Activities on July 01, 2007

In the morning after breakfast we went to a Hindu Temple. We received permission to enter the interior courtyard, which usually only Hindus can do. The view inside the temple was partially open and very beautiful. We were able to observe the gestures and customs practiced by a religion we are not very familiar with. An elephant was brought out for us to see and feed. Most of the students had great pleasure in doing so. It was a very beautiful, quiet place and everyone at the temple smiled and said hello to us. We were made to feel very welcome.

The next stop was at a social work agency called Senergy. The director, teachers and students met us and we asked each other questions in an interactive session. This was very good. After singing a few songs we were served a meal, which we did not expect. It was very delicious. One of the students had designed a poster about us coming to the agency and it was a clever design. We took photos of it. It was hard to say good bye.

Then we drove to Swarthi’s village and the bus had some minor difficulties on the narrow road. It was a very scenic place in a hilly area. People were so excited that we came, they followed the bus. We had to walk the last quarter mile uphill and passed some rubber trees, where coconut shells were collecting the rubber liquid dripping slowly out of a tree. Having rubber trees can provide a decent income, but a family must have about one hundred trees to live just of the land. Swarthi’s family was so excited to see us and very hospitable. They were trying to feed us none stop. All the cousins, aunts, uncles and even neighbors came over to meet us. Other people from the village just gathered in clumps to watch what we were doing. Sadly we had only a brief visit, since we had another visit to make back in town.