Last Weeks in India

WEEK 2 & 3

After being at Rising Star for over a week, I was finally starting to get some of the kids' names down. The kids I played with the most were: Sathiya (11), Miriambe (6), Amirtham (5), Aravin (4), and Stephen (13). There is more I can mention, but those are my favorites! I know it is bad to have favorites, but at Rising Star there are some kids you get closer with than others. It's just the way it is!

For Week 2 at Rising Star, after being in the medical group, I got assigned to the Anthropology group. This group goes out to the colonies and talks with the leprosy patients and listening to their life stories. It was my favorite group because I got to talk with the people one on one. I have a particular experience I will never forget...

Our group traveled to one of the biggest colonies around, and I cannot remember the name of it. This colony set up a committee with a President presiding over meetings and everything. It was pretty cool. But as we were walking through the village, this girl Katie wanted us to come into this woman's house she knew. This incredible woman, Maria, welcomed us into her home and talked with us. She had her little grandson in her lap, patting him with her hands that were without fingers. It was a precious sight. Maria has had leprosy most of her life, and was diagnosed at a young age. She told us that she built that house with her bear hands so that when she passed on her family can have a place to live. She kept expressing her love toward her family. I learned so much from Maria... humility, gratitude, and love. She was in the worst conditions and yet was grateful to God to have a family, which is all she needs. We can all learn valuable lessons from these sweet leprosy patients.

This is our group sitting in Maria's home... she didn't want to be in the picture, because she is embarrassed. Some leprosy affected people don't like people taking pictures of them because they say that this is not who they are. The don't want others judging them because they have leprosy. They are normal people with big hearts.

Leprosy is still out in the world... can you believe it? Most people don't know that. But in India, it is something that they shun. The people in India shun the leprosy affected people and isolate them from society. That is why we as volunteers go out to the colonies to show them our love. Sometimes they just need a hug. Some of them are without families, lost their spouses, and are not with their children. It is very sad, but that is why RISING STAR is here to save the day and help cure leprosy. I hope that one day leprosy will be off the face of the earth!

Besides enjoying my time at the colonies, I also spent a lot of time with the children. The kids are so stinking cute! My favorite part of the day was play time with the kids. We played cricket, soccer, football, go fish, and wrote sponsor letters. I grew to love the children so much at Rising Star that I wanted to take all of them home with me! It was so hard to leave, because these kids became a part of me. I felt like we were family. I gained a stronger testimony of Heavenly Father's love for each and every one of his children, and that we should love our brothers and sisters just as he loves us. I miss my cute girls in m family. I miss reading to them, playing with them, and laughing with them. They kept asking me, "Aunty, you go to Merica? When you come back from Merica? You come back to India next year?" I told them, "YES! OF COURSE!" I need to come back to them. I am hoping I will go back next summer.

My last night in India was extremely hard. I did not want to leave. Nor did the kids want me to leave. Sathiya, the 11 year old girl I was with 24/7, was so attached to me that she would hug me and not let me go. She was so sad I had to leave. When I told her that I had to leave a couple days prior, she goes, "No Karly! You are kidding! You are not leaving!" She is precious. I miss her very much. She cried the whole day before I left. And so did I.

Overall, this experience was life-changing. I learned so much about humility, gratitude, and loving those around me. I felt the spirit so strong being with the kids and being with the leprosy patients. I didn't teach them - they taught me. It was not only a learning experience, but a spiritual experience as well. I felt close to God up there. I felt His love radiate down upon us each and every day. These people will forever be in my heart. I will never forget this incredible experience. The children and leprosy patients are RISING STARS and will forever be a part of my life. Thank you to all who supported me! Thank you for all of your kind donations!

I LOVE YOU ALL!