This post will explain my lack in posting for this long!
My grandma and grandpa (Dada) - Mom's parents - have been here visiting since September. My grandpa came here to get some ayurvedic alternative treatment for his pulmonary fibrosis since he wasn't getting any relief from traditional medications back in the states. He would get bouts of shortness of breath that would last minutes to hours and then be totally fine for hours and hours. He would get these spells for days and days and then be totally fine for weeks even months. He didn't have too much difficulty until Sunday, November 21st. That evening we took him to the doctor to get medications since he was getting worse. The doctor gave him the option of either getting admitted or taking meds on an outpatient basis. He knew that there was no cure and the most they could do in a hospital was give him oxygen, so he opted to stay home. Plus after having just seen his cousin pass away he had it in his head that if he went to the hospital they weren't ever going to let him come home. The meds weren't doing much good, but he kept saying that he had this same problem back in the states, and it felt of the same intensity, so he wanted to stay home.
Monday evening I came home in the evening, around 10:45pm...I went to ask him how he was feeling but saw that he was asleep, so I didn't bother him. As I started to walk away from him he started gasping for air...I asked if he was okay, if I could get him anything, and he said he wanted to go to the bathroom, but didn't need any help. So he walked himself to the bathroom and I stood around waiting for him to get done and settled again. In the mean time my aunt woke up and told me to look at my grandma...I'm thinking oh God, what did she do now? So I turned the light on and looked at her - and she had a golf-ball sized bump right above her eye - apparently she fell just hours before I got home. I was sitting here asking her about what happened, if it hurts, what she did for it, and in that much time my aunt yelled from the room for me to look at my grandpa...I'm thinking what now. I turn around and he had come out of the bathroom but was leaning up against the wall, clearly barely able to stand up. I went and supported him and realized he wasn't holding himself up at all. I held him up and told my aunt to call my uncle to bring a car over so we could take dada to the hospital. It took him awhile to come to after which I sat him down. Then he was totally fine - I had him drink a few sips of water..he was still somewhat struggling to breathe but he could now talk and was again fully conscious. He was on board with going to the hospital but he first wanted me to get him all of his medical records so he could decide what to take. I told him we'll sort through it at the hospital, but my dada is very very stubborn. So I played his game, went through his papers...he kept asking questions like how we'll get to the hospital, it's dark out so who'll drive, which doctor will we admit him under...he was talking in English, which meant he was only talking to me. I kept telling him trust me, I'll take care of you, let's just go...and all he said was yes I trust you, but I want to know everything. For anyone who knew him, this is very typical of him. Finally he was satisfied with everything we gathered up for the hospital. My two uncles were there to pick him up and help him walk to the car, but he refused their help...he wanted to walk himself. After 5 minutes of waiting they went to pick him up and all he did is yell for them to put him down and give him time. Finally he decided it was time, so he got up and walked to the patio. There was became very short of breath again and sat down. I told my uncles not to let him sit and get him straight into the car (a few feet and two stair steps away) because I knew once he sat he wasn't getting up for awhile...but again he's stubborn, so he sat. There we argued about his shoes - I told him he doesn't need any, but he insisted, so I got him his slippers, but he wanted his tennis shoes...as I was rolling my eyes and putting the slippers back and grabbing his tennis shoes he went unconscious. My grandpa was a very big guy, so we struggled a bit and threw him into the back seat of the car (he didn't really fit) and drove to the hospital which in India is a quicker way to get there than wait for an ambulance.
I was in the back seat with him so I was trying to get him to respond to me, talking to him, checking his pulse...he was hanging on, but barely. We got to the hospital in less than 7 minutes, they put him on a gurney and took him up. By the time we got up and the doctors got a look at him he was pulseless. They started CPR and giving medications...I gave him a brief history and told them he had a pulse up until he was in the car, so he had been pulseless for less than 3 or 4 minutes. After about 30 minutes they successfully resuscitated him. They told us now we just have to wait until morning to see if he wakes up.
Having worked in the hospital setting for many years, I knew deep down that things didn't look good. And I knew that if he did wake up he probably wouldn't be in the best shape and be able to live the active life he always enjoyed. We called home and my aunt, uncle, and mom started to make arrangements to fly in.
We had all sorts of specialists come and see him...and while most of them said wait and watch, I knew what they were tip-toeing around. I finally asked one of the doctors to spell it out - he said it would take a miracle to have him walk out of here, which was what I knew but was too afraid to say out loud. Wednesday afternoon he went into renal failure. They set things up to start him on dialysis to help him pull through until everyone came in the next day to see him one last time. They started dialysis around 2am Thursday morning, knowing that his blood pressure was low and there was the risk of the dialysis making it dip further. I was with him until a little after 4am at which time they asked me to step outside so they could give a sponge bath to the guy in the adjoining bed. They called me back within minutes and seeing all of the staff gathered around I knew. Dada passed away at 4:30am, Thursday November 25th.
All of his kids were present for his funeral which we held on Friday after which we cremated him. Dada was young - only 73, but he was walking, talking and joking until his last moments. He didn't suffer and he led a very fulfilling life. He was prepared for the worst, often talking about how he's next in line to go, and we can't count on him to be around much longer, so while we all expected him to be around to keep us on our toes for 10-20 more years, he knew it was his time. This was the first death in my family, but I knew since he was admitted that things didn't look good, which made it easier to accept. We have to be grateful that he didn't suffer and that he accomplished everything he wanted to in life. Dada was a character, so his absence is greatly noticed, but we have to pick up the pieces and move forward.
My aunt, mom, and I went to the cremation site (traditionally only men go) and also went to the river to perform the last rites (12th day after his death) and immerse his ashes per his wishes. He would have wanted the daughters to do everything his son was supposed to do, and would have been the first one asking questions and trying to understand all of the rituals that were going on. Thank you to everyone who has sent their thoughts and prayers to me and my family...all we need is for everyone to pray to give my family and my grandma the strength to move forward with Dada's memories in our hearts.
Cremation
So in our village (Rancheda) they have garbas for Diwali. These are the same types of garbas as we have for Navratri where everyone dances around in a circle into the wee hours, but at Diwali instead of the festival being dedicated to God in the form of a female, this is dedicated to the icon of God that is your kuldevi (icon that the village believes in) - ours is veer baap. The garbas go on for 5 nights straight - our village is fairly empty (everyone now lives in the cities or has moved abroad), but during these 5 days everyone opens up their houses and comes and stays in the village.
I went to stay there for a night with my grandpa...well at first I was supposed to go myself, but somehow the old man decided that he wanted to come early as well. We stayed at my grandpa's brother's house (it used to belong to the both of them but after my grandpa moved to the states he gave it to his brother). The house is in its original form, which makes it an experience to live in. There is no wash basin, so my grandpa told me to brush my teeth in the bathroom (tub). So I go in and start brushing and while doing so move all of the buckets of water around that are placed in the corners to find the drain...and couldn't find one! So I panic since I'm going to need a drain pretty soon, and signal to my aunt "where do I spit"? She just kept laughing at me because she couldn't figure out what I was asking and apparently I looked pretty ridiculous. Turns out there is like foot long by foot tall opening at the bottom of one of the walls that looks like it's a crawl in space to the next room that actually serves as the drain! I now wish I had taken a picture of it...but it didn't function to well since the bathroom isn't built on as large of a slope as I think necessary so half of the water doesn't exactly drain out and instead stays pooled in the bathroom! Gross!Anyways, so I got ready while spending the whole time with a greater appreciation for the facilities we have in the states! I spent the day playing with my 8 month old cousin and hanging out with family. My grandpa took me around the village and introduced me to more extended family and friends that I did not know existed...it turned out to be more of him showing me off to his friends. I can't describe how it felt to see and hear the pride and joy with which he told people I'm his granddaughter and all about what I'm doing...sometimes you don't realize the value people put on you mostly because people don't take the time to tell others. When my grandpa was in the states I took him to the hospital on two separate occasions when he had pneumonia. I knew that it meant a lot to him that I dropped everything and went to his aid, but I never realized that my actions in his eyes defined my love and attachment for him. Everyone in our village knows that I took him to the hospital - which was really not a big deal for me, definitely not the story I would think of sharing with people I'm talking to for 5-10 minutes, but that simple gesture meant the world to him. I'm grateful to have gotten this opportunity to spend some quality time with my grandpa and meet all these really random villagers as well :p
In the evening we went to the garba...it is super crazy! Your family can decide to "take" the garba any of the 5 days, though you have to decide beforehand. The morning of you bring a divo (candle) from the garba to your house and keep it going all day. Then in the evening any of the daughter-in-laws of the family has to take the garbo, which means they put the 45 kg garbo on their head and spin in circles with it...let's just say it's not everyone's cup of tea!
The garba itself was a lot of fun - they go on pretty late, around 3 or 4am...it was exhausting, but a good time! Below is a brief video:
Hey guys,
This is going to be another quick update - so sorry for the long delay again!
My grandpa's cousin who was staying with us passed away about 2 weeks ago. He was in the ICCU for low BP after being on bed rest from hip surgery...then they did an EKG 2 days after his admission (for fun) and saw that he had a heart attack previously...and then it was all downhill from there - had another MI, couldn't get his BP up, got an infection in his lungs. It was definitely an experience seeing the patient side of things in the health care system in India. They don't explain anything and make all choices seem black and white - either you can intubate him or leave his fate to God. Most everyone won't answer any questions you ask or even tell you what's going on - the doctor that explained exactly what was happening to my family (which happened to be exactly what I told them was going on) only did so after we told them we wanted to transfer to another hospital!
Anyways, the Hindu rituals that were performed after his death were also very interesting to witness. A lot of the things people used to believe in and do in the olden days are gone, yet some traditions remain - some crazier than others! There are 13 days of mourning during which the family stays together...it was really amazing to see the family come together and support each other. We went to my uncle's house every night - all had dinner together, then there was a prayer service (bhajans) every night. So needless to say I've been busy with family related stuff the last couple of weeks, but it was an insightful experience to get to take part in.
We are on Diwali vacation now at Manav Sadha for the next 2 weeks, so lots of hanging out and relaxing! Went to the Ram Rahim tekro a few days ago - they have started construction on the community center there...this construction was the main reason they put me on that project to help with questions and communication with the donors as this gets started. The projected opening date for the center is next June - I hope it all happens on time and I'm here to see it!
Other than that - before Dad left he threw me a surprise super early birthday party :) - pictures here.
Since I'm on vacation probably won't have much to report, but would love to get an email from you guys to hear what you guys are up to! I miss the states!!!
Hey guys,
I am so sorry I have not posted in awhile! Dad is here for the rest of the week, so I've spent a lot of time showing him around, taking him out to eat (he loves eating in India!) and shopping. Also spent a lot of time just being at home. For those of you who don't know my Masi (Mom's sister who I am staying with) owns a shop that does cell phone recharges and makes xerox copies. I usually have been spending the afternoons there helping out or just watching the American TV channels :) I was more inspired to spend time there after one of the fellow Manav Sadhna staff told me that I should dedicate some time to helping in the family business while I am here. We took out around 900 copies one afternoon - took 3 hours straight - and I told my Mama (mom's cousin brother) that he's getting old so he can do all of the work sitting down and I'll stand at the copy machine - but boy after that my feet were killing me! And after all that work we made about 400 rupees - which is the equivalent of $8. But it is actually a lot of money for our store, yet in comparison thinking that me, my uncle, and my cousin spent 3 hours working and together made $8, not counting the cost of the paper, ink etc...obviously with the lower cost of living in India that amount isn't as outrageously low, but still!
Navratri is going on right now in India - this is a Hindu celebration of God in the form of a woman. Lots of dancing (garba) for 9 nights straight - they start around 10pm and go until 2, 3, 4am. It hasn't turned out to be as much fun as in the US - and obviously they are supposed to be better here. It's probably because I don't have a solid group of die-hard garba fans here like I do back home - that and all of the rocks that hurt your feet here compared to the nice polished gym floors in the states ;)
The last few days got a nasty cold - apparently it's normal around Navratri time because of all of the dust flying around. All I know is I have not had a cold this bad as long as I can remember! Nothing is helping...but hopefully the worst is over!
Alright guys - that's all I have for now. Next week expect more regular and hopefully more exciting updates :)
My Dad is here visiting :) Super excited and have had lots of fun showing him around Manav Sadhna and Ahmedabad! But that means I'm slacking both in going to the ashram (don't worry, they know why!) and in writing my blog!
So last week when I went to teach at the street school Kiranbhai had me meet this patient. She is 5 years old who had hydrocephalus - water built up in her brain. She had a shunt placed when she was just a few months old, but had lots of developmental problems since. She is now 5, but looks like she is 2, maybe 3 years old at the most. She was diagnosed with developmental delay, but all the doctors say is for her to keep taking her medications. There is no father (I believe he died, but don't know for sure) so the mother takes care of the family. They have money issues and often cannot afford the medications. The mom often begs the pharmacy people, sometimes the hospital people, sometimes friends and neighbors and until now has managed to more or less get her daughter the treatment she needs. She should be eligible for free care and medication, but she hasn't found her way into the system and how to get those benefits. I'm hoping to, with the help of Ramanbhai (health coordinator), make sure her daughter gets seen by a proper pediatric neurologist (with fresh eyes, redo any tests necessary) and get her the free treatment she is eligible for.
The earn-n-learn school program has a new website! http://www.earnlearn.org You should check it out when you have time - very well made and touching!
We had our eye camp at the Leper Community today. We picked up 2 optometrists from the Nagri Eye Hospital who has done eye camps and worked with us for many years now. One of the optometrists was a student, the other the "attending". We got to the community and setup base at the community center. Then we had one registration table where all of the patients came and had their names written. Then they went to see one of the two doctors who used a flashlight to determine their eye needs! So basic yet apparently so effective. By taking a brief history and using their flashlight they were able to decide if the patient needed glasses, had cataracts, or needed a further evaluation to determine their need. Almost everyone had some need (mostly these are the people who came to the camp!). They were then given a clinic day (m/w for needing glasses, t/f for cataracts etc) and told to come to the hospital for further evaluation, since the doctors didn't have any other equipment with them. We will arrange our staff member who is from the community to take the patients when they need to go. In total we saw 70 patients and about 30 that need to go to the hospital for cataract or full eye exams - the rest all need glasses, which they can get from a local doctor. 
We also gave away old clothes and toys that were donated to us at the camp. We watched and asked the local workers as the patients came regarding who had the most need. The picture above is of Virenbhai helping a guy try on a new jacket we gave him - as you can tell they were very appreciative of everything we gave and rocked all of the items :) (I think that's appropriate use of current "in" lingo - Seema, sorry if I totally embarrassed you, but I gotta try at least to stay up to speed on what's current!). So while Dad was wandering about the Ram Rahim Tekro I was talking to one of the many girls who yells "didi, didi" (means sister) the minute they see me walking around and then follows me about - it's nerve-wracking how quickly they make you into someone they idolize. Anyways, we were talking and I asked her if she showered in the morning (I gave the health and hygiene presentation to all of these classes, so now I habitually ask them about their showering, nails, brushing their teeth, threaten home visits etc). Anyways, this is how this conversation went:
-Did you shower this morning?
-No.
-Why not?
-Was running late for school.
-Why don't you wake up earlier? It takes 15 minutes to shower.
-I already get up at 5am.
-What do you do that early?
-Do my homework for school.
-Why don't you do it the night before?
-My Dad is home and he yells at me so I can't.
-Why does he yell at you?
-Because he gets drunk every night so he is making a scene.
-What time do you get home from school?
-Noon.
-Then do your homework then.
-I have to do the housework when I get home and finish it by 3pm when tuition classes start, otherwise I can't go.
-Well, try to get up 15 minutes earlier or squeeze in 15 minutes of studying before/after class, okay?
-Okay Didi, I will from tomorrow. Next time you ask if I showered the answer will always be yes.
Not only was this exchange touching on many levels, but it made you realize that people, no not people, kids have so many things to deal with, and yet there is no hint of worry or stress on their faces, nor do they ever, and I mean ever, complain about their situation that I have heard. It is really something to learn from and get strength from - it makes me realize we complain about such minute things compared to what these kids have to face on a regular basis!
My Masi turned 50 on Sunday, but as many of you may know birthdays are most definitely not a big deal in India. So we picked up some pizza and had some cake, but nothing big. And so for my gift for her I wanted to do something meaningful rather than something she will think is a waste. So I surprised her and setup for us to go to visit a school, utthan. This school is for about 100 mentally handicapped kids and adults - there are teenagers and 50 year olds at the school. They teach basic values and principles (listening to your elders, following instructions) along with hands on work based on their mental state. They divided the students by mental status and gender. There were far fewer girls than boys. The ones that were more advanced were being taught how to make folders; others were playing games etc. We gave the kids chocolates and then left pencils, erasers, and napkins (hand towels) to give to them later. It was heart warming to see their innocence and excitement as you could imagine. One guy kept asking what time the cricket match was on. The teacher asked him - who won yesterday - he would tell him who it was, and then say well since the match is done there is not one today. The guy would say okay, walk away, and then come right back and ask what time the match is. After he established that it is over, he started asking when the kids were going to go for an outing and play cricket. Just seeing their innocence and their lack of worry - well you guys know me - it was a great birthday gift for my Masi and left me practically in tears.
I have also made an attempt to start driving a scooty here - a very small two-wheeler. Made a few rounds around the block. The brake needs to be fixed, so didn't get too far, but I got the hang of the balance part, it's the traffic that's tricky. Will keep you guys posted on any progress/injuries/near death experiences that I experience while attempting to become a true Indian ;)
Last story - so when I was sick last week, Barotbhai had the tuition class students at Jamalpur during prayer do 2 minutes of silence to send me good thoughts and wishes and hope for my fast and speedy recovery. After the kids found out about my being sick, one of the girls came up to Barotbhai and told him the next day that after she found out she decided that she will not wear slippers until I get better. And she stopped wearing slippers to school, tuition classes, everywhere. Barotbhai told her today when he saw her walking to class barefoot that I am 100% and she should go back to wearing slippers again. Now if I would have known the first thing I would have done is protest the concept of not wearing slippers - how unhygienic! But I was so moved by the girl's emotions. I don't even know her name or what she looks like (though she will be pointed out to me next time!) but the fact that she cared enough to give something up as a sacrifice and a symbol of her thoughts for me - again totally touching! I still cannot believe it. For those of you who aren't from India you have to understand that these are a group of people who believe that if someone sees you while getting a haircut you'll get sick (I kid you not one of the kids looked me in the eye and told me that today!). The fact that this girl thought that her not wearing shoes will balance out some sort of unequal karma in the world and make me better is a mystery, but a gesture that I will remember for a lifetime. The things these kids do for practical strangers - I wish I had that kind of thought would even cross my mind. I have much much more to learn from these kids!
Once again I am so sorry for the lag in my blog posts! Unfortunately since I was sick last week and trying to play it safe the rest of the week, I have been fairly MIA as far as work goes. But here is what I have to update everyone on:
I did 2 health and hygiene classes - one yesterday with the street school kids (older - 8th to 10th grade) and one today with the boys. Both classes went very smoothly as before. I have gotten my rhythm down so the lecture goes nicely from point to point. It's weird being a teacher - have never actually taught classes or anything before or worked with kids in a classroom setting, but it is a very rewarding experience, though I catch myself often thinking back to my elementary school days to think of how to handle discipline etc in the classroom! The kids are very fun to be around and although they can get distracted, they love and appreciate having an outsider take time for them.
It's also time to get going on the spriulina stuff since the guy running the project is gone until November and we have more powder! Good news and bad news on this front. The good news is that we got the capsules to one of the HIV families to start taking. The other two, Karan and Tejaswari, are proving to be a little bit difficult. They are refusing to take their tuberculosis medications - too many side effects, don't understand the importance, combined with no real supervision to enforce things. Some people are working on some ideas to get things moving with them, but for now we're just focusing on getting their tuberculosis cured so that they can start on their anti-retrovirals for their HIV. But the other family - husband, wife, daughter (4) and son (1) - all have HIV except the son who has so far tested negative. Gave capsules to the husband and wife. The wife was very sweet - haven't met her, but she had someone call me to thank me for giving her the capsules. I told her to get started on them and take them regularly and then we will come by with powder for her daughter and for her and her husband to switch over too. My idea is that if they start the capsules and feel a difference it'll be easier to get them to take the powder regularly and without much fuss. The kids in the street school have stopped taking the powder because it seems there is some sand in it? Looking into that now, so things are on hold with the powder, but at least the kids have been asking about it and want to take it because they felt better while they were on the "smelly green powder". :)
Sorry once again for the delay in posts. Got something "viral." Had a very high fever for a couple days, then just the flu. Funny how here whenever you get a fever they classify it as viral and not viral - as if there are fevers that are not caused by a virus?! Anyways, got a home visit from a doctor (not as big of a deal as it sounds!) and got lots of unnamed tablets from unlabeled jars, which apparently did the trick :) Being sick sucks in India - and it's very easy to do!
Yesterday was the 10th day after Ganesh Chaturthi, which means all of the people who sat a Ganapati (icon of God that looks like an elephant) have to put him in a body of water (river). People bring the icons from afar, making music and all sorts of noise, throwing color, singing and dancing away. Then at the river everyone wades in and puts their icons in. Just yesterday 2 guys died in the river...police were on high alert, but still tragedy cannot always be avoided in unregulated waters. But it was cool to see all of the commotion firsthand! People are very devoted - some walk from afar to put the Ganapati in the water, barefoot at times, thinking it'll give them some type of good karma...
On Saturday we took 24 boys from the Jamalpur class to the Veshan Mukti Kendra. This is an organization out of a cancer hospital educating the public about the dangers of tobacco along with the nature and causes of cancer. There are lots of rooms to walk through which have diagrams, pictures, and graphs in both Gujarati and English going through what is a cell, what is cancer, how does it occur, treatments, prevention etc. There is a room full of very very disgusting pictures of cancers. The information focuses on the dangers of tobacco smoking and chewing since that is very very common in India. The center was surprisingly very professional - both in the way they are setup and how they conduct their informational sessions. They have more and more young people that come to the center since more and more young people chew tobacco in India. They also showed the kids a video drama about the dangers of tobacco. At the end, the kids went to the mandir (temple) that is built into the hospital and had to make a promise to stop all addiction and to never start again. Talking to the staff there it was amazing to hear the lack of education people have for the importance of preventative medicine. The organization and hospital has done many types of outreach to make people more aware and to get them to get regular pap smears etc, but people are very reluctant or uninterested. But it is positive to see an organization that is at least aiming to increase awareness.
Yesterday I taught the same health and hygiene presentation I had put together to the women at the sewing class. They are obviously much older - most married, many with kids. The interaction went very smoothly - they were attentive, didn't ask many questions, but obviously listening. I think it was important to talk to them, because they are often the ones that run the household, and especially spend the most time with their kids. So if they improve their own hygiene habits, their kid's habits will improve as well. I hope to work with these women more and hopefully address any other issues they have as well that they feel they don't have anyone to talk to about.
I also went to the Indian Red Cross yesterday. We went initially to setup a thalassemia camp, but that will not be happening for awhile. So while I was there I talked to the guy in charge of Disaster Management. I told him I am a certified Emergency Medical Technician and would love to get involved. They are going to have me teach a CPR/first aid course with them! I'm very excited to get involved there, and hope to eventually bring these courses to Manav Sadhna's staff...basic first aid and CPR are SOO important, but that importance is often under-appreciated in India, at least as far as I have seen.
Today I went to visit some of the pregnant women we are following in the tekra with Pooja. It was very interesting. There were 3 women, all in their last month. One was very on top of things and prepared; another didn't even know which hospital she was going to deliver at! The one on one interaction was very enriching, and there is an obvious need for more education among the women. It has become pretty clear that educating the women will go far in effecting the entire community since they are really the head of the households.
Yesterday I taught two classes at Jamalpur about health and hygiene, one class of boys and one of girls. The presentation I made was very very basic - why you should wash your hair, shower everyday, cut your nails, brush your teeth. The presentations surprisingly took about an hour, though me and Barotbhai presented together so there was more to say.
The presentations were laid back especially because everything we covered the kids in theory have heard a million times. I tried making the presentation interactive by having the kids teach me what is in the picture and why it is important. Every slide we took a survey of who had done what they were supposed to today - who had brushed their teeth, who had combed their hair etc.
One kid clearly had not brushed his teeth in forever - they were very very dirty. We spent him home during class to go brush. The instant before and after was astounding and powerful - really drove the point home. When I asked the kids how long they brush their teeth for everyday (to try to teach them you should be brushing at least 3 minutes) they responded with 2 different answers: 1 hour and 2 hours. They obviously did not have a good gauge on time! So I told them to go home and watch the clock while they brush, then make it last 3-5 minutes.
I taught them to brush morning and night and the importance and reason for brushing both times. Then last night I was overcome with guilt, because I am horrible about brushing my teeth at night. So at midnight while I'm laying in bed, exhausted, lights out, mouse hiding in the kitchen ready to eat me alive, I get up and walk to the sink and brush my teeth. Maybe this guilt will last and I'll make my dentist proud by no longer having to lie to him...never mind, will never floss everyday so it's a lost cause!
But just sitting down talking to the kids was lots of fun! The kids were very involved in the discussion and you could tell they really looked up to me and what I was telling them - sometimes they need someone from the outside to tell them the same thing they have been hearing to realize its value. I told the kids I will do random spot checks and even talk to their parents! Let's hope this makes a difference...the first step to good health!
One of the girls who is connected with Manav Sadhna and ESI had her 30th birthday this week - she has actually become a dear friend of mine. Anyways, for her birthday gift Jayeshbhai found 30 pregnant women in the slum - most of whom were on their 3rd, 4th pregnancy, not very spaced out etc. We brought them to the ESI center, welcomed them, took their blood to get tested, fed them, and then had a doctor speak to them. I was helping run things when they were testing the blood...and there was this woman who kept switching spots to avoid getting drawn! I finally got her up and in the seat, and had to have her hold my hand in order to allow us to draw her blood! And this woman has already had 2 kids! I can't imagine how a blood draw is more painful than childbirth!!! Yet once she squeezed my hand in pain, I had to admit it must have hurt her quite a bit (at least psychologically) in order for her to squeeze as hard as she did! After lunch a local doctor came to talk to the women. She is the doctor that serves the slum area...really great person. She explained the importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy (especially since many women neglect care after their first few kids), importance of prenatal care, choosing a hospital to deliver at etc. etc. She has worked with these women for many years, and you could tell by the way she was explaining things to them. All of these women will continue to be followed through Manav Sadhna's anganwadi program, through their childbirth and after. The idea is to focus on their health throughout pregnancy, but also try to build a relationship with them to do some family planning education and perhaps convince a few of them to get an operation - which is done for a nominal fee at these hospitals. It was interesting hearing how the system works here - for example, you have to get your paperwork on file at the hospital you want to deliver at beforehand...that's strange to us, but apparently it is doable but nearly impossible to do at the time! Very heartwarming gift for Meghna!
Tuberculosis is widespread in the slum. I was unaware of how common it is in India! People with TB walk around the streets like it's no big deal - nothing like back at home! Anyways, there is this DOTS program - Direct Observation Treatment Shortcourse (http://www.tbcindia.org/) which is now widespread in India and around the world which basically function to ensure that patients take their complete treatment regimen (after people start feeling better they stop their medications, leading to multi-drug resistance). Once a patient is diagnosed with TB, they start treatment at a DOTS center...the place to take the medications is at a location convenient and walking distance from their house, open at times that they are available, and be a place they are comfortable going. There is a DOTS center right across from the community center at the Ramapir no tekro...we met with the woman who runs that center - very dedicated and knowledgeable about TB, the system set in place, and her patients. The website mentioned above is worth taking a look at - this program is incredible, especially for something put together and functioning in a third world country such as this...amazing how far its brought us in TB control. Anyways, it seems like TB is widespread in the tekra, yet the number of cases being detected is low. This is partly due to lack of awareness, denial, and stigma. So, we have decided to try to launch some type of campaign to increase awareness in the tekra. We met with this director who is absolutely brilliant about putting together a drama about TB to present in various neighborhoods in the tekra. This is definitely a work in progress, but I am very excited about this program because it is right in line with my public health background and training! Plus it is a very important issue to address, so I am glad I will be able to dedicate some time to this cause.
On Saturday we went to the Leper Community to plant some trees that are much needed there. It was more of a symbolic visit, but it gave everyone a chance in the community to talk about any pending issues, like the gutterline that needs to be finished in order for the toilets to drain. It was also Ganesh Chaturthi that day, so we were there for the stapna (where the bring in an icon of God in the form of Ganesha for 10 days before they put the murti into the river). And now there will be a tree in the community named Roma :)
One of Manav Sadhna's sister organizations is Gramshree. I just realized I don't think I've mentioned it yet! The founders created it as a separate entity that functions on women's empowerment and needs.
Gramshree has its own building, which I went to go visit last week. It was amazing! It's a 3 level house turned into their central hub. The concept of Gramshree is to provide women with the training and resources to earn their own livelihood and run their families. Many of these women have husbands do not make enough money and often work on the streets with them, or have husbands who drink or gamble away their money etc. Gramshree makes clothing, upholstery, accessories etc...all hand-made. Based on a woman's strengths, they are given specific training to do a particular type of sewing or make a specific type of clothing etc. After they are trained, these women are given work on behalf of Gramshree. They make whatever the product is at home at their own convenience, and then they are paid for their work. In addition, these women get a support system, working with other women who are concerned with their well-being, safety and personal lives. Many women gain more strength from being able to unburden their problems than the actual income.
Gramshree does not run on donations. Instead, they are as big as they can sustain themselves.
It was really great to see their workshop as they call it, and to hear about the over 5,000 women who are gaining control over their lives and their own and children's futures due to this organization.
Once again late on the blogs - sorry guys!
Shravan mahino (Gujarati calendar month) ended last week. For those of you who don't remember, in this month, people in India fast, eating one time a day. I decided to keep the fast less for religious reasons, and more to see what it is like to never really be full, like many people experience in India, and all over the world.
In the beginning it was tough to remember that I couldn't eat, and it seemed like the one month that people would make last minute plans to go out to eat somewhere nice (of course after I had eaten my one time). In the beginning I also craved snacks all the time - ice cream, popcorn, anything, when I usually never did. But that only made my resolve stronger to keep up with what I was doing - that it was good for me to want to eat these things when I could not - just like the kids who eye the pani puri stand or candy shop but know that they very well don't have the money to buy what they desire. Every time I wanted something I could not have I thought of all those people.
The month came and went and I survived. I often felt nauseated or that my stomach was upset. Towards the end I started eating one meal every other day and not eating the day in between just to let my stomach settle, though I think my body was not happy with the weather rather than me being hungry.
I can't describe in words after one month sitting quietly in a corner and gauging what had happened over the fast. I survived, and didn't feel like I was starving. Yet there was this emptiness - this part in my stomach that was saying I'm hungry, but no matter how much I ate the one meal I ate a day, that emptiness was never filled. Fasting ended almost a week ago, and I still do not even think about eating or food until 4 or 5 o'clock, my usual one time mealtime. Yet I know I should eat, which is why I am trying to be better about it...but knowing that people spend years of their lives with this part of them that is never satiated really saddens me.
I am grateful that I got an opportunity to come as close as I probably ever will to living a few weeks in the lives of the poor and needy...I can't say I know what they go through, but I would like to think that I can understand them a little bit better.
The kids in the street school at Jamalpur are all students at some school or another, but falling behind. Some of them dropped out and rejoined, others work while going to school with their parents etc so they go to school more for the sake of saying they do than actually learning. Most of the street school kids are struggling in school and having trouble with the basics such as reading and writing. Maheshbhai mentioned that in the class there are 4 students who are in 10th grade. For those of you who don't know, 10th grade is a very important year in India. They have board exams in March of this year, and their score on the board exams determine which "line" or subject they study in college - commerce, science etc. It's not like the states where you can major in anything you want - basically your exam scores in 10th grade determine what you will do with your life.
Many kids from the slums fail the 10th grade boards, and then instead of taking them again (have to do it next year) they just drop out of school and start working. He wants to do whatever he can to help these kids out and give them the best possible chance at success.
This new volunteer who is here from the states and I sat down with these 4 kids - just to talk. We introduced ourselves, had everyone share information about their family and what they want to do with their lives. Then we just briefly talked about why 10th grade is so important, and why it is important to go to school and have your own personal desire for knowledge. We kept it basic and conversational. But I recommended to Maheshbhai to pull these 4 kids aside regularly. At home we learn that if students are struggling they need to be given personal attention. Here, that's not possible, and everyone is struggling. But I think pulling these kids aside not only gives them some one on one attention and builds a relationship with them that allows them to open up the lines of communication.
I'm hoping to sit with these kids once a week - even if it's just to discuss how school is going, hardships etc. I think motivating them to study and troubleshooting along with having them talk about their personal situation and circumstances will hopefully help encourage them towards taking their boards seriously and being motivated! It's all wishful thinking and I've been warned to not get too invested, but I'm very hopeful!
I also want to do some type of career survey - you know the ones we took in elementary school which ask a million questions and then it tells you what job you're best suited for? I think it's a good way to get the students thinking about various career choices...if anyone has any suggestions, please tell me!!
Janmashtmi is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna in Hinduism. It is considered a major religious holiday here (and also an additional excuse for a few days off from work/school). Manav Sadhna put on a show - it was a skit complete with singing and dancing...and amazingly all done within a week of preparation and practicing! The kids were amazing in the skit - they were very excited and into what they were performing and the kids watching were equally captivated. Pictures are online:
http://picasaweb.google.com/108916053679565444730
Side note - I was getting dropped back home (actually had a really bad cold that day and it took tylenol and advil to get me up and out of bed) someone drove by really fast and slashed some water on us. The guy I was with said "tune jhada thai." At first I didn't get it...then I realized that he just cursed the guy by wishing he gets diarrhea! The humor is definitely different here!
Actual Janmashtmi night most everyone goes to the mandir at midnight - the atmosphere was very festive - and it was crazy seeing people young and old all up and energized that late at night! The environment has a very different feel - moreover it was raining at that time as well, and for those of you who know, the night Lord Krishna was born it was raining, so people were extra festive!
On Friday we went to this housewarming party for this guy who has too much money he doesn't know where the throw it...his backyard literally looked like a party plot. He has a minimum 4 story high backdrop waterfall/pool setup. Anyways, we waited for everyone to eat and I hadn't eaten in 2 days, so I devoured the food that was literally dripping in oil. As soon as I got home I realized that I was better off staying hungry! It took about 10 minutes after that realization before I was bent over in the bathroom bringing up everything I ate. And the smell and taste of all the oil in the food made me vomit 2 more times! At that point I realized how miserable it must be to be sick in India - food poisoning is bad enough, but having to basically lay down flat on the ground of the Indian style bathroom to get it all into the hole in the ground sucks! Thankfully I was done after that first round! Sorry for the details - but I hear you need to get sick once in India to really experience it!
Saturday we went to go see the movie We Are Family - I recommend it to those saps out there who like a good family story and cry...I don't think I'm living this one down over the course of this next year!
On Sunday on my way back from doing some shopping my Mama (Mom's cousin) and I got stopped on our bike by a cop. He asked for my Mama's license. My Mama said he forgot it at home. The officer then pulled out his handkerchief and used it to muffle his voice to ask my Mama how much money he has in his pocket! He pulls out 30 rupees. The guy says no way, if you want to do this the official way it will be a 150 rupee fine - 30 rupees won't cut it! My Mama says this is all I have man, take it or leave it...so the officer pockets the 30 rupees and then waves us off quickly before any of his fellow co-workers sees him! I was very mad at my Mama needless to say...but it was so eerie seeing the corruption in action - because it was literally like it is in the movies! Some things will never change...or at least take a long time!
So my Grandpa's cousin had a hip fracture and needed surgery. The way the system works here astounded me as to how different it is from the US! He had to come back the next day to get admitted, prelim tests done, then stay overnight with the surgery in the morning. Post-operation the site was not immobilized - no cast or anything else to keep him from moving around, so someone had to hold his leg down. No IV medications (pain meds, antibiotics). No precautions for DVT or a pulmonary embolism. You had to get him home without moving his leg in a car or van or whatever worked for you. And best yet, the clinic looked like a house turned into a makeshift clinic - complete with an OR down the hall from the doctor's house! And this was one of the nicer places that a middle class family could afford! It's crazy how many things that would cause a lawsuit in America are happening as standard practice here - and yet people are having positive outcomes! It's really really interesting.
In the evening we went shopping at Law Garden - where you can buy chunyachoris. We needed some for the Janmastmi celebration in 2 days. The base price started off at 3500 for the outfit we wanted - got it down to 1900...pretty proud of myself :) They definitely thought I was a local!!!
I spent a few days this week again translating the Gujarati monthly report at Jamalpur into English. It was much easier this time around having had done it once before! One of the days I was there, there was lots of commotion outside. I asked what was going on - turns out there was a family that lived there - husband, wife, and 4 year old son. The husband was an alcoholic, and wouldn't quit. Somehow the daily struggles prompted the husband and wife to both jump into the river and commit suicide - together. The story just doesn't sit right - how would both of them want to commit suicide? Moreover - what promoted them to finally agree on something in their life? And their poor son. Working with Manav Sadhna makes everything look much greener - this was a reminder into the reality that these large issues are still very prevalent in the slums despite what we see firsthand in the kids we work with. But we can only focus on the people whose lives we are affecting and their futures, we can't get caught up in everyone.
Virenbhai, one of the founders of Manav Sadhna does an amazing thing every year. He spends 3 weeks out of the year without speaking (maun). He spends most of his day meditating and praying. People come visit and sit with him. He will sing prayers, and listen to other people talk and reflect. I decided to go since this was his last week - and he lives really close to me. It was such a peaceful environment! A bunch of kids from the street school had come and were singing bhajans. It was truly amazing to sit with them - realizing the different people that were all gathered in meditation and peace. And what he does is truly amazing - no phone, internet, no leaving the house - remarkable!
Saturday we had the Saturday Special - they showed a video about Krishna since Janmastmi is next week. I got made fun of because I was watching the video more intently than the kids - but I don't remember the story as well as I would like so I was taking advantage of the opportunity! But when I was leaving I realized that someone left with my slippers - and they weren't even mine, they were my Masi's! I figured it's no big deal - someone else will hopefully enjoy those shoes - but now I have to be extra careful about hiding my shoes when there are hundreds of kids around!!!
The previous public health student who was working with Manav Sadhna did a thorough assessment of the Leper community. One of her major findings was that the community had a high need for eye care - many of the residents are blind, have cataracts, need glasses etc. So we decided to setup an eye camp in the community. In these types of camps a few doctors go out to the community and setup base. They bring their equipment and their expertise and do basic check-ups for free. Then any problems they find - people needing surgery, glasses etc they later bring to their facility to get care either for free or at a discounted rate.
So Ramanbhai and I picked a date and wrote a letter talking about Manav Sadhna and the Leper Community and how we wanted an eye camp, and just walked right into the Nagri Hospital and showed it to someone. That's all it took! The lady was actually very impressed that we were with the Gandhi Ashram and it seemed like that's all it took...she first wanted to find out if we could find some Gandhi related materials to bring for her! They changed the date that we set to Sunday, saying it would be easier on a day off for everyone to come out, much to our delight! We had to go back with a new form that had the correct date on it, and then it was a done deal! It was impressive the limited number of hoops we had to jump through - it is humbling to see hospitals that do this type of charity work without needing weeks of board meetings to discuss it's financial implications and feasibility. I'm really excited to see this first-hand - the camp is September 5th!
On Wednesday Ramanbhai and I went to the Leper Community to give away the dustbins that had been made. The dustbins are these green colored tin cans that are have painted on them "kachro mane aapo" or "give me trash." This campaign is a way to get people to stop throwing trash everywhere and increase cleanliness. These trashcans are readily visible in the Ramapir Tekro. The Leper Community is actually a very clean community - these people are good about keeping it clean! Every family had to pay 5 rupees for their trashcan. The purpose of the payment was so that the people took care of the trashcan. If they would have been given out for free, no one would have really used it properly and cared for it. This way, it was an investment at token cost. I was truly shocked that no one complained about the cost of the bins! They were, however, very concerned with the 4 tiny holes in the bottom. These were designed to one drain water out of the cans from rain (since their cans will often be exposed to the outdoors) and also to keep people from using the cans as storage! We had about 50 families come and get their cans - and now the rest will be stored at the community center for the remaining families to come pay for and get at a later date. All in all, a successful distribution. 
On our way back we stopped by the Naroda ashramshala to take a took, meet the staff with Ramanbhai, and see if any of the kids have any medical issues needing attention. Quick easy visit, with no concerns!
While talking they realized that I had never visited Sughad, which is where the Environmental Sanitation Institute is housed, so they decided that is not acceptable and took me for a visit. This place was amazing! The setup was amazing - the facilities all state of the art, and the concept mind blowing. The organization works with Manav Sadhna, but is it's own entity that was formed prevent open defecation, prevent the need for handling of human waste by hand, and increasing the sanitation standards of the nation. At the site they have on display over 10 different types of toilets that are aimed at different types of environments to meet various needs. Their website is www.esi.org.in. It's very interesting - who would have known there are that many different types of toilets! This organization does lots of public health stuff - hopefully something I can get involved with during my time here!
For those of you who don't know, Raksha Bandan is an Indian festival celebrating the bond between brother and sister. Raksha means protect and bandan means promise or bond. It didn't start out like that, however. In history, women would tie these bands on their husband's wrists as a way to protect them out in the war. Over time, however, it has evolved into something between brothers and sisters. Specifically, sisters tie a band (simple bracelet made out of string and beads - some simple some highly decorated and fancy). In return the brother gives the sister a gift (money, clothes etc). In theory the brother also promises to protect the sister, though sometimes it feels some of the purpose of festivals is forgotten ;)
On Monday we celebrated Raksha Bandan at the Ram aur Rahim Tekro with the kids since the kids all had a holiday on Tuesday, actual Raksha bandan. While I was sitting in class waiting to start the celebration, the street school teacher had me come in and talk to the students. It was a very casual conversation. He asked me to tell the kids why education was important, seeing as many of these kids had discontinued their schooling at some point or worked while in school, making them less likely to finish. I started out by asking them what they wanted to do with their lives. They all had various answers - teacher, doctor, engineer. I used that as a starting point - okay, you have your goal, now how do you think you can go about getting there? Obviously the answer is education, but these kids need more motivation than that. I told them how what you do now will pay off later. But more importantly, I asked them why they wanted to learn, why it was important to them. I told them that each and every student needs to ask themselves why education is important to them, and why they go to school everyday. We talked about how going because Mom or Dad says I have to is not going to make it for the long haul - that everyone needs to go for themselves, and know why they want to go, not need to go. And that if each student goes for themselves, only then will you be able to stay in school and get where you want to in life. The teacher and I spoke afterwards and he was asking me what I think would be an effective way to move forward to continue to drill home the importance of education. I told him the kids need a clearer view of their goals - many of them don't know what an engineer does more than what's on TV, and even if they do, many don't know exactly what is involved in getting there - high school, college education etc. So we decided to start out with a basic career counseling crash course - just a way to show the kids what options they have and how to get there, to help them better understand the steps required to reach their goals. I myself don't know the ins and outs of what is required in India, so this will be a good learning experience for me as well! The kids also asked me what America is like, so I talked to them a bit about how India is progressing just like America is, and then asked who all wanted to go to America one day. When EVERY hand was raised, I tried to tell them why America is different - how education is a given, and how women are equal to men in their careers etc. It was a very light-hearted conversation, but I could tell a few kids were hanging on to every word. It probably helped the girls in the class to hear from another girl, but also just being from "America" obviously carried weight. I told the kids that I took a year out of my life to learn from them, and I hope they can do the same from me.
All of the kids were brought together at the mandir. The teachers told the kids about the history of the festival and its significance. The girls had already made rakhdis in art class the previous week so the girls were then put into lines facing one boy from class. They did a tika (chanlo) on each boy's forehead, tied them the rakhdi and fed them panda (Indian sweet). In return the boys all gave the girl a chocolate. It was all very simple yet meaningful. What overwhelmed me the most after this was done and the kids were set off to go home, 7 different kids, mostly all girls, came up to me and tied a rakdhi to me! They understood that it wasn't just something between brothers and sisters and felt some sort of bond with me, even though I didn't even remember most of their names!
That evening there was a sitar show at the ashramshala (hostel for 120 some kids at the Gandhi Ashram). It was hot and there were mosquitoes, but the kids watched the tabla and sitar show whose time was donated to the kids. Then an astronomer came to show the kids the moon in his telescope. This guy has an interesting story - he didn't pass 12th grade, but has a crazy fascination with astronomy, and knows a TON about it. The clouds were out so we couldn't see the moon at times, so one of the teachers had the kids pray (more as a way to quite them down) for the moon, but it worked! It was amazing to see these kids marvel at the telescope just as much as the moon - we take for granted going to the planetarium ever since we were 3 and even groan when our parents tell us we should go to the museum!
Actual Raksha Bandan day was pretty relaxed - family was 
in and out all day. One thing for sure is in India festivals really are a time for families to get together, and days off are fully taken advantage of. Since my Dada's cousin and wife (also Ba and Dada) are staying with us, all of their 4 kids and their families came to our house to celebrate. With a house full of rowdy kids I decided to sit them down to play the jenga game I picked up at Reliance more because I was missing home than my love for the game. But it turned out to be the perfect game to keep the kids busy and worked for all ages!
Sorry it's been awhile since I've blogged - been keeping really busy! I'm going to break everything up into a few different posts to keep things organized - more for myself!
We went to Pavagadh (holy place near Varodara) to celebrate one of the Manav Sadhna's staff member's birthday. Saturday night we met at the ashram around 11pm and decorated the bus for him. Then we went to his house, surprised him, and headed on our way around 1am after doing prayer, cutting a cake...We reached Pavagadh at 5am, got into the hotel, and then had a half hour to get ready before we climbed. That was code for cat nap time! We started to climb around 6am. It took about 2 hours to climb to the top of the hill. This is supposedly the place where Maha Kali's eyes rest - at the top of the mountain! It was fairly dirty climbing and there was lots of fog so we couldn't take in the view on the way up. It was a good workout, but was tiring! I was very impressed by the parents who carried their kids up and the people who walked up barefoot, usually because people feel that walking barefoot shows extra dedication.
On the way back down we were stopped by hijdas, which apparently are eunuchs (castrated men), though I'm not totally sure that is correct. They were asking everyone that passed to give them money as they often do basically anywhere they go. Here they used a shawl and their bodies as a barrier to keep people from passing without paying. I managed to slip through by slipping in between, but then realized that maybe the guy with me would not have been able to do the same. As I started to search for him the crowd behind me I heard an argument between one of the hijdas and a guy - of course our volunteer coordinator. Apparently they told him to give some money, he said no, and they then started pestering him, not letting him pass, first telling him God will be grateful to him if he does, and then progressing to his mother will suffer if he doesn't etc. etc. His fight with them was that they should ask, but if someone says no they should let that person go - that they should accept what people give willingly, not force their views onto others. This ended up becoming a heated argument - he threatened to call the police, then he was cornered and forced to sit on the side, and then I think I missed something, because all of a sudden the hijda started taking his (?) sari off and unbuttoning the blouse...another hijda came and stopped him thankfully, because I'm not totally sure what/why that happened, and what the purpose was, let alone how it would have ended. Once we were allowed to continue on, many people came up to our coordinator and told him that they totally agreed with him, what they were doing was wrong, someone should stand up...It was refreshing to see someone take the time to stick up for what they believe in, when it truly was more work to do that than just fork over 2 rupees like everyone else. Following Gandhi's principle of be the change you wish to see in the world. We did tell the officer at the entrance about what was happening - at first they didn't believe him, but once I also vouched for what happened they said they are not breaking any laws and they can't do anything about that (convenient, since they can usually find a law for everything!).
After that we got some much needed rest, and then everyone worked together to make lunch and decorate one of the hotel rooms for the birthday prayer/gathering. It's always great to see the staff come together and dig in to whatever work was needed to be done, with no one complaining about the heat, how tired they are, or having to be told!
On our way back we stopped by the Santra Mandir in Nadiad, which is where my grandma went to school. They have kids from surrounding villages come stay there for school and they have a hostel as well. They also do lots of charity work - they feed around 5,000 people everyday. They also have a hospital where they offer free appointments and surgery (including travel fare!), focusing on eye care, but doing everything. Simply amazing what these small organizations are equipped to do!
It was lots of fun getting out for a day, though it was totally exhausting! But it was this weekend that it finally hit that I am really here, in India, and not going back anytime soon. Seeing as how much fun this weekend was, it wasn't as tough to accept as it otherwise might have been!
We went to visit the Leper Community again yesterday. Our main purpose was to drop off the remaining garbage bins to the community - one for each family. They will be painted and on them written "kachro mune aapo" or "give me trash". Then each family will have to pay 5 rupees as a token to receive their garbage bin...the purpose of this being to make them see the bin as an investment and actually care for it's purpose and do with it what is intended. Otherwise we just checked up on how things are going - they still have to finish the surveys of the families. We will go back next week to distribute the garbage cans after each family fills out a form with their information for us to keep track of who all has a garbage can and for them to understand its purpose. I think our presence there every few weeks helps make sure they know someone is keeping track of things there and holding them accountable!
Amitabh Bachchan came to the Gandhi Ashram to shoot an advertisement to promote tourism in Gujarat. There was a huge crowd outside the gates and you needed a pass to get in - people were yelling and screaming and even climbing on top of the gates and roofs in an attempt to get in and see him!
I was sitting inside waiting to give milk to the earn-n-learn kids when the guy I was working with wanted to go outside and check out Bachchan. I said no, then he insisted, so I walked out to the patio and asked if you could really see anything, because I was too lazy to get my shoes on to go out there just to see nothing! Then Dave told me to suck it up and come on - and that we could talk to the ashram kids about the spriulina in the mean time since they were out there. So then I went out. The producer came up to me and a few girls and asked if we had a problem in being in the ad - I wasn't too interested in being in it, but they insisted, and I figured it would take a few minutes. Well a few minutes became 3 hours. While it was an interesting experience to be on a set, in the sweltering heat and in the chaos of the impromptu nature of the ad, it wasn't as fun as I'm sure some sets are! We did some walking around in the background - nothing spectacular. Amitabh Bachchan has the same presence and look as he does on screen.
I talked to him to get his autograph for one of the guys that works at Manav Sadhna and prays to him in place of God! I asked Amitabh Bachchan to write an autograph out to this guy with his name on it. Overall, an interesting experience - definitely something to experience once in your lifetime - sets I mean and how painstakingly long filming can be!
http://picasaweb.google.com/108916053679565444730/AmitabhBachchanAugust162010#
Hi guys,
I have not had time to blog in the last few days, but I'll try to separate my entries by project to make things easier, mainly for me!
On Friday Dave, the guy running the Spirulina project, and I went down to Naroda to visit the kids at the ashram there. This ashram was started in Gandhiji's time. After independence, these people went to Gandhi and said we may have our freedom, but we are still poor. So he said, well then get educated. We met with the kids there briefly mainly to see how spriulina was working and to find out which kids were having trouble with it in order to get capsules for them. I had the headmaster (or some title like that!) gather all the 8-10 kids that do not drink the spirulina milk and round them up. Spirulina has a strong smell, and is green, which is why lots of kids find it unappetizing. Most are fine if they just gulp it up. I talked to the few kids that won't drink and asked them if they'll swallow the 4 capsules instead, which they were very enthusiastic to do since they see their friends feeling better taking it. The teachers said they have noticed fewer kids being sick (fever etc) in the rainy season compared to normal and the kids seem healthier. So it looks like things are on track there.
Today we started giving Spriulina to the Earn-n-Learn kids - the ones that work on the streets and thus are brought in to make cards and decorations at the ashram to keep them off the street and give them values. We made a big pot of milk and put the spriulina in there - the drink looked like moss! Then we called one of the kids from the ashram over who has been drinking it for the last year on and off and asked him to tell the kids how he feels after taking it. He is the cutest little kid and told everyone how he gets sick less often and feels more energy after starting it. We used that to convince the kids to just gulp it up and that it's worth it! Only a few threw a fit about it, and we're going to try to put sugar in the milk tomorrow, so hopefully that will help. But overall, a success at getting kids on the path to get healthier!!
I went to the Leper Community with Ramanbhai. It was actually a very productive trip down, even though we were only there for an hour or so. The girl who runs the tuition classes is a 12th grader, but she is a very hard worker and really knows the community well. We walked around the community and basically just got an update on how things are going. Water is dripping into the community center, which has become a place people rely on going to when their own houses have water coming into them. Water pools near the houses and even floods the houses up past the beds, obviously posing a huge convenience and health concern. We made the appropriate calls to get that fixed so that they can at least use the community center as a shelter when it rains.
We also talked about the sewing class they have for the women in the area and getting a better teacher for the one they have, since apparently the teacher that is currently working with them is not very good!
Last, the girl who runs the classes has been given the responsibility of doing a detailed survey of everyone living there. I helped her write down what all she needs to ask. We will get information on each member of the family, their occupation, education level, leprosy status, any and all past medical history and health conditions, and need for additional care. Our goal is to have the houses (140 or so) surveyed by next week when we go back in order to have a starting point for what the community needs. We want to follow up with people that have health conditions that require attention, start a nutrition supplementation program for those living on their own unable to make good healthy meals for themselves, and then assess and provide other needs such as wheelchairs etc. I'm really excited to get this part done and see where the community is at so we can move forward and address their specific needs.
We are having an eye camp there in early September - lots of people there have vision problems. We have to go in the next few days to fill out a request and get it set up. The people in the Leper Community are only available the first 10 days of every month, because after that many of them go to various cities to beg.
We spent some time with the kids in the anganwadi (preschool) - they are adorable!
So when that girl asked me if I could introduce her to Amitabh Bachchan, she was on to something! Apparently he's coming to the Gandhi Ashram to shoot some movie at the end of this month! Dad, you better hurry up and come to India ;)
Today I started working on the first round of public health education presentations I'm going to be giving. I decided to try making just powerpoints of pictures and then just talking through things. Barotbhai said that you can get ready made posters that have to do with various topics, so I was thinking of then putting those up in the classrooms after we present. Right now I'm doing 3 different presentations - hand washing, water, and hygiene. Hand washing is pretty straight forward - I found a video to show and then various pictures. We thought about also bringing some soap and water and making the kids practice, which I think will be lots of fun! The big take home messages there will be - use soap, and it's very important to wash before you eat and after you use the bathroom. The water based presentation is fairly basic, but important in the rainy season. Since lots of kids get sick during the rain, we're going to do a really basic talk on - playing in the rain (ill effects), leaking houses, and mosquitoes. The hygiene one will be more in depth and interesting. It's going to cover everything from cutting your nails, washing your hair, showering, brushing your teeth etc. I'm going to find some pictures of do's and don'ts to present. The pictures are more to keep their attention. If anyone has any ideas on topics or messages to pass on, please let me know! Things like it's important to tell kids to use a nail cutter and not a razor blade to cut their nails (apparently a common issue) is all things that I would never think of having to teach about! This is already a great learning experience for me, and I'm sure there is more to be learned! I'm hoping to talk to the women in the sewing classes and stuff too and not only work with the kids.
Today was the first day of Shravan Mahino. It's a Hindu festival where people fast for an entire month. Most eat one meal and then only fruits and farari (approved) items such as things made of vegetables (potato chips), tea, and lots of various fried dishes, that are made out of non-flour based things. I decided to try to fast the entire month. Let's see if I can do it! Working with these people and kids reminds me that there are people in this world who may never experience what it's like to feel full or to never want to see food again (I know we've all felt that way before). If anything this will be a glimpse into that world - just some small insight into what their lives are like everyday.
In the evening we went to the seva cafe to celebrate the birthday of one of the staff members, Anjali. She's originally from Texas, came to work for awhile, and has ended up staying back ever since - and that was 7 years ago! The Seva Cafe to connected to Manav Sadhna and Gramashree (the sister organization especially for women). It runs on a gift economy. So basically you come, eat dinner (it's a really nice restaurant) and then you pay whatever you can afford and feel is appropriate. Then that money is used to make dinner for the following night. So your meal is paid for by last night's guests and you pay for tomorrow's guests. There are seva cafe's in the US and UK too - I believe there is one in Chicago. Anyways, they closed it down yesterday so Manav Sadhna could do the birthday party there. There is a stage, and a store next door where the sell goods that the kids and women have made - lots of decorate stuff and clothes - it's all really tempting to buy! We had music and singing - they even made me get up on stage and sing (and as most of you know me singing is highly not recommended). But it was fun - everyone else was being shy and they insisted :) No one covered their ears, so it must have been acceptable! Then we did the happy birthday thing, watched some videos that had been put together, and then ate. The food was really really good. The music continued, and people started doing garba - I was helping out in the kitchen dry dishes, so I didn't go in. But it was lots of fun and the atmosphere felt like family. I hear it feels like that every time, even on regular nights when strangers come to eat. The place just has that sort of feel to it.
Cremation
