Rising Star Outreach - Day 5

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Ok, so not a terribly long post today since it is really late and the internet was down half of the night.  but on a bonus side the power has only gone out one time tonight, issue was I was just getting out the shower.  So that was rather dark.   Today we had school duty and the other group went to colony.  We get to the computer lab to work with the kids on fractions and multiplication.  So that was fun.  We had fun with that.  Some kids are so smart and rip through the material and others really struggle.  I tried to help as much as I could.  The next it was off to reading time in the library.  I had a little girl and we took turns reading "On the bank of Plum Creek", the girl was really really good at reading, but it is hard to comprehend 1800's prairie culture if you have never understood the American prairie.  It was rather interesting.  I guess I took for granted being able to conceptualize that kind of life.  Next we went to eat with the kids at the dining hall.  This was really fun.  I kind of dragged Carl to it, and the others did not want to go, but I want to spend as much time with them as possible.  So Carl and I went over to the dining hall and sat with the bays and ate lunch.  That was a really good time to get to know the kids.  They were beaming with excitement that we took the time to eat with them.  After lunch and a nap, we went back to the computer room for more tutoring this time it was an older group.  I sat with three girls from the 7th Standard class.  They were working on fractions.  I was really proud that I was able to remember the fractions.  After computer lab we were supposed to go to do a class for the 9th standard about values, but they were all at the hospital for check-ups.  So were got a little break before going to play with the UKG kids.  UKG time was really hot, too hot to go out of the shade, so we stayed close to the hostel shade and enjoyed some time there.  We played different games.  Then it was general play time.  I played one-on-one basketball with one of the boys.  I lost, but had a great time.  Although now my quad is really hurting.  Finally we had prayer time with the kids.  It was really a good one.  We talked about gratitude and I showed off the pictures of the whole family.  It was really cute when I carried around the tablet with the pictures up on it.  They would touch the screen and say "God bless" and they would bless the family.  It just means so much to them that we are here with them.  I am not sure what I was expecting when we came here, but it has exceeded my expectations in so many ways. 
Thoughts from Carl:
day three was enjoyable.  We helped people who had leprosy.  they beamed at us as we washed their (occasional almost nonexistence) feet 

then we went to see a birds sanctuary.  You would not believe the different amount of birds there.  we came back for general playtime and we played Magic.
Day four we went to the hospital.  The man we where in charge of was over the moon.  Then we came back for general play time and played Magic again (this game didn't end yet).  I was whopped.
Day 5 we taught.  It was in the computer lab and i had to juggle two trouble makers by my self. we left for a mini break and then came back.  this time i insisted that i be in charge of one child, so i found one.  HE. WAS.  A.  MATH..WIZA!!!! Then we left for UKG time and came back to the lab and i had to stop one kid from getting the awnsers from another.  then i went to bed, but the Magic game finnally ended.

Rising Star Outreach Trip -- Day 4

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So day 4 is over, which is really rather sad.  It means that it is flying by way too fast and we are not able to do everything.  It was another incredible day, then of course all of the days seem to be words like amazing, incredible, ect.  So we started bright and early since we were taking a group of kids and patients to Chennai to the big hospital there to get things done.  We gathered up the kids and we waited for the teacher van to get here since it "had A/C"  It blew something that might be considered A/C at one point in time.  It no longer had A/C, it was rather hot in the van.  We then went to two different colonies to pick up three patients, those who are afflicted with leprosy.  And off to Chennai.  We went to the hospital there, which was huge, and circa 1970's hospital.  When we got out we broke into groups.  Carl and I were assigned Rajeth from the outreach and Issac from the colony.  Rajeth needed an eye check-up and Issac had just had a successful cataract surgery and needed a check-up.  We breezed into opthamology and they were seen almost instantly which was kind of amazing.  I then got into issues when the nurse started to ask questions about Rajeth that I could not answer.  Luckily Navamando (the Head Nurse from the outreach program) came by and bailed us out of that one.  Then we took Issac to the head of Opthamology to get looked at.  They were really nice.  I really loved the attitude and demeanor of Issac.  He was so very happy-go-lucky.  It made me smile, because every two to three minutes he would look over to us and smile.  Most of the patients from the colonies don't speak English, so we act out a lot.  He has at this point in his illness lost most of his fingers, and a fair number of toes.  He struggles to get around, but does so with a really light conscience.  He really inspired me, and made me think, about how I carry myself.  I think there is definitely some improvement there.  After the doctor's visit we waited for the rest of the group, they took a fair amount of time to get back.  So I let the boys from the outreach play with the tablet, they really loved it.  They got it taken away if one of them cursed when they died or fought over it.  After the hospital we went to St. Thomas' Mount.  It was supposedly where St. Thomas was stoned to death.  It had amazing views of the city.  I had to pay 10 Rupees, so I made the most of it.  The pics are in the slide show, I am going to inflict the 10 Rupees on all that are reading the blog.  They had a Mother Teressa Statue there, I am not too sure if she ever visited the spot, but after having been here and served here, I can say I have huge respect for her.  After that we stopped by Dominoes for some pizza, it was OK.  They did have on the menu for a pizza called the Boloroni pizza, which is a pizza and pasta bake in one.  So it is crust, noodles with sauce, cheese, and toppings.  It was rather nasty sounding, we definitely did not get it, but it apparently the favorite of the outreach kids.  We then returned to the outreach and went out for playtime and then prayer time.  Both were great.  Prayertime I taught them some Russian.  Which was fun.
I don't think that I can properly put into words the feelings that I have here.  The closeness with the Savior and the love I have for the people here.  I love this experience, makes me think that I definitely need to find more outlets for service, within and without the walls of my home, to give more freely with all that I do.  I know that this experience will bring me closer to my Heavenly Father.