Dedication Day

I took a break from blogging since this past week, and took in some much needed down time and self reflection. It was was the end of Session 3 and the beginning of Session 4 this past weekend. We were able to celebrate with the Dedication of the volunteer hostel (which the kids call Elephant house), dedicating the opening of the new section of the school, and also the "Grand opening" of the dining hall for the kids to have a place to eat their meals! We are really excited about this last one because right now, the RSO cook, Padmine (Pronounced Pad-Mean-E) is making the meals for the 182 children in a room no bigger than a 10 x 5. I have seen 3 burners, and barely any storage room. Needless to say, she is extremely excited to move into the dining hall where she will have more space, storage, and a common area for the kids to sit and eat opposed to now on the volleyball courts where they eat sitting on the ground.

We had Padma come to the dedication, who is a huge move and shaker for Rising Star here in India. She is the daughter of a former president and her heart is with those who are affected with leprosy. She speaks boldly and truthfully and stands much for justice to be taken. She started the micro loans that are happening in the colonies now where the people are able to buy animals, open stores or barber shops, open anything that forms a a means to where they can sustain themselves and make a living. Padma wants to see those affected with leprosy off of the streets and to not earn their living by begging but instead infuse them with a sense of ownership for what they can earn. 

At the Dedicaton, Katie and Shilo, who are both volunteers who are amazing at Dance and instructing were able to spend nearly the last month teaching 4 dances. They kept it as close as they could to the Indian form of dancing and movement and the intricate ways that they weave their arms and use bells on their feet to keep rhythm was great to see!  The kids also performed a march at the school, ribbon cuttings, and many speakers came to encourage and reflect on how much Rising Star is changing history.

The volunteers were able to dress up in Saree's, which is like wearing a dress in America, only everyone here wears Saree's because I was told somewhere that once a woman is married that is her new traditional clothing opposed to Chitigar's that we as volunteers often wear. But with the help of the house mothers, we were able to look more Indian and gain much approval from the house mothers. It was a fun experience, but I cannot imagine being clothed in so much material in this heat. They are more comfortable than expected though, and I hope I can wear another one while I am here!

The kids decorated the campus in preparation for the dedication, and they made so many streamers out of coconut leaves! It was incredible to watch, and all of the flags that were hung up on campus were hand glued by all the children. The boys also laid out the lanes on the track that we built last week. AND saturday was parents day, where the parents were able to travel, some for a few days, in order to come and spend the day with their children that they get to see maybe a collective 3 weeks out of the year. The parents would beam with pride when we were talk about their children, and they all sat in the mango grove just hugging them and showering them with what little gifts they were able to bring along.

All day, the kids beamed, the parents radiated their proudness for their children, and I got to be an on looker to see such a special moment in a hidden mango grove in the heart of Tamil Nadu in the country of India.