As promised...

Children from the Gypsy community that is supported by the KKSS organization
Raddha Krishna waiting for the tailor to make his new school uniform for his first day of school!
The very elaborate chinese style theatre where I saw my first Tamil movie.
Inside an auto rickshaw
My dear Alexa Gilker and I visiting a fishing community that was severly affected by the 2004 India Ocean Tsunami

If everyone uses a car horn five times every minute, does it loses its impact?

It has been a whirlwind two weeks of becoming a personal jungle gym for a group of hyper-active children, eating wonderfully spicy Daal and Chutney awkwardly with my hands, craving time in a car with air conditioning, waking up to delicious masala tea, dressing up saris, looking down the street and seeing a sea of colours, learning that the controversal movies are the ones that have no singing and dancing in them, and remembering that drivers in Canada (and the majority of the world) recognize that the road is actually split up into lanes and just a free-for-all-find-any-gap-to-fit-your-car-into-while-you-honk-your-horn-at-anything-that-moves. Golly I will miss India.

Newspaper quote of a lifetime (Re: upcoming Bollywood film "Love Story 2050"): "It's just your typical adventure sci-fi lovestory musical." -I can't even being to think of another movie that would fit that description. The only thing that comes close in my mind is the muscial episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer...but that would be described as action rather than adventure. I think I will try to spread the Bollywood craze in Guelph. Dancing and singing makes for a guaranteed good day.

The time I have spend at Angel House (the baby's home/adoption centre for abandoned children) has been phenomenal. It is primarily for newborns that have been abandoned, but they will take in older children if there is need. It just so happened that 9 2-8 year olds arrived a few days before I did, giving me a plethora of children to fall in love with. It is difficult to get older children adopted in India, as adoption itself hasn't really become accepted yet, especially ones that are as dark as these children. But Rajini (the orphanage manager) has been working really really hard to find parents for these kids, and has been successful with three of them. In the meantime, I became one of their personal playmates.

We can learn a lot from children--almost as much as we can teach them. One little boy in particular has been my teacher during my time here. His name is Raddha Krishna, and I think I mentioned him in my last post. He is eight and was abandoned at an older age than most children. He has grown up without a notion of what a typical family is, with a mother and a father, but has come to develop a family of his own. This little boy has come to love the little girls that he lives with at the orphange. He is the best older brother, checking on them when they are upset, putting them to bed, helping them eat, explaining to them what is going on, letting me know that they need fans on when they are napping. I am seriously in awe of this child. From someone who has lacked constant attention, love and nurturing, his heart is so big and so willing to give. He is an incredibly beautiful child that I feel blessed to have spent time with, even if so short. I think that I mentioned in my last post that an American woman was looking at adopting him. Unfortunately, the adoption did not pan out. So please continue to pray for Raddha Krishna. Oh! I just remembered that today is his birthday! We are planning on throwing him a little party with cake and games. If anyone ever deserved a party, it was him.

I'm off tonight to go visit the family of some friends back in Calgary. I'm very excited to spend some time visiting and relaxing before heading home. Come Monday, India and I will be parting ways.

I also have gotten the chance to upload some pictures for the first time!! So will add a second post with them in a minutes.

Happy Friday friends.

Sweat and Spices

I have been in Chennai for a day and a half. My impression thus far? It is by far the hottest place I have every been in my life...and the most crowded. I have never been around so many people...everywhere. Last night we tried to go to a Bollywood movie, and it was impossible to manuever through the theatre/mall to try and find thee ticket counter. Someone who was Claustrophobic would probably have had a nervous breakdown...but for some reason I just loved it. When I see so many people in one place, it reminds me how many of us live on this earth. I am one of 6 billion. That is unthinkable to be. I can't even begin to picture what 6 billion looks like. Although I think that half of them were probably in that theatre.

The city of Chennai is quite vibrant and full of life, if not mildly chaotic. I think there is a general guideline that people are to drive on the left side of the road...but all the drivers, bikes, vespas and cows just seem to squeeze in wherever there is room --right, left, centre, backwards. And the funny thing is...in the few auto rickshaws that we took, I never felt like we were even near to having an accident. Everyone seems to know how to manuever around each other safely like a single fast moving organism. It is quite bizarre. And no one can seem to tell me if anyone does, in fact, own any of the cows...

I was introduced to the orphange of KKSS today. Now that is a place that is full of life. Currently there are about 15 babies and 15 toddlers. The toddlers all came about 4 days ago, with their caretaker, from an orphanage that had to be shut down. The kids are seriously such well-behaved children, and absolutely hilarious. Most of them are about 3 or 4, with two seven year olds and an 8 year old. The eight year old, Rajna Krishna is very close to adoption by an Indian/American couple, which would be incredible. It is not common for the older children to be adopted, especially when they are as dark as he is. But anyone who spent 5 minutes with that child would fall in love. A child who was likely abandoned by his parents and raised by women in an orphanage, has so much love to give to his little “sisters and brothers.” I was just in awe of this kid (who looks about 4 and not 8 at all) who picks up and soothes crying babies, who helps feed the younger girls, and who smiles, laughs and hugs all of the time. He is a beacon of joy. So I am praying for his adoption, and I hope that you all do as well. I met the prospective mother today, and she is such a kind woman. It would be wonderful to give this amazing little boy a home.

I am sitting in the volunteer apartment waiting for some of the other girls to arrive and then we are off to a wedding. Who’s wedding it is, I have no idea. But I am excited to be a part of a celebration.

Hugs and Smiles,
Jenn

A Country with many faces

Dumelang,

Today is my last day in Botswana. My volunteer placement finished two weeks ago, and I have since then been backpacking with five other Canadians from the group. My final thoughts on the Holy Cross Hospice: I left a community that was becoming like my family. This experience has been incredibly different from any other international volunteer position that I have done before. Both in Mexico and Costa Rica, the work I was doing was project based: run a one week day camp, plant x number of trees, build a rec court, paint a playground etc. When we finished we finished and although sad to leave, our work was done. The hospice was very different. In three weeks, Brianna and Warren and I were made part of their daily operations. We sat in on meetings, we went on home visits, we built relationships with the patients and did activities with them...it was very relationally based. I didn't leave on the note of having completed something, ready to leave. My time at the hospice was still an open book, ready to develop. But alas, we were on a timeline, and had to say goodbye. Did I impact anyone's life? I hope that I made it clear that I really cared for both the patients and the staff. If anything, I was touched by them. By their energy, excitement, and willingness to welcome three Canadians into their family.

Not Built for Backpackers

BOtswana is a beautiful country. It is full of animals and nature that you will never experience anywhere else in the world. It has so much potential for a booming tourism industry. I say potential knowing that tourism has been developed quite intentionally, but it is not very accessible. BOtswana tourism is safari tourism, which is quite exciting but also quite expensive. It is dominated by wealthy white Batswana, or foreigners, and is rarely accessed by the greater local population. I talked to a Motswana man on the bus today who was conviced that Batswana just want to stay put and are afraid to see what their country has to offer. But I think it's a matter of affordability. Not only would developing lower end tourism cater to younger backpackers like myself, but it would involve all Batswana in discovering the attractions of their own homeland.

Above rant aside, I have had an incredible time traveling here and have done more in 10 days than thouht possible. For those who really know me know that my biggest fear in the world is to get eaten by a wild animal. I have been challenging myself a lot as I spent an entire night camping on a game reserve that was stocked with Lions, Hyenas, water buffalo, leopards, elephants and worst of all hippos. The challenge has been worth it. I have never thought myself an animal fanatic, but i think that has really been based on my dislike for zoos. Learning the habitat and behavioural patterns of elephants, hippos etc. has been so fascinating, and a clear confirmation of God's perfect design.

As the animals have wooed me over that past 10 days, so have the adrenaline rushes. As if learning about birds wasn't enough, I decided to try being one. I bungee jumped 111 meters of a bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe, with the waters of Victoria Falls crashing down behind me. That's something I never thought I would do...but I seriously recommend it. The freedom that comes with just falling was like nothing I have felt before. I wonder if birds have any idea of how lucky they are.

Victoria Falls brought us to Zambia for a night, where we stayed at a popular backpackers hostel. The differences between Botswana and Zambia are overwhelming. We got off the ferry from Botswana that took us across the Zambezi river, and stepped in a country of black markets and an air of chaos. So different compared to the relatively calm and organized Botswana. But I loved it. Petrol is sold on the side of the road by men with plastic jugs because it's cheaper than the pumps. The vendors at the market don't just deal with cash, but they are up to trade for anything. One woman gave me in the loveliest peace of ZAmbian fabric in the exchange for the blanket that came from my long KLM flight and a piece of brightly coloured fleece that Brianna had brought. But my favourite moment by far was when our hostel had an electrical fire and lost all power for the second day that we were there. Brianna and Siobhan and I knew that after several days of putting off showers, we were stinkballs. So we took a walk and ended up showering in the bathroom of a Chinese Food Restaurant down the street. I didn't anticipate that one. Zambia is somewhere that I know I would love to return to. There is so much colour, creativity and life. But I suppose that will be for another time.

I don't have time or the finger muscles to share the full extent of my travelling, but I can say that it was quite an adventure. I am a little bit tired of sitting on buses full of people eating greasy fried chicken, but I think I could keep going. Brianna has returned home and Dustin, Kristi, Siobhan and Laura are continuing on to Namibia. What's next for me? Tomorrow I fly into Johannesburg where I catch a flight to Chennai, India. A new country where I will meet a totally new culture of relationships. I will be meeting my dear Alexa there, and for that I am so grateful. When I am with Alexa, I feel like I become my best self. I am nervous and excited...but i think I'm ready.

Goodbye Botswana. Thank you for putting up with me.