Enlightenment out the Wahzoo!!

Today was a day to remeber!! I got the experience of going on Micro Grant Tour. What this means is that Rising Star has helped within a community of people who were once struggling and decided to change their lives. They changed them in the sense that they have there own space within the Bharathipuram leprorsy colony. These people will sell special paintings (I will explain this later), pearls, sari's, night gowns, ankle braclets, toe rings, etc... When we arrived I was not expecting to see the building that I did. What I saw was a building for weddings and special ceremonies for those in the leprorsy colony. As we walked farther I noticed that there was a large portion of just regular homes and I realized that is where these strong people sold there goods. This house is actually much much more fancy then many more of them!

As we walked we stopped in a house that they keep the goats and I cannot even describe the smell that was coming out of there! Well it basically smelled like a regular farm animal stink but x100! 

Just outside the home of where the goats were kept is a prayer sanctuary and they are everywhere, this is the first one I was able to grab a quick picture of. They a truly amzing looking. If you went to the most inpoverished part of India the people would still have a praying sanctuary! 

Our next stop was at a little shop with drinks and little goodies they were basically just the basic needs for the colony. After this we turned around and went back the way we came and stopped at a young ladies house who was selling night gowns, anklets, incents, toe rings, etc... I did not buy anything here, I wanted to wait till Delhi! We made our way to this water holder for the people donated by raising star. The purpose of this was that the people often were running out of water during the Summer, however the well that they have will have a little bit of water in the Winter season. Along with that rising star helped build the building in which the people can have special ceremonies, they rebuilt a ditch for the water so that it was covered, and built garbage cans so that the government will come and pick it up then take it to the landfill and burn it! As we were walking back to the main building we passed a preschool with some cute little kids. They didn't know any English becuase hopefully they will get transferred to the rising star boardig school to learn English! 

When we got back to the main building these Indian woman were selling some beautiful pearls of all sorts of different varietys! 

Then we wandered over to my FAVORITE part of the day! This is the part that was worth sweating buckets and buckets for! This is the Bindu Art School! The people here make paintings with the in between part of their toes, in between their fingers, their mouths, anything that will work becuase they are suffering from leprorsy and they won't let that bring them down! As I walked in I had no idea what to expect, what I saw was piles EVERYWHERE of these few ,maybe 5, artists creating all this art! It was truly magnificent! They greeted me and she motioned me to sit but I told her she should sit but she said "NO NO " " YOU SIT!!" I felt like I should just sit so I did. And as I was flipping through the art work they were so colorful, so different, so unique. I could've cried from such happiness right there right then but I didn't becuase it would be silly so I held it in. I just couldn't get over the fact that these people can paint the most amazing things and I can't even paint a stick figure... I would go back if I could! 

On the drive back to Risng Star I was sitting in the back and the A.C. wasn't touching me so I was using this little fan that I have. But I could feel the heat still starting to get to me... I started to fall asleep because I'm still not quite over my jet lag or this heat exhaustion and lack of water. I do my best to stay on top of everything but it's really hard when you don't have access to clean water. Today was honestly a truly good day and I will never EVER forget how amazing and inspiring someone can be in your life! Just like those leprorsy patients showed me that a disease won't stop them from doing something they love! They conquered obstacles to be happy even though they have pain. It just shows me how much we have in the U.S. and how much of it we take for granted! These people are so appreciative of the smallest and littlest things you give them. Like the children if all you can give them is love, that is probably the best thing you could ever give them!  These children probably don't even think about the live of the grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins. I want to say THANK YOU and I love you!! And in the U.S. We don't even think about growing up not under the care of our parents! So I just want to say THANK YOU to my AMAZING parents and how thankful I am for all of your love you have always showed me! I love you mom and dad! I do notice how stong relationships are between brothers, sisters, etc... And I wanna say how special my sister is to me everytime I see two little sisters together carrying for eachother it really makes me think of my sister and it makes me happy! I'm really happy I have such a great relationship with her so THANK YOU and I love you!

Here are a couple pictures/ videos from today!

This elephant is actually just outside the elephant house ( where I am staying) I kept meaning to take a picture and put it up but kept forgetting! 

Just leaving for Micro Grant Tour

Haha took a selfie...

This is the local school. You can't really see the school but these are the boys outside in the play yard.

We stopped to use the ATM at the junction becuase a couple people still needed money and I wandered over with a couple other people to this little shop. They had chips, cookies, drinks, etc...

A little line of shops at the junction while waiting for people at the ATM

TONS AND TONS of these scooters EVERWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!! They just zip by you on the side of the road or we call it the bike lane 

There is quite a bit of this writing in India on the walls in such vibrant colors! I'm not sure what it means.

Just a house, this is on the nicer side of things

I just thought these hills were pretty!

Let's see how much you can pile of the scooter till it breaks down, am I right?

These automobiles are called rickshaws! 

This is the leprorsy colony of the people who are so successful!

The woman draw these every morning to ward off the evil sprits! They use just loose chalk I think like at the color festival. Obviously not the same chalk but similar feeling. I think they are beautiful!

Roosters tend to be EVERWHERE as well as the cows, dogs, and sheep. The roosters I've heard are mean!!

Here are the sheep!

And my favorite leprorsy patient yet, Duharasani, was so funny and had such a good attitude. He is actually the treasurer of the the leprorsy colony!

I just wanted to show you how all the people get their water!

This is still a road within the leprorsy colony as you and you can see the cow just free and out and about!

Here is the sign to welcome you into the colony!

And I just had to take a picture of the gas. The name is IndianOil!

Here is my exciting breakfast! 

My hair for the day. 

My first Henna of India!! Thank you Sudhe that was so sweet of you! 

Love you all. Thanks for reading 💜