Today was a great day. It began with one of the families making pancakes and to wake up to pancakes in the middle of no where India was just like Christmas. We were on medical today. We would be traveling to a colony where there were many with leprosy and would be treating ulcers- sores caused by the leprosy and other ailments. We piled into a van and about an hour later we arrived in a village. Most of these villages have a church building that one or another Christian group has donated. There we were greeted by a friendly older man who welcomed us in. We set up the stations and I was given oiling legs and massage and cutting toe nails. Sandy was washing feet. Sam was changing out the water and sterilizing the basins between patients. Stew in our group was cutting off bandages, his daughter Lydia was taking blood pressure, Ella in the group was taking blood sugar levels, and we had a doctor who would prescribe what they needed and a nurse that was giving out medicines and needed items. It was an assembly line of sorts and it worked well.
My sister Sandy was very chatty as she washed their feet. I wasn't able to be so chatty. I felt so humbled to be rubbing feet and felt like I wanted them to relax although when cutting their toenails it was so difficult. It was hard to tell where nails became skin and I didn't want to hurt them any more. Their hands and feet and around their nails were so dirty it was hard to know how far to cut. But they were grateful for me to trim them. It took all my might with some huge surgical clippers to cut through most of them. I have to say it was kind of crazy when I had to use both hands on the clippers and then a nail would go flying. Yes, I found a nail in my hair later...yikes! Again a humbling day but wonderful to see people so appreciative and a gift to show love to those that suffer with so much. The elderly man was my favorite. I was touched by his example of making sure everyone was seen before him. His feet were some of the worst since he barely had any toes and there was one tiny bit left that turned out to be just a nail which I clipped off. I can't imagine how difficult this life would be but also what grace one can possess. He possessed that grace.
In the afternoon I had plans to go to Divya's village. It was as I remember an hour walk and although everyone said 15 mins, it was a 15 minute bike ride for the girls. It must have been an hour walk in the stifling heat that time. I was grateful that RSO sent me with a driver in an Air Conditioned car. We followed Divya, her brother Gokul and her neighbor friend Savita on their bikes. They were so cute. They were so excited to show me their home and walk me around their fields. They said their father was a farmer and grows rice and they had some some goats and a cow and a village well that they wanted to show us. It was fun for them to take us through the fields, meet the cows and goats and then when we got to the well they wanted Sam to swim. There was no way I was going to let him go in that water, it was so dirty and green and looked like all kinds of bacteria were growing in it. But, Gokul took off his clothes and dove right in in his underwear like no big deal. It was hilarious. He was showing us all his dives and tricks. He wanted to Sam to come but I told him he couldn't since we would have to leave soon. Sam was templed but too much risk with infection (which of course I didn't mention) When we retuned to Divya's home her neighbor had climbed a coconut tree to fetch us fresh coconut water and Divya brought out some snacks and had us sit. She asked her mother to tie flowers in my hair and her mother was cute tiering them to my pony tail. The brother was excited to take photos and took most of the photos and wanted to capture his mom putting flowers in my hair. It was really such a sweet exchange in their village. They were building a new home and so we went into their new construction which will be a huge expansion to what they have now which is barely a 10x10 cement room with the only furniture being a half the size of twin bed made from twine with no mattress. The father and so share this and Divya and her mother sleep on the cement floor, which is so common here and honestly much cooler than any place.
When it was time to go Divya's best friend had walked home from school and came to say hello. Diva was so generous with her friends and her affection. She is such a sweet good girl and seems without any selfishness and so inclusive of all. It reminded me of when I came last time I brought a box of jelly beans and gave them to her and she had maybe 2 because she shared them with all her friends and those around. I can learn from Divya to be less selfish and more generous.
In the evening we did our education training after dinner. Dinner was good tonight and it was the most I have eaten in 3 days, you think I would be fading away but no, I don't seem to be. I am drinking inordinate amounts of water though of which is the only way to keep from passing out. I was super tired so went to bed early tonight. Full day.
The boys chilling in the rice paddies
Sam playing hoops with the boys during after school playtime
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