Today was our last day volunteering with Rising Star Outreach. We are leaving here at 4 am so we can get to Chennai airport to catch a plane to Jaipur in northern India. I'm sad that my time serving the leprosy affected is coming to a close. I feel as if I need another week here so that we can have some repeats of some of these experiences. But I am completely satisfied with our time spent here in southern India.
Because it's late and we have to get up early, this post will be short and won't have many pictures. We'll have to share more at a later date. Also, I'm not sure if we will have internet connection or time to blog while we are in Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi. We get home really late Wednesday night. So if the blogging stops, just know that I will finish up after I recover from our long flight.
Today was another hot, humid, sweaty, but wonderful day. We drove to an "orphanage" about an hour away where there are children living who have been rescued from being beggars on the streets. I'm not sure just how these children came to be here and if they ever see their parents anymore. I don't think they do. From what I gathered, the parents of these children would send them out to be beggars. This place feeds, shelters, and schools these precious children of God.
We played with the children for about two hours. We brought some games and art supplies. They didn't speak english, but that didn't matter at all. After playing, they danced for us and then we got to dance with them. I loved every minute of it. I got some video of the dancing that I will share later.
When we were leaving, we gave them pieces of candy and then they lined up and we went down the line giving them high fives and saying good bye and "nandri" (thank you). One little girl just cried and cried standing in the doorway because she didn't want us to leave. It was heartbreaking.
After that, we went to a leprosy colony where Pearls With A Purpose is located. The women make pearl jewelry to sell (even worldwide). They had some of their products layed out on the ground for us to look at. There were also a few women sitting nearby who were beading. We bought a few pretty things which made me feel good to help their economy.
Just down there road from there was the "art colony". We went inside and looked through hundreds of paintings done by men and women with leprosy, some of which have clubbed hands. We finally chose one and look forward to framing it and putting it up in our home to remind us of these beautiful, worthwhile people.
One last thing to write for tonight... Matt and I had a student at Rising Star do henna on us this afternoon. I had bought a tube of it yesterday. It's a red henna. Kinda looks like blood. It will fade, but hopefully not too much before I get home.
There are so many details that I'd like to share with you or at least record for my own benefit. But today, this will have to be enough.
Here are some pictures.
Because it's late and we have to get up early, this post will be short and won't have many pictures. We'll have to share more at a later date. Also, I'm not sure if we will have internet connection or time to blog while we are in Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi. We get home really late Wednesday night. So if the blogging stops, just know that I will finish up after I recover from our long flight.
Today was another hot, humid, sweaty, but wonderful day. We drove to an "orphanage" about an hour away where there are children living who have been rescued from being beggars on the streets. I'm not sure just how these children came to be here and if they ever see their parents anymore. I don't think they do. From what I gathered, the parents of these children would send them out to be beggars. This place feeds, shelters, and schools these precious children of God.
We played with the children for about two hours. We brought some games and art supplies. They didn't speak english, but that didn't matter at all. After playing, they danced for us and then we got to dance with them. I loved every minute of it. I got some video of the dancing that I will share later.
When we were leaving, we gave them pieces of candy and then they lined up and we went down the line giving them high fives and saying good bye and "nandri" (thank you). One little girl just cried and cried standing in the doorway because she didn't want us to leave. It was heartbreaking.
After that, we went to a leprosy colony where Pearls With A Purpose is located. The women make pearl jewelry to sell (even worldwide). They had some of their products layed out on the ground for us to look at. There were also a few women sitting nearby who were beading. We bought a few pretty things which made me feel good to help their economy.
Just down there road from there was the "art colony". We went inside and looked through hundreds of paintings done by men and women with leprosy, some of which have clubbed hands. We finally chose one and look forward to framing it and putting it up in our home to remind us of these beautiful, worthwhile people.
One last thing to write for tonight... Matt and I had a student at Rising Star do henna on us this afternoon. I had bought a tube of it yesterday. It's a red henna. Kinda looks like blood. It will fade, but hopefully not too much before I get home.
There are so many details that I'd like to share with you or at least record for my own benefit. But today, this will have to be enough.
Here are some pictures.
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