man with no leg today and I love how they talk to you forever even though they know we have no idea what they are saying. These people are so happy and you can see in their eyes that they do not dwell on the conditions that have been put in their path. I feel guilty that I have come here to help others when in reality they are helping me.

The next colony was a sad sight to see because Amy informed us we were going there to pick up two children whose mother took them out of school so they could continue begging on the street. The father of this family is in the hospital because his leg needs to be amputated and the mother has no way to provide a living. By taking the kids out to beg is the only way she feels they will be able to earn money to survive. We went to the children's home and the mother was not there. They were with the grandparents and other children in the village. The boy was around the age of ten and did not crack a smile or talk to us because he knew why we were there. He did not want to leave his mother and just by looking at him I felt he had the world on his shoulders. His sister was a sweetheart and was very easy to talk to. I felt that the mother had told these children to not leave her because she loved them too much. I can understand why it would be so hard to go against what she says because they all have so much love for one another.

While Amy tried to get a hold of the mother and talk to the children we continued to help Dr. Kamur and test for hypertension, diabetes and wash feet. Amy is an amazing director because she was not going to leave until those children were in her arms. Rising Stars goal is to get beggars off the street and give these children hope for the future. We left without her and finally made it back to our colony for play time with the children!
I had really missed the children while being away this weekend. Today for me was very special because instead of playing sports with the same group of kids I branched out to establish close relationships with the other children. I love finding kids who are crying because holding them in my arms is my favorite thing. For some reason everyone has the hardest time remembering my name but once I tell them they start yelling it over and over. Just hearing my name is the best thing I have ever heard. It gives me the biggest smile! I started swinging the kids around until they were to dizzy to stand and before I knew it there was a huge line waiting for me to swing them. The children find it absolutely hilarious to jump on top of me until I fall over because of too much weight. I won't lie I think it is pretty funny.
Once dinner was over Matthew and I braced ourselves for another chaotic night with our little family. Today everyone seemed to be following me around and I felt on top of the world. Rahtig continued to show me his little jig and his dance moves cease to impress me. Christaraj hung out today which is the cutest little boy with the brightest smile. He gave me the best kisses and loved playing duck duck goose. Once Vanadoss walked in the door tonight I opened my arms and he ran in then kissed me on the cheek. I have established meaningful relationships with many of the different children and I have a greater understanding of why mothers say they would do anything for their children. After playing we started to settle down the children and Christaraj cuddled up next to me making sure I wasn't going to leave. Watching him lay there with his blanket trying to fall asleep gave me a feeling that is hard to describe. Every time I would move Christaraj would grab me and hold me so tight. Being here and staring at the most gorgeous children has be speechless most of the time. These kids feel me with more happiness than I ever thought possible and I do not want to leave. I sat with him and another scratching their heads until they were asleep and just kept thinking to myself that I was the luckiest girl in the world. My thoughts went to the past thinking about the beggars we saw on the street in Dehli and It was surreal to me to think that use to be many of these kids. As hard as it is to deal with the beggars I am reminded that when I see them I need to be more patient and loving because I know how amazing each one of them is. They love to be held and once you set them down they crawl back up.

After one group was asleep I helped Nagaraj with his homework. This is the kid that is so smart and is the leader of the pack. I was laughing while I helped him because I had no idea if I was doing it right. I guess he will find out when he goes to school tomorrow! I love seeing how much he loves to do his homework and is fascinated with learning.
Truthfully I am having a hard time thinking about how my time here is almost over. I feel like this has become my new home and these people are my family. Remember to love everyone around you because in doing this I have felt many things that I will always remember!

Weekend get away

2010-06-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

It all started with a 2 hour ride to Chennai, 2 hour plane ride then a 5 hour drive to our hotel! I am glad we all wore our genie pants because they are so comfortable. It was worth getting the weird stares.

As we drove it was surprising how the sites never get old and I am always amazed at how these people get by from day to day. I almost felt guilty when we pulled up to the nicest hotel ever! It was so beautiful and I was so relieved I got to sleep on a soft bed. I have so much respect for the Indians and how they sleep on mats. My back was already screaming at me after only 2 weeks.
This trip we woke up at 5 am to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise but to our surprise a sunrise never happened. We couldn't figure out if we were to late or the pollution in the air just covered the sun. The Taj Mahal was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen in my life. I could not believe I was there looking at it with my own two eyes! We had a tour guide explain to us everything about it and its history. There is the most gorgeous marble inside and a particular piece of marble lights up when you put a light to it. I could not believe a man had built this just for his wife. The time and effort that was put in this took a very long time. I was so glad I got to see one of the 7 wonders of the world.

As we drove we passed the Presidents house and many other neat historic sights. We had the opportunity to walk through one of the oldest temples in India. The intricate designs in these temples are amazing to look at. We drove through a very popular market place and I had never seen so many people. I am learning how to bargain and can now realize when I am getting ripped off.

The driving here is absolutely insane! I used to get nervous driving in Utah but now I will be so calm after what I have seen here. If I cross the street I can most likely expect to die because nobody will stop. Thats a lie, if it was a cow they would stop! ha One thing about this trip that shocked me was how many children were beggars on the street. I had seen slumdog millionaire the movie but it gave it a different meaning once I experienced it for myself. These children look so haggard and will not take no for an answer. I was told they are beat to look this way and have been taught this is the only way to survive. Once you buy something from them they continue to ask you to buy more. We found a PIZZA HUT to eat at that was a sit down restaurant. Might I add that I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time. Pizza had never tasted so good. The sad part was that these kids sat outside the restaurant until we were done eating to beg for more. Matthew gave a mother fruit and she was so upset that it was not money. I told her to put her children in school because the government pays for it and unfortunately she didn't like that either. It is so sad to me that these kids don't know any better and have been raised like they are.
Later that night we went swimming at the outdoor pool which felt so good after a long day. The hotel grounds were huge and very green. We enjoyed a nice Indian dinner after in the basement of the hotel, with live Indian music. I have still not become used to the idea of having to just guess what the menu is saying and hope that it tastes alright, but I haven't striked out yet. I just look for any sentence that has the word 'Masala' and it has always tasted good. Throughout our trip we made different stops to places where different things are made. We saw where rugs are made and the factory where everything was. Watching the man make these rugs on a loom was so fascinating. He worked so fast and efficiently. These rugs were gorgeous and the time it takes to make one really made me appreciate a good rug. The next stop we visited was a marble shop where they carve everything into different designs out of marble. The tools they use here take so much time and is such tedious work.
Just call me Princess Jasmin because I rode an elephant! It was such a fun experience to climb on such a beast and it was sad at the same time. The owners of the elephant kept poking it with a sharp knife and you could see where it was bleeding. I tried not to focus on that but instead smile at the lovely art that was painting on the elephants face instead ha. We only walked around in a circle but at least I can say I have been on an elephant before!

Today was hands down my favorite day and that was because we were able to go to church! It was like finding a home away from home. This church building was very nice and the members were so sweet. We got to meet the missionaries and luck would have it I knew one of them. We stayed for sacrament meeting and it was fast and testimony today. Many were in english but others were not. One man bore his testimony and even though I couldn't not understand the language or had any clue what he was saying I felt the spirit so strongly. He was crying and I began to cry also. It occurred to me how neat it was that we can all speak a different language and grow up in different cultures all around the world but the one thing that brings us together and helps us understand each other is the Holy Ghost. I felt the Holy Ghost through him and he moved me in a way that I felt that I understood his testimony. Another little boy shared a story in english and began to cry about how grateful he is for Heavenly Father always being there for him in his life. I learned so much from these people and loved how the gospel is what brings us all together to form a common foundation. A lady shared how much she misses the temple and wishes they would get one in India. I forgot how privileged I am to have so many around me and hope that I will never take this blessing for granted. For me it was rewarding to see the light in these peoples eyes and i felt so rejuvenated after the meeting.

After this we began our long journey back home where I had another opportunity to share my testimony and how I feel about the church with a volunteer who is with Rising Star. This made a great ending to the whole trip!

Leprosy Colony adventure

2010-06-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

Today I traveled to two different leprosy colonies with Dr. Kumar and gained a lot of insight on India’s moral and ethical values. Dr. Kumar is an amazing doctor who works for Rising Star with his wife. Matthew, Audrey and I listened to him in the back of an ambulance type van as we drove to the different colonies. The drive was very scenic and it was a part of India that I fell in love with. There were acres of land with pine trees and palm trees. It was a better kept part of town but the colony we were headed to was one where they cast all the people out and made them live next to the cemetery so they could die there.
The first colony there were not many people but I was able to test everyone for diabetes today. I felt like a nurse!

Matthew had the opportunity to experience what life is like for a fireman. Here in India they burn trash on the side of the road but this one got carried away and almost burned the place we were working at. He grabbed pails of water and put out the fire. He saved the day! There was a nice man there being treated who said he loves to work hard and asked us if we would go see his shop down the street. We followed him and saw that he worked at a little store on the side of the road selling drinks and snacks. This kind man gave us free drinks and was so happy we came! His English was fairly good and he told us about the success of his sons and daughters like a proud father would. I felt bad when he told us he is all-alone now but his spirit was still full of joy. His selfless deed to give us drinks meant a lot to me.

As we drove to the next location I learned about why Dr. Kumar wanted to be a doctor and how he got to Rising Star. This man is so selfless and does the work he does because he loves the patients. He was offered to go work in Chennai at a very nice hospital and also do private practice where he would make much more money and lead a fancy life. Rising Star asked if he would come work for them for one month before he left to Chennai and during his time here is when he realized he wanted to be working with patients in colonies that can’t get health care anywhere else. The miracles he witnessed in one month were enough to make him realize this is where he was supposed to be. My favorite part about today was listening to his uplifting stories. The interesting thing is that in working with him earlier in the week it was hard to understand his English but today everything he said was very clear to me and he was easy to understand. I wonder if this was because the stories he shared were something I needed to here.
I asked him about the moral values that India has and he shared many interesting beliefs about Hinduism and how the North and South of India differ. It is just like in any religion how some are stricter than others. I am going to write a paper on India’s moral and ethical values; what I learned today really helped me have a better understanding of this culture.

A story he shared that touched me was about a man who was blinded my leprosy for the last 20 years. A doctor whose practice was in a hospital would not perform surgery on his eyes. The patient desperately needed a new lens in both of his eyes. Dr. Kumar patiently begged this doctor to perform surgery for two hours; he finally concluded yes as his answer. The reason why the doctor was so hesitant was because there were so many problems that he feared would happen throughout the procedure. Dr. Kumar showed up to this patient’s house uninvited to see how he was after surgery. The man asked why he was here and couldn’t understand why he was in his house. This man had his eyesight back from surgery and then soon realized he recognized Dr. Kumar’s voice and his eyes filled up with tears. He was crying so hard and told Dr. Kumar that because of his willingness to persuade the doctor to perform surgery he can now see his children, his home, nature, and his wife who is more beautiful than he ever remembered. I can’t imagine how rewarding his job is as a doctor to know that he is changing lives.

One man needed his legs to be amputated and this patient who was suffering could not find any doctor to do surgery. Here in India the government pays for any medical treatment but they were only willing to do one of this mans legs. Completely hopeless and on one last wish he called Dr. Kumar. Dr. Kumar answered the phone and called the doctor to tell him he would pay for the medical procedure to be done and any complications that may occur. This patient was able to have both legs amputated and called Dr. Kumar after to tell him that if he would not have answered the phone that die he was planning on jumping in front of a train to kill himself. He was tired of living life as he was and wanted Dr. Kumar to know that because of him he is still alive. I held back the tears and couldn’t believe what I had just heard. This man has made prosthetic legs out of carpet and twigs. They saw him in the colony just the other day and gave him crutches, which he was so happy to have.
Dr. Kumar and his wife have made it so people who can’t make it to hospitals for treatment now have a chance for a better life. He drives to all these different colonies to treat these people and it is not for the money. I love seeing and hearing the progress these patients make after only months. He is able to have 200 patients a day where many other doctors never get to experience this.

These stories have taught me to go the extra mile in life and whatever job I have I need to do because of the love that is in my heart. Money can take you places and buy you nice things but that is only temporary. I have learned today if you learn to love the people you work with in any career you will learn much more about them and life that will be indefinitely meaningful. It will be something I can take and cherish the rest of my life. I want to not just perform the tasks I am given but try and always leave people better than when I found them.

Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.
Mohandas Gandhi

Tonight I played football with the kids and felt like an old grandma. These kids were counting on me to block Matthew because we are the same height. I was warn out!

Later after dinner we had a little dance party in their room. They love when I pick them up and fly them around the room. I noticed a little boy in the corner trying to sleep but his coughing was keeping him awake. I went over to see if he was alright and he threw up. I carried him outside and he threw up twice more. I felt so bad for him and he couldn’t speak any English. His housemother tried to help but she walked away about to throw up after seeing his own. I just kept thinking this is a mess ha. I washed his hands and face then put him to sleep in a room where nobody could bother him. It is so rewarding putting around 20 little boys to sleep every night. Last night I forgot to mention that I had three little boys fall asleep on me. One was on my lap, another on my stomach, and the last one on my shoulder. These children thrive for motherly love because they are away from their families for such a long time. My favorite thing is getting goodnight kisses from the little ones. Making eye contact with others and seeing their faces light up brings me so much joy.
I am grateful for the experiences I had today and the things I continue to learn. These weeks are going by way too fast and I wish I could make time stand still. Tomorrow we leave for a weekend trip to see the Taj Mahal and other sights. I will not be blogging for the next couple of days. When I get back I am excited to share the events that took place and share the sights I have seen!

Another rewarding day

2010-06-02T01:55:00.000-07:00

Covered in dirt and sweat but I am still smiling! Today we got split up into 3 groups which consisted of one group helping tutor kids all day, one going to the leprosy colony, and the other doing construction. Since Matthew was in a group with Audrey and I we got lucky and went to do construction ha! We thought we would be building toilets but instead we got a job that required more demanding work. The construction site had three huge holes and they needed to level all of the dirt off to a certain height. They handed us our man made looking shovels and we hacked into the dirt. Best part about the whole day was the Indians just watched us do their work and were laughing because Audrey and I were singing. The first song I started to belt out was, “God, Bless America!” ha ha One more thing I found I am thankful for is the machinery that we have in America. The labor here takes so much longer and is not the easiest thing for them to do. Audrey suggested singing an uplifting song and we both broke out into, “You raise me up!”, at the same time. We are getting to know each other way to well. From the second we started working we didn’t stop and I felt like I had jumped into a pool but we were having so much fun it didn’t matter. It feels good to work hard. Dad you never thought you would hear me say this but I appreciate you always making me cut down trees, mowing the lawn, and taking a chain saw to bushes. If I had just done laundry like most women this job would not have been the easiest. We were all covered in dirt and had it dripping into our eyes; blinded! I was amazed at how much we got done and how fast we did it. I can see how having a positive attitude allows me to learn things that I may not have been able to with a bad attitude.

It was now time to head back and eat lunch and take a break. The bucket shower never felt so good. I have really come to love these bucket showers and that is not a joke.
From 4 to 6 was playtime with all of the little kids. While most of the volunteers chose to play jump rope with the little girls I decided to play soccer with all of the boys. Matthew was one captain and I was the other. Sad to say my team fought a good fight but we lost by one point. These kids are so talented at soccer and have such a passion for it! The little ones have no fear and would go full force to try and kick the ball. Playing soccer for an hour and a half about did me over. These kids are like energizer bunnies.
Dinner was served early, which was fun because then we got to go watch the kids eat.

My best friend Nagaraj, who gave me candy the other day, is a genius. We sat down next to each other and he told me my birthday, how many people were in my family and Matthews birthday. He had remembered all of that information from the day before which astounds me because I can only remember a name for 5 seconds then its gone from my memory. He is very special and so smart. I watched him tell everyone to pray for their meal and the kids began to chant a certain prayer; they were bobbing their heads back and forth with hands clasped. If this wasn’t a sight to see I don’t know what was. I couldn’t even get my camera out in time because I was frozen. Nagaraj aspires to be an engineer when he grows up and I don’t doubt he will do it. Everyone in this world is born with a certain gift or talent and Nagaraj was born a leader. Later I will explain why I see this attribute in him.
I had the chance to read the children books and tell stories for an hour before it was time to go to sleep!

The same reoccurring thoughts that I seem to find myself thinking are about how these children have changed me for good. I have learned from them passion and brilliance! Indian children are very unique and so lovable. School is one of their favorite things and they get so excited when you start counting or recite the alphabet. There is one little boy named Cartig that ran around all day like a chicken with his head cut off. He was so fun to watch and carried a teddy bear around that sang. As it was getting closer for bed I noticed Nagaraj handing everyone their toothbrush and telling them to brush their teeth. Let me remind you that this kid is the same age as everyone he is directing. Everyone listens to him and then he pulled out the mats for everyone to sleep on. Tonight took forever to get everyone to calm down so I asked Nagaraj if he would tell everyone to lay down and they did. It was like baby geniuses, something from a movie you don’t see everyday. He acts as an adult figure and has the biggest heart. Nagaraj shows me how to be selfless and to take action when help is needed. The little things like remembering information someone tells us makes others feel special and being aware of where to offer a helping hand. These things are what I learned from a ten year old boy.
Rising Star helps all of these children to get an education and help them to have a life they may not have been capable of reaching. They see their families for the Holidays and once a month. Just to see what opportunities these children will now be able to have gets me so excited. My heart is so full and many times I just find myself in awe with the people I am surrounded with. Watching Cartig go to each person and play his teddy bear song for them was the cutest thing. I received many kisses goodnight from the kids!
Thoughts that I have had today are ones about losing yourself through others to find you. When we are charitable is when we are able to be the person we strive to be. My favorite scripture is….
Moroni 7:45
And charity suffereth long, and is kind and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Nagaraj is only 10 but we talked about Jesus today and he told me he has many pictures of him that he would like to show me. I talked to him about heaven and how much I love Jesus too. He told me that he would love to come visit my in America and I promised him that someday we would meet again. The children have taught to me to embrace every moment in life and not care about the small and stressful things. I want to become someone and do the most I can throughout my life. Seeing the hopes and dreams of these children makes me want to continually push myself and remember the sky is the limit. Not everyone in other parts of the world are given the resources we have to do and become what we want. I hope I can remember to always work my hardest and that is when I will receive the greatest reward. These children are given very little but that doesn’t stop them from reaching what they hope to become. I love these children like they are my own and the way they love others and me reminds me how to love everyone I meet.

Got to be a tourist today!

2010-05-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

Word of advice for anyone who is reading....Never say you are American when shopping in a tourist town. Today we went to some random town about an hour away to do some shopping, more so bargaining. Audrey and I asked Matthew to take a picture of us and all of a sudden there was the loudest sound of firecrackers. Naturally, I started running towards the sound to see what it was and Audrey bolted in the opposite direction. It was quite the site to see!

I found many great purchases that I am excited about. I am not the best at bargaining but I learned from Audrey today. I always feel bad and back down. Because of this many of the indian men were intense and would not back down for me but all the deals seemed to be following Audrey. The only thing that seemed to be following me around was an Indian man that I bought some rings from. To give some background information I bargained for quite some time and he told me about how he wanted to find a good girl to date. I made a huge mistake and told him he was handsome and that it was great he wanted to find a quality woman. My advice was to be patient and I left with my jewelry. During lunch, which once again was rice and red sauce for only 3 dollars I noticed my finger turned green from the ring I had recently purchased. This man had told me it was silver, little liar. Usually I would just not think twice but I was determined to get a better deal since I had been ripped off. I asked another man in a store if he thought it was silver and he said it was steel. Sad thing is that in America I got this ring for a steal of a deal either way and in India I just kept trying to go lower. We went back and I told him that it wasn't silver and I wanted some money back. He told me I was mistaken and closed his store to have me show him who told him it wasn't really silver. At this point I figured he was telling the truth and I felt bad. As we were waiting in the bus for everyone else I noticed the man from the jewelry store staring at us outside. Sure enough he was knocking on the window and told Matthew that he went to a store and the man said the ring is really silver but If I want my money back i can have it. He wanted us to trust him, sweet guy. The weird thing was that 20 minutes passed by and he was still standing there staring at us. Naturally I turned around and gave him a thumbs up then blew a kiss not knowing it may just get me in trouble. Five minutes later he knocks on the window and hands me a hand made jewelry case. Too my surprise it had a note that said......

This definitely made for a good laugh on the bus.
To get back to the other events that took place throughout the day I can't forget to mention we got to see the beach! We played in the waves which was fun to see.

As we were walking on the street we saw a man who had a wild monkey tied to a leash and dressed up in some exotic outfit. Little did we know it cost money just to take a picture of him. Yeah right, we bounced! The fun thing about where we were was there was so much architecture in the place where we were at. There were really intricate ruins and something they call the butter ball. This ball looks like it is falling off a cliff and the legend is they have had elephants try to pull it and nothing seems to be able to work. Hiking to the cliff was one of the best parts of the day. There was the best breeze and we sat up there forever! The best way to describe the place we were at was the zoo but with people instead of animals. ha

Once we got home we ate dinner....YES THAT'S RIGHT RICE IT WAS! I was in a hurry to eat my food so I could go talk in all the little boys in my family. Matthew and I walked in and the ones that were asleep woke up to play with us for a bit. I had a circle form around me and we played a game then they insisted I tell them a funny story. I was totally put on the spot so the best thing I came up with was to retell the movie "Elf". The looks on their faces were priceless. They must have been thinking, "Is this really her idea of a funny story?" ha I tucked them in and tomorrow they told me to bring books to read them. I guess that is much safer then my stories.

I am definately exhausted because it has been a long day but was so glad I was able to see this fun town today. Matthew had a missionary opportunity which was fun to see. I love being here in India and I am learning things everywhere I go. I am so grateful to be out here and love the people and the things that are being placed in my path to teach me and help me grow!

The kids Came!

2010-05-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

LICE....does anyone know what it looks like? Well I sure do. Let's just say I learned a lot about it today! To start off the morning the children arrived at the school throughout the day. Matthew and I were put into a family together and were put in charge of about 15 little boys. We sat before the kids got here and had flash cards so we could memorize their names. Matthew owned me in this process. I still mix them up because they are the longest names ever. This campus went from being a ghost town to an absolute mad house! We called in each child for lice checks and I was so nervous I was going to leave with a head hair of lice. The second I saw these kids faces and the best outfits in the world, I immediately stopped caring. I would leave India with lice any day if it meant I could stroke their heads all day. We put a lice shampoo in their hair and let it sit for 10 minutes then rinsed it out. There was a lice comb we used and BAM there they were; the littlest creatures I have ever seen. Some of the boys had a head of lice and others were pretty clean. These kids were so patient and just sat there enjoying every second of it. I guess they are just used to this process being done once a month. Lice looks like little tiny spiders and the eggs are white. It was important to find the eggs because the shampoo does not kill them.

For lunch I made Matthew and I an egg salad sandwich and Matthew was in heaven. He would be the easiest husband to please. I felt like a chef and all I had to do was crush eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. After a good nap and some rest we went back to finish the infestation of lice. We can't have any more of these eggs hatching on my soon to be children heads now can we. I went outside to make sure we had done every boy and I found a little boy crying out on the playground. I went over to talk to him and he was crying so hard he couldn't speak. Some of the other children translated to me that he missed his mom and wanted to play outside. I took him in to do his hair and got him to calm down. I must have a mothers touch! ha. I carried him around for a while after that while I chased other kids that would lie to me and say they had already been checked. One little boy said he had already been done and I grabbed his head and said, "Yeah right ya little rat, get in there!" His head had lice written all over it!. Overall we spent 4 hours cleaning out lice and I realized through this whole process that I want a lot more kids than I thought I did. Seeing how much I love them and didn't care I was picking out lice gave me a glimpse of how even more amazing it will be when I have children of my own. The kids here are so fun to be around and they love playing with each other.

One little boy was so homesick and he threw up on Audrey. I could not help but laugh. All the boys loved saying Matthew's name because it was easy for them to understand. They struggled with mine because I guess they aren't used to saying Z's. Matthew played soccer with all the children and they soaked it all up. Or should I say Matthew soaked up the sweat.

Nice smooth part!

Before dinner we had a chance to play with them outside on the playground. The children all eat dinner somewhere separate then us. For dinner we had chapatas with rice, beans, chicken and salsa. We are getting closer to american food and it was so good. Now it was time to tuck the children in and read them books before they went to bed. We went to our dorm where our group was with their house mother and she was on top of things. They were all lying down on their mats next to each other in 2 rows. I am pretty sure I have never seen anything cuter in my life, but I say that a lot! I laid down with Nagaraj and he asked me all about my family and how old I was. I told him I had my birthday yesterday and he said he had chocolate for me. I corrected him and said you mean I have chocolate for you? In India you give people candy when it is your birthday. He said to me again, "No, I have chocolate for you." Out of his pocket came a piece of chocolate candy that said, Happy Birthday and he asked me to take it. This is HUGE for a kid to offer something that they cherish because they have so little. I had the biggest smile on my face. After this they said goodnight, lizey! I gave them handshakes and blew some kisses. I am so anxious to tuck them in again tomorrow and the see them everyday from here on out.

Some stories that were shared today were hard to hear. Amy the director told us that there was were many families camped out front hoping their children would have a chance to come to Rising Star. They had to turn away five families. One family in particular said that their grandpa had leprosy and they found out it was a lie and he was just sick. The children from this family who thought they would be able to attend the school were quickly turned down after hearing this news. To attend Rising Star they have to come from leprosy colonies. The lengths parents go to do get their children an education amazes me. It is so neat to see how much these parents love their children. Anywhere in the world you look its the same even though we all come from different cultures. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the education I received. Rising Star is doing amazing things out here for a lot of people!

Moroni: 8:17
And I am filled with Charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation."

My Birthday!

2010-05-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Today we were planning on going on a 45 minute trip to do shopping and finally act like tourists. To my surprise they woke us up and asked if we would help in the school because there was a lot that still needed to be done. With smiles on our faces we gladly agreed to all stay and help out. ha ha! Details as far as cleaning goes is never that fun to hear but we did get a lot done. We finished all the library books and got the new library done! Today the humidity was so intense, I have seriously just had to get used to feeling wet. Our last job was to clean out a storage room. Just opening the door I knew it would take us to midnight. We found a million clothes in boxes that were donated from what had to have been a huge Relief Society organization! We went through piles and piles and sorted them into different sizes so when the kids arrive tomorrow they can each pick one outfit. I don't know how it happened but next thing ya know we all broke out into a dance party as we sorted clothes. We brought the ipod player in and it was all uphill from there. Soren, Audrey and I found some cute underwear that we made Soren fold.

Soren loved it, he just wouldn't admit it! Matthew asked me every 2 seconds what size I thought each article of clothing would fit into.

For lunch I had the typical peanut butter sandwich with Nutella and Audrey found a need to tell me how fattening it is. I have been dipping everything I eat into Nutella so that is just perfect! Earlier today we spilled purple ink on the table and Matthew rushed to clean it up with his white shirt. Audrey and I at the same time yelled, "NO, NO, NO!" Sometimes men need some serious guidance. ha ha Besides that Matthew and I have grown really close as cousins and I am so glad he is out here with me. He is a good example to me and makes me laugh 24-7. He is the first to help out and his manly arms help us out a ton when we have to lift stuff around. We both had to carry a huge TV way far, I am an OX. Don't sweat it. Finally after hours of waiting to hear dinner was ready I found out we were having FRENCH TOAST, with homemade syrup. I also prayed it would rain and it did! Boo ya. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me!! All the other volunteers did a rain dance for my birthday. We have a fun group, I wish I would have filmed it. Back to the meal, It was hands down the best meal I have had since being here. Weird, I wonder why! After dinner I passed out my candy to everyone.
Later Matthew, Soren, Audrey and I went to the Mango room where we usually go every night. This room is the lounge room where Audrey and I blog and Matthew just sits waiting for us to talk to him. He has already read 2 books! Tonight we all just danced.....ok well Audrey and I broke it out and they just watched not knowing whether to laugh or leave! Today was fun and the family here that are the managers for the year gave me a really neat present that they make a lot in India. It has a bunch of elephants and jewelry all on a string. I am not explaining it that well but it is was very sweet of them to think of me.

Today's blog is not that long but it really just consisted of mostly working around the hostels and getting everything ready for tomorrow. I can't wait for the children to all get here and get put into our families for the rest of the time we are here! Quote for the day is...."We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather recognizing and appreciating what we do have." -Frederick Keonig

Leprosy Colony overnighter, Day 4 and 5

2010-05-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

Truthfully I do not even know where to begin and the feelings I feel words can’t describe. I missed blogging yesterday because we traveled 5 hours away to go to some leprosy colonies that had never been visited before. It was an overnight trip and they were the best two days since I have been here. The first colony we went to everyone was lined up waving at us at we drove in. They were so grateful and were so willing to help us carry all of the medicine. Seeing these people run inside to sit down was like seeing kids in a candy store; the difference was they were so happy to get treated. Matthew and I did hypertension on 50 different people and they were thrilled looking at the numbers go up and down. The way everyone shows gratitude is by putting their hands together as if they were praying and they nod their head. I was so excited when I looked over and saw a bunch of little kids sitting down staring at me… or so I thought. The truth is they were just intrigued with my camera! I sat down and started to play with them showing them how to take pictures and they ATE THAT UP. All of the children here thrive off of taking pictures and then looking at themselves. Something as small as a camera is like getting a free ticket to Disneyland. After we finished at the clinic I started dancing around outside and the kids began to follow me. This moment was priceless and something I will never forget. We were all having so much fun playing follow the leader and these boys can dance like I have never seen. The smiles on these kid’s faces can heal any wound or broken heart. Christian Morte was a little boy who actually goes to school at Rising Star and is the smartest kid I have ever met. He was directing all of the adults with leprosy where to go and spoke great English. He received a letter while we were there from a family who is sponsoring him and read the entire letter out loud they had sent. It was so neat to see his face light up and learn the people’s names that were supporting him. I have never seen someone as smart as him. The generation today is one where children are helping teach their parents who have not had the same privileges as them.

After this colony we went and ate at our hotel, which I found out, was only 10 dollars in American money. Granted you can’t escape from the Indian toilets here but besides that it was a nice hotel. Hearing this did not make me too happy because the first night we landed in Mumbai the guy told us it would be 140 dollars in American money and it was a HOLE in the wall. We got ripped off so bad; I guess I know now why people say, “Stupid Americans!” Bless us. Anyways, when it comes to food in India lets just say I feel like I am eating the same thing over and over again just in different shapes. It isn’t bad at all but after a while I could really go for a Pizza. My favorite thing to eat here is Chapata with Masala; this is pita type bread with red sauce. Everything they eat here is basically rice or tortillas with different dipping sauces.

Waking up this morning I was not expecting what happened to happen. Everyone met for breakfast and of course they knock on our door to ask why we weren’t in the lobby. Let’s just say Audrey and I have no sense of time here, luckily it takes 2 seconds to get ready here, NO MAKEUP, just a simple brushing of the teeth. After my tortilla with sauce yet again, we drove to the next colony.

Every moment since I have arrived in India has been one I will never forget. This was a different colony than the one we visited yesterday, yet they were also there to greet us with huge smiles on their faces. I immediately got out of the bus and started asking everyone’s names and hugging them. There were many older folks and a lot of children. Today I took pictures of every person before bandaging them to see if the ointment we put on their wounds showed any difference. We did 100 people today. Matthew and I had an assembly line where he would write down their names and I would take the pictures of their faces and feet. The wounds they have are like nothing I have ever seen. They are huge open flesh wounds with rotting skin. Flys were swarming all over them while I washed their feet and bandaged them up. One man had rotten skin on his thigh and Audrey and I couldn’t tell where the smell was coming from. We lifted up his skirt and the flys were hovered over his wound. He was so happy we had found it so that we could wash it. One man had a wound so bad that his elbow was literally the size of a tennis ball.

Leprosy can also make it so their eyelids don’t shut anymore which drys out their eyelids. Many have become blind because of it. Washing the feet and hands of these people has taken me completely out of my comfort zone and it is so touching when I see how patient and loving they are. I feel so awful when I am cleaning their feet because I can’t imagine how painful it would be. The crazy thing is that they have no feeling sensation so it doesn’t hurt them. I have been thinking about Jesus and the 10 lepers that he healed. I never want to complain about any sore muscle on my body because these people are saints for everything they have gone through. This man had a little seat with wheels on it that he would scoot around with because he was not able to walk.

One old lady dragged me to everyone in the colony and made me take his or her picture. She loved the idea of a camera just as much as the children. I found myself discovering a new passion. I started taking a bunch of photos of just individual people and their faces. I learn something just by looking through each person. After I pronounce my name to everyone they all repeat it back to me and are so happy they got it right. Once they get it they begin to say it over and over again! My heart sinks into my chest every time I hear it. These people have nothing but are so giving and kind. They gave each one of us a coconut drink straight from the tree!

This moment I am about to share is the moment that made me whole. I met a little boy in the colony while we were there names Cartee. Cartee had a huge smile and sweet spirit that changed me for good. I am crying just thinking about the fact that I may not ever see him again. He is 10 years old and we instantly hit it off, yes you could say we were in love ha. Cartee helped me throughout the whole day and did not speak much English but we could understand each other pretty well just with our eyes.

All of the children call me Auntie and once again kept begging to take pictures. Every time I would look over at Cartee we pointed to each other and smiled. I taught him how to pound it with our fists and he loved that. I began to dance with all of the children and they literally just stared and laughed. I looked like an idiot but I didn't care. They all joined in and had a good time. I taught each of them the handshakes, (a Sailor went to sea sea sea, and down by the banks). I was sitting on the other end of the circle as Cartee and he yelled, “Auntie!” and patted to come sit next to him. There was something about him that made me want to take him home from the second I met him.

Children teach me so much about life and how I want to always strive to be. They are slow to anger and quick to forgive. They love everything about life and do not hesitate to love everyone. I understand why Heavenly Father says be like children. Leaving was the hardest thing I had to do today. While hugging everyone goodbye they asked if I would be back. What do you say to that? Cartee ran onto the bus and gave the, “I love you!”, hand sign to me. Today he taught me something about life and myself. I feel so alive and happy. Life is amazing and if you ever want to truly know a persons soul just look into their eyes. Every person whose eyes you truly look into you will be able to find the child inside of him or her. The wounds of these people did not affect me once I looked into their eyes and saw their beautiful smiles.

The drive home was long and it still amazes me how different every part of the world is and what people are going through. I stared at the moon and realized how neat it was that so many people I love are in different places of the world but we can all look at the same thing. I hope the world can remember to look into the eyes of everyone around us because it will be easier to love and not judge. Count our blessings and remember that it is a choice to be happy. Learning to love oneself is the first step before we expect others to love us. There are opportunities to serve all around us. Don’t let these moments pass by!

Day 3

2010-05-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

The best way I can describe today is MANUAL LABOR all day long. We cleaned six of the classrooms, which included scrubbing walls, organizing junk and setting up all of the desks. In all honestly I will say it is exhausting. I love the way sweat just drips off my face every second. Funny story was I went to turn on the faucet to fill up a bucket and it shot out at my like a hose. I looked down and saw that it looked like I had wet my pants, big time. If it was cold water I wouldn’t have cared but it was hot. We did all of this before lunch and then we went to the junction. The junction is 15 minutes away but you can get everything and anything you could imagine. It has tailors, ice cream, food, clothes; you name it. I tried to bargain with an Indian man for ankle bracelets for 30 minutes. Sweet thing had no idea what I was saying to him and I had no idea what he was saying to me. Both of us just lost and confused; in the end I left with anklets not knowing really if I got a deal or not.
After the junction we had a doctor come speak to us about what the plan is for tomorrow. We are leaving at 5 in the morning to a leprosy colony with over 100 people. My assignment when we first get there is to do hypertension. We will also be giving them this medicine and doing foot treatments that will help heal the ulcers on their feet. These sores are the size of a tennis ball and so deep. I won’t lie it is…well, NASTY. I am glad we can help heal them so they don’t look as bad.
For the last 2 hours before dinner I had the lovely privilege of stamping hundreds and hundreds of library books. Why would anyone want to be a librarian?
Anyways, as much as I would love to describe each spot on the wall I cleaned I am not going to. Instead I want to talk more about leprosy and Indian culture for those who don’t know much about it. Every symptom looks different on each individual person. Loving these people makes it so much easier to do things you never saw yourself doing. Some of the others had no fingers or toes and many have become blind. There was a particular lady who lost the pigment in her skin and had green skin. I cannot imagine what they have all had to go through but I am so fortunate to have been surrounded by each one of them.
In India I have had to be careful and remember not to hug my cousin Matthew. Here men and women go through different security lines at the airport. Touching or display of affection in public is a definite NO NO. I learned that Indians have arranged marriages and many turn into love afterwards. I loved hearing that they marry a partner who will help provide and is a hard worker. There is no such thing as giving up or falling out of love. They meet in the middle and marry to help serve the other person. Marriage here is a matter of survival so they do not have the luxury of falling out of love.
Last piece of information I learned today as we passed the Beer Factory is that the beer plant smells like the dirtiest diaper that I don’t think a baby is capable of producing! I am not kidding you the smell was repulsive. For those who drink come to India and you will think twice. I don’t know how the Indians walk around and not pass out. Good grief!
Today has been a very long day and not the easiest one. It was 108 degrees and tomorrow where we are going will be 120. I heard it snowed in Utah and I hope everyone there is whistling while they shovel. Don’t take the cold for granted; I would give anything in the world for a cold drink of water. Goodbye until tomorrow, I can’t wait to start working with the people again! I definitely missed not having that experience today.

Ps here is a picture of my feet from the heat...I guess that is normal out here ha

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give"

Day 2

2010-05-25T08:42:00.001-07:00

Yes! Jet lag is finally gone and my feet are looking somewhat normal. My luggage is still traveling the world at the pace of a turtle so who knows if I will ever see it! Anyways, today began in the Leprosy colony where I was able to help these people smile and realize that they are beautiful inside and out. We were split into groups and I had the opportunity to wash the elderly’s feet that were affected with leprosy. I have learned how to say, (hi, how are you, my name is, beautiful, and what is your name) These five phrases basically make me fluent, Sike!

The people here are very easy to talk to and can usually understand what you are trying to say to them. This lady began to cry and pinch my cheeks, while bowing to me as I washed her feet. She wanted me to stop because she felt so bad that I was taking care of her. This was a tender mercy moment for me. I tried to hold back the tears as I sat thinking how amazing it is to do such a small deed and have someone be so grateful in return. It just shows how badly these people have been cast out. Their families have most likely disowned them because of leprosy and their social status is diminished. The Indian people have the most beautiful smiles you have ever seen. They are so happy and so generous! One man spoke very good English and was joking around with me as I filed down a toenail that looked like a thick branch coming out of his toe. I was very good at this thanks to my dad who taught me how to saw down branches in our yard! After washing feet I walked down the road and found a couple of people sitting in a hut. I asked if I could join them and they bought me a little packet of juice. It tasted like sweet apple juice, not bad. Our advisor was saying that is very rare that they buy anything for anyone else because of the scarce amount of money they have. The lady learned our names and loved when I would take pictures of her. She made me show them to her every time. I would tell her she looked, “Nalarga”, which means beautiful. I won’t do a spell-check on that but that word means good and beautiful.

Down the road there were leprosy-affected people who have become artists and their work is exquisite. I have never seen anything like it in my life! These paintings are what give them a sense of worth. Later it was time to head back to the hostel and get to work. My job was to wash down all the walls that the boys and girls live in at the school. I was lucky and had some surprise helpers that were the highlight of my day. These helpers were four little boys who go to school here and were playing near by because their parents were helping work around the school. They were so willing to help and we made a game out of it. At my house we call it a POWER; which is who can clean the most in the shortest amount of time. The kid’s faces lit up and they went to town on those walls! I am for sure adopting later in life.

One thing that I have learned is that these Indian children are the hardest workers with the most optimistic attitudes I have ever met. Many children in America have been given so much and sometimes because of this I feel lack the will to work hard. Technology and everything else we have make it so our time is so consumed and appliances are able to do most work for us. I know my brothers and sisters work hard but many times are wondering what they get in return. This is not the case here and I have learned so much from everyone around me. I thought I knew what hard work was but I was mistaken big time. The Indians work all day, both men and women. Children have learned what it is to work by example and they see that nothing in life is handed to you for free. I hope that I will be able to teach my kids how to work hard and have the attitudes that these children do. It still shocks me how these kids are what pushed me to keep going and I have never have had so much fun. Our group finished the fastest because of our generous little helpers; we helped sort the entire library books into different sections.
Dinner was on the roof and the view was amazing. It is so green and the sun was setting as we were served on a huge green leaf for a plate. Not long after we ate it was back to work. We were able to clean and organize all the desks for 3 classrooms tonight and we will finish the rest tomorrow. Luckily the weather had cooled off the only downfall was my legs wanted to fall off. I find myself thinking a lot about life while I am here and how valuable every breath we take is. Life is so fragile and it is pointless to sit and think about all the things that we don’t have or things we want. Just being grateful for the little things we have that mean something are things that last forever. You can have nothing and still choose to be happy because life is what we make of it! Everyone in this world is going through something, many times far worse than we think. Love yourself and the life you have; do everything you can to be charitable towards others and you will find it hard to be ungrateful.

DAY 1

2010-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today I flew in from Mumbai to Chennai at 6 am and from there we got a taxi to take us to the Marriott hotel, where the group of Rising Stars was to pick us up. Still no luggage of course and I am going on eating my 5th power bar, which Audrey was willing to share. Don't let me forget to mention I am a walking marshmallow. My ankles, fingers, and calves are swollen from the airplane and it is so annoying! Driving to the hotel I learned that basically anything goes in India and if you aren't careful you will get run over by a car. It was a mad house on the street but I held in my gasps fairly well! It was so cute to see families on scooters trying to get to and from their busy lives. I would describe the homes to you but to be honest there are rarely any. They make houses out of woven materials that look like tiny shacks. It is basically called the slums and a lifestyle that broke my heart. Many people are sitting on the dirt selling fruit and little kids are running around without shoes. There are areas that smell so bad you can taste the air. I have never seen so much garbage in my life and it makes it worse that these poor people are living in it. Cows, dogs, and goats must think they are humans because the frolic around everywhere. During the 2 hour drive to our village I had seen enough to want to take all of the people home with me. I now understand what a privilege it is to live in America. It is fun to see little boys just hanging on to any car to get a ride to and from school. The way they stare at us here is so funny. I went to go buy a drink and a bunch of them yelled, "Hey, look it is the Americans!" I really should have dyed my hair black.
On the drive I saw the Victoria Secret Plant where they make all the Victorias Secret clothing. Who would have known, a job well done! Pulling up to the Rising Star Village was quite the sight to see. There is so much land and in the village before it the people were ecstatic to see us. They were so friendly and jumped for joy. The biggest house in the village was owned by a police officer because he bribes people for money. The government here is very sketchy and most of the people in office are gangsters. If you hold an office you cannot be tried, that is why it has become so corrupt. The place I am staying is hard to describe but is truly amazing! It's like a palace compared to what I have seen on the streets. We are staying in bunk beds and the facility is brand new. We are the second group to stay here which was exciting. We were given a tour today throughout the colony and everything is being built so fast. This week the children are on Spring break so it is our job to work hard to get all the classrooms put together and create a new library. The children have not yet seen the additions that have been made and we have the opportunity to organize everything and paint the walls before they get back.
We have Indian style toilets, so if you are wondering how it works all I can say is just squat! ha I took my first bucket shower tonight and it was a dream come true after not having showered since Saturday. They give you a large bucket and you fill it up with water then just rinse off. The weather here is SO HOT, actually hot doesn't even cut it. Once I got out of the shower I was dripping sweat again. I have had 2 great Indian meals already that surprisingly were very good. The meals lack protein but weren't too spicy to eat. Today has been a long day but I am anxious to go to the leprosy colony for the first part of the morning and work the rest of the day! These people need to be shown love and I am so glad I have the chance to not hold back from fear of leprosy but to touch the faces of these wonderful people and show them there are people who care!

Journey begins...

2010-05-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

When I was told how long the flight was I had no idea what I was really in for. I think we can all agree that it would be completely out of the ordinary to have everything go smoothly from SLC to Chennai. I am traveling with my cousin Matthew and his friend Aubrey which made this experience much more enjoyable because we were able to laugh at the cards we had been delt. The anticipation getting off the plane was too much to handle. I took NyQuil and slept like a gem. I woke up and noticed that my ankles had transformed into kankles from sitting so long! Gosh dang. We arrived in Amsterdam for a 2 hours layover and Aubrey and I enjoyed our last Big Mac, mmm Good! Things were looking good until security check and Aubrey’s passports and mine beeped red, no go! After we resolved that the security lady informs me to stand still and she began to pat me down all over, even a boob grace. Way more up close and personal than I had wanted but quite funny! Danke! Finally we landed in Mumbai to be told our bags had not made it onto the flight from Amsterdam. They informed us that our bags would get to the village in Chennai in 2 days. Laughing/Furious at our luck I called our hotel to get us a taxi and they told me that our reservation was for 11 am not 11 pm. Holy cow, could it get any better?!? We walked outside of the airport to see guards standing there with guns; I did not want to move. At this point it was midnight and we were homeless with nowhere to go and no clothes to change into. This lovely Indian man helped get us to another hotel close to the airport since we only had 5 hours until our next flight to Chennai. The people here are surprisingly very nice but Aubrey tells me its only because they want our money! I will give everyone the benefit of the doubt. The drive to this hotel was one I will never forget. There were dirt roads full of people lying around in garbage and stray dogs everywhere. The conditions were like nothing I had ever imagined. Families huddled together in piles of filth made me realize how blessed I am. This was the biggest culture shock and something I had only seen in movies. Our hotel was a hole in the wall consisting of cockroaches and a bed as hard as wood. My eyes have been opened to how different others lives truly are. It amazes me how awful the living conditions are here; I am so grateful for this experience. We will see what tomorrow brings...

Leaving on a jet-plane

2010-05-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

So I am not very well educated on how to blog, so I am going to try and do my best! Tomorrow I leave for India with Rising Star foundation and I have been waiting for this day for a long time! Ever since I can remember I have wanted to do something like this and it is finally a reality. I will be in Chennai, India for 3 weeks helping in a leprosy colony offering medical treatment and spending time with the children in the villages. I am so anxious for the experiences I will be having. Packing for India was a breeze because they provide clothing for us when we get there. My whole suitcase is basically full of FOOD! I have the best mom in the world and she got me everything anyone would need. I will be spending my birthday out there on May 29th and in the Indian culture you give treats to everyone on your birthday. I loaded my bag with candy, ha happy birthday to me! I hope I don't get run over by the herd of children thinking this is the coolest candy lady ever! Once I spend time with all of the children I am worried I will have to be dragged back to the U.S. I will be living in a hostel and get to wear traditional indian clothing. Showering will be with buckets and I get to use indian style toilets. I have heard the mosquitos dominate in India so I will have a net around my bed and I will be wearing shoes to prevent parasites from entering my body. Tonight I will pull an all nighter in hopes that I will be able to sleep on our 22 hr plane ride....YIKES! Pictures and experiences to come, hope you enjoy! If you don't see me on June 15th don't be surprised, this is my new calling in life.