Vickie and our school administrative assistant/housemother Swathy stand at the end of the one and only street. Swathy was raised here and visits her parents, grandmother, brother, and sister at least once per month. The little colony is so shady and peaceful, a fit environment for people who are happy, humble, and without guile.
You know I enjoy all kids, and this one no less than others. Swathy's mother is using a Rising Star microcredit loan to raise goats for sale and this is one of the new ones. The little critter was so docile and its hair is as soft as a kitten. The man in the background is a business associate of the American visitor that went to the colony with us. He and his wife are financial supporters of the microcredit program and also sponsor two of our students.
The man on the ground is Swathy's father. The men are building a wall on the front of the house to support a roofed shed for their goat-raising project. The men wear the traditional loong gi, or man skirt as I call them. I can tell you from personal experience that they are the most comfortable thing to wear in this climate. A nice fashion touch for those of us with great legs.
This sweet lady is slicing a radish for her family's meal. She has no fingers on her right hand, yet she somehow contrives to hold the knife and use it very dextrously. You can see her small fireplace to the side wherein she tended a wood fire to boil her water. Those are tomatoes in the pan behind her waiting to be prepared.
This beautiful girl loved all the attention we could give her. Her mother is one of Swathy's best friends. Children and grandchildren continue to live with their parents or grandparents in the colony if they have nowhere else to live. The danger of leprosy is small. Those who do contract it are easily cured by medication provided free of charge by the World Health Organization. Our medical outreach team visits this colony regularly.
