This has been a bit of a catch-up day. We had a donation to take up to Kassam to the MBKGP Orphanage (which we refer to as Pannai). What does MBKGP stand for? Mudhiyor Balar Kudumba Grama Pannai. That's why it's abbreviated. We hailed an auto-rickshaw, which took Sue and I over the country roads quite adequately, although I'm not sure my lunch agreed with it.
It was so good to meet briefly with Vatsala the Principal, who was delighted with our contribution towards library books. We went to say a final goodbye to Daniel, Anita, Ratna and all the fine people at the Orphanage.
For more info about the orphanage see the following link -
http://www.mbkgpkasam.org/
We then went up to Shanthigramam, the leprosy village we support. It was good to see so many familiar faces, but also sad to note that quite a few had died since our last visit. The "population" is down to 13, but they will be assessing some new folk next week. It was amazing to see that one of the newer members of the Shanthigramam family, without any fingers, had cultivated a whole area of what had been wasteland, and was producing on a large scale tomatoes, aubergines, radishes, squashes, chillies, maize, bananas. He had been in horticulture before, but to continue it against all the odds with which leprosy challenges people was really something!
Suddenly two minibuses arrived out of which poured some "YWAM" folk who had come to energetically entertain the villagers - which they did enthusiastically in the newly-built church. The Pastor, Charles, was aware that we were there too, and very graciously included us into the programme. We did the contemplative bits, they did the whacky bits - surprising, I know!
I was so pleased to be able to hand over 10,000 rupees to Valsa (about 125 pounds); much of which was an accumulation of contributions from a kind lady in Alresford, who has the cure and care of lepers very much at heart.
That will be all for now - won't be able to make the journey tomorrow night to the Internet Cafe, as we will be in a food programme of Dibley proportion, going from lunch to early afternoon tea, late afternoon tea, then Supper! The blog will continue once we're in Pondicherry. We leave Karigiri at lunchtime, catch the train, then arrive in "Pi-Land" at about 5pm. More news then.
It was so good to meet briefly with Vatsala the Principal, who was delighted with our contribution towards library books. We went to say a final goodbye to Daniel, Anita, Ratna and all the fine people at the Orphanage.
For more info about the orphanage see the following link -
http://www.mbkgpkasam.org/
We then went up to Shanthigramam, the leprosy village we support. It was good to see so many familiar faces, but also sad to note that quite a few had died since our last visit. The "population" is down to 13, but they will be assessing some new folk next week. It was amazing to see that one of the newer members of the Shanthigramam family, without any fingers, had cultivated a whole area of what had been wasteland, and was producing on a large scale tomatoes, aubergines, radishes, squashes, chillies, maize, bananas. He had been in horticulture before, but to continue it against all the odds with which leprosy challenges people was really something!
Suddenly two minibuses arrived out of which poured some "YWAM" folk who had come to energetically entertain the villagers - which they did enthusiastically in the newly-built church. The Pastor, Charles, was aware that we were there too, and very graciously included us into the programme. We did the contemplative bits, they did the whacky bits - surprising, I know!
I was so pleased to be able to hand over 10,000 rupees to Valsa (about 125 pounds); much of which was an accumulation of contributions from a kind lady in Alresford, who has the cure and care of lepers very much at heart.
That will be all for now - won't be able to make the journey tomorrow night to the Internet Cafe, as we will be in a food programme of Dibley proportion, going from lunch to early afternoon tea, late afternoon tea, then Supper! The blog will continue once we're in Pondicherry. We leave Karigiri at lunchtime, catch the train, then arrive in "Pi-Land" at about 5pm. More news then.
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