Til We Meet Again

If I had to have a last day here, I could not have asked for a better one. Today we went to the Moot colony, a colony completely run by Rising Star. It is very small and very old and very isolated. These people do not have or know of a world outside of their small community because they have no means of transportation and most are severely crippled. Rising Star brings them rice and beans once every 2 weeks and that is the only way they survive. Spending time with these people today, I realized how special each of them is and how my life is richer having known them.

Meet Saroja: Saroja is so tiny and looks even smaller as she moves around on 2 fingerless hands and one stump of a foot. She cannot weigh more than 60 pounds. She contracted leprosy at around age 5. She is in her late sixties now, and in addition to her disfigured and missing limbs she suffers from a half paralyzed face and sunken eye. Dr. Kumar told us how she married at age 14 to Krishna, another member of the colony. He was physically abusive to her for most of their marriage, but now he gets around on a little tray with wheels, pushing himself with his sandled hands. Even though she hates him and they do not live together, she still makes his food everyday because he cannot do it on his own. This woman, who has so little, takes part of her ration of rice and beans, crushes it up, and feeds it to the birds. It is what makes her happy, giving to those less fortunate than herself. I cannot think of a better example of charity and strength.

Meet Jay Raj: Jay Raj is the entertainer. There was not a moment while we were there that he didn't have a huge smile on his face. He spent most of our visit dancing to what few Indian songs I currently have in my repertoire (Thank you, Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack) and some American songs as well. It never ceases to amaze me how much joy some of these people have in their circumstances. It really makes me look at my life in a new light. Is it bad that they do so much more for me than I could ever do for them?

It was really sad to leave Moot, especially knowing that I probably won't see these people ever again in this lifetime. I hate that this trip has to end. I hate that there isn't more I can do right now. Let me stay.

I have been preparing myself for this last play time with the kids. And by preparing, I mean avoiding the fact that it is my last time with the kids. There are so many relationships that I've begun that have only just started to blossom, and it breaks my heart to have to say goodbye so soon. Play time was over too fast. Vicky and little Gracie held each of my hands as we walked to the Dining Hall for prayer time. I sat between them and just looked into their beautiful faces. These children have so much love to give and crave so much in return, and it just kills me that I can't give it to them.

After dinner, I took my little disposable camera (which I had to reteach myself how to use) and took photos of me with all my favorite kiddos. I'm going to mail the pictures back to them when I get them printed and hopefully start some sort of mailing correspondence. I am genuinely concerned and interested in their education and futures and I want to keep in touch. I see how happy they get when they receive letters from their sponsors and I want to give them that joy. I just hung out with my boys for a little while. We played soccer and Vicky painted my nails a horrendous jaundice yellow, and when it was time for bed, I lined them all up to get a kiss from me. What followed was a solid 40 minutes of giggling, tickling, and kissing. I am so in love with these kids and their laughs. When they smiled at me and kissed my cheek, I could die of happiness. It was the hardest thing in the world to say goodbye to them.

Tonight we gathered in the mango room with Steele and Sarah and all took turns reading a journal or blog entry and telling everyone why we came to India. I shared my Shakthivel story and showed them my plastic wall hanger. As for why I came to India, I think it was to learn to love more purely. I think it was to participate in something bigger than myself, to serve others so completely that my worries and troubles would melt away in the things that really matter in this world. I will miss the children, I will miss the people I've met in the colonies, I will miss my fellow volunteers, I will miss India.

I will love, I will serve, I will feed the birds.