tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51138538837004424242024-03-05T02:06:02.222-07:00Children RisingGordon and Vickie Gibb in IndiaGordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-65348059648911019292009-04-15T06:21:00.020-06:002009-04-15T07:15:29.900-06:00What Have We Accomplished?We have come to the end of our year. It has been both an honor and a privilege to work with the wonderful faculty, staff, and kids of Rising Star Outreach and Peery Matriculation School for Rising Stars. Gordon has served as school principal and school director. Vickie has served as hostel warden, medical clinic aide, and assistant to the doctors for our leprosy colony medical outreach. Let us share these last few photos and some thoughts about our year.<br /><br />What have we accomplished? We taught and learned and held nighttime homework sessions in the cool outdoors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCchiVI8mHJlOtbee3Jkxgoi76Kh0cyJ-LEi_m4xX8T_snDwZZfLA_TU-xn6sy5IGhLmu91YVtbt4AdrK-0DiftFJSRUepbLVzYEl16vIva4xZm4DlfX_9bzLfOQO0NpMXJL10efKv6Xvf/s1600-h/P6170055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCchiVI8mHJlOtbee3Jkxgoi76Kh0cyJ-LEi_m4xX8T_snDwZZfLA_TU-xn6sy5IGhLmu91YVtbt4AdrK-0DiftFJSRUepbLVzYEl16vIva4xZm4DlfX_9bzLfOQO0NpMXJL10efKv6Xvf/s400/P6170055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324900872461734642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5k9qOR1SzzhRnil4UONMYTZ1Ll09ra6WtNRJQFVt_sb3yYuf89jDu2jIIBFgvYrGYI6QyGiIIKCK1GR9XyFoJgY1Zm2V9wE825d1XbVe3W6UHukg4iGPURqRHGb7lLTHmE2RUfH08bn1G/s1600-h/P6230014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5k9qOR1SzzhRnil4UONMYTZ1Ll09ra6WtNRJQFVt_sb3yYuf89jDu2jIIBFgvYrGYI6QyGiIIKCK1GR9XyFoJgY1Zm2V9wE825d1XbVe3W6UHukg4iGPURqRHGb7lLTHmE2RUfH08bn1G/s400/P6230014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324900565549389410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4w_DjEQ-9z2y7LmpFjRrH3gobrWgUMoOW3rQBsLp9z_1Oad8vPhV11zXlAZxvHde52H087QXpLOp_bUP_K1ulGJhBZt_iMEO8xptP_UbGqAQWbSrk_3nFbToC5IKe-y064RIC9t5YV9pl/s1600-h/Homework+Kala.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4w_DjEQ-9z2y7LmpFjRrH3gobrWgUMoOW3rQBsLp9z_1Oad8vPhV11zXlAZxvHde52H087QXpLOp_bUP_K1ulGJhBZt_iMEO8xptP_UbGqAQWbSrk_3nFbToC5IKe-y064RIC9t5YV9pl/s400/Homework+Kala.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324900344391617746" border="0" /></a><br />We hosted families for Parents Day on the first Saturday of each month.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYCiYBZEEb94S3kBoU19kCrh0QFBufYWy8Z7WUQgpwvZyA3Bjmb830nAvlHxSlWrZpQ2i8Zvz_jzEn5pGDa2eKfbPmh-FDXyHjl_cVpQtsFFOE1vwg5ZU8HziT_D6CLPFRtpZ1agSWICt/s1600-h/P7050074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYCiYBZEEb94S3kBoU19kCrh0QFBufYWy8Z7WUQgpwvZyA3Bjmb830nAvlHxSlWrZpQ2i8Zvz_jzEn5pGDa2eKfbPmh-FDXyHjl_cVpQtsFFOE1vwg5ZU8HziT_D6CLPFRtpZ1agSWICt/s400/P7050074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324901094539241442" border="0" /></a><br />We provided medical care, even when there was no electricity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzdbSno0IpbdQUYZOU_icqSeSUH0YRkDkDtY7GJPYb7Sz2kLMgpW4MnizwgMWwJ7AwT5-tgDVtZFsrcz9mekovpLhs7ajv-CLgHzAjbaLCrH_4Q3NA4kpiO1fwt3CfAvctKrizhi9p64T/s1600-h/1.+Vickie+with+Sarasu,+Vijaya%27s+mom+.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzdbSno0IpbdQUYZOU_icqSeSUH0YRkDkDtY7GJPYb7Sz2kLMgpW4MnizwgMWwJ7AwT5-tgDVtZFsrcz9mekovpLhs7ajv-CLgHzAjbaLCrH_4Q3NA4kpiO1fwt3CfAvctKrizhi9p64T/s400/1.+Vickie+with+Sarasu,+Vijaya%27s+mom+.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324899640235193714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zC4rR6a9IFW-uZDuANuf1vxRHcDfUZ6avGhoQ2iEv1z4c0hyJ5_3JarD3UlNh7G2fLezmLQftti5VIHtLeor5Xb5bKYsd532MoqmgSuXGsrWr0M3Qn-jFmCmRppbREogFWbhNPdidrv1/s1600-h/P2220046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zC4rR6a9IFW-uZDuANuf1vxRHcDfUZ6avGhoQ2iEv1z4c0hyJ5_3JarD3UlNh7G2fLezmLQftti5VIHtLeor5Xb5bKYsd532MoqmgSuXGsrWr0M3Qn-jFmCmRppbREogFWbhNPdidrv1/s400/P2220046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324899920994509186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We played together, especially cricket and football.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsQrq6DTUNBREz5HuEs8-IBm3GQAoX3isqo1IY13WGA9wJFHAW23GP62V5-m-UGxwmKQ9zoL0Imil5K-_Kw5VvScOjprfg40M22W2G5QswqMcAmz7CaSEzEPkVyISyJQYdY3r8aOPwgzT/s1600-h/Cricket+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsQrq6DTUNBREz5HuEs8-IBm3GQAoX3isqo1IY13WGA9wJFHAW23GP62V5-m-UGxwmKQ9zoL0Imil5K-_Kw5VvScOjprfg40M22W2G5QswqMcAmz7CaSEzEPkVyISyJQYdY3r8aOPwgzT/s400/Cricket+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324898464232169074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yjnP01WUrNBAkCr1gSHP1As_jRcB22xSeg-Y_Psq3l3YFR53KpaFkSIeXI1OVl1gPPMg_8bC2VQ3pKWK16wm1B-BN0cONZJrm9tIM0UyP64Z6cNeYsmY0AL5KqV5tZfXstTVOhTPdVm4/s1600-h/13.+Moorthy+with+soccer+ball.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yjnP01WUrNBAkCr1gSHP1As_jRcB22xSeg-Y_Psq3l3YFR53KpaFkSIeXI1OVl1gPPMg_8bC2VQ3pKWK16wm1B-BN0cONZJrm9tIM0UyP64Z6cNeYsmY0AL5KqV5tZfXstTVOhTPdVm4/s400/13.+Moorthy+with+soccer+ball.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324898155205547890" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We ate together.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvF9jM7mBdmbnWhsm4Z9jCi06k85VMVD0Ennqz16zKb8LlK1udN6CH3pRd3pgdWdk6rRTU1iBahzsGucFWn_-0iS2wwdWFC7NVmlCYKdHk345LisnG1qQrKDrJBYeZqE7a1wNhlInDQBqv/s1600-h/P7230086.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvF9jM7mBdmbnWhsm4Z9jCi06k85VMVD0Ennqz16zKb8LlK1udN6CH3pRd3pgdWdk6rRTU1iBahzsGucFWn_-0iS2wwdWFC7NVmlCYKdHk345LisnG1qQrKDrJBYeZqE7a1wNhlInDQBqv/s400/P7230086.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324896846227638306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9NnaDJQfre6T9cJzdVXpaAEubAIC1kSKPSd5APKleVFxCZEiNQsdyiDPQRZW9jSWL0tIZZsOWAQArWKIsqs4VHBFZwtohV6H6zPHRtDQxHKShOovpLKFo3SbNN_FD00lVzovPCqjmif5/s1600-h/P9060024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9NnaDJQfre6T9cJzdVXpaAEubAIC1kSKPSd5APKleVFxCZEiNQsdyiDPQRZW9jSWL0tIZZsOWAQArWKIsqs4VHBFZwtohV6H6zPHRtDQxHKShOovpLKFo3SbNN_FD00lVzovPCqjmif5/s400/P9060024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324897012679017106" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br />We got to know and love our village neighbors.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePRepVDPVA4wUz8BRe0vOeUN-PPCMYUwJkPLg31Q0BN6I-_gQ28wfoBoO38gr5FYAi4i9QMGoGzBjJdwwPdgOh5X8g72sBulJOhHRaoL14rHwjwJ3vJ9IY5cPgnfzhIcMORDsQgVmFuTb/s1600-h/P2190107.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePRepVDPVA4wUz8BRe0vOeUN-PPCMYUwJkPLg31Q0BN6I-_gQ28wfoBoO38gr5FYAi4i9QMGoGzBjJdwwPdgOh5X8g72sBulJOhHRaoL14rHwjwJ3vJ9IY5cPgnfzhIcMORDsQgVmFuTb/s400/P2190107.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324896564160685746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qx1b2VYD2pGQ8xorq6dLRkJHntgGFWCgBGNlsfIyU9Nl9hPvWWX5kkMrRI_iHKz3xd51VYiBWS9ykH-CXAYL8S3JDWukObv_jb3JlxJFAb4v4KDlsYSG3vOfy5gKxrJu8pcET_MxaIIP/s1600-h/P1150043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qx1b2VYD2pGQ8xorq6dLRkJHntgGFWCgBGNlsfIyU9Nl9hPvWWX5kkMrRI_iHKz3xd51VYiBWS9ykH-CXAYL8S3JDWukObv_jb3JlxJFAb4v4KDlsYSG3vOfy5gKxrJu8pcET_MxaIIP/s400/P1150043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324896018105396194" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We made many wonderful friends of all sizes.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IemN9lj1Tz1CiL9sIWBnNVc9I8wvKe_iQfioJjRRBzlqYlul-gnVyX7nMguc7awqLTPEzKhd_mA0ukXBc4B1Jl2LnIS7PhcqJxctyz3j8rAGUkJhwODqPTtp1v1yec9L1l59vQrmgMXh/s1600-h/P9130031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IemN9lj1Tz1CiL9sIWBnNVc9I8wvKe_iQfioJjRRBzlqYlul-gnVyX7nMguc7awqLTPEzKhd_mA0ukXBc4B1Jl2LnIS7PhcqJxctyz3j8rAGUkJhwODqPTtp1v1yec9L1l59vQrmgMXh/s400/P9130031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324895042701508130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqA4mvFZ3zC3i9t5wGHMD3wZ2tngDgpUwqVzrG6AS7XPOB8bw7OV0_W9gdqYDcTiLTyH1bUlzdh88c45GsUvbThVia4e8u6bh5H7Px48FGJl9485-1RpsvR_4CDbz3WEwwwDw-a3xPvJrt/s1600-h/P1140074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqA4mvFZ3zC3i9t5wGHMD3wZ2tngDgpUwqVzrG6AS7XPOB8bw7OV0_W9gdqYDcTiLTyH1bUlzdh88c45GsUvbThVia4e8u6bh5H7Px48FGJl9485-1RpsvR_4CDbz3WEwwwDw-a3xPvJrt/s400/P1140074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324894276561097938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8r62jFECskSzAlncemRRKmL9MZBNHZO0gTxHygGfbSC1P6CxsbQp3kS5FChGDSaBIC2uJoZgcGkhmdvDilp_OH34tx-evSL5MBDuVUi2WSNrHn5jZu_Gc9kgKphWJfDKQkWZE073gLrK/s1600-h/PC140045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8r62jFECskSzAlncemRRKmL9MZBNHZO0gTxHygGfbSC1P6CxsbQp3kS5FChGDSaBIC2uJoZgcGkhmdvDilp_OH34tx-evSL5MBDuVUi2WSNrHn5jZu_Gc9kgKphWJfDKQkWZE073gLrK/s400/PC140045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324894832108726562" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And we learned to work together.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMsAV4gos197CG_BiJdR9IWz4hfg5vEdffqa2XsyKf0AI7wXnadBevBcXLODcfRZOzUbzktwZVR19nnwZTrMFPjEGYxsyYzWu1PqTyt28dPhmTtgrpmXok6hQDXLVwOIwYyhORZu31-tE/s1600-h/P1140080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMsAV4gos197CG_BiJdR9IWz4hfg5vEdffqa2XsyKf0AI7wXnadBevBcXLODcfRZOzUbzktwZVR19nnwZTrMFPjEGYxsyYzWu1PqTyt28dPhmTtgrpmXok6hQDXLVwOIwYyhORZu31-tE/s400/P1140080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324893574971445314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNSrx1o8ksfwBamQYOXxkK3c2Xl8bsG3OPoQUSHy24iNEP8srKXu733bqcBuekHwHSsLRGNN7bK5on6STrwYq0xP7msZBQB0xaLa1cjsqVpyTIO4uRAuFCBBb2vuZgVjoIJcMcVZSxT1Z/s1600-h/P8140240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNSrx1o8ksfwBamQYOXxkK3c2Xl8bsG3OPoQUSHy24iNEP8srKXu733bqcBuekHwHSsLRGNN7bK5on6STrwYq0xP7msZBQB0xaLa1cjsqVpyTIO4uRAuFCBBb2vuZgVjoIJcMcVZSxT1Z/s400/P8140240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324892953579124738" border="0" /></a><br />So now it's time to say goodbye. Vickie and I will go back to America and the kids will go home to their parents and grandparents to enjoy a holiday and prepare for another school year. It has been good. Perhaps we have done something useful. We hope so.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sZ_7S5saWU8TfNpt39WMCi1ZN-g3qVniQ7w4GnubIoIn92-qr1tIHvpt2hNtCQB4cBrAXr65rty-4Y1lPNQ72p4zMjsiWWnn6-7kaX1y9Pyma3t03VJZZxNeXvVacOYBAsXlP3nVgvO9/s1600-h/PC150046+-+Copy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sZ_7S5saWU8TfNpt39WMCi1ZN-g3qVniQ7w4GnubIoIn92-qr1tIHvpt2hNtCQB4cBrAXr65rty-4Y1lPNQ72p4zMjsiWWnn6-7kaX1y9Pyma3t03VJZZxNeXvVacOYBAsXlP3nVgvO9/s400/PC150046+-+Copy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324892616638192690" border="0" /> </a>We love you, Rising Stars.<br /></div>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-88495715639590079802009-04-12T23:05:00.005-06:002009-04-13T09:58:13.595-06:00Vickie Bathes an ElephantWe visited Kerala's beautiful Malabar Coast for a few days. Kerala is the narrow strip on the west of the tip of India, next to Tamil Nadu, known for its scenic backwaters and mountainside tea plantations. We stopped by a mountain river and Vickie helped the elephant handlers give morning baths. She is using a chunk of coconut husk to scrub as the big animal lazily enjoys its morning pampering. You can hear me conversing with an English couple.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyvTlW9WzXUFsiG596M14jzJ-KnVFMZGEOY7ZcYFHu0To8stg3gkYOm4ElSnOsz5zAZTp9tX5KvtspxB5UHqg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-13983218376477286172009-04-04T02:09:00.010-06:002009-04-13T04:57:29.487-06:00Beautiful Birds of South IndiaWe live near a national bird sanctuary called Vedanthangel. January and February are the best months for viewing a wide variety of large water birds that winter in the area. Nesting residents of the sanctuary include the grey pelican, night heron, open bill stork, little cormorant, spoon bill, white ibis, and darter. We visited in the late afternoon and saw the birds come in to roost in the evening light. It was breathtaking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXD4tShIWgEJK6m48M7c06urxmOTY3JsHo48BUm63r6J0M9-3dzyEHvj1mdHleuabRyuiCd06CpbKlYJSx8wsB4QjkxKp8rs9U9Z6-o1iGXIRnDwfIYaZRFB1yGv98VR-soC7AceC1-YU/s1600-h/P1240158.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXD4tShIWgEJK6m48M7c06urxmOTY3JsHo48BUm63r6J0M9-3dzyEHvj1mdHleuabRyuiCd06CpbKlYJSx8wsB4QjkxKp8rs9U9Z6-o1iGXIRnDwfIYaZRFB1yGv98VR-soC7AceC1-YU/s400/P1240158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320784714321007266" border="0" /></a>The trees and bushes seemed to be growing right out of the water. Here a group of painted storks stay close to their nests.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyoUeFALXlL5BmmCjkEGFb_gaASMy6MjpU5ba9rZM0l_NUjL5ogpcVEfuRrwnWW7qurzU8mmweaV6RHuCgotg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />These videos show painted storks in flight. I wish we had a better camera so you could see just how gorgeous they were in the late afternoon light.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxCRucrBm1iXeWPqvYiODdjqr-bLE_1LvUyvSlUyU_gSwGS720wWBndDQCPsIvDhz0Im5z5ThLEmKRfCJitqQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-29236885148534130642009-03-29T05:23:00.043-06:002009-03-31T07:10:04.634-06:00In the Steps of Thomas the ApostleChennai is the home of the St. Thomas Basilica and two of the places where tradition holds that he taught the Gospel and established the Church in India. A Syriac work entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">The Doctrine of the Apostles</span>, dating from the 2nd century A. D., records that the faithful received "what had been written by James from Jerusalem and Simon from the City of Rome, and John from Ephesus and Mark from the great Alexandria, and Andrew from Phyrgia and Luke from Macedonia and Judas Thomas from India. . ."<br /><br />He began his work on the Malabar Coast in western India and later traveled to the Coromandel Coast where we live. There seems to be a lot of documentation from the early days, Catholic and nonCatholic, Christian and nonChristian, to support the tradition of Thomas' evangelical work in India.<br /><br />We spent one Saturday visiting the sites and getting the story. First we visited St. Thomas Basilica, then the "little mount" where he lived and preached the gospel, and then St. Thomas mount where he fled persecution and was martyred.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aofYpN5AqHmPAq5pA3Cacmpp3vg6N4uN4y9DaKc5Pc6gm5eqjJoZ4MYgK-j5bQiOlQ4SLeZ4lnBPu9tVw5Q3XdfgllPtgpgAivfUUIOWihm2jySNd7v0m75xiIdYfiDkc4UrEOXi5dU3/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aofYpN5AqHmPAq5pA3Cacmpp3vg6N4uN4y9DaKc5Pc6gm5eqjJoZ4MYgK-j5bQiOlQ4SLeZ4lnBPu9tVw5Q3XdfgllPtgpgAivfUUIOWihm2jySNd7v0m75xiIdYfiDkc4UrEOXi5dU3/s400/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318583762699966162" border="0" /></a>Vickie at the entrance to the basilica. "Basilica" means palace and this is one of three in the world commemorating burial places of original apostles. Peter's is in Rome, of course, and James' is at Santiago de Compostela, Spain.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHlCXXDA2dhdQk9PeucxRuNXyTdzdfELuL_5S0kH3cTTLZ4gyEqM752IJr25O8xnKD965PeNldzDiKZrvHHUQOs300YfiPlIRJB7Pp8zuM7TcFw_pzSJCZSM4l4XvdOAFsACVDuvVqb0e/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHlCXXDA2dhdQk9PeucxRuNXyTdzdfELuL_5S0kH3cTTLZ4gyEqM752IJr25O8xnKD965PeNldzDiKZrvHHUQOs300YfiPlIRJB7Pp8zuM7TcFw_pzSJCZSM4l4XvdOAFsACVDuvVqb0e/s400/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318582230001514130" border="0" /></a>There wasn't enough room across the street to get a full photo of the front of the basilica, so this quarter hind-view will have to do. It really is a magnificent structure, modeled after the great European cathedrals, as you can see.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpMwuhWXS6kC1NJv9-KUHAqik0im7YUV9qmaTfNcOFOvyMjtz7i0Es49Mw0RRH0X9TW8YOU7oQ_C5HYRvSgjlWpckPuPMuZmLmyG6VH6XeEYqozbUHMuEZvpQKpoeob2ag8VAOfwMOMa2/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpMwuhWXS6kC1NJv9-KUHAqik0im7YUV9qmaTfNcOFOvyMjtz7i0Es49Mw0RRH0X9TW8YOU7oQ_C5HYRvSgjlWpckPuPMuZmLmyG6VH6XeEYqozbUHMuEZvpQKpoeob2ag8VAOfwMOMa2/s400/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318579306801115442" border="0" /></a>The interior of the basilica, looking at the altar and the crucifix. The photo was taken standing by a glass inlay in the floor that looks down on his original tomb where several relics remain buried. The body was later exhumed and moved to Edessa, a crusader town in Greece.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqy_-xEHqCDt5j_P48gnrGYGnJ18thOTrbHyt5oE297_Fi8BKWpv8IFq_q1fz-_ZFAFUkAP5Q-eb_Bt1UrX6W-HinyuDRHz7zdiMKiZSrKnal7kk0UG0dC6j4CSgdPrNIk3DWEmK1VNXD/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqy_-xEHqCDt5j_P48gnrGYGnJ18thOTrbHyt5oE297_Fi8BKWpv8IFq_q1fz-_ZFAFUkAP5Q-eb_Bt1UrX6W-HinyuDRHz7zdiMKiZSrKnal7kk0UG0dC6j4CSgdPrNIk3DWEmK1VNXD/s400/4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318577996666050210" border="0" /></a>Next we visited the little mount. The two small chapels were built by the Portuguese in 1551, the larger on the left is a modern construction. The one on the right in back sits over the cave wherein Thomas lived and the area where he sat and preached to the locals. Behind it lies a spring which, according to tradition, he miraculously opened to provide water for his thirsty listeners.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpuEFOzowzdSsy4I7s4M0KpncBZFNeTGHs_wh93k0KCCdv16z2sirortewksX1aib-rb7GAOe0IoizIEdMGQItF0gl2eLLNPSPUiKDJ9p2Gi0aBHRfcie_Nr9moUi48YabTvunLOsWVAh/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpuEFOzowzdSsy4I7s4M0KpncBZFNeTGHs_wh93k0KCCdv16z2sirortewksX1aib-rb7GAOe0IoizIEdMGQItF0gl2eLLNPSPUiKDJ9p2Gi0aBHRfcie_Nr9moUi48YabTvunLOsWVAh/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318576368121752130" border="0" /></a>The cave in the little mount where Thomas lived until threats of violence became serious and unavoidable. One worshipper kneels in prayer, seeking divine intercession. The granite room is about 15 x 18 feet.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR_pXu3DV7mEaEqzhUE1Y8-K4XtXf7XX91L5xXhu7xjBjoij36GpCqsEt3bevHl6bKa83xaF8sP342ERnZ51PtWOqyZ54hU-QKCywn_rsiXGfgaaDNvehX-aRIET6bvlhhIHqqLbLFj31/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR_pXu3DV7mEaEqzhUE1Y8-K4XtXf7XX91L5xXhu7xjBjoij36GpCqsEt3bevHl6bKa83xaF8sP342ERnZ51PtWOqyZ54hU-QKCywn_rsiXGfgaaDNvehX-aRIET6bvlhhIHqqLbLFj31/s400/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318574992177556194" border="0" /></a>Tradition holds that Thomas carved this cross in the stone above and outside of the cave. It has obviously been adored by many pilgrims through the years.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrjpENprOdCZ9jOlu0Y55-YnGv-xVpYFtrqup9A3hmtC2FU4j-UXXK4aquAFp8dwids29l-SJkjoW7xtizTNl1AxdmPeoDWmnDBjleQWivKb0sAFmUcVR_0qfSLSHfC3vMNBLVmUIaxek/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrjpENprOdCZ9jOlu0Y55-YnGv-xVpYFtrqup9A3hmtC2FU4j-UXXK4aquAFp8dwids29l-SJkjoW7xtizTNl1AxdmPeoDWmnDBjleQWivKb0sAFmUcVR_0qfSLSHfC3vMNBLVmUIaxek/s400/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318573681897699778" border="0" /></a>Off we went from the small mount two miles across town to St. Thomas Mount, where Thomas fled to escape persecution. The snack shop on the left is called Mount Manna. Of course it is.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCkHVYvFaZQXqINmOeHDGRD-xNlFxLTPfTkYWpRxVv0vQ3abB2CBL8gsG2h8dYnS6WjEXSZchN7sxtQz8GMwoFApKDTz6kYJ2GdC1p93qJpAxfCQjUo9clh8GRcjOm0b6gAAo6T7VrXoo/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCkHVYvFaZQXqINmOeHDGRD-xNlFxLTPfTkYWpRxVv0vQ3abB2CBL8gsG2h8dYnS6WjEXSZchN7sxtQz8GMwoFApKDTz6kYJ2GdC1p93qJpAxfCQjUo9clh8GRcjOm0b6gAAo6T7VrXoo/s400/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318572344380113090" border="0" /></a>The shrine of the crucifixion on the Mount. Several of the faithful were there when we were, even though it was a very hot Saturday afternoon. This was where St. Thomas was martyred by a Hindu war lance at the urging of ministers to the king stirred up by local brahmins. The story is that he began his ministry in India in 48 AD and died in 72 AD.<br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xyaYjyoIy8QoyV-ICtrcFs5sqbXuORbXDAX7NR3Ra8p51CCExKOVI0ptXkqZdhykjlQkCTRts26R15LNMRhbX0nNlPB9yCi13-pyiXy7lwoI3EcVLGLA-a5rt2wLkfdazAD9ZNkJAxvd/s1600-h/12.+Gordon.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xyaYjyoIy8QoyV-ICtrcFs5sqbXuORbXDAX7NR3Ra8p51CCExKOVI0ptXkqZdhykjlQkCTRts26R15LNMRhbX0nNlPB9yCi13-pyiXy7lwoI3EcVLGLA-a5rt2wLkfdazAD9ZNkJAxvd/s400/12.+Gordon.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318593893282915170" border="0" /></a>I have no idea.<br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBilSZb5s5MK3_Og01TXAluVDmIllhx11zXrQbNVugySZhi6od60Rn3L9ZM6iji18IPkJNNytmaUnhU-xcKFKMn2-9EIWQQdWjyi3Ay6s_Z97aYwyUrV_6DaVjM2nXCekuyLq1tyEZ7ReV/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBilSZb5s5MK3_Og01TXAluVDmIllhx11zXrQbNVugySZhi6od60Rn3L9ZM6iji18IPkJNNytmaUnhU-xcKFKMn2-9EIWQQdWjyi3Ay6s_Z97aYwyUrV_6DaVjM2nXCekuyLq1tyEZ7ReV/s400/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318571202260518338" border="0" /></a>Three sainted ladies gather on the Mount: Mother Joyce, Mother Teresa, and Mother Vickie.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXyZBz4ONmP1ttGk3yn7m322ZisQ9s3RONWPYJkEU7_t6aHmuTLQ6ZqyEv1zcPLHtlD0HJasQYyFZqCrn3lcWlzQRn-Q-J1d1z0yL-7L-Wf2qR1CEkvJxhbnAIY3pp8vPSQW-4z3TPPuR/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 362px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXyZBz4ONmP1ttGk3yn7m322ZisQ9s3RONWPYJkEU7_t6aHmuTLQ6ZqyEv1zcPLHtlD0HJasQYyFZqCrn3lcWlzQRn-Q-J1d1z0yL-7L-Wf2qR1CEkvJxhbnAIY3pp8vPSQW-4z3TPPuR/s400/10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318569988011612466" border="0" /></a>The convent on St. Thomas Mount maintains a foundling home. The babies are referred here by health care providers and social service agencies. The wee ones are well cared for by the nuns and are available for adoption within India by those who meet the criteria. We enjoyed a nice conversation with the gentle sisters in the information center/gift shop. You see Chennai in the background, looking toward the Bay of Bengal. Altogether is was an enjoyable and informative day.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-24755406994043067052009-03-20T21:25:00.028-06:002009-03-27T13:24:20.416-06:00Rising StarsThe whole purpose for our school's existence is to enrich the lives of children from several leprosy colonies. Many of these children are first-generation students who are the only literate ones in their families. Some came to us at 8 or 10 years of age having never been in school. We love them dearly and we believe that their future is certainly brighter because of the opportunities provided by the generous supporters of Rising Star Outreach. Take a stroll with us and meet our dear and delightful Rising Stars at work and play.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBnJy0uojZVIWLMYlKWK_DJ_HUFtDZYI77ZHXJH_M0OTKhDq0J9ipHSkGRQfza4ANhjrJiwNNmln4Sq-lmmZZ7R95vc65uWNHX8wcmRydkUjRB2pruYG65ypbFMc3IIY2KVRaWLHT095_/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBnJy0uojZVIWLMYlKWK_DJ_HUFtDZYI77ZHXJH_M0OTKhDq0J9ipHSkGRQfza4ANhjrJiwNNmln4Sq-lmmZZ7R95vc65uWNHX8wcmRydkUjRB2pruYG65ypbFMc3IIY2KVRaWLHT095_/s400/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315479504527506146" border="0" /></a>Upper-grade students march with the school flag on Independence Day.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlb85rUQNQpEFyeJKkvU9gaWaNE9yrE9mrwCIHqDJ33L1Rbjl8VoYElqoZ4mHxSr1L3L5ArPmlCFPOf-wSDVtdBzgt6rscKXwmAZLPfdI3iVYE6Iql_Quz6mkxF8gNddV2exV74dQxwbf/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlb85rUQNQpEFyeJKkvU9gaWaNE9yrE9mrwCIHqDJ33L1Rbjl8VoYElqoZ4mHxSr1L3L5ArPmlCFPOf-wSDVtdBzgt6rscKXwmAZLPfdI3iVYE6Iql_Quz6mkxF8gNddV2exV74dQxwbf/s400/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315479430140216578" border="0" /></a>Beautiful girls show off their finery.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNas03iHhOE8uFmnZeQjLcahX23j5vaElpp9lGlwB0b7KRZ7nLCcBwduDclUqdZ6cykgxDzByk0ZyqahOOq6jWAxbWGBZnkDaCVyyx-XslU-tfOYhDDdP-HN358OQrslBz-SGbAxdP2Yv2/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNas03iHhOE8uFmnZeQjLcahX23j5vaElpp9lGlwB0b7KRZ7nLCcBwduDclUqdZ6cykgxDzByk0ZyqahOOq6jWAxbWGBZnkDaCVyyx-XslU-tfOYhDDdP-HN358OQrslBz-SGbAxdP2Yv2/s400/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315479340482840626" border="0" /></a>Mangai and Marriambee show some love on Republic Day.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueIwvQOSvX7qZmgzm1ekgTxRFTjaQZ9EximfgARZ20MEWDAau9o2i9aeBwVlcMEhyphenhyphenbUTmECgAIIRDciGOm_dGU3h1PpX7YVfGqgoeo3csNzdE2vmpqpLbDF1X6gRml2f1ZFVmMUQa-9at/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueIwvQOSvX7qZmgzm1ekgTxRFTjaQZ9EximfgARZ20MEWDAau9o2i9aeBwVlcMEhyphenhyphenbUTmECgAIIRDciGOm_dGU3h1PpX7YVfGqgoeo3csNzdE2vmpqpLbDF1X6gRml2f1ZFVmMUQa-9at/s400/4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315479198575739234" border="0" /></a>Boys check the pepper plants to see if they are ready for transplanting.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiJUNx319Or3d9gbPlCEGPhEv9Y63ybhOMORPHetXxow6KFyemqGALYCVr5sBXuFOk4rImjXS32lmgpjo5fq6rwlxHOzbkFOWBwVW3IzkC4z_gcQsC6cV-JRMDqT1bgOmWOFblkQ7wP50/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiJUNx319Or3d9gbPlCEGPhEv9Y63ybhOMORPHetXxow6KFyemqGALYCVr5sBXuFOk4rImjXS32lmgpjo5fq6rwlxHOzbkFOWBwVW3IzkC4z_gcQsC6cV-JRMDqT1bgOmWOFblkQ7wP50/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315479003900114834" border="0" /></a>5th Standard girls dance for the glory of India.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaUNPhqZWEQf9J8sn4c4sTImxojMaDUenm1XnLGBY91DzbE1hMiiMb2yU1mqAP1Xcb4GzpSbvF7a9Ck_zlR3aMaNAqH4lVOjBlz1q1SFZHJiTLcNL4JdyUVLDPBNLKGCrUBm345K2lf2S/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaUNPhqZWEQf9J8sn4c4sTImxojMaDUenm1XnLGBY91DzbE1hMiiMb2yU1mqAP1Xcb4GzpSbvF7a9Ck_zlR3aMaNAqH4lVOjBlz1q1SFZHJiTLcNL4JdyUVLDPBNLKGCrUBm345K2lf2S/s400/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315478914086588866" border="0" /></a>Devaraj and his friend standing tall, looking good.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMHlMLjOZ9BTeixypapn0rQblRvDLbCDmaxXEy8XrI0-fVZISqOqfRBQyA41Y_mBl15NVD2KzjfXOU9XxcnEPCIbykLQEswgEC_MoiYZ58BuvEbOD4Jur5wM8H8vtmhF5hZHorxGX-JHD/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMHlMLjOZ9BTeixypapn0rQblRvDLbCDmaxXEy8XrI0-fVZISqOqfRBQyA41Y_mBl15NVD2KzjfXOU9XxcnEPCIbykLQEswgEC_MoiYZ58BuvEbOD4Jur5wM8H8vtmhF5hZHorxGX-JHD/s400/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315478718384770354" border="0" /></a>Shalini and Vijayalakshmi make a presentation for Independence Day.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsCzc2s_yA8pDwS0XAI1tHxjWyf9_rNjwPq8IoH2mcJNTPAYMARpI7T2w6cWdfyOo3OjjUsCjs-UeBwY-hABp-XJdNR7oMFgJwChP93VdyNDHqG0EPEzlULtZMWNdeYie8khfX6RK54cD/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 374px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsCzc2s_yA8pDwS0XAI1tHxjWyf9_rNjwPq8IoH2mcJNTPAYMARpI7T2w6cWdfyOo3OjjUsCjs-UeBwY-hABp-XJdNR7oMFgJwChP93VdyNDHqG0EPEzlULtZMWNdeYie8khfX6RK54cD/s400/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315478530152233234" border="0" /></a>Vaccination day: Is Poongavanam smiling or gritting her teeth?<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNE1LZ8yv5pYknKltNnTIOcAVRUF80dgURXaFJubXLL0F81Wtsm7qJH7Z1NQPW6f5imT_ui42z4Bw-mUjBxD0LFIiaA-9UFVwepjDLQKu4-5Ytu3r_NDpwtHh9cBcXQD4SIgBgvQbS0YK/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNE1LZ8yv5pYknKltNnTIOcAVRUF80dgURXaFJubXLL0F81Wtsm7qJH7Z1NQPW6f5imT_ui42z4Bw-mUjBxD0LFIiaA-9UFVwepjDLQKu4-5Ytu3r_NDpwtHh9cBcXQD4SIgBgvQbS0YK/s400/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315478410191433906" border="0" /></a>Arokiamary performing at our Christmas program.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetf9iXOt97k2ABLVyivSMx9-VLSTFQLwFPl7muUbY1ibCGJMjrHjzTx4VVtw8auNQNNS_Vjw7paUpL_FUUnXhTG-WkmDsa3uHipMd-FmcP-5FCGUq8U2HBIXVIsxbT10uavJXhvAbs8Cf/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetf9iXOt97k2ABLVyivSMx9-VLSTFQLwFPl7muUbY1ibCGJMjrHjzTx4VVtw8auNQNNS_Vjw7paUpL_FUUnXhTG-WkmDsa3uHipMd-FmcP-5FCGUq8U2HBIXVIsxbT10uavJXhvAbs8Cf/s400/10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315478301689333634" border="0" /></a>Two kindergartners fascinated by a wristwatch<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRsmErBI8C4R7hnustyEqmmnS_GUf4TlgVujOaDq7UkvD_j5sGzTq2sR4aHN2GNi3A3KAB9xksqtCZGYhcJLXNxaUZE60s19znLWwra0maXiNe1qbJsutzkPj79eCB4A4wNXzLEEVcH-M/s1600-h/11.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRsmErBI8C4R7hnustyEqmmnS_GUf4TlgVujOaDq7UkvD_j5sGzTq2sR4aHN2GNi3A3KAB9xksqtCZGYhcJLXNxaUZE60s19znLWwra0maXiNe1qbJsutzkPj79eCB4A4wNXzLEEVcH-M/s400/11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315478122308920018" border="0" /></a>Super heroes on guard at the school<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDVLNKGk8fOxhOVWkbWvyVq-2rQMhKxvB6y-ezoHByWDQofwcfnkZVVBwS8cDwifMSNf9j6IzLVvwM2kLXVrSV-mt17f_7urm-a538Acdh5OETpPL4CmWS94cx3JyJZezUDOZE0cPsAzj/s1600-h/12.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDVLNKGk8fOxhOVWkbWvyVq-2rQMhKxvB6y-ezoHByWDQofwcfnkZVVBwS8cDwifMSNf9j6IzLVvwM2kLXVrSV-mt17f_7urm-a538Acdh5OETpPL4CmWS94cx3JyJZezUDOZE0cPsAzj/s400/12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315477995345734194" border="0" /></a>Upper-grade girls take their turn at weeding the pepper patch.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_CZ3d7XQI-iBotodWCyEaYnz5ejT_3ZfM2lQIvhX0ofbWOSUeARTcWade6_dSiymBgRuhPzOMbKT7E9RV9cLGnu4sC4UAZqM669lwwtGiBjuYMXlchDWvunn1AjPAYFdLEG4ibpobZBq/s1600-h/13.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_CZ3d7XQI-iBotodWCyEaYnz5ejT_3ZfM2lQIvhX0ofbWOSUeARTcWade6_dSiymBgRuhPzOMbKT7E9RV9cLGnu4sC4UAZqM669lwwtGiBjuYMXlchDWvunn1AjPAYFdLEG4ibpobZBq/s400/13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315477842133565154" border="0" /></a>Sathya, Monika, and Jiveetha watch classmates practice for a program.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjBlodA4-_kAOW0cFmaLBIVLNK8MiGXzWu8jPp9xgEutEDRy3J1A29gx4ymPdksOPBebaK6Bl32XnQvDs9kbC2HMZ23WTRLnSh8e94GEM2bUQedABqmjxKxBKIRMgHzuVyW8juhxzG3vP/s1600-h/14.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 331px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjBlodA4-_kAOW0cFmaLBIVLNK8MiGXzWu8jPp9xgEutEDRy3J1A29gx4ymPdksOPBebaK6Bl32XnQvDs9kbC2HMZ23WTRLnSh8e94GEM2bUQedABqmjxKxBKIRMgHzuVyW8juhxzG3vP/s400/14.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315477485002699122" border="0" /></a>Teresa performing traditional Bharatanatayam dance.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLcsGjRaG29eKkgJ4aZf0zNrHiePZG9Du6q9BWbsjBH0W9X3lGmE2y1wHaYZqmDp8ih5ouhENuKVRpjzOV7SHQF06AhzuactB3A-Q1KiDg4jnn-mT31927tVhRuZt8MYtyW2lXWfhEYME/s1600-h/15.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLcsGjRaG29eKkgJ4aZf0zNrHiePZG9Du6q9BWbsjBH0W9X3lGmE2y1wHaYZqmDp8ih5ouhENuKVRpjzOV7SHQF06AhzuactB3A-Q1KiDg4jnn-mT31927tVhRuZt8MYtyW2lXWfhEYME/s400/15.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315477387116981746" border="0" /></a>Two happy boys take a break in the shade.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfzuM7HUWEsHjI4i5PdPcp2EF3K5Yi6Q2heSHX0PNSHFzTn3EyTctzFxB2MX8UFpAWS1AVgGDp3SjvAedOOsY40Utwhr6SgV63Ec2-hzId_yz5I6-4xKixkPuTCEIN7vHN7CoXUsi3scr/s1600-h/16.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 325px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfzuM7HUWEsHjI4i5PdPcp2EF3K5Yi6Q2heSHX0PNSHFzTn3EyTctzFxB2MX8UFpAWS1AVgGDp3SjvAedOOsY40Utwhr6SgV63Ec2-hzId_yz5I6-4xKixkPuTCEIN7vHN7CoXUsi3scr/s400/16.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315477190723967138" border="0" /></a>Mahalakshmi, Teresa, and Vigneshwari show the school flag.<br /></div>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-21066906125072681032009-03-13T06:28:00.039-06:002009-03-14T20:25:14.171-06:00What Does Gordon Do?<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Our purpose for coming to India is for Gordon to complete a one-year professional development leave from Brigham Young University. His work centers on teaching English as a second language, but he has also served as the director and principal for Peery Matriculation School for Rising Stars. The great relationships with our village and the leprosy colonies that house our students' parents and grandparents have been wonderful added benefits. Here are a few of the activities in which Gordon is involved.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7BgOOG1S1wyKu-Bk_hhYTj7PwZ79enBhKnHaDiwIwGCt3dl6NG_o8pr84O7MdWiMK3EbMmhfqRFKdGSOezEiWiPdQ1NLA14KQHXwTmJLZnGg-Vip-TsLZpjYZ2OlUXC7hY50UKufXskY/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7BgOOG1S1wyKu-Bk_hhYTj7PwZ79enBhKnHaDiwIwGCt3dl6NG_o8pr84O7MdWiMK3EbMmhfqRFKdGSOezEiWiPdQ1NLA14KQHXwTmJLZnGg-Vip-TsLZpjYZ2OlUXC7hY50UKufXskY/s400/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312659303421435474" border="0" /></a>Working on the school veranda, much cooler than the office<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaMfX1va_YActqWFjtIHANftUq4dTtcBIZREYPHcbzkXZ0Nv3z-Zqdm5aKuyZ8NI8-GUX4AjozG04oneYjIFI1zIlo7ejivgXfRS91o1pOnKT5PxMDGrVkqHA8FZ7YObMHD3R3mve7wk_/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaMfX1va_YActqWFjtIHANftUq4dTtcBIZREYPHcbzkXZ0Nv3z-Zqdm5aKuyZ8NI8-GUX4AjozG04oneYjIFI1zIlo7ejivgXfRS91o1pOnKT5PxMDGrVkqHA8FZ7YObMHD3R3mve7wk_/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312659040655245234" border="0" /></a>Raising the national flag on Independence Day, the anniversary of India's break with the British Empire on 15 August, 1947<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OJmkPHkiJDMkx84nWRVGVJay6zkPW_z6Egmmq5HwjqOiLhU9HXJ8q-LBp1bi4YrH2t588RFnTqzJeyF1-pP9cbg0vh7eclLXXubTxXXD9uzXZgQZW0O4l5OGYFxaVQaFLVOAqlJE0nh1/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OJmkPHkiJDMkx84nWRVGVJay6zkPW_z6Egmmq5HwjqOiLhU9HXJ8q-LBp1bi4YrH2t588RFnTqzJeyF1-pP9cbg0vh7eclLXXubTxXXD9uzXZgQZW0O4l5OGYFxaVQaFLVOAqlJE0nh1/s400/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312658152800495954" border="0" /></a>Speaking as school director on Republic Day, commemorating the anniversary of the adoption of India's constitution on 26 January, 1950<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOI7_ziFewi_-MptAZxlgyf1GbxRjLpqzHalFzzZj3pPgoH6BgR06RIOhizT_1UHsATQVw14T2_tx8Vr0TEkLweOXNaJziUgxnNPBBq8hXeYHOUquR4XSrPfxJPYl1gSp1I9HP4U1bFfE/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOI7_ziFewi_-MptAZxlgyf1GbxRjLpqzHalFzzZj3pPgoH6BgR06RIOhizT_1UHsATQVw14T2_tx8Vr0TEkLweOXNaJziUgxnNPBBq8hXeYHOUquR4XSrPfxJPYl1gSp1I9HP4U1bFfE/s400/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312656317395171314" border="0" /></a>Making new friends at a Hindu festival in Paranur leprosy colony<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlugqQHVk87uJwSgx_x3Znrm4uoKnQjETiiWbuUYh6Aq_qP5o31JDQ_IYfj2V2IPMzdDTxh7T5jqnIr8BTuvRfhneoU2yeJcSxnGbELGkuAD17CyMjpGF5Gs9S4LtbepmZfsjl12mDbSEq/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlugqQHVk87uJwSgx_x3Znrm4uoKnQjETiiWbuUYh6Aq_qP5o31JDQ_IYfj2V2IPMzdDTxh7T5jqnIr8BTuvRfhneoU2yeJcSxnGbELGkuAD17CyMjpGF5Gs9S4LtbepmZfsjl12mDbSEq/s400/4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312657580984928306" border="0" /></a>Presenting appreciation gifts to commemorate Teachers Day<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMsOUEGr_y8YTwcbokZ4RarFMDTptmLB-AN-b-QWx7BL31oZaRGrA083I_70vDm_TfNxIj7IaqjTIFqJP1iUIpI0xhPsX2yeIIPv6COOrM_9Gvm3gbz0SjKJHcmtR-IdRRABavUiizYN7/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMsOUEGr_y8YTwcbokZ4RarFMDTptmLB-AN-b-QWx7BL31oZaRGrA083I_70vDm_TfNxIj7IaqjTIFqJP1iUIpI0xhPsX2yeIIPv6COOrM_9Gvm3gbz0SjKJHcmtR-IdRRABavUiizYN7/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312657172682359714" border="0" /></a>Walking to school with friends<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1fbrtfqOKjXMtbyYNNKKvUL1wK5OTNU8-3XZvMA2DYdacQYxFetTSN_Vu2T-GdHZZh8mElrcuL76oZMbbJe5eKCMlrNzRgX1i3NYrNb0R3vOcjSGP1Li5jR6ofWrd2SpsIP9QUwFH031/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1fbrtfqOKjXMtbyYNNKKvUL1wK5OTNU8-3XZvMA2DYdacQYxFetTSN_Vu2T-GdHZZh8mElrcuL76oZMbbJe5eKCMlrNzRgX1i3NYrNb0R3vOcjSGP1Li5jR6ofWrd2SpsIP9QUwFH031/s400/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312656027491171186" border="0" /></a>Relaxing with students Moorthy and Karthik<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7Kq4kyjs8xqxSqEceaDA4NDeoqdLBKH_ida5iazJZ6yJ8ke9wkANI5aYmhymjEoZyoGTTOsELQ-dsNoy-cWyZtCf6GGaXpqDrJqBRe0FFLh4z98mYpjt_HeCZq-ldxBSI9j6ZQVw6i-C/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7Kq4kyjs8xqxSqEceaDA4NDeoqdLBKH_ida5iazJZ6yJ8ke9wkANI5aYmhymjEoZyoGTTOsELQ-dsNoy-cWyZtCf6GGaXpqDrJqBRe0FFLh4z98mYpjt_HeCZq-ldxBSI9j6ZQVw6i-C/s400/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312654359870565602" border="0" /></a>Calling on the village leadership. This woman is the president of the <span style="font-style: italic;">panchayat</span>, or governing council for five villages. Her husband is the local leader of the state's largest political party.<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tK3NwVx_kzUOH8WiOxSZq6yXf-8N1a0sTGM-xa-8gnb-SPqFPRxWJwph4tR_7oAb7QcGqwlU4_-BgMIxXm6qi1iWXKttaGH3o8fsIgNq6wKyepYh3l-4B1lxMM1iHmhAObjV-5Eftf5i/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tK3NwVx_kzUOH8WiOxSZq6yXf-8N1a0sTGM-xa-8gnb-SPqFPRxWJwph4tR_7oAb7QcGqwlU4_-BgMIxXm6qi1iWXKttaGH3o8fsIgNq6wKyepYh3l-4B1lxMM1iHmhAObjV-5Eftf5i/s400/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312653672260627314" border="0" /></a>Eating interesting food<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHU_EtHOHI8dS7kt3iTJCuhpVfcwcqCfkA95nf4Jggia-by_qza4tAsGJzQAh9BD4ooir5yys2g_mfoVDngKtmkAzC4Lq8Iqy4yLxH6I3R7ihfIokgQOR8zfdKFf2pNa0ZjNw3hRyuwOS/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHU_EtHOHI8dS7kt3iTJCuhpVfcwcqCfkA95nf4Jggia-by_qza4tAsGJzQAh9BD4ooir5yys2g_mfoVDngKtmkAzC4Lq8Iqy4yLxH6I3R7ihfIokgQOR8zfdKFf2pNa0ZjNw3hRyuwOS/s400/10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312653105312010738" border="0" /></a>Helping a village family find a school for their daughter with special needs. It was a sorrowful day when Gordon, a special educator, had to turn them away from our school for lack of appropriate services. But we were blessed to find a good place for her, and the future looks brighter.<br /><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogKELmiHKV-kUgKiH39jiQ9uFMIo73SD51kg8qf0bLbRDPJdGDhsTslPpR52YdDmy3x3DxCc21c9qPPyyHnuQQQ3QZ4jbZpYZs2_EUxx-5PwGL5W28VaAT-68i0a3Nbzz8ZR57QhoRsB8/s1600-h/11.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogKELmiHKV-kUgKiH39jiQ9uFMIo73SD51kg8qf0bLbRDPJdGDhsTslPpR52YdDmy3x3DxCc21c9qPPyyHnuQQQ3QZ4jbZpYZs2_EUxx-5PwGL5W28VaAT-68i0a3Nbzz8ZR57QhoRsB8/s400/11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312652448902005266" border="0" /> </a>Placing a brick at the groundbreaking for the school addition<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVPSjpQrzHC0y6q5bwRPeVX_AmoUfDBopbhWqvIDts924XLYEpuwD9wAanabLZn5w7TokHIZBFAiR7nUPW0Irv6qR-fHGlf43FfTTslq_OykZakO6SZeg6ufwNhMLn_1uWLfdfB1_5UwT/s1600-h/12.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVPSjpQrzHC0y6q5bwRPeVX_AmoUfDBopbhWqvIDts924XLYEpuwD9wAanabLZn5w7TokHIZBFAiR7nUPW0Irv6qR-fHGlf43FfTTslq_OykZakO6SZeg6ufwNhMLn_1uWLfdfB1_5UwT/s400/12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312651592356084450" border="0" /></a>Presenting well-deserved awards on our annual Sports Day<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8j9QzB_Ju0oRMoIXccXyI_ayEU4s35VeONq2jrz-_IpSzmXPsJYMM91bQCouKxOqkUdsL5iAOw_fVhyxrzIcmoLoYGT9U8Td8tR4n_07nx0jtSu08Y17hb4u70Q-_hb8Gafq8gNrGXqe/s1600-h/13.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8j9QzB_Ju0oRMoIXccXyI_ayEU4s35VeONq2jrz-_IpSzmXPsJYMM91bQCouKxOqkUdsL5iAOw_fVhyxrzIcmoLoYGT9U8Td8tR4n_07nx0jtSu08Y17hb4u70Q-_hb8Gafq8gNrGXqe/s400/13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312650220622490930" border="0" /></a>Working with a small group of lower-achieving students<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4g3JSxNLjFbCGRjJWhlvaWji19Qsy0YFb8Jj_Y-aEdcZC9bzlFvsTuMiYoYuHEXmDy5Puh7FqrQwjWSv3QPp2eOT0PGZ8tMHcA7o3p1kE84clHp_V84Wrn8iFnhQVsDM-bMantrkd5WM/s1600-h/14.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4g3JSxNLjFbCGRjJWhlvaWji19Qsy0YFb8Jj_Y-aEdcZC9bzlFvsTuMiYoYuHEXmDy5Puh7FqrQwjWSv3QPp2eOT0PGZ8tMHcA7o3p1kE84clHp_V84Wrn8iFnhQVsDM-bMantrkd5WM/s400/14.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312648970243729874" border="0" /></a>Visiting friends in the village<br /></div>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-55313973680416190572009-03-04T05:32:00.028-07:002009-03-11T05:00:06.436-06:00Women WorkingThe daily work of women in India is not so different from their western sisters. The technology and methods may vary from culture to culture but the general tasks have undoubtedly remained the same for hundreds of generations. Here are glimpses of the age-old responsibilities of wives and mothers in India.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLB-3rnyll7L_D6f2InsA3vjYWQm716BGbJTMcElOWyvgzEmP8TYx5PgKgKBVsga1ldOptKKnAJaXUmJc6R-R24R0HSq_FT1-q_7a8Mg5u418VnpKBqI4PAFQC8ONirhQmPjq7-Jhl_Us/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLB-3rnyll7L_D6f2InsA3vjYWQm716BGbJTMcElOWyvgzEmP8TYx5PgKgKBVsga1ldOptKKnAJaXUmJc6R-R24R0HSq_FT1-q_7a8Mg5u418VnpKBqI4PAFQC8ONirhQmPjq7-Jhl_Us/s400/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309333108473955778" border="0" /></a>Preparing the evening meal on an outdoor clay stove<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYDNEW2srDnv5NN_eWyG0HjbXEYSIkXHBC_JKXOVNQaj2spP8PNvhPVC8a3m03oQRjG7giBQOBbN9uLljNSrUnIp9n5ftERHUcczqEIXsncNpQ0pog2dFbn6wd99AtRsai7joiDmZrDTd/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYDNEW2srDnv5NN_eWyG0HjbXEYSIkXHBC_JKXOVNQaj2spP8PNvhPVC8a3m03oQRjG7giBQOBbN9uLljNSrUnIp9n5ftERHUcczqEIXsncNpQ0pog2dFbn6wd99AtRsai7joiDmZrDTd/s400/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309332440156597218" border="0" /></a>Washing the family laundry<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCsPMMUXAYqzqsNr6r6hOdwP9Nsz2u3MNtMdeRpjioHOzfQDphCW3bpqLpC3asf09SHkdwAv4wOEyPqwwhjQtqCpB9tThfdw6RjjtXKdg2jeihThMqmeESQJRwNpKJ_92FO1e2ySBrH8l/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCsPMMUXAYqzqsNr6r6hOdwP9Nsz2u3MNtMdeRpjioHOzfQDphCW3bpqLpC3asf09SHkdwAv4wOEyPqwwhjQtqCpB9tThfdw6RjjtXKdg2jeihThMqmeESQJRwNpKJ_92FO1e2ySBrH8l/s400/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309331816834296946" border="0" /></a>Minding the fruit and flower shops<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict2U-POVCdAaddjRwUDUKeRU5ePqAxsSQSe4OittxhuuoPASjF4v87B3A6JknIGnlI4FiF1Iq30Uf4FNR-Nu7y9CbEcKanK-a08vTctJ8kegYKz1vDkaYppMXwAg3HU1mMxYAqKJCOA_H/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict2U-POVCdAaddjRwUDUKeRU5ePqAxsSQSe4OittxhuuoPASjF4v87B3A6JknIGnlI4FiF1Iq30Uf4FNR-Nu7y9CbEcKanK-a08vTctJ8kegYKz1vDkaYppMXwAg3HU1mMxYAqKJCOA_H/s400/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309331032062307138" border="0" /></a>Repairing sandstone floor tiles at an historic fort<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZp2hLAcKvt8DWHODLbwe6o7zHMwCajTYY0zk8P79QzyugdKM_AUf4qj_cV-LFIiSTUB1qxCEmhTROJcfbN3j32P0K95XIsDHBnVttHibsbuGg4iYBBjo6Mbf2t7hHv2n2quSkkLvzmpxY/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZp2hLAcKvt8DWHODLbwe6o7zHMwCajTYY0zk8P79QzyugdKM_AUf4qj_cV-LFIiSTUB1qxCEmhTROJcfbN3j32P0K95XIsDHBnVttHibsbuGg4iYBBjo6Mbf2t7hHv2n2quSkkLvzmpxY/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309330285939711682" border="0" /></a>Carrying grass home to feed the family milk cows<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzAII1zMFdErPKjiDA2w7Qv9KfqTuI5lGAnT0-cZTOPbszUrFsJmLQ_Y9lP8_tcVIos_Cuiz52fiz8ftlrnkNQU1q1fWW3bDnmpnbZeLXXP8Q0n3xrNz1gMw9IIV-6nm_dNPiRG80SAUR/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzAII1zMFdErPKjiDA2w7Qv9KfqTuI5lGAnT0-cZTOPbszUrFsJmLQ_Y9lP8_tcVIos_Cuiz52fiz8ftlrnkNQU1q1fWW3bDnmpnbZeLXXP8Q0n3xrNz1gMw9IIV-6nm_dNPiRG80SAUR/s400/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309329444126674498" border="0" /></a>Planting rice<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4zMM8sNa5bZcHVtJizWPLSHpbfb4_HS97TDa1VJZ_9hx9iUsp54EjcH2YnFmXBhEB8U9t9jWZsuUKq8ifNnLkBjtMQbIy8aEEl6TP6BaSJey4lYVa0UFQq0mHYE8sBo8RdrX2xrWkZAH/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4zMM8sNa5bZcHVtJizWPLSHpbfb4_HS97TDa1VJZ_9hx9iUsp54EjcH2YnFmXBhEB8U9t9jWZsuUKq8ifNnLkBjtMQbIy8aEEl6TP6BaSJey4lYVa0UFQq0mHYE8sBo8RdrX2xrWkZAH/s400/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309313563539807730" border="0" /></a>Fetching water from the village well<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wOD2Lf_sI7k94gS3baY0hyphenhyphenbViOGucYJEsu05iqSTi4QaRFNcR_TuCB4wN3c_nt76Ux8tK40A1y2sn0vmc4AuJ-LlVm-hNjey1TDXeOMLamdK9lx0wnG8u_-c_-DH7LxO5RauUuF0agHh/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wOD2Lf_sI7k94gS3baY0hyphenhyphenbViOGucYJEsu05iqSTi4QaRFNcR_TuCB4wN3c_nt76Ux8tK40A1y2sn0vmc4AuJ-LlVm-hNjey1TDXeOMLamdK9lx0wnG8u_-c_-DH7LxO5RauUuF0agHh/s400/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309312886749623458" border="0" /></a>Herding goats and cows home at the end of the day<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4i1nRoo5CSaL25Q7PKJ0soinjZShh9nKT7SvxhnfWvodEI9vuitW5JSCitVuOgaVUYVpgaiYgWo4CxfP8RlV3OfR3etnO_WCBkEZCZgFoSs8vA987cg8hp5Yjddb9dgXwcMoYCUXeXfT/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4i1nRoo5CSaL25Q7PKJ0soinjZShh9nKT7SvxhnfWvodEI9vuitW5JSCitVuOgaVUYVpgaiYgWo4CxfP8RlV3OfR3etnO_WCBkEZCZgFoSs8vA987cg8hp5Yjddb9dgXwcMoYCUXeXfT/s400/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309312011908948226" border="0" /></a>Making coconut brooms with readily available materials<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSz14yA8QDexfIUCtATonX27Rgc1Fb09KMdkSI3lfuDrHX3tSyiivY9JJkNxhHnlwgwFP0c-sUBFvmsiB1Lq5wgpnGZ7ZWlddkofVmrqUn_NjmPBwkv3P3pEnNf3wZ_XnKfoqllbtl5gC/s1600-h/10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSz14yA8QDexfIUCtATonX27Rgc1Fb09KMdkSI3lfuDrHX3tSyiivY9JJkNxhHnlwgwFP0c-sUBFvmsiB1Lq5wgpnGZ7ZWlddkofVmrqUn_NjmPBwkv3P3pEnNf3wZ_XnKfoqllbtl5gC/s400/10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309311148888027106" border="0" /></a>Toting and carrying<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41kHIu8ES7yQ_V2aBQlML6JG6XyDb3uZ4WkXHZBoOqAZuFaANsoSlT8wFWR0sMclIC9d-A8vMhM2-ZtBC-7z0hEoJxVWlAMvahMuzmJsYskleWvySbG4XzDnRl6VhJ5lctEQ6V3RXuN3J/s1600-h/11.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41kHIu8ES7yQ_V2aBQlML6JG6XyDb3uZ4WkXHZBoOqAZuFaANsoSlT8wFWR0sMclIC9d-A8vMhM2-ZtBC-7z0hEoJxVWlAMvahMuzmJsYskleWvySbG4XzDnRl6VhJ5lctEQ6V3RXuN3J/s400/11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309309687077802610" border="0" /></a>Spending a peaceful afternoon at the temple</div>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-68501592154940782612009-03-01T02:04:00.042-07:002009-03-11T23:34:02.046-06:00We Attack a 13th-Century FortressOur upper-grade school excursion took us to Gingee Fort. It was a very energy-consuming day, but so worthwhile for history buffs. This fort is just soaked in history, having been built during the the 13th century Chola Dynasty. It was besieged and possessed by every ruling faction through the centuries, including the French and English. Read more about it by searching "Gingee" on Wikipedia.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAlDFfkui53YKRaF_PTAKP42sK5xMyLDCzXIOXH9FacUgDphnuNV88CneQsp4wvaozJ46ucVlXbteMrhdp0a0vZQGk69hNRbXb_NpVkFdxVEWgqNUtW88A1kQ6fma-zCPL6hUNvMxoeCi/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAlDFfkui53YKRaF_PTAKP42sK5xMyLDCzXIOXH9FacUgDphnuNV88CneQsp4wvaozJ46ucVlXbteMrhdp0a0vZQGk69hNRbXb_NpVkFdxVEWgqNUtW88A1kQ6fma-zCPL6hUNvMxoeCi/s400/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308151383030849954" border="0" /></a><br />The objective, 800 feet up and nearly impregnable. One Mughal army lay siege for 7 years before they finally took the place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NGk9Eeu5h77PrIscR7RgB_1H5Usj0FhdQ20TxLo3V1o4tWurx0l14AHY1v7PxGKk82JYoFXuCORPLYEmx4jfftz7uju9B7eRYMt_oUDxFLuj1EIg-74rV7K5RvOVL-4c48p7_FFUsi1M/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NGk9Eeu5h77PrIscR7RgB_1H5Usj0FhdQ20TxLo3V1o4tWurx0l14AHY1v7PxGKk82JYoFXuCORPLYEmx4jfftz7uju9B7eRYMt_oUDxFLuj1EIg-74rV7K5RvOVL-4c48p7_FFUsi1M/s400/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308150796519741074" border="0" /></a><br />We begin the adventure, supposing that a journey of 2,000 steps begins with the first one.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-EagS0kuLQrou7v2qnm11C3AcJBdgWqhwgbeibiREJiUYSNr9iQBUHicGCYlvfybrK6kZyI4CTe8Ck7vekh8ScXslXbh2TUzwPUXcUjXO_nLy0HDwBlESz02976Vc1dtrSu-gJj7Dq9S/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-EagS0kuLQrou7v2qnm11C3AcJBdgWqhwgbeibiREJiUYSNr9iQBUHicGCYlvfybrK6kZyI4CTe8Ck7vekh8ScXslXbh2TUzwPUXcUjXO_nLy0HDwBlESz02976Vc1dtrSu-gJj7Dq9S/s400/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308150000600067266" border="0" /></a><br />Up we go on ancient stairs past ageless trees. Who knows what people and passages were witnessed by these granite sentinels?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixliIIN7j4PpOXtMZrcJ2C5vdKij7LIMyOc-gZiBoMmJ7FdRbcMsOWUS18FrB2aV96KUvIYIJu4h68XtQ8O-z0rmOWERzSuRuj6AxF6hDYkiIscvUnvpha0pqrfIX24PNqlTb1XXf2-29Q/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixliIIN7j4PpOXtMZrcJ2C5vdKij7LIMyOc-gZiBoMmJ7FdRbcMsOWUS18FrB2aV96KUvIYIJu4h68XtQ8O-z0rmOWERzSuRuj6AxF6hDYkiIscvUnvpha0pqrfIX24PNqlTb1XXf2-29Q/s400/4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308149194479863154" border="0" /></a><br />Some of the local citizens take time for grooming. They showed no fear and seemed to wonder what we were doing traipsing through their living room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUxu-FOcpUwAI8W8m5hEbU7r0788jSk3H8zyFvgiSvbaUOPtPehHaNFEZ00ZoorOURWyaysMLKrI2zV059eOqiRkjkY3bvi6aV4rXZNIoDXVWofeJ-ay-amuDMsEvFm8Qf9gTeInEAoMS/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUxu-FOcpUwAI8W8m5hEbU7r0788jSk3H8zyFvgiSvbaUOPtPehHaNFEZ00ZoorOURWyaysMLKrI2zV059eOqiRkjkY3bvi6aV4rXZNIoDXVWofeJ-ay-amuDMsEvFm8Qf9gTeInEAoMS/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308148157933110498" border="0" /></a><br />I have this same photo at BaDaLing on the Great Wall of China.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYKnx9BZAHk-It8j8HKopMy3hvE5it2tn67AN4eduO7xcYnSd31jpSCFU3f0a4TliLb2Px_L1uzTnYez2xvOurcSTFpE79RTboq8YduarV8WfZWXB2CnZOOKaQ6nEUzes2T-0J1Xi5TQO/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYKnx9BZAHk-It8j8HKopMy3hvE5it2tn67AN4eduO7xcYnSd31jpSCFU3f0a4TliLb2Px_L1uzTnYez2xvOurcSTFpE79RTboq8YduarV8WfZWXB2CnZOOKaQ6nEUzes2T-0J1Xi5TQO/s400/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308147500476115810" border="0" /></a><br />We went through several passageways in the various walled areas as we made our way up. You see a guard tower to the left.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRDCnAnu7KRlnIKajSPMjmrCItbcpytJAhJg0-S7GVK6Ay2hN8Actdi1FDTv4PjFLtHSlf3sXqUsNj7cOE9TuFRygWbpnaZzeG9K4HDMQuKbDsQuyFtRoE4MWT-V0U3u5w572qAtXh9cP/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRDCnAnu7KRlnIKajSPMjmrCItbcpytJAhJg0-S7GVK6Ay2hN8Actdi1FDTv4PjFLtHSlf3sXqUsNj7cOE9TuFRygWbpnaZzeG9K4HDMQuKbDsQuyFtRoE4MWT-V0U3u5w572qAtXh9cP/s400/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308146816291861746" border="0" /></a><br />Vickie helps a student from another school navigate the very steep steps. I can't imagine that soldiers went up and down these too often. If they did they would have been in great shape.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MnG5k2XLehVOYvjRbne4qgM50ZAnTPUQR2SU4G2tGuasP1zqGPGpPBmAzDpKk0vz3aYsn4B2UNIHoXH_jsGeSPDFFgE4V77EWSkAXKppYUwUA8AreDTZarHsR_xWTfiHOYIAw90fXYfg/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MnG5k2XLehVOYvjRbne4qgM50ZAnTPUQR2SU4G2tGuasP1zqGPGpPBmAzDpKk0vz3aYsn4B2UNIHoXH_jsGeSPDFFgE4V77EWSkAXKppYUwUA8AreDTZarHsR_xWTfiHOYIAw90fXYfg/s400/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308146060836953490" border="0" /></a><br />Two of our kids tempting gravity at the top of the citadel. It really is a spectacular view.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ReUbBFz-osLWNPnpKsi-7qZN9At-vgR3lYildA_CJj-qKwj_TV_Te-fv-KSd8qxASObtT205xT4qfILcNT1YzL0KvTE6E3jM0g7CN_-c3jwrKTFFTdsVbicJPNBu4pD-AiLa0PoMqccy/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ReUbBFz-osLWNPnpKsi-7qZN9At-vgR3lYildA_CJj-qKwj_TV_Te-fv-KSd8qxASObtT205xT4qfILcNT1YzL0KvTE6E3jM0g7CN_-c3jwrKTFFTdsVbicJPNBu4pD-AiLa0PoMqccy/s400/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308145197003367618" border="0" /></a><br />Looking from the top guard window across to the Ranigiri, or queen's fort, atop a neighboring hill.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWlrMPxdVCAlK1Gn9mWhlWV2evRBUUTYwhoqIp81LjyV3OoZ3WyM6QZ3Y_ge7kyVwxiWp8GbR0_LUUXE3ayQm4zFH14b2kODVhdtdy5QjpkS18NrWhRn2JPlzptu9cNNEgfjoNE68oIxV/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWlrMPxdVCAlK1Gn9mWhlWV2evRBUUTYwhoqIp81LjyV3OoZ3WyM6QZ3Y_ge7kyVwxiWp8GbR0_LUUXE3ayQm4zFH14b2kODVhdtdy5QjpkS18NrWhRn2JPlzptu9cNNEgfjoNE68oIxV/s400/10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308144663989421330" border="0" /></a><br />Most of the students and teachers squeeze together at the very top. Whew!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wQ_IC4PkUeImSyQj2mvb7wZLwD42Um0oZRPQR3z5TLqOkizUipB4vnGFc3v0Xwf8M7dQhHGbEnfrHi3Yu58aVRj3IrLiHmcedM6FMiaEXIFM7yddqSYZqC0MxaFxBRv-g_UvaaZ4o-C7/s1600-h/11.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wQ_IC4PkUeImSyQj2mvb7wZLwD42Um0oZRPQR3z5TLqOkizUipB4vnGFc3v0Xwf8M7dQhHGbEnfrHi3Yu58aVRj3IrLiHmcedM6FMiaEXIFM7yddqSYZqC0MxaFxBRv-g_UvaaZ4o-C7/s400/11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308143991485285250" border="0" /></a><br />What goes up must come down. Vickie and Vijayalakshmi help each other down the steps after a very long and tiring climb. Vickie was the only adult female in our group to make it to the top.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYHPeAawodY34cLgwFX5uPnP_TED_0WvKEuYKtcgSwkEUgMaWbT3TBcu6loDifb_5FrYhK4QT_7feG3VGJosS3eQVnH7FxLCwgrOEdF7RGwJSwbPiREYXhRXIfhr4gRUtDs1IjEZ0GQNu/s1600-h/12.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYHPeAawodY34cLgwFX5uPnP_TED_0WvKEuYKtcgSwkEUgMaWbT3TBcu6loDifb_5FrYhK4QT_7feG3VGJosS3eQVnH7FxLCwgrOEdF7RGwJSwbPiREYXhRXIfhr4gRUtDs1IjEZ0GQNu/s400/12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308143286120228290" border="0" /></a><br />We completed our morning with a nice roadside picnic, courtesy of the Rising Star cooks. Feeding folks outdoors is so easy when everyone eats with their hands. It was a good day.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-13509607141116579652009-02-22T18:55:00.028-07:002009-02-24T22:01:07.957-07:00Jailbreak! We Venture a School ExcursionWe took the lower grades, LKG-III Standard, to the Vandalur Zoo for their annual excursion. Eight adults and 120 kids, but somehow we survived. The older grades will visit an historical fort in a couple of weeks. I never get tired of visiting zoos, although I have a growing concern with their captive nature.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMj6IDwZHgDKLLBW5qSLOgp2X1mDdHvqfV-fHBolwf3BpkXqOtMjLuAoBp5ouhOI2awyImCPYFT4TwIpTYnKqP3JM-gj0F7dIB_Lm7VxsP20rRRGMpDXI9BjUVq25XmlSpNiuqpSR9yUy/s1600-h/1+All+aboard.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMj6IDwZHgDKLLBW5qSLOgp2X1mDdHvqfV-fHBolwf3BpkXqOtMjLuAoBp5ouhOI2awyImCPYFT4TwIpTYnKqP3JM-gj0F7dIB_Lm7VxsP20rRRGMpDXI9BjUVq25XmlSpNiuqpSR9yUy/s400/1+All+aboard.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305814281720910738" /></a><br />All aboard! We had a difficult time squeezing everyone in four vehicles, but we finally did it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvZ0K5AuL5N2xT0NtTs3IbXPMkDqeQRxOOxdhI3haebNj6uBiBWzQcN-ZjHWhm3-zo-tkRCWOM3rmX21D_5YdHXfgrndBvlmJIPlmCzPyoLTzqw-vHMCiq30t5__1iGrfhen1X29ITEGe/s1600-h/2+Buddy+system.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvZ0K5AuL5N2xT0NtTs3IbXPMkDqeQRxOOxdhI3haebNj6uBiBWzQcN-ZjHWhm3-zo-tkRCWOM3rmX21D_5YdHXfgrndBvlmJIPlmCzPyoLTzqw-vHMCiq30t5__1iGrfhen1X29ITEGe/s400/2+Buddy+system.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305813576001473074" /></a><br />The universal buddy system. We actually returned with everyone that started with us.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RLetZ2aenRHuGwuJu9OcW5Qiz_Bh-gJC7jpRkJJQLs5CsLumdgvEp7RaenSV0fY4XBeVLZ693Sc_PdxmQnNLCeXqNKUfxB6kC3CFjHeyjpmp7kjBrUY5f1RePgssIOF0w3aBFYD1NdYU/s1600-h/3+Stay+with+class.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RLetZ2aenRHuGwuJu9OcW5Qiz_Bh-gJC7jpRkJJQLs5CsLumdgvEp7RaenSV0fY4XBeVLZ693Sc_PdxmQnNLCeXqNKUfxB6kC3CFjHeyjpmp7kjBrUY5f1RePgssIOF0w3aBFYD1NdYU/s400/3+Stay+with+class.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305812841174190194" /></a><br />"Stay with your class please." Our marvelous II Standard teacher keeps 'em movin' while Vickie Aunty checks for stragglers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kS-SEPPplsXjgra0vhBkXsOD8f1BjZL_NvLqC5xtR7mvYmK4EU6ziAfokVSQcdCNBmZxm8gW4g_Fc8k7k5fCy54a0TPoCHDbo9pANvIafRpCJnDrNff7hO3DdwAOZuO4ifSmePrN_MbH/s1600-h/4+Who+is+watching+who.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kS-SEPPplsXjgra0vhBkXsOD8f1BjZL_NvLqC5xtR7mvYmK4EU6ziAfokVSQcdCNBmZxm8gW4g_Fc8k7k5fCy54a0TPoCHDbo9pANvIafRpCJnDrNff7hO3DdwAOZuO4ifSmePrN_MbH/s400/4+Who+is+watching+who.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305811931302870242" /></a><br />Who's watching whom? Apparently climbing higher equals being closer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-0oTZT0Df8SBy63GFD5Zc2PysQHJA3h3UIoaaDJZvtEFynZdBbjvcYUmZ2YSckvOsoBpXUecf9zfndfk2PrcxAFPb6OZYMdEUZnfSGmBhl_ZfhE_uOCeZLuAsAGXGAmICAjelmi83SXi/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-0oTZT0Df8SBy63GFD5Zc2PysQHJA3h3UIoaaDJZvtEFynZdBbjvcYUmZ2YSckvOsoBpXUecf9zfndfk2PrcxAFPb6OZYMdEUZnfSGmBhl_ZfhE_uOCeZLuAsAGXGAmICAjelmi83SXi/s400/5.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305810168868073298" /></a><br />If you think royal peacocks are beautiful--and they are--check out this white one. Not an albino, just another species. Very striking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKbgUmbr0p_UczChhcjGdoHdJX_xEHAfEF_GUazZLqT9LEVqxLwcyH2S0XHXsSUyVwZ9a6ksBA3stYddFcJzdj6aMeR87NAnAzpbJBOjPcLjY4mrQAYWPNRAPtMNDaqGXI9Ya73gztrJ2/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKbgUmbr0p_UczChhcjGdoHdJX_xEHAfEF_GUazZLqT9LEVqxLwcyH2S0XHXsSUyVwZ9a6ksBA3stYddFcJzdj6aMeR87NAnAzpbJBOjPcLjY4mrQAYWPNRAPtMNDaqGXI9Ya73gztrJ2/s400/6.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305809398971560818" /></a><br />Barking deer? What's up with that?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-67thPNqxUv0a-Eaokztez3fQDMrQR_AkMW5GRv1KiuD_firoWyCTJREjCRtcvUzhxXCj6JrSKm21Dxjec8kUmjt1rdtwBr69MDzN6CxorlVcns_RvJfOSI4v2gzrgRPjUz5naQ45ufz/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-67thPNqxUv0a-Eaokztez3fQDMrQR_AkMW5GRv1KiuD_firoWyCTJREjCRtcvUzhxXCj6JrSKm21Dxjec8kUmjt1rdtwBr69MDzN6CxorlVcns_RvJfOSI4v2gzrgRPjUz5naQ45ufz/s400/7.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305808350645053762" /></a><br />An aquarium that looks like a shark. Very interesting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5aCsFrSVuNGabM3H1DGT_4EbTWIuSNoF_HS1bCI3w51AOD1Asnxntpx9idcmp4OTbgSnzdfSGvwTsT6RSJsOV6pAuVYReKr3LtIDswFfOYnYXs9lUuFE23QcRnJJ-6xZjxpG-aVB9xEp/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5aCsFrSVuNGabM3H1DGT_4EbTWIuSNoF_HS1bCI3w51AOD1Asnxntpx9idcmp4OTbgSnzdfSGvwTsT6RSJsOV6pAuVYReKr3LtIDswFfOYnYXs9lUuFE23QcRnJJ-6xZjxpG-aVB9xEp/s400/8.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305807694360091842" /></a><br />We brought a good meal for everyone. Indians usually sit on the floor and use their right hands to eat. We had lemon rice, white rice with vegetables, and biscuits (cookies) for a treat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzNnvwWfstiNL9WFVfqll_W2wFMeREcqw00UOvxRmhaH1AMnA5xawEA7bw7WHzPeeLAgFl4Rr4qXLHhb7BPwtl_MLnqyb8i_WNN4YFp54VpmQNUcVAnLgOCtr1-Vcbk-VKebaGecUT-ky/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzNnvwWfstiNL9WFVfqll_W2wFMeREcqw00UOvxRmhaH1AMnA5xawEA7bw7WHzPeeLAgFl4Rr4qXLHhb7BPwtl_MLnqyb8i_WNN4YFp54VpmQNUcVAnLgOCtr1-Vcbk-VKebaGecUT-ky/s400/9.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305807021892344402" /></a><br />A little Indian Engrish. Plate of fresh nodules, anyone?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYVVNWUq4YEyhsytOWUYESUnNcJPyCQuP_wehvBZIHxkGFlsiK3B5LT4Ahh-ake20_TAYaWHZjvBtgCAEmCcnRbQY9T62YDtC4hZOpYBtBpfGlVfu7BIW121ip9aDqg-UFatj9OnWPkd8/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYVVNWUq4YEyhsytOWUYESUnNcJPyCQuP_wehvBZIHxkGFlsiK3B5LT4Ahh-ake20_TAYaWHZjvBtgCAEmCcnRbQY9T62YDtC4hZOpYBtBpfGlVfu7BIW121ip9aDqg-UFatj9OnWPkd8/s400/10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305806331439322258" /></a><br />Tired, but well fed and happy. Time for the sleepy 2-hour ride back to Rising Star.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-49071595177100789142009-02-20T03:46:00.017-07:002009-02-20T08:22:04.730-07:00A Hindu Wedding ReceptionWe attended the pre-wedding reception of Nithya, one of my village English class students, and Sureshkumar, an up and coming employee of Hyundai Motors. As is often the case, the reception was held the day before the actual wedding. Weddings are held at auspicious times, as determined by an astrologer, so they can be scheduled for times like 4:00 a.m. It was more workable for us to attend this function on the evening of Valentine's Day with two RSO volunteers, Matt and Sara Hughes Zabowa. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzfmcGx46hi88XiuTl4DdqUK_CejaerEofTgdMctNgb880ItO_2zLMRhQgQQdR8zbtuHgwcLC663Lk7SZAQUqcODZOPSYeFDWR1xPlndYEjGPWdZMzK1c4DzLWHgHH3jZ15_wB7NMMM-a/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzfmcGx46hi88XiuTl4DdqUK_CejaerEofTgdMctNgb880ItO_2zLMRhQgQQdR8zbtuHgwcLC663Lk7SZAQUqcODZOPSYeFDWR1xPlndYEjGPWdZMzK1c4DzLWHgHH3jZ15_wB7NMMM-a/s400/1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304834821818925442" /></a><br />We were met at the entrance to the marriage hall and each woman was given beautiful flowers for her hair. Have I mentioned how much I love this custom? Indian women wear beautiful flowers in the hair most of the time. Of course, it helps that they are readily available year round.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC3VE8OuluH_W_WgBm-Bk69-9YCI3S1I3_NwgqPj0TA9ejfo8IGvoBn7dRTFRsg1jRAteXdZj3Ed2-OweV50rEoIgnLec3hWdq5NOL82JZQtZo6lVp7BTdPHTiBzbZDwrOb6TJ3RE8i-P/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC3VE8OuluH_W_WgBm-Bk69-9YCI3S1I3_NwgqPj0TA9ejfo8IGvoBn7dRTFRsg1jRAteXdZj3Ed2-OweV50rEoIgnLec3hWdq5NOL82JZQtZo6lVp7BTdPHTiBzbZDwrOb6TJ3RE8i-P/s400/2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304833800639448370" /></a><br />The first order of business was to go to the dining hall for tiffin, or a light meal (always my favorite part). Unfortunately, we had eaten a huge lunch at our school principal's home and we were already overfull. Courtesy required that we eat something, so we did the best we could. The man in the foreground is Jayakumar, our excellent driver.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTObVerSe8pvBtBhWhdwCdKLPen9ZvYLZYqQbzVWih2q1QHEGF4JilKGkvaHqheS4fMKFlB8YjATIaF6FLtGwVDMfsf-yX5-7hlq02BRjoz8ixaXcUidZPtj84yZD953ejT4rO8TGwplxf/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTObVerSe8pvBtBhWhdwCdKLPen9ZvYLZYqQbzVWih2q1QHEGF4JilKGkvaHqheS4fMKFlB8YjATIaF6FLtGwVDMfsf-yX5-7hlq02BRjoz8ixaXcUidZPtj84yZD953ejT4rO8TGwplxf/s400/3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304833011758266850" /></a><br />Two beautiful ladies in their saris. We were taken to one small room to visit with the bride and a separate room to see the groom before they both entered the main hall together.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKiM8bFlQWGuxiC7TrHOo-wIn0N5Mv2fw88jXihZfPpKNv4bg69kmETvanPu2fX58Q3rmQA5phWgrzN4g6uDiubaCKu3zu3IM2eFz8KaBgCNvAtxbZ0RBJzor4yMwKcLcoxA7k04rX0eN/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKiM8bFlQWGuxiC7TrHOo-wIn0N5Mv2fw88jXihZfPpKNv4bg69kmETvanPu2fX58Q3rmQA5phWgrzN4g6uDiubaCKu3zu3IM2eFz8KaBgCNvAtxbZ0RBJzor4yMwKcLcoxA7k04rX0eN/s400/4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304831916236614322" /></a><br />Was there ever a more beautiful bride? I find the Tamil people generally to be very attractive. The beauty of Nithya's jewelry and her exquisite sari were difficult to capture with our little camera. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJG1w1euwBVAz7viWW5PwqKaWgpib60hUQPOyUR92m3p-1ecwEgdYwyN8YrMAXEVM_IDftesnyzZhIhqunJxXDKjd1btRdI1oQmU24T5bgHrg3j-K8SgQw1WQIw1eOWAzPcdVz3JtsvCz/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJG1w1euwBVAz7viWW5PwqKaWgpib60hUQPOyUR92m3p-1ecwEgdYwyN8YrMAXEVM_IDftesnyzZhIhqunJxXDKjd1btRdI1oQmU24T5bgHrg3j-K8SgQw1WQIw1eOWAzPcdVz3JtsvCz/s400/5.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304831158634300322" /></a><br />Much of the evening was used for photos of various relatives and friends with the happy couple. Is this a wedding or a funeral? For some reason people in India will not smile for official photos. Check out those gorgeous wedding garlands, the fanciest we've seen. These were made with individual rose petals. An oft-quoted Indian saying holds that "the beauty of the Indian man is in the mustache."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefP63q4VmNg_mdydnTCZIR2g-wXTPHSYl9JLI_CxGJE8VKmhmkaLSj55jGjfagi2-dAjpUDp9uP6pI7VGM0R-nZ7NmV5MU0taoJvw-0wSCR0yq8xMo_G-vGwG_TYQu-Fidf_DpJYDJsPA/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefP63q4VmNg_mdydnTCZIR2g-wXTPHSYl9JLI_CxGJE8VKmhmkaLSj55jGjfagi2-dAjpUDp9uP6pI7VGM0R-nZ7NmV5MU0taoJvw-0wSCR0yq8xMo_G-vGwG_TYQu-Fidf_DpJYDJsPA/s400/6.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304830425371147874" /></a><br />These two revered holy men blessed the event and all went as it should.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbgwTOLPxB-chyphenhyphen_FrSGW42Sm4vdYjusY4DVAyS8COWPiSSvMcl_EFF8saHVig-o9X2xcSr9mCfUY5PY19ZLojXr-vf3HPbFXt5zY8G0DDbEm6WIibq5Trgu_6Lzvu8-9Ot9WJ91vA1T0F/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbgwTOLPxB-chyphenhyphen_FrSGW42Sm4vdYjusY4DVAyS8COWPiSSvMcl_EFF8saHVig-o9X2xcSr9mCfUY5PY19ZLojXr-vf3HPbFXt5zY8G0DDbEm6WIibq5Trgu_6Lzvu8-9Ot9WJ91vA1T0F/s400/7.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304829765828895634" /></a><br />A few days later the newlyweds walked from the village to Rising Star with a few relatives to thank us for attending the reception. Another hopeful young couple launches onto the sea of life. Bon voyage!Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-75641177250753364452009-02-09T22:57:00.037-07:002009-02-16T19:52:13.104-07:00Scenes From Daily Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtBkymc7hA15_BiH0L_GIuqvleE-iVp41rRAVx2IMrneZWlaiEhgMFK5Dh_TBYhYl73QnN2H6Ak_8y8Q9NbFViG55R8_mial2rNlm1pR0dnKEw_8trtnlhqKblTROBr3Ob3VIzibgMRNf/s1600-h/1.+Fish+man.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtBkymc7hA15_BiH0L_GIuqvleE-iVp41rRAVx2IMrneZWlaiEhgMFK5Dh_TBYhYl73QnN2H6Ak_8y8Q9NbFViG55R8_mial2rNlm1pR0dnKEw_8trtnlhqKblTROBr3Ob3VIzibgMRNf/s400/1.+Fish+man.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301056946598378386" /></a><br />The fish man delivers. Twice each week he brings ocean fish in a gunny sack on his motor bike, scales them, cleans them, and cuts them up for our kitchen staff.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDVQMcrWM_veFsXWQaIDRTmmcb1c6HTXdifn9Yak8mgaNwZBO8RMgzOWUtyx8UpB2T31KAaw-LhRS8UH6m5cHXfLbqvUaVNbRlC-lrpCNqya5td_LcRGHAh8j_TyO-E3BzoT8ta7iNu_E/s1600-h/2.+Family+buffalo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDVQMcrWM_veFsXWQaIDRTmmcb1c6HTXdifn9Yak8mgaNwZBO8RMgzOWUtyx8UpB2T31KAaw-LhRS8UH6m5cHXfLbqvUaVNbRlC-lrpCNqya5td_LcRGHAh8j_TyO-E3BzoT8ta7iNu_E/s400/2.+Family+buffalo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301055301984563170" /></a><br />Washing the family buffalo. Some farmers use oxen and some use water buffaloes for their work. Interestingly, buffalo milk is preferred over cow's milk (6% milkfat - so delicious, but oh so laden with calories). Village farmers provide buffalo milk to Rising Star twice daily, obtained from animals purchased through our microcredit program. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9de-JTCs1ekiqhBUS25sryzXrl6oEmNLKLcvbcA8A8iZjaSFe-5eaI8OBsr-O6nlHVa-O6TD2mxN-RLvukxHXKkOKfHzU_KDp4cuYmvMa-o_oOV-Koy8MTkkujJ7Vvwt9pQ2YsKPjdC2/s1600-h/3.+Cholera+cemetary.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9de-JTCs1ekiqhBUS25sryzXrl6oEmNLKLcvbcA8A8iZjaSFe-5eaI8OBsr-O6nlHVa-O6TD2mxN-RLvukxHXKkOKfHzU_KDp4cuYmvMa-o_oOV-Koy8MTkkujJ7Vvwt9pQ2YsKPjdC2/s400/3.+Cholera+cemetary.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301054315331135234" /></a><br />Vickie visited an historical cemetery across the road from the Walajabad leprosy colony. These are graves of British colonials who died in one of India's recurring cholera epidemics. We can only imagine what is was like to pack up a family and move from England to India in the days of primitive medicine. Time to read "The Secret Garden" again?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM7JXbHsFUUhh_7Q0vtO6aMvYKSRwTKkXWAkjfi7-gGiSNmfgnyN7-mmQKPSuR7lExqnsAMjh8jbaFuyYDUyyjkVGHIh5mlgy6HB6QPlxyq_hntMcgkg1r0kX4884JAiwjUMTuAHoaQ4R/s1600-h/4.+Colony+teaching.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM7JXbHsFUUhh_7Q0vtO6aMvYKSRwTKkXWAkjfi7-gGiSNmfgnyN7-mmQKPSuR7lExqnsAMjh8jbaFuyYDUyyjkVGHIh5mlgy6HB6QPlxyq_hntMcgkg1r0kX4884JAiwjUMTuAHoaQ4R/s400/4.+Colony+teaching.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301052374330083794" /></a><br />Vickie teaching a leprosy patient to care for himself. Our medical outreach team instituted a program to help the leprosy-affected take more responsibility for their own care. Vickie has become indispensable to Rising Star medical; they are wondering what they will do when she leaves. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuw2ItHhvvA_whURR1l8bWpXWdpiHWQ-it3MJJwFkT0joQuIvypbvO_y7NW03HSVPNwk6IRYYshgWlQWwJD1CEutcslF5KuPY7eUsWYEK0NLqVvS8QEyXmTFcgV6oPlVbth2Rvzcp80ck/s1600-h/5.+Temple+tank.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuw2ItHhvvA_whURR1l8bWpXWdpiHWQ-it3MJJwFkT0joQuIvypbvO_y7NW03HSVPNwk6IRYYshgWlQWwJD1CEutcslF5KuPY7eUsWYEK0NLqVvS8QEyXmTFcgV6oPlVbth2Rvzcp80ck/s400/5.+Temple+tank.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301051616306204210" /></a><br />Vickie and I on the steps of the tank of a large Hindu temple. The tanks are used for ritual washing on holy days. This one even has a few fishies in it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Kqa9CGgmoloC1D5WGDLhuJ38VywoofMVwXqgkHClXaBD9IF4-00ZXHvnBfaSwvJybOUZXEBNVBvwjAEYlvNyEedNZJEsBSRo0ZrlmxoD_entMbxi0AYDPim02MTRETpz6yKDTKpvjEJg/s1600-h/6.+RSO+rice+planting.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Kqa9CGgmoloC1D5WGDLhuJ38VywoofMVwXqgkHClXaBD9IF4-00ZXHvnBfaSwvJybOUZXEBNVBvwjAEYlvNyEedNZJEsBSRo0ZrlmxoD_entMbxi0AYDPim02MTRETpz6yKDTKpvjEJg/s400/6.+RSO+rice+planting.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301050112542775698" /></a><br />Village day laborers plant rice in the Rising Star paddies. For some reason rice planting is always done by women; they just tuck up their sarees and off they go. We also raise chili peppers, tomatoes, lady finger (okra), bottle gourd, and watermelon, along with coconuts, mangoes, and bananas. Our older students are learning to plant, irrigate, cultivate, and harvest for our use and for sale to local vegetable shops.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLy7OQ-lA6AkR1RXaHO7CbuwfPf7HkPJ2f8SVt3VAQgqta2wr8l2XiKdawQEEsPzvRq4cvWqN09R384tQE9MIDpigjYFH53aoir0iAQovhWHAwRytgE1W7QND00Z70xb9TloQ9DxIpGYJ2/s1600-h/7.+Girls+helping.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLy7OQ-lA6AkR1RXaHO7CbuwfPf7HkPJ2f8SVt3VAQgqta2wr8l2XiKdawQEEsPzvRq4cvWqN09R384tQE9MIDpigjYFH53aoir0iAQovhWHAwRytgE1W7QND00Z70xb9TloQ9DxIpGYJ2/s400/7.+Girls+helping.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301049191513236338" /></a><br />Rising Star's older girls help by stripping leaves to be used in the next day's meals. Greenleaf is used in most of the vegetable dishes served by our cooks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNx7Q-8ThvOWjCNgMT1Rlsuutk7lBQOsfgtV0X7Sglh7uGgZp69rXMpdNVPKsiExzvBtPUg-1e3Tf2P92_MMeLfcjCJGeacQxp083kW3xElQRhxBAHCSfBy0XFhNImlSnS2H24liRPlo-n/s1600-h/8.+Labor+camp.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNx7Q-8ThvOWjCNgMT1Rlsuutk7lBQOsfgtV0X7Sglh7uGgZp69rXMpdNVPKsiExzvBtPUg-1e3Tf2P92_MMeLfcjCJGeacQxp083kW3xElQRhxBAHCSfBy0XFhNImlSnS2H24liRPlo-n/s400/8.+Labor+camp.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301048192326772930" /></a><br />Workers use natural materials to build housing for the workers who will construct our school addition, kitchen/dining hall, and hostel. Big contractors often import labor from other states because they are more likely to stay on the job instead of going home each day and forgetting to return to work. The workers will live here for about a year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIv13TxPhWjgUxf7opKti2eSL6K8W4lav2TFVszn5X_hpJa5OJD9VVoxV6gd7evBmBnooztXTwvumZ8L6ddiXtJUhUhtMphjJ2voPO299jNkvnYm8G-qM1Vyl9BXt6Vn_rcsxcZ3Y8CvP/s1600-h/9.+School+pooja.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIv13TxPhWjgUxf7opKti2eSL6K8W4lav2TFVszn5X_hpJa5OJD9VVoxV6gd7evBmBnooztXTwvumZ8L6ddiXtJUhUhtMphjJ2voPO299jNkvnYm8G-qM1Vyl9BXt6Vn_rcsxcZ3Y8CvP/s400/9.+School+pooja.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301045708356093746" /></a><br />Vickie lays a foundation brick at the <span style="font-style:italic;">pooja</span> (Hindu blessing ceremony) for the groundbreaking of the new school addition. Our contractors happen to be Christian but they honor the beliefs and traditions of their predominantly Hindu workers. It was a wonderful start to the this much needed project.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-34073335380090662312009-02-01T04:17:00.013-07:002009-02-02T01:07:25.894-07:00Happy Pongal!Pongal is the major harvest festival and takes place over four days in mid-January. The first day is Bhogi and this day is used to get rid of the old and bring in the new, such as sleeping mats, earthen cookware, and clothing. The second day is Pongal, which is celebrated by making Rangoli art work on the entryway of houses, using kolam, or colored powder. The third day is Matthu or Cow Pongal, when thanksgiving is offered for the animals that help the farmers do their work and bring about the harvest. The last day is Kaanum Pongal, or the day for families to sightsee, go to movies, visit the beach, and so on. Here are some images from our local village celebration.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1CY8CAnysYHp-X8V3bZ4bjWcNOOD33gb5ZyKAhw22W0PbV-XdTPYI3RbU65ZWp5Az2iGFsQGgLHtFYRbpakLB3SgF5Mx_1f6n55jfOwdNcReFTcQuiki8dyDQaOmeugQ4x6XVcCsLgDL/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1CY8CAnysYHp-X8V3bZ4bjWcNOOD33gb5ZyKAhw22W0PbV-XdTPYI3RbU65ZWp5Az2iGFsQGgLHtFYRbpakLB3SgF5Mx_1f6n55jfOwdNcReFTcQuiki8dyDQaOmeugQ4x6XVcCsLgDL/s400/1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297791711147197650" /></a><br />Sugar cane is the big treat for children during Pongal. Here you see it stacked at one of the street stands. The purple cane is used for eating, while green cane is harvested for making sugar. A generous volunteer bought 40 stalks and had it cut up so that everyone at Rising Star received one piece.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthITu2peEQUIi7k2g1Ig9abiL3H_iGTVutQdMZt4DSRcYntvVcR3dlq7JKe7er-e_JOM-DIoyEVDwkDJPwrXeIL8zGhyZZ_3BSdmAUrh8NLqS_V3tKRDqHGnILhgcqj7GCywQ_lJzHZFE/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthITu2peEQUIi7k2g1Ig9abiL3H_iGTVutQdMZt4DSRcYntvVcR3dlq7JKe7er-e_JOM-DIoyEVDwkDJPwrXeIL8zGhyZZ_3BSdmAUrh8NLqS_V3tKRDqHGnILhgcqj7GCywQ_lJzHZFE/s400/2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297791020665771858" /></a><br />Two of our housemothers did the Rangoli artwork at the hostels this year. You see the traditional geometric design and a holiday wish for everyone. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtEbRnj6UH_zGhZukDL1OG8bP-uWBaalWo7tgH9347ELn99fk1KR3orQLiZRUjztzH3vPlFZvwVKcThWksYmiTwA5OT_HtXtme0MSQc_E1aFLf1goow99ND1DNWpXfJmtbSCz0Vfj33Ct/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtEbRnj6UH_zGhZukDL1OG8bP-uWBaalWo7tgH9347ELn99fk1KR3orQLiZRUjztzH3vPlFZvwVKcThWksYmiTwA5OT_HtXtme0MSQc_E1aFLf1goow99ND1DNWpXfJmtbSCz0Vfj33Ct/s400/3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297790310976034866" /></a><br />This view shows two stalks of sugar cane and the boiling pot of pongal, made of rice and milk. The pongal is allowed to boil over as a symbol of the hope for prosperity during the coming year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWudblyOyyDbfJh2BeaH4D2DU0mBPK5UGn1JNz73lpCGFMDHP_edn3EMXyzkjuXnQ3zd42BGrsEQwoEyqqqyh1sti2NfSTrkiZONWxfnrZUF4r0IztUdNWvMjfDB9CEUBEKNH4HTYecmzq/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWudblyOyyDbfJh2BeaH4D2DU0mBPK5UGn1JNz73lpCGFMDHP_edn3EMXyzkjuXnQ3zd42BGrsEQwoEyqqqyh1sti2NfSTrkiZONWxfnrZUF4r0IztUdNWvMjfDB9CEUBEKNH4HTYecmzq/s400/4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297789609836773378" /></a><br />We attended the village Matthu Pongal celebration on the evening of the third day. The farmers wash their cows, paint their horns, and generally prepare them for the big showing in the village square. Looks like balloons have become part of the modern event.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMNeRWZ43KlXraLbx9WyQvzW00PXmq7cDB6QnXGd-Sc0GIflhOFgpgT5bOevOL3YdeuY5Emrtjnw1gV63daNGoTD0nOhC3ooqqoSe1EPZMCP_CVzVjDom2fCcG0zGWDDPJCLS5VIAYFqU/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMNeRWZ43KlXraLbx9WyQvzW00PXmq7cDB6QnXGd-Sc0GIflhOFgpgT5bOevOL3YdeuY5Emrtjnw1gV63daNGoTD0nOhC3ooqqoSe1EPZMCP_CVzVjDom2fCcG0zGWDDPJCLS5VIAYFqU/s400/5.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297788878177333538" /></a><br />Offerings of abundance are presented and blessed by the local brahmin during the evening. The offerings are prepared and presented by the village wives. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZv1pK3ycjHY4ygSqmfNlMFEWDX9zuXtJ_NP-J8pmeskPf_q7eWGqpLT6w2sJPCsTEACCdiGmjaCLNgTFAc6eX1reLC4iYnH6VsCJ00mos2k_-vRzFukKXRSBSkX3GE-PFfBLlYoAbuifJ/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZv1pK3ycjHY4ygSqmfNlMFEWDX9zuXtJ_NP-J8pmeskPf_q7eWGqpLT6w2sJPCsTEACCdiGmjaCLNgTFAc6eX1reLC4iYnH6VsCJ00mos2k_-vRzFukKXRSBSkX3GE-PFfBLlYoAbuifJ/s400/6.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297788235968066354" /></a><br />All the handsome men showed up, some with cows and some without. The man on the right happens to be the husband of one of our cleaning ladies. The whole evening was joyous for kids and adults alike, and the pampered livestock seemed to take it all in stride. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDApXf1We5QJ2mD5hFp1Fixc5UF1K2u2aj_L8p14zOMXZLqUastM2q1qfo5LJ1D8McS4-sDHWGSXiRnJlqeM3teNompPVT4NUx24aB843ibWzERNjJHRc3nCqJKZoLCpunSjCfkE0iaPt/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDApXf1We5QJ2mD5hFp1Fixc5UF1K2u2aj_L8p14zOMXZLqUastM2q1qfo5LJ1D8McS4-sDHWGSXiRnJlqeM3teNompPVT4NUx24aB843ibWzERNjJHRc3nCqJKZoLCpunSjCfkE0iaPt/s400/7.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297787509764722978" /></a><br />Following the festivities we received several invitations to visit people's homes. Here we are in front of the connected homes of Komethy and Sulochena, sisters-in-law that both work at Rising Star. We then visited the village leader's home and one other family before we called it a night. We drank so much boiled milk at the various homes that we thought we were going to burst. Altogether it was a fascinating evening.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-24453961933566827432009-02-01T03:55:00.002-07:002009-02-01T04:05:28.692-07:00Vickie Gets Blessed by an Elephant<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwzHx3uos5NHZs0PkRaYlXtuhjMLtXFMpl9HqfeQ-SlSf5Rq5zloPRH73X1koJHda4CYWm3V5ljaVNGDomuww' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />We took some new volunteers to see the temples in Kanchipuram one Saturday. At one of the temples they keep two resident temple elephants who are trained to give "blessings" to the visitors. Vickie bravely held out a rupee coin and this elephant promptly gave her the blessing before depositing the coin with his handler. Was there ever a more blessed woman?Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-35874321351592521612009-01-13T18:34:00.011-07:002009-01-13T20:36:02.735-07:00Visit a Colony With UsChettipuniyam colony was started many years ago by 28 leprosy-affected families who were looking for a place to live in peace. They found this land and built their little village to raise their children and grandchildren. Only grandparents and a few older parents have leprosy, and of course the hope is that the disease will be eradicated in the next generation or so. Several of our students come from this colony. Come along with us as we visit the village. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia00NG6wqRWVebqI-4RJJamYx3HIxN_l5BB083vqK9Cnd8SV4MydRQ3nE0u6IggC-cAc47p9EiupcLklM6mmIFCSyLvG1kvk_9nAzseh8HG-Lf_CKk9Jk7fKZXe8jg5gfKfUZkOoHjOajZ/s1600-h/P1100027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia00NG6wqRWVebqI-4RJJamYx3HIxN_l5BB083vqK9Cnd8SV4MydRQ3nE0u6IggC-cAc47p9EiupcLklM6mmIFCSyLvG1kvk_9nAzseh8HG-Lf_CKk9Jk7fKZXe8jg5gfKfUZkOoHjOajZ/s400/P1100027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290961719805866242" /></a><br />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. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu5J-IYXJPfNFR2hA_6wuyBym1EWnVM31BvFk1nDNIh2ARUM-kiCEMs0QUrsZvAyIx1wwaAIJm7WHlPV-p_YhDOV0iT0PigbZ4Zfcz5vQCeLk8ghVN5V3UE7tjrO2la95G96sdOmrHzoA/s1600-h/P1100031.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu5J-IYXJPfNFR2hA_6wuyBym1EWnVM31BvFk1nDNIh2ARUM-kiCEMs0QUrsZvAyIx1wwaAIJm7WHlPV-p_YhDOV0iT0PigbZ4Zfcz5vQCeLk8ghVN5V3UE7tjrO2la95G96sdOmrHzoA/s400/P1100031.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290960160540220962" /></a><br />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.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFcItgYX3Xiv9LX7t460ZmGqgxd3XeI9DVC2yLQZ0ae-s1nwvkUxXlg1OdoffNYBmw169_AB-wxY4CBR1HGsCxCyyMH1iWgPaeboGIRasSIv58-SBpLIDMkcoC3wuGOlfSdJQS-kjM3Yv/s1600-h/P1100029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFcItgYX3Xiv9LX7t460ZmGqgxd3XeI9DVC2yLQZ0ae-s1nwvkUxXlg1OdoffNYBmw169_AB-wxY4CBR1HGsCxCyyMH1iWgPaeboGIRasSIv58-SBpLIDMkcoC3wuGOlfSdJQS-kjM3Yv/s400/P1100029.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290959269632664290" /></a><br />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 <span style="font-style:italic;">loong gi</span>, 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.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipA-OXcA0ad3nFy_0TTJuQ3ED7EQQuIpXzykOR7dqRxGVhguECInc7OfM1bvSlJ-yfn30f1RkQX1ySJyo9gNITMKfK0YaQItebvd3dA7b862X8k0tjwnGghi7fnpXBSO5B7Ftj5GndhVbP/s1600-h/P1100039.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipA-OXcA0ad3nFy_0TTJuQ3ED7EQQuIpXzykOR7dqRxGVhguECInc7OfM1bvSlJ-yfn30f1RkQX1ySJyo9gNITMKfK0YaQItebvd3dA7b862X8k0tjwnGghi7fnpXBSO5B7Ftj5GndhVbP/s400/P1100039.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290958223624699970" /></a><br />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.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiUQDNLBOGnvBJ6RLENOBMdgsGh44flG9PrvxTIbKkpEQ7Vo_hhd1MIh0rIxEkpKAyY-1eQ9ZJ3qa2FrtPPtka8cvVnL7ZyR8r-zJCbbGEaZ3wElZpNMyeGhWGiCCcTheRriS8dAlnOZv/s1600-h/P1100035.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiUQDNLBOGnvBJ6RLENOBMdgsGh44flG9PrvxTIbKkpEQ7Vo_hhd1MIh0rIxEkpKAyY-1eQ9ZJ3qa2FrtPPtka8cvVnL7ZyR8r-zJCbbGEaZ3wElZpNMyeGhWGiCCcTheRriS8dAlnOZv/s400/P1100035.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290957431411794578" /></a><br />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.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-9053239406393329392008-12-15T04:08:00.006-07:002008-12-15T04:19:58.778-07:00Merry Christmas from Rising Star!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhXnzMzl0ijf5iTUD_3m1163lRooqip9yvpt3bxBd7jEYA29G4LD5aN0llhUOq1AjJfvnqrRr9BL7ZaUX2AqyOkS_LlQYO2UVUZqzizjFK0h6VIQe34T8BCBWItHp_LXKI50oa_VilCoy/s1600-h/PC150048_edited.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhXnzMzl0ijf5iTUD_3m1163lRooqip9yvpt3bxBd7jEYA29G4LD5aN0llhUOq1AjJfvnqrRr9BL7ZaUX2AqyOkS_LlQYO2UVUZqzizjFK0h6VIQe34T8BCBWItHp_LXKI50oa_VilCoy/s400/PC150048_edited.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279972788242816514" /></a>The students and teachers of Peery School for Rising Stars wish you the very merriest of Christmases and a happy new year. 15 December, 2008Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-79943752018631069112008-12-11T05:16:00.013-07:002008-12-11T06:37:18.344-07:00Seemandham: A Hindu Baby ShowerGordon and I<span style="font-family: georgia;"> were invited to the Hindu equivalent of a baby shower. The celebration is called seemandham. It is given in the seventh month of the pregnancy, hosted by the mother-to-be's mother-in-law and is only practiced for the co</span>uple's first child. The mother-in-law is a Rising Star housemother, hence the invitation to visit her home in a nearby town.
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Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:12.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --</style><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sitting on the floor is common, but apparently not acceptable for American guests.<span style=""> </span>The family couldn’t stand not finding chairs for us to use, so we ended up moving to chairs.</span>
<br /></span>
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mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This photo shows the interior of the house.<span style=""> </span>It is probably typical of middle class families.</span>
<br />
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mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Here you see some of the offerings being made to the interested gods and goddesses.<span style=""> </span>That was the first thing that happened.</span>
<br />
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Roman","serif";">Putting bangles (bracelets) on the arms of the mother-to-be is the main activity.<span style=""> </span>The first one must be neem wood, representing security for the mother and baby; the second gold and the third silver.<span style=""> </span>The substance of the remainder doesn’t matter.<span style=""> </span>I have been told three reasons for the bangles.<span style=""> </span>The one I like best is that the jingling sound they all make is pleasant for the unborn baby to hear.<span style=""> </span>Another is that the noise they make helps make the mother more alert when she gets up in the night so that she won’t stumble or fall and thus risk hurting the baby.<span style=""> </span>The last I like the least, which is that bangles cost next to nothing, and so it isn’t a costly celebration.<span style=""> </span>At any rate, the mother removes all the bangles after delivery.</span>
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The women go up one at a time to put the bangles on the mother.<span style=""> </span>Once all the bangles had been placed on the mother’s arms, the men were called up to put ash on the foreheads of both parents to bless them and the baby.</p>
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<br />
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mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">No celebration would be complete without food.<span style=""> </span>Here are most of us foreigners on the roof of the house, ready for lunch. Banana leaves are commonly used for plates. They are quite sanitary and can be thrown away after.
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<br />Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-19215039987965289042008-11-19T02:55:00.014-07:002008-11-20T01:12:02.302-07:00Vickie at Work and PlayVickie has quite a variety of responsibilities at Rising Star. She is the hostel warden, which means she is in charge of the children's living quarters, the cleaning and cooking staff, and the house mothers. In addition, she oversees the stores of food, water, and other supplies; and she doles out clothing and minor medical care to the children as needed. She also serves with the mobile medical team as they visit the leprosy colonies. I thought you might enjoy a look at a few of her regular activities.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyW-3kkmXkbzoEETrtDZS11W50Di42OgtW9zhw0GPGtMEWCbTZY47NDnDCpWu_UTi7n3zgWAbkqrMySkmERIWV1y8651CsjFPvtoWv7NaTTsN7Fkt2S23hppFltzNo-hy9GdJ1R5aqo4h/s1600-h/1+Water+jugs.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyW-3kkmXkbzoEETrtDZS11W50Di42OgtW9zhw0GPGtMEWCbTZY47NDnDCpWu_UTi7n3zgWAbkqrMySkmERIWV1y8651CsjFPvtoWv7NaTTsN7Fkt2S23hppFltzNo-hy9GdJ1R5aqo4h/s400/1+Water+jugs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270309220794068002" border="0" /></a>Getting ready for the water delivery man. We use anywhere from 75 to 100 20-liter bottles of purified water each week between the hostels and the school. Vickie makes sure the water gets ordered and has the empty bottles ready for pickup. We are working on a plan to install a reverse osmosis water purification plant on the property that will purify 1000 liters per day. We have plenty of well water, it just isn't safe for drinking or cooking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tRSEkdQ2PGM1MBqulM8FxLp7dmNo3RhYs08t0kdBmNgA7PtcOXoGmBGX4GHmaYB34Xb9B2Ok3lVyIb3Ly_gMXdsKZTPq1YUHtyIGKQlGJ20_u9q_A9pOQmZROi5qXEU8zopg-B2r6pBQ/s1600-h/2+Storeroom.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tRSEkdQ2PGM1MBqulM8FxLp7dmNo3RhYs08t0kdBmNgA7PtcOXoGmBGX4GHmaYB34Xb9B2Ok3lVyIb3Ly_gMXdsKZTPq1YUHtyIGKQlGJ20_u9q_A9pOQmZROi5qXEU8zopg-B2r6pBQ/s400/2+Storeroom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270314815427377394" border="0" /></a>In the storeroom with coconuts and bags of peanuts harvested from the Rising Star farm. Notice the bananas hanging on a line to keep them fresher. The storeroom also has shelves of other supplies and large bins for commonly used stock. The supplies give some idea of the cooking practices in Tamil Nadu. This is the only place where I've seen chili powder stored in a 15 gallon container. No wonder my mouth has been seared!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1u6B1Po3JgLB12vtv6sK6FMNzWy72xrNGb_MhBkbyb4YzNYag506x0Y-h-FB85nHdk3rotbGBd_HRhgBkFXR0EAoj6H0JONEmvKkov-H7BGFFD2QzYugabc7cwXVdo5fhr7tpQJaI1gux/s1600-h/3+Fish+order.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1u6B1Po3JgLB12vtv6sK6FMNzWy72xrNGb_MhBkbyb4YzNYag506x0Y-h-FB85nHdk3rotbGBd_HRhgBkFXR0EAoj6H0JONEmvKkov-H7BGFFD2QzYugabc7cwXVdo5fhr7tpQJaI1gux/s400/3+Fish+order.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270308494358086594" border="0" /></a>Signing for the fish delivery. Our children get fish twice per week and eggs three times per week to provide their protein intake. Most people here are vegetarians, but we need to provide the children more protein if they so choose. The fish man arrives on his motorbike with a burlap bag of freshly caught fish twice per week. Vickie's job is to weigh the delivery so we can pay him accurately. If she is busy and cannot see him right away, as was the case in this photo, then he cleans and cuts up the fish before she weighs it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmwawpdp7dedBdEER6V_5DJ12aA0U-pGkbSWnXua5J4CAEyAzCsfRqCbZWda31yPDED4y-fDHG0_c5oV8uQQLnCG2V05Sk9OI-KnXL1kJsOx8bu31MlCuXfCf7FT3AEh5cixdQwA2xILa/s1600-h/4+Temple+bull.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmwawpdp7dedBdEER6V_5DJ12aA0U-pGkbSWnXua5J4CAEyAzCsfRqCbZWda31yPDED4y-fDHG0_c5oV8uQQLnCG2V05Sk9OI-KnXL1kJsOx8bu31MlCuXfCf7FT3AEh5cixdQwA2xILa/s400/4+Temple+bull.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270308162920619586" border="0" /></a>Visiting some cultural sights in the area. This is a large sculpture of a sacred bull at an enormous Hindu temple in Kancheepuram, one of India's seven sacred cities. The temple covers about 40 acres and was built during two different Tamil dynasties in the 11th and 14th centuries. We enjoyed a nice guided tour on this day, led by a local man who spoke very passable English. The very interesting tour cost us the equivalent of $2.50; affordable even for us.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7P8SeRcxQd2F_QytJgbi3-jb-YadmbxK8NF6cAJ1AXEC-NaotkmxsW0P2GacEnTL-LEncw1Fb8Agf-twGnypLCuJ-1orTtg_G5Sov1Qv_O0hNDXi71I2NqUevIvwfZiGMmAvDvHEOhx5/s1600-h/5+Coconut+harvest+first-aid.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7P8SeRcxQd2F_QytJgbi3-jb-YadmbxK8NF6cAJ1AXEC-NaotkmxsW0P2GacEnTL-LEncw1Fb8Agf-twGnypLCuJ-1orTtg_G5Sov1Qv_O0hNDXi71I2NqUevIvwfZiGMmAvDvHEOhx5/s400/5+Coconut+harvest+first-aid.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270307770191525682" border="0" /></a>Vickie has become very involved in medical care at the hostels and in the colonies. We have a basic supply of hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment, gauze, and bandaids that take care of most injuries. Kids have had several accidents that required sutures and a couple of surgeries, but everyone heals well in the long run. Thank goodness we haven't had any snake bites. Here Vickie treats one of the coconut harvesters that clipped his ankle with a machete.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDEP0YNXNhMBpKeNnvK12HvAgs0SrNbRv7gqSqKSP5T1BvsrZA2LvMUH3NqxGF0vJztifLLs-eabvbiVCoKtT5A8_vtzElGokxJp-JnILAu_pFsOsNmz_2QM4E_mDqPzTcP8Y07R-Kaws/s1600-h/6+Chettipuniyam+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDEP0YNXNhMBpKeNnvK12HvAgs0SrNbRv7gqSqKSP5T1BvsrZA2LvMUH3NqxGF0vJztifLLs-eabvbiVCoKtT5A8_vtzElGokxJp-JnILAu_pFsOsNmz_2QM4E_mDqPzTcP8Y07R-Kaws/s400/6+Chettipuniyam+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270307228712786706" border="0" /></a>Working with the mobile medical team in the leprosy colonies. Vickie assists by cleaning active skin ulcers and rewrapping the bandages. Rising Star Medical serves several colonies in the area with a weekly schedule of visits. We have a medical van that carries supplies and the patients' medical records. The team includes one or both of our doctors, an RN, a nurse assistant, Vickie or another volunteer, and the driver.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvBMNg72UecpKnxAEVR1GAj79Qjr4Yldjhujv9xEeZIks2pZtE7tNdOGlosEmbftpE3l3nCyg-TeEkyAIKXkOojH3vDRonqFS_uWaLoMTApHhfdpXy2HWih5kSpQexqvg-veb9btrAzUg/s1600-h/7+Vickie+Hostel+Apartment.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvBMNg72UecpKnxAEVR1GAj79Qjr4Yldjhujv9xEeZIks2pZtE7tNdOGlosEmbftpE3l3nCyg-TeEkyAIKXkOojH3vDRonqFS_uWaLoMTApHhfdpXy2HWih5kSpQexqvg-veb9btrAzUg/s400/7+Vickie+Hostel+Apartment.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270306081479879410" border="0" /></a>Oh yes, she still cooks. The kitchens are basic but certainly serviceable. Vickie grew up cooking with gas so she feels right at home using our two-burner counter top stove. Our range of familiar recipes is quite limited due to the lack of an oven and scarcity of American ingredients, but there are plenty of vegetables to eat with rice or pasta. We have located several "American edibles" stores in Chennai and we are happy to have pancake mix and maple syrup, some pasta, Raisin Bran, and the occasional package of Oreos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6_GylOigMgRYL-F3mOijjs1cd0LVb69N0nYpigRqfzSMOXz2xbL6EKu1uqAZ-_FLjhq2m5W63KKVyfRCpaHjM4LkqPtdZwoIlF9s1AI_Kq2GRNDIjS5mNAVxHpT3dZynbKk-f0Ijyiip/s1600-h/8+New+Sari.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6_GylOigMgRYL-F3mOijjs1cd0LVb69N0nYpigRqfzSMOXz2xbL6EKu1uqAZ-_FLjhq2m5W63KKVyfRCpaHjM4LkqPtdZwoIlF9s1AI_Kq2GRNDIjS5mNAVxHpT3dZynbKk-f0Ijyiip/s400/8+New+Sari.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270305738990790242" border="0" /></a>Thank goodness Vickie has time to do a little shopping and buying for herself once in a while. She purchased this beautiful silk saree in Kancheepuram, the capital of India's silk industry. She has also purchased a less expensive polyester one that looks great on her. I am encouraging her to get whatever she wants while she can. I don't know that we will ever travel in India again.<br /><br />Vickie does many more things than depicted here, but I hope you enjoy this peek at her worthy service and opportunities at Rising Star Outreach.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-14798267044567227452008-10-30T00:49:00.014-06:002008-11-02T23:41:05.880-07:00Touring North India: Delhi<p class="MsoNoSpacing">We spent our last day in north India touring old Delhi (neighboring New Delhi is the modern seat of India’s government). This ancient city is fascinating for the sense of time and history and the many peoples and events that shaped India through the centuries. We especially enjoyed the old markets as we toured them in pedal rickshaws. Cars cannot fit in the narrow streets and alleys so the little rickshaws are the only option to walking. Our driver (peddler?) had enough English to provide some basic insight into the history. Terrorists bombed five markets the week before our visit but we saw no evidence and we didn’t feel threatened in the hustle and bustle of the busy day. I guess we wouldn’t think about it unless something actually happened.</p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:times new roman;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">The rickshaws are not really made for tall people but we got by just fine. We chose one with a cover because it looked like it would rain. Our driver asked me, “You have marriage?” I said, “Yes.” He asked, “How many wives?” (Vickie interjected, “What?!”) </span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">I replied, “One.” </span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Said he, “Only one?”</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">“Yes, only one.”</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Interesting question.</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgl3Sp6HPKbKKvg0Uri93eBN809rxUt8D51yDsoY1Bz0ZtSrdX-H8VsYaydBUHNIxm_0YdEE_mSOxI7nDpKLFn4qAYMVzdrFrmQTRrPqH66CamAqse5pISUe5zmvvi9pvPWn_Xqu4qRw0/s1600-h/1+Pedal+rickshaw.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgl3Sp6HPKbKKvg0Uri93eBN809rxUt8D51yDsoY1Bz0ZtSrdX-H8VsYaydBUHNIxm_0YdEE_mSOxI7nDpKLFn4qAYMVzdrFrmQTRrPqH66CamAqse5pISUe5zmvvi9pvPWn_Xqu4qRw0/s400/1+Pedal+rickshaw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262854591227957042" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Here we are with the Karl and Amy Kirby family on a rooftop above the markets that also looked down on the courtyard of a mosque.<span style=""> </span>From the left are Emily Bush, Gabriel Bush, Amy Bush Kirby with Gideon, Zakia Kirby, Karl, part of Kaleolani, and two unidentified tourists. Karl is serving as Rising Star’s resident doctor and medical outreach director for the year and we really enjoy their young family. Emily left for America on September 25 after two months of excellent volunteer service, and Gabe will be with us for the next few months. Volunteers do everything from handling building projects in the colonies and assisting the mobile medical crew to teaching English and running after-school programs for the kiddles.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMALAYi930TE7Jnn8pbiAwKvKx-ZdFI3ahRTQBjRD3nnwPewm2ktGb3E7KpK68-kZXD1ys7W1chJcmL3W_BEhWrhv8YPX9MHtswi0lWBXX5dYpsJnFbF84AyrEgdxHgJHNmrtMtjbWuwdQ/s1600-h/2+Kirby+rooftop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMALAYi930TE7Jnn8pbiAwKvKx-ZdFI3ahRTQBjRD3nnwPewm2ktGb3E7KpK68-kZXD1ys7W1chJcmL3W_BEhWrhv8YPX9MHtswi0lWBXX5dYpsJnFbF84AyrEgdxHgJHNmrtMtjbWuwdQ/s400/2+Kirby+rooftop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262852733357476306" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Our guide knew enough people to get us access to the rooftops in the market area. This photo shows worshippers completing their ritual washing at the mosque before praying. <span style=""> </span>It was interesting to hear the call for Muslim prayer broadcast from the tall minarets during the day. <span style=""> </span>India is about 81% Hindu, 13% Muslim, 2% Sikh, 2% Christian, and 2% other, including Jain and Parsi.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MQm0YFvBo6tU3Z8qE-SOdurnZ14qge0_IfKRVvuQiFNjVm-tXbfWvp5jk85RlDMGCL8QEPK8FrZiCmW8CItY23jW9L6HekljI8RrfNEG4btu3baVT-BREgIX4RWeTUwEhSH02JSbc5Xw/s1600-h/3+Mosque+washing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MQm0YFvBo6tU3Z8qE-SOdurnZ14qge0_IfKRVvuQiFNjVm-tXbfWvp5jk85RlDMGCL8QEPK8FrZiCmW8CItY23jW9L6HekljI8RrfNEG4btu3baVT-BREgIX4RWeTUwEhSH02JSbc5Xw/s400/3+Mosque+washing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262838590936205010" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Another option for travel in north India. <span style=""> </span>Most of the camels we saw were pulling heavy loads, but we did see a couple of places advertising rides. <span style=""> </span>Funny looking critters, aren’t they? <span style=""> </span>But they have certainly fulfilled important roles in desert lands and Asian cultures. <span style=""> </span>The script on the sign is Hindi, India’s official language and the tongue of about 60% of the citizens. <span style=""> </span>Very different from the Tamil cursive with its 247 letters (we have enough trouble with 26). <span style=""> </span>English is considered the associate official language in this nation that speaks dozens.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRnVa_-A7miwtoaH76CamrIBUuZgihDBxbYMbP8PIeWAtKcks_anzOuFq_IYv42KTUCvhoOYpQOegPKNpQ5i76Wx3h051D62aIodsRnDkUo1EGAQ-cKPOABXX8Rhy6ST1IXb-Rb1eXVGs/s1600-h/4+Camel+man.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRnVa_-A7miwtoaH76CamrIBUuZgihDBxbYMbP8PIeWAtKcks_anzOuFq_IYv42KTUCvhoOYpQOegPKNpQ5i76Wx3h051D62aIodsRnDkUo1EGAQ-cKPOABXX8Rhy6ST1IXb-Rb1eXVGs/s400/4+Camel+man.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262838193258806322" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Vickie looking down on the inner courts of the spice market. The shops and buildings look much as they did at the founding of the British East India Company in the 18<sup>th</sup> century, and they don’t appear to have been cleaned since.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wH3IMZsRsGNHQZNzmC6FiLFkmak3FuEZWMB4yz2rmxqkgrVyXwO-UlbwiPtyqTqbFJ-X1xR1qCJRo4TDjJx34V7YnT0CUrMwxgLw0dC5a0nQoKTMvmUWY8dY0RvLG-CvvVWOxvLjehEO/s1600-h/5+Spice+market+rooftop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wH3IMZsRsGNHQZNzmC6FiLFkmak3FuEZWMB4yz2rmxqkgrVyXwO-UlbwiPtyqTqbFJ-X1xR1qCJRo4TDjJx34V7YnT0CUrMwxgLw0dC5a0nQoKTMvmUWY8dY0RvLG-CvvVWOxvLjehEO/s400/5+Spice+market+rooftop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262837449651082146" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Here they are, folks; raw spices. Talk about launching a thousand ships—these little treasures were the whole reason behind the Age of Exploration and the battles for trade routes and rights through the centuries. The spice market was fascinating, but it nearly overwhelmed our tender olfactory senses.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8a5jTHOi3bDapG_t34FkZzXQtNDqZspzkDAoAsGa66cnbNKTv_KKJlnm1hbBTt4PVux5sRJ6Emm-FtE07W-BfVWTILyXChVjYu3gapyjKBl9PWWFmr8F9Pc9JRnOsxfMk2VK_2J5J3fX7/s1600-h/6+Raw+spices.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8a5jTHOi3bDapG_t34FkZzXQtNDqZspzkDAoAsGa66cnbNKTv_KKJlnm1hbBTt4PVux5sRJ6Emm-FtE07W-BfVWTILyXChVjYu3gapyjKBl9PWWFmr8F9Pc9JRnOsxfMk2VK_2J5J3fX7/s400/6+Raw+spices.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262836674672527666" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >And off we go through the narrow streets. The shops seem to specialize in one or two things.<span style=""> </span>In the garment district we saw shelves stacked to the ceiling with bags of sequins or displaying one type of necklace. We really enjoyed our morning in a working market instead of visiting another bazaar meant mostly for tourists.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyLJoRltlb2YOkCLOS1Vvv0MghMgmPfU7IqOGjv5dximMsW4O3eJLKrYMGArGnLpP0aYS_eGr7kaFfbzjbxzYNPpCTtEplFbp5om-3UnPj4yYH8M0aI_4y1jqgrg0gpWE72keoLMrpDjH/s1600-h/7+Narrow+street.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyLJoRltlb2YOkCLOS1Vvv0MghMgmPfU7IqOGjv5dximMsW4O3eJLKrYMGArGnLpP0aYS_eGr7kaFfbzjbxzYNPpCTtEplFbp5om-3UnPj4yYH8M0aI_4y1jqgrg0gpWE72keoLMrpDjH/s400/7+Narrow+street.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262836113306673922" border="0" /></a></span>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-23268970669142142982008-10-15T23:55:00.012-06:002008-10-16T23:51:49.034-06:00Touring North India: JaipurJaipur was the capital of the ancient Mughal empire that introduced Islam to India. It is hilly country which makes a refreshing change from flat Tamil Nadu. Much of the architecture reminds one of Persia and Arabia.<br /><br />About 350 years ago the king in Jaipur built an amazingly accurate observatory complex. It includes large outdoor star maps, moon dials, astrology globes, and this, the world’s largest sundial, accurate to within two seconds. They even knew how many minutes to add or subtract for the time in other parts of India at different times of the year.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYox5rRTfUnOt2th8EXwiO_UZ-G-vdJK21hEBIegrdWrkd6jl3tk72Wo3sEEeq99UW8Sk_AHwZnguVyQA0XMdDbUdPkzfVFiUYkx3kOqRBX07RAKWU7y5G5kw2EpBlDxUKiDc7ZwL9Re3/s1600-h/1+Sundial.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257933816381571762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYox5rRTfUnOt2th8EXwiO_UZ-G-vdJK21hEBIegrdWrkd6jl3tk72Wo3sEEeq99UW8Sk_AHwZnguVyQA0XMdDbUdPkzfVFiUYkx3kOqRBX07RAKWU7y5G5kw2EpBlDxUKiDc7ZwL9Re3/s400/1+Sundial.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The City palace was home to the kings and this part is still occupied by the descendents of the royal family. The tour included a textile exhibit displaying clothing and costumes, with paintings showing the royals who wore them. It also included an armory tour with every sort of weapon that could be imagined for inflicting the wounds of death insomuch that the enemy would become extinct.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNya3VVXQysJDt5Z5ISiGvrUgNQhJ0Qt6lw9FSJWsyk6KB34D89uwhWJKFNuR_pQgzHqFPe18DFPFRhRiuwJ98MGvQKsaObxp6JxX6X_LtWrMDbS6d2aWoRu8zuyNzRDwgNXyIZIcTH05/s1600-h/2+City+palace+court.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257634174373977154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNya3VVXQysJDt5Z5ISiGvrUgNQhJ0Qt6lw9FSJWsyk6KB34D89uwhWJKFNuR_pQgzHqFPe18DFPFRhRiuwJ98MGvQKsaObxp6JxX6X_LtWrMDbS6d2aWoRu8zuyNzRDwgNXyIZIcTH05/s400/2+City+palace+court.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p>Here you see the entrance to the inner courtyard flanked by stone elephants, guards in period costume, and two perky tourists. The floral designs are made with semiprecious stones set in marble, a la the Taj Mahal. Very beautiful craftsmanship. The state of Rajastan and its capital Jaipur are heavily influenced by Turkish and Persian architecture, the result of centuries of Aryan and Turkish invasion and rule. Did you know that “Iran” is a derivation of the word “Aryan?"<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE-8uAOWX38U6nr11a9LkDcle1S6S_FJCTqV3zxdWiIK7n5S-A4QAY_tJmPTnIuFH4Kg5PvPBys-9DIRulW7R_dHtF5b1lhmXY98jtkVpxoktPXARzlJxMJgut819WcDg2faGU5-SmEPJ/s1600-h/3+City+palace+guards.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257632310280100722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE-8uAOWX38U6nr11a9LkDcle1S6S_FJCTqV3zxdWiIK7n5S-A4QAY_tJmPTnIuFH4Kg5PvPBys-9DIRulW7R_dHtF5b1lhmXY98jtkVpxoktPXARzlJxMJgut819WcDg2faGU5-SmEPJ/s400/3+City+palace+guards.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Does the man in the red turban have enough charm to pull this off? When I asked about the danger the man said, “No poison.” When I asked about getting bit he said, “Teeth broken out.” It is so difficult to find a manly cobra in its prime these days (except on Rising Star property). On the left is Gabriel Bush, Amy Kirby’s brother, who is volunteering at RSO for several months. A great kid, served his mission in Salvador, Brazil. Any matchmakers out there?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEgHBMHbHOOycb7dlVfsfOW2IxawV_R-2F15HlO28QbhH4EtkLhXZaWczA3nVZDfKc9LtJmc6ndg-qX24LD_v4fQEKhDQCSoXjmgu-zqSLz8Ihca_oveuhPHWRIWXGdJAf03R-nksEtz8/s1600-h/4+Snake+charmer.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257631336721054290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEgHBMHbHOOycb7dlVfsfOW2IxawV_R-2F15HlO28QbhH4EtkLhXZaWczA3nVZDfKc9LtJmc6ndg-qX24LD_v4fQEKhDQCSoXjmgu-zqSLz8Ihca_oveuhPHWRIWXGdJAf03R-nksEtz8/s400/4+Snake+charmer.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div>Our second day in Jaipur began with a lurching elephant ride up to the Amber Palace. The elephants make five trips up and back each morning and then they are done for the day. They can also be rented for weddings and festival processions and such. We were greeted by drums and herald trumpets upon entering the palace courtyard, as befits people of our stature. Notice the walls and guard towers on the surrounding hills.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVZh3YteRpbSmkZ4HN878SM7s4b4A8tQx7EYzeAraI6beyyQ5hK_Afldg3bzf2lFgT5DNdeHrdOhXlc22CZcVp4UP4kwFxAnmKMYmmYlXTzbraVnKkosB6w8-j4y8tR_XMo2FRyahTwTo/s1600-h/5+Elephant+ride.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257630321822858066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVZh3YteRpbSmkZ4HN878SM7s4b4A8tQx7EYzeAraI6beyyQ5hK_Afldg3bzf2lFgT5DNdeHrdOhXlc22CZcVp4UP4kwFxAnmKMYmmYlXTzbraVnKkosB6w8-j4y8tR_XMo2FRyahTwTo/s400/5+Elephant+ride.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The original old palace and fort can be seen on the hills behind us. The newer palace was built lower down to ease access and to be closer to water. The entire complex has a well-engineered series of cisterns under the courtyards for capturing and storing rain water. Unfortunately, there was never enough water, so the place was abandoned in 1727 and the capital moved a few kilometers to the City Palace in Jaipur.</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYh1sVu2Hq3GNx-yTvk56h8R4blpRHC3Uv4nUs27uOabKSon4GhRHc04W4EXO7e9j5040V5wjnoxXXLo5FzJ5SjNzAsl-fItLSNqYE7VQL5Qa19lx7jDWx_VRMUcoHWvC830uwx0Y6wI0/s1600-h/6+Amber+palace+old+new.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257629353713407826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYh1sVu2Hq3GNx-yTvk56h8R4blpRHC3Uv4nUs27uOabKSon4GhRHc04W4EXO7e9j5040V5wjnoxXXLo5FzJ5SjNzAsl-fItLSNqYE7VQL5Qa19lx7jDWx_VRMUcoHWvC830uwx0Y6wI0/s400/6+Amber+palace+old+new.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This “Water Palace” is actually a mosque built to be surrounded by the lake. We visited near the end of the northern monsoon season and it looks like they had a little more rain than was originally planned. All of the stone for the forts, palaces, and mosques was quarried locally through the centuries, as are many of the semi-precious stones used for the art work. Jaipur’s local specialty is garnets.</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xgeeWI8Q3GNAaDiKMIw_qMH8E-xERFT1pdBQ6gIBEWhhPbbPZfGkVri3TlISYkie3IJIJ4LqP7YclgKODIawXlO5Ry-LzSG-bmZYl2SriROlmzJKkwuCD64haCvc6FJXkg4JwFlO4-9d/s1600-h/7+Water+palace.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257628450420241122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xgeeWI8Q3GNAaDiKMIw_qMH8E-xERFT1pdBQ6gIBEWhhPbbPZfGkVri3TlISYkie3IJIJ4LqP7YclgKODIawXlO5Ry-LzSG-bmZYl2SriROlmzJKkwuCD64haCvc6FJXkg4JwFlO4-9d/s400/7+Water+palace.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Jaipur also boasts beautiful textiles. Vickie chose the silk for this new outfit, got measured by the tailor, and picked it up the next day. This north Indian version of traditional dress fits closely around the ankles, as opposed to the loosely fitting ones in the south. The tailor called it a “Punjabi” rather than chuttidhar, the term used in Tamil Nadu. I believe the Hindi term is salwaar kameez.</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOxqLdDjrCqGM1nSrk2fOkdwCI1C_M-y0IinIf7X8XsxNo7IU2HeziHOs5TZo1KkzcE-Wb2dfXm7pAJMUtr-bLg3vW4Qh3FZaIMVN5rBbcOwv2h4BaHYtaidYMrCpUy6kgQLpVUPwiMzr/s1600-h/8+New+chuttidhar.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257627541373285346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOxqLdDjrCqGM1nSrk2fOkdwCI1C_M-y0IinIf7X8XsxNo7IU2HeziHOs5TZo1KkzcE-Wb2dfXm7pAJMUtr-bLg3vW4Qh3FZaIMVN5rBbcOwv2h4BaHYtaidYMrCpUy6kgQLpVUPwiMzr/s400/8+New+chuttidhar.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-73039274588042725562008-09-15T22:43:00.010-06:002008-09-15T23:14:23.954-06:00Touring North India: The TajA two-week quarter break from school gives us time to tour north India with our friends, the Kirbys. We flew to Delhi, stayed the night, and then made the drive to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I have seen all the sights in China and the beautiful monuments in Washington, D.C., but nothing compares with this most wondrous of all sights in India.<br /><br />We stayed in a gorgeous 5-star hotel in the tourism capital of Agra and bounced out of bed at 4:45 am to make it to the Taj in time for the sunrise. This is the moon over the east entrance to the grounds as we waited to pass through the extensive security.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246475727103161906" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSotaL5E0zNjXCuZRXkI6rBSS6yfdTknU_cLjpRchRQULEzmKiznUt5dXKH8YGb54oAwuUP1IU2YMpxf3wWzQ0XOQEwtGivXU1J6Gk51we_OsHwoNRp7glUjbYSYemq_GhjXdohoIQyhS/s320/Moon.jpg" border="0" /><br />The first view is more impressive than any travel photo can depict. The symmetry of the entire thing is just astounding. Even from a distance a person gets a sense of the intracacy and craftmanship to come. 20, 000 paid craftsman labored 22 years to complete this symbol of love for an emporer's beloved queen.<br /><br /><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNaG9P2C2MDf0kMBz-BhycVbm0i4hcs5oqWpU0MZ2GEDSaP4w8mWse-SaAoeq2DN62UiO0pGueXBk4iA78uEj278oT2igOLdtfAUICjB6v8Lgju41co19ml2qoiLukWxkO2kCtZ4ZwYRN/s1600-h/Symmetry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246476221507656786" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNaG9P2C2MDf0kMBz-BhycVbm0i4hcs5oqWpU0MZ2GEDSaP4w8mWse-SaAoeq2DN62UiO0pGueXBk4iA78uEj278oT2igOLdtfAUICjB6v8Lgju41co19ml2qoiLukWxkO2kCtZ4ZwYRN/s320/Symmetry.jpg" border="0" /></a>So strong! This woman is holding up the 1.4 million ton edifice that actually rests on teak pilings! The white marble is so dense that not paint or laquer will ahere to it. Everything simply washes off with water.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lWlkgRvVPC4vdARwoN1u5pRib9QdIewCIcJKf359CMRHjIQPLGLMoSgrQFrjq833dIca-H0GHkP85tGzjojZK7NhdvtcjsLJaymGGmP-Q5POLjtshwygyM97FRwKyH4UeE7Ed0u40Cc-/s1600-h/So+strong.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246476091833965122" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lWlkgRvVPC4vdARwoN1u5pRib9QdIewCIcJKf359CMRHjIQPLGLMoSgrQFrjq833dIca-H0GHkP85tGzjojZK7NhdvtcjsLJaymGGmP-Q5POLjtshwygyM97FRwKyH4UeE7Ed0u40Cc-/s320/So+strong.jpg" border="0" /></a>The surrounding gardens are so beautiful. Photos cannot do justice to the 2 square kilometer area. An early morning rain set off the greens to give us gorgeous colors.<br /><br /></div><div align="left"> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246475815829164002" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWq8P3jSCaHAM0fKRuGD1eJAT5BVpNGiOpQwZYXtSc-T0jskdcT4HMzfceC7fgciUDYyc0_uu3iLm6wnYXgbPruq8WFVpM9VYQf4wmQLrDCQvZ4Y2gKA_nB4o0gtWHcgMOMz8MF2ER8mw/s320/Garden+frame.jpg" border="0" />Here we are standing by the northwest tower with the river below us and the Agra Fort behind us, flanked by an ancient Indian trash can. The towers look to be at perfect right angles to the plaza, but they actually tilt out 3 degrees. The Persian master architect designed them to fall away from the tomb in case of an earthquake. Pretty astounding engineering for the 16th century.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAKjJ18mitGKeWkKpN2Qtog5k2XHVeo416DPuVABICDFn0_2DqFSiYDVri9FQOpKbjMqeE7m92x-nf74OtB-5cPkGOPLql7CJLY0IW0jnOI7XnuEe94tkr4YxdjTVMJI44hd0NkEQR4Dm/s1600-h/River+view.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246476000090505938" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAKjJ18mitGKeWkKpN2Qtog5k2XHVeo416DPuVABICDFn0_2DqFSiYDVri9FQOpKbjMqeE7m92x-nf74OtB-5cPkGOPLql7CJLY0IW0jnOI7XnuEe94tkr4YxdjTVMJI44hd0NkEQR4Dm/s320/River+view.jpg" border="0" /></a>Framed through an arch in the surrounding red sandstone wall and craftsmen quarters. This is where all the workmen lived, worked, cooked, and slept during the two decades of construction. Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed our three-hour tour. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg275pW-OfNUHABEbsOgbVGNrvERWWCE83_VPblFRmk0enRCmdn4D9tE_hpFJCP0B9JEvQYojlzecSwpe81wKWBWH_uAPOTlKnJnFMRHKRL3D_uKu7YHz4LCcAH29-ZCyhB8rgZF0JSR8OV/s1600-h/P9160114.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246475901607281986" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg275pW-OfNUHABEbsOgbVGNrvERWWCE83_VPblFRmk0enRCmdn4D9tE_hpFJCP0B9JEvQYojlzecSwpe81wKWBWH_uAPOTlKnJnFMRHKRL3D_uKu7YHz4LCcAH29-ZCyhB8rgZF0JSR8OV/s320/P9160114.jpg" border="0" /></a> Look for our next update as we give you glimpses of the ancient capital of Jaipur.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-41746165582770143522008-07-31T05:03:00.021-06:002008-08-02T06:34:43.213-06:00Kids and adultsTime for a look at daily life in the school and hostels. It doesn't take long to fall in love with the kids, and we are so grateful for the adults that make the program work. Here's a peek at our Rising Star family.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Best friends<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJ32WJUy-rXfxhYAW8zBR7b9dQRAH40fohn6N2JRTgKgJfkKrQJuYodVh3MXFCGGmHsyUNp9Vot_F9bR1XEDxURz0QslnjITbjQY9BgQo-bo-ZpFai2wc5LB-qeVBOkUd3dHMsTerYmEL/s1600-h/Girl+friends.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJ32WJUy-rXfxhYAW8zBR7b9dQRAH40fohn6N2JRTgKgJfkKrQJuYodVh3MXFCGGmHsyUNp9Vot_F9bR1XEDxURz0QslnjITbjQY9BgQo-bo-ZpFai2wc5LB-qeVBOkUd3dHMsTerYmEL/s320/Girl+friends.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229133761828686722" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Cute kindergarteners<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRtlAH23VsT5VJQ-UqyO0bBQWWNliLH0qsykMoWCEFeCmxHBRF-RTZ6y8V3746By5qBJHM35xoiaD2_bOVJ_MpMLsVGd9q32vPXMa1UIypTXNEKomhLt1jx9NYpGKoeT9oHuThFbWiAU6/s1600-h/Friends.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRtlAH23VsT5VJQ-UqyO0bBQWWNliLH0qsykMoWCEFeCmxHBRF-RTZ6y8V3746By5qBJHM35xoiaD2_bOVJ_MpMLsVGd9q32vPXMa1UIypTXNEKomhLt1jx9NYpGKoeT9oHuThFbWiAU6/s320/Friends.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229134776121122354" border="0" /></a><br />Mr. Cool<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9jQPThJ23xyWfj60OzpDVXQvLHJojB9eJ541B1-a3E_Dd5XVddyhBE_MD66fv3MUfpjac1Fh-RPE4g2GLS5WoldhyrdWCvk_qkhI2qtfcY5KOb954BMwNWcGIY9Hchy0RDZT-2eP72IR/s1600-h/Mr.+Cool.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9jQPThJ23xyWfj60OzpDVXQvLHJojB9eJ541B1-a3E_Dd5XVddyhBE_MD66fv3MUfpjac1Fh-RPE4g2GLS5WoldhyrdWCvk_qkhI2qtfcY5KOb954BMwNWcGIY9Hchy0RDZT-2eP72IR/s320/Mr.+Cool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229139460596047458" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Darling Priveetha<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKO16GzPOKjyx1B89MbtbOiH7_cZKjFMegpetXuq0OId-r3bPg0IC4Sshavfnvco1Im59CmrHXdA3QnwgyFkjH1Wp7D_CBmE8n5I_CoMUBVjt8EV7MZPlxaEez-783I7Ym-kwUKtNgd07H/s1600-h/Priveetha.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKO16GzPOKjyx1B89MbtbOiH7_cZKjFMegpetXuq0OId-r3bPg0IC4Sshavfnvco1Im59CmrHXdA3QnwgyFkjH1Wp7D_CBmE8n5I_CoMUBVjt8EV7MZPlxaEez-783I7Ym-kwUKtNgd07H/s320/Priveetha.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229133406309788146" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Birthday girls with jasmine flowers in their hair<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGaC44BbG8gIZEwljESKgwdzn0HzbdqDbtF9j-E_2OECQgD46goL8VOr-EQTNg0t3D2V70Mpz10CwjSllFbQ2T8ey6r8VDiwWOtorSpw-yT2_fgVUeCeKFExv52jeJW_jCXR-4kdqmclF/s1600-h/Flower+girls.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGaC44BbG8gIZEwljESKgwdzn0HzbdqDbtF9j-E_2OECQgD46goL8VOr-EQTNg0t3D2V70Mpz10CwjSllFbQ2T8ey6r8VDiwWOtorSpw-yT2_fgVUeCeKFExv52jeJW_jCXR-4kdqmclF/s320/Flower+girls.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229133079198822754" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Upper kindergarten class<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wtrk9Q86qFn9R8V-GkVgeV_1dC7JBxWIIdkfx2TDwDv0lMmLMpQcwqp-pajMfU8CNRbJZYGI0zalI6fTitC0FkGKzQuJ4oEsuMqs48Gpgt-fiKX5dO0mWz9P2RuRxLWuYVRoq6CEVfsX/s1600-h/UKG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wtrk9Q86qFn9R8V-GkVgeV_1dC7JBxWIIdkfx2TDwDv0lMmLMpQcwqp-pajMfU8CNRbJZYGI0zalI6fTitC0FkGKzQuJ4oEsuMqs48Gpgt-fiKX5dO0mWz9P2RuRxLWuYVRoq6CEVfsX/s320/UKG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229134272821982146" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A housemother holds morning devotional with her boys.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kvYsvx9OyI_g-orrZFwWtAeaPxU2oBVcRtoUnAa896YdnCGF30lMmGaVlQcdja5N_44vKz0fcUVPg5zs3lXnuQ793spWrsKGqGozPBc9V71v0l_r8mzrhnRZ-_JXfIKaXJwk3-ombAbN/s1600-h/Morning+devotional.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kvYsvx9OyI_g-orrZFwWtAeaPxU2oBVcRtoUnAa896YdnCGF30lMmGaVlQcdja5N_44vKz0fcUVPg5zs3lXnuQ793spWrsKGqGozPBc9V71v0l_r8mzrhnRZ-_JXfIKaXJwk3-ombAbN/s320/Morning+devotional.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229134011293884466" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Summer volunteer tutors English in our mango classroom<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HgxBlrADRXKhXEUPo6GI6ZXm3TuQuWvwS02Zqj78Rgp447pVnLghHTlVOjRapb8ce2ixhfyFd-_UVmEszH1L1iV7EkvS61U84npleW0_nrZM-_zm_Bqh70MJkE7ytYSvnYvgU6-Rp-dt/s1600-h/Mango+classroom.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HgxBlrADRXKhXEUPo6GI6ZXm3TuQuWvwS02Zqj78Rgp447pVnLghHTlVOjRapb8ce2ixhfyFd-_UVmEszH1L1iV7EkvS61U84npleW0_nrZM-_zm_Bqh70MJkE7ytYSvnYvgU6-Rp-dt/s320/Mango+classroom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229134408634273026" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Excellent math instruction<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzS5x6fIn9xr0psEfAORC3k9U5O1VFZ40zpTqlqKOmnVQhWlxtXGkSJsVYE_ZdBB5mPFrHBY2Rmt4i42Rh5T2vjsKDfqHKhDoUaJaJErGKIW_QuZNFMjHVm1Q61a0HkVwfXY-xGL2Ex9nM/s1600-h/Mahajabeen.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzS5x6fIn9xr0psEfAORC3k9U5O1VFZ40zpTqlqKOmnVQhWlxtXGkSJsVYE_ZdBB5mPFrHBY2Rmt4i42Rh5T2vjsKDfqHKhDoUaJaJErGKIW_QuZNFMjHVm1Q61a0HkVwfXY-xGL2Ex9nM/s320/Mahajabeen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229133576318050498" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Swathy, our school adminstrative assistant<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFiu7N0VbkGawo0ZVwtX9qkNBrxH_QTB8cs0VCmgNcKE2yJZN6Dg_1Nkk9nODKBlYmwoxWPG1nXezpVK9ieG8rJwvw1GD-hkupPLKXGcl5bIgXkKlfK2WmVBlv56jYvzvSM-wpvO9l_yV/s1600-h/Swathy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFiu7N0VbkGawo0ZVwtX9qkNBrxH_QTB8cs0VCmgNcKE2yJZN6Dg_1Nkk9nODKBlYmwoxWPG1nXezpVK9ieG8rJwvw1GD-hkupPLKXGcl5bIgXkKlfK2WmVBlv56jYvzvSM-wpvO9l_yV/s320/Swathy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229134120396511266" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Happy anniversary ice cream in the local village<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgByCTjTrP9Od1H98GNS0UCetabTNIC0anxrmA-xQVLogh1Y1vKA7cuCaWqqCIhf_kpuG-Z5FtZx_z2eG9lL9JyHMNswS5hz0DgPDsGC6QfiAVv3PW8WaUPiYEGQGZBvvzKzj48nyYcoQ/s1600-h/Anniversary.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgByCTjTrP9Od1H98GNS0UCetabTNIC0anxrmA-xQVLogh1Y1vKA7cuCaWqqCIhf_kpuG-Z5FtZx_z2eG9lL9JyHMNswS5hz0DgPDsGC6QfiAVv3PW8WaUPiYEGQGZBvvzKzj48nyYcoQ/s320/Anniversary.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229134554106055698" border="0" /></a>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-21014647025690074062008-06-28T05:11:00.027-06:002008-07-26T03:41:45.003-06:00A visit to our villageThe Rising Star property is actually within jurisdiction of Thotanaval village, a very small hamlet running along both sides of the road that goes by the campus. The village has maybe two hundred people, most of whom work in the fields and live in very humble circumstances. About forty children from the village attend our school as "day scholars," meaning they do not live in our hostels with the colony children.<br /><br />Vickie and I walked the quarter mile or so to the village one afternoon just to get some exercise and greet the local folks. The first interesting sight was this little girl and one of her family's prized possessions. Cows have free range all over India and often represent most of a family's wealth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6fGpoSl8D8FJqt32mJDuA7Q_s4uP3ujua47kGrBAIBmTf_15dQLN-9utHSciz6_m5FviasPbSnhsYMG0NItchywhyuKeYmOi9aOuDatYDlPddRmYKeWxe1whGoAVnx-N7c5DXsb3jIwk/s1600-h/Girl+and+calf.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216895390156378674" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6fGpoSl8D8FJqt32mJDuA7Q_s4uP3ujua47kGrBAIBmTf_15dQLN-9utHSciz6_m5FviasPbSnhsYMG0NItchywhyuKeYmOi9aOuDatYDlPddRmYKeWxe1whGoAVnx-N7c5DXsb3jIwk/s320/Girl+and+calf.JPG" border="0" /></a>Many of the people live in very basic dwellings consisting of poles in the ground, a basic framework of bamboo for rafters, and thatch of leaves. These leaves are from the Palmyra palm, which bears a fruit shaped not unlike a small coconut. The fruit inside looks and tastes like a fist-sized litchee. The Tamil people call it "nung gu."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MoIhSnBlrD1UzrVxcB75Ild00tgTyc5AkI0tIyJn11NZFRSdzGmrpaN649QVkIflyCE3BQdKyRF8KXh24WR5RVEDmvxfpCzlobZ31Kut-GznqvW9MCxS8WlC9rjtwwjw61VsDgisq0aI/s1600-h/Vickie+hut.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216897160501823458" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MoIhSnBlrD1UzrVxcB75Ild00tgTyc5AkI0tIyJn11NZFRSdzGmrpaN649QVkIflyCE3BQdKyRF8KXh24WR5RVEDmvxfpCzlobZ31Kut-GznqvW9MCxS8WlC9rjtwwjw61VsDgisq0aI/s320/Vickie+hut.JPG" border="0" /></a>Like any town, the gentry live in nicer homes. This family compound has a much larger house, a smaller place for the animals, and a wall made of the same nung gu leaves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONK3tk1AsLTQJSP3jlmeYUIcOL6sX7CaHcjcb9PdamI-SnJr5T8TO_oAxW6miJW5A8TIJfgtjw3Ro5gp4oqvIKafA0WYqf_lptd5e9qNqLh1DqnNE2d9Q-TcfinG7E_YSm3LFaw0cn96-/s1600-h/Family+compound.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216899716717633298" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONK3tk1AsLTQJSP3jlmeYUIcOL6sX7CaHcjcb9PdamI-SnJr5T8TO_oAxW6miJW5A8TIJfgtjw3Ro5gp4oqvIKafA0WYqf_lptd5e9qNqLh1DqnNE2d9Q-TcfinG7E_YSm3LFaw0cn96-/s320/Family+compound.JPG" border="0" /></a>As families can afford it they build more permanent homes out of brick. This is not American-style brick veneer on a frame house, but rather a two-deep wall of bricks mortared together and covered with plaster. The bricks are all made locally, so you can see the color of our clay. Wooden scaffolding, of course; what else would you expect in Asia? I'm not sure if the cow is supervising construction or just minding her business.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jGizkPZG-uqXMsf884s0js-or6kz5HBOsrc9jtb5ovpr2kVVS-0NFEzoISx7apYxBK7K49U5kZKJFpzzbWXinQooswICqv5LAWJB_fJkdEk58jQco7aebAEZpSaDDodUh9GI90wxQc5G/s1600-h/Local+construction.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216905736019047378" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jGizkPZG-uqXMsf884s0js-or6kz5HBOsrc9jtb5ovpr2kVVS-0NFEzoISx7apYxBK7K49U5kZKJFpzzbWXinQooswICqv5LAWJB_fJkdEk58jQco7aebAEZpSaDDodUh9GI90wxQc5G/s320/Local+construction.JPG" border="0" /></a>We eventually made it to the little store and celebrated with a cool orange drink. The girls were very friendly and enjoyed practicing their English, but they declined to drink with us. When I offered to buy them a cookie they brightened up and seemed to enjoy the treat. Notice the older girl in her school uniform. Apparently the code is that government school kids wear blue and private school kids wear maroon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYcYX5XsUtldzBSB-Y_rTMjYTaelNDlMmpubQ6jNKpHok1MVStJ0vrS06IyaiwcHA-gbJr3MRegEDAQeFs-SjPfpMlZyM9rqNg7hyqkOoNwEs62S8sSUFucZ9YgizZB0v2R10lC8a6ITX/s1600-h/Cool+drink.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216890757962664770" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYcYX5XsUtldzBSB-Y_rTMjYTaelNDlMmpubQ6jNKpHok1MVStJ0vrS06IyaiwcHA-gbJr3MRegEDAQeFs-SjPfpMlZyM9rqNg7hyqkOoNwEs62S8sSUFucZ9YgizZB0v2R10lC8a6ITX/s320/Cool+drink.JPG" border="0" /></a>The village Hindu temple is sporting a new coat of paint; we endured several nights of blaring music as they celebrated some festival or other. The Hindu deity Ganesh is very popular in these parts--he is the elephant-headed son of Shiva, the elephant head motif indicating his ability to bestow great blessings. He is aided in all things by the sacred cobra, of course.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfCadX6ICSUjzAIboo7hTq-1uVwM3v1I17LQrCihKut1vzsAQMJ-KV7eg0TfHY1qhOZ5X4hrVsz4FE68LyAYYcu4qPYquklWrRg9pJa2shaVcwzavJJI_ZRyq6Zv4gqsR6MN8bSAzLOUz/s1600-h/Temple+cobra.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216902806135586146" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfCadX6ICSUjzAIboo7hTq-1uVwM3v1I17LQrCihKut1vzsAQMJ-KV7eg0TfHY1qhOZ5X4hrVsz4FE68LyAYYcu4qPYquklWrRg9pJa2shaVcwzavJJI_ZRyq6Zv4gqsR6MN8bSAzLOUz/s320/Temple+cobra.JPG" border="0" /></a>Our little chums wanted to show us where they live and have their photo taken again. This family is better off than many, having a plastered brick home with electricity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMWIKcCuP2QpzpP4v5Am3cwQRsOXp0YVicufIXBnqHuEMR5FA8OcnXge9sMH9STyl0meYHLnW895_pc2_I6acVVZQdo2VhfF__4YVJmoBm7y1BHguJAu2VSjBnw0vc8jkoFn6R8zId4i4/s1600-h/Girls+house.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216904571565886338" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMWIKcCuP2QpzpP4v5Am3cwQRsOXp0YVicufIXBnqHuEMR5FA8OcnXge9sMH9STyl0meYHLnW895_pc2_I6acVVZQdo2VhfF__4YVJmoBm7y1BHguJAu2VSjBnw0vc8jkoFn6R8zId4i4/s320/Girls+house.JPG" border="0" /></a>Our return home reminded us that our little bungalow is really more than adequate in these parts. It certainly seems roomy to us now, and I am reminded of something Matthew said the day after returning from his two-year mission to Madagascar: "Why is our house so big? Why do we live in such a big home?" By the way, the sand is much easier to care for than a lawn, and doesn't require near as much water.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AvkqRFLL0etpZx7_D1_43ASQBwul940kFSCwfaO5nwy6rLmKuba5iVrZhpqqDVeWMcMuXwJNucRZOZiWaphbkWf6za_AERif9dqyqyDNjqyPkE_WAdeUUI_9U7xVJP4gyVzAAeFMNH9R/s1600-h/Our+house.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216906851988127282" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AvkqRFLL0etpZx7_D1_43ASQBwul940kFSCwfaO5nwy6rLmKuba5iVrZhpqqDVeWMcMuXwJNucRZOZiWaphbkWf6za_AERif9dqyqyDNjqyPkE_WAdeUUI_9U7xVJP4gyVzAAeFMNH9R/s320/Our+house.JPG" border="0" /></a>We hope all of you are doing well. Please leave us a comment. We would love to hear your thoughts.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-6990802292036285922008-06-19T05:31:00.009-06:002008-06-29T19:24:40.463-06:00School daysPeery School for Rising Stars opened the school year on June 2 with 171 students. We now serve about 180. The building was just dedicated in March, so everything is brand new. We are in one wing of a planned two-wing school that will have a grand entry and assembly area between the wings. We hope construction on the entry and other wing begins soon because we are filled to the limit. We have classes in lower kindergarten (age 4), upper kindergarten (age 5) on up to 7th Standard (Grade 7), with a special Tamil-medium class for a few older students who came to us with no prior English schooling.<br /><br />Each day begins with assembly, during which the students do some stretching exercises and recite a Hindu prayer, a Tamil prayer, and the Lord's prayer; all of which is standard practice in schools, whether private or government sponsored. An older student then offers a proverb for the day, such as "many drops make an ocean," and the students recite it in both English and Tamil. One student then reads a few headlines from the newspaper in English and another reads the same from the Tamil paper (see www.hinduonnet.com). This is followed by "announcements," meaning a message from me, the principal. I welcome the students, compliment them on their dress and behavior, and then announce the Clean Classroom award from the previous day and the Rising Star Respecter award recognizing a well-behaved and respectful student from the previous day. The selected student wears a special star-shaped badge for the day. Announcements are followed by singing/chanting the Tamil anthem and the national anthem, after which the students are dismissed by classes to go to their rooms. This is a photo of morning assembly:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCBoaXaigM1e7qwxa9wZXsTNNqOAT_ULkvGXA9esJxz-UHf7ORgIMXyrjr2TG5GkDQC6j-F56kalR5A5c65F187_MTCdWz15Nwv40JlWW_unZ9Sb-G931QNuc9C-BwQQLm-oWngr7WJQ-/s1600-h/Assembly.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCBoaXaigM1e7qwxa9wZXsTNNqOAT_ULkvGXA9esJxz-UHf7ORgIMXyrjr2TG5GkDQC6j-F56kalR5A5c65F187_MTCdWz15Nwv40JlWW_unZ9Sb-G931QNuc9C-BwQQLm-oWngr7WJQ-/s320/Assembly.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213555149741044754" border="0" /></a>Two of our house mothers also teach, one in LKG and the other in UKG. I am impressed with their efforts and the amount of learning expected. The teachers start right in with English instruction, explaining in Tamil as needed. Teaching and learning involves much more Tamil at this stage because the little ones have obviously had little or no exposure to English. The red outfits are our school uniforms, but not all the kids have them yet. Vickie, as hostel director, is in charge of student clothing and we just received an order from the local tailor that was almost a month late. We also provide a uniform to each of the local village students who attend our school. This is our LKG class led by the dynamic young Shama. The students and teacher are applauding a youngster that successfully recited 1 to 10 in English.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RsPw69-VLcLyR-I-6yNuUHV3Up0Xgt8CzRJFnWBtRb1yB3b8_9qEajJYYSM370GMmmTZTXdekYgm4mpvEi9uCsezaB06QIzRZSBLcs77jyMJTcADRgamKnL0G_EQmy0fHpKijKfOMK0g/s1600-h/LKG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RsPw69-VLcLyR-I-6yNuUHV3Up0Xgt8CzRJFnWBtRb1yB3b8_9qEajJYYSM370GMmmTZTXdekYgm4mpvEi9uCsezaB06QIzRZSBLcs77jyMJTcADRgamKnL0G_EQmy0fHpKijKfOMK0g/s320/LKG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213556786314100770" border="0" /></a>Our students also have a Tamil class each day so they can gain literacy and facility in their own tongue. The Tamil people are one of the original Dravidian cultures in India, with a written tradition of literature and poetry spanning more than 3,500 years. Their culture has essentially avoided the centuries of invasion and crossbreeding that typifies northern India, and they have a strong sense of ethnic and cultural identity. Padmavathi, our Tamil teacher, is an energetic and well-prepared instructor--no wasted learning time in her classes. Notice the beauty of the written Tamil script on the chalkboard.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2ZLPnZzcBN9Oh0VEcNabMKybSBXMKqCQyXD9ag6l4dV7h2Ud9zS8TfLL8aSPUG3D50OwLRB2g-6KMXxsk48ysXeQgyO0pcRcZnQllBNv78FuessetMZeSqJtjQGKn8qif4KHlbOpeGau/s1600-h/Tamil.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2ZLPnZzcBN9Oh0VEcNabMKybSBXMKqCQyXD9ag6l4dV7h2Ud9zS8TfLL8aSPUG3D50OwLRB2g-6KMXxsk48ysXeQgyO0pcRcZnQllBNv78FuessetMZeSqJtjQGKn8qif4KHlbOpeGau/s320/Tamil.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213775954539828002" border="0" /></a>We have been fortunate to hire some well-educated instructors for our little rural school in the boonies. Some of our teachers catch a 6:45 bus to be at school be 9:00. I am especially impressed with our new science master, Yayathi. He has a B.Sc. in botany and a M.Ls. in library science. He exudes lots of energy and the students really seem to like him. June 16 was his third wedding anniversary so he did the typical Indian thing and brought treats for the staff. His beautiful daughter will turn two in September. Here he instructs our 7th Standard students in the room that will become our computer lab. We have the furniture and we have ordered the hardware, all made possible by donations from the U.S. and expert consulting from a couple of wonderful volunteers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWKY-5S4I1UMssKHQVYSO0PHLu13e5rMRflp2rhV7k2ks27Zwn7yDCLbeE4LyqWLlb3LPOQy3mpFs7V1O0VH8UbrMx2_yUUu1Xm-GyIe7opoGcaDbCIe-BSqQE-aHA6TQvL-LeXsVO9l9/s1600-h/Science.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWKY-5S4I1UMssKHQVYSO0PHLu13e5rMRflp2rhV7k2ks27Zwn7yDCLbeE4LyqWLlb3LPOQy3mpFs7V1O0VH8UbrMx2_yUUu1Xm-GyIe7opoGcaDbCIe-BSqQE-aHA6TQvL-LeXsVO9l9/s320/Science.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213774591525363826" border="0" /></a>All work and no play makes Raja a dull boy. Our Physical Training program is in full swing even though our school yard is an uneven recent construction site with broken bricks and debris scattered around. Johnson, our PT master, spent the first couple of days having the students clean up the area. Now the PT classes are going strong and the kids love the break. Interestingly, part of the curriculum is essentially military parade drill. I love it though--our students are greatly benefiting from learning some discipline.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKoWLnlI8tW89qr0Z1kJlLR0CXgvI1wmdFhcwKkmeh_dmAiEZXfH0Q0IXEQZ3MD84u2QLAkUPlZVugPNbeJ5MadjutSMMF2qd1RFjC39z0g7g8DfKCgkKkNVan-w8QADARUTj3nUadI8B/s1600-h/PT.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKoWLnlI8tW89qr0Z1kJlLR0CXgvI1wmdFhcwKkmeh_dmAiEZXfH0Q0IXEQZ3MD84u2QLAkUPlZVugPNbeJ5MadjutSMMF2qd1RFjC39z0g7g8DfKCgkKkNVan-w8QADARUTj3nUadI8B/s320/PT.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213558392344090690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCBoaXaigM1e7qwxa9wZXsTNNqOAT_ULkvGXA9esJxz-UHf7ORgIMXyrjr2TG5GkDQC6j-F56kalR5A5c65F187_MTCdWz15Nwv40JlWW_unZ9Sb-G931QNuc9C-BwQQLm-oWngr7WJQ-/s1600-h/Assembly.JPG"><br /></a>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-36390419306223257522008-06-05T19:31:00.006-06:002008-06-05T20:29:31.975-06:00Excursion to Mamallapuram<span style="font-size:100%;">On the Saturday before school started we went with the volunteers to visit the little seaside town of Mamallapuram, on the Coromandel coast. This area has huge granite outcroppings and is famous for its stone carving. They have protected a large area as a sort of park and people come from all over to visit. This is a photo of an interesting formation called "Krishna's Butterball."<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtEMWeTYa1NY0LMMBDpb5ebOxxkr80YqVmYOMslc-oeLfy2N1Y4s_H9eSoVsLQJPMptgVB-gY4yl4Y5KaFy0AhekXh_8masDQIUsWmJ_caVUsvN3yBGrKbIhrq5JgBVxdk5gm68pYa4Ci/s1600-h/butterball.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtEMWeTYa1NY0LMMBDpb5ebOxxkr80YqVmYOMslc-oeLfy2N1Y4s_H9eSoVsLQJPMptgVB-gY4yl4Y5KaFy0AhekXh_8masDQIUsWmJ_caVUsvN3yBGrKbIhrq5JgBVxdk5gm68pYa4Ci/s320/butterball.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208576964809471778" border="0" /></a></span><br />There are several ancient temples and yoga contemplation caves carved right into the rock, usually with Hindu deities or figures from Indian legend. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8THfWdkO3py3fn1VhGNc-_kLdGfmKO8INIDz-W-T9dhn8Vuh8M6wNH8Hh4vwmCAIjjkl920gwcXz39WkJNbJa6EpAySVGIMPHxNjJfaykxrJiMgL0z8ZvcoO0bLIafePIXUxL_0kpT7nl/s1600-h/temple.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8THfWdkO3py3fn1VhGNc-_kLdGfmKO8INIDz-W-T9dhn8Vuh8M6wNH8Hh4vwmCAIjjkl920gwcXz39WkJNbJa6EpAySVGIMPHxNjJfaykxrJiMgL0z8ZvcoO0bLIafePIXUxL_0kpT7nl/s320/temple.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208582737725024130" border="0" /></a><br />This lighthouse looks out over the Bay of Bengal. As I took this photo I was surrounded by goats and monkeys that live in the area. I set my water bottle down and one of the monkeys grabbed it and took off with it. He dropped it against a rock which caused a small split in the bottle. The monkey promptly turned the bottle up on its bottom and drank the water as it poured out of the split. No wonder Darwin thinks we're related. Summer, this lighthouse is for you.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gLjG0lbKvu_tu2Y8pZO_bs6JnvuE614t6oXm_0h3pbj7XUptyUezSjarPVssk0Ks4MFkIQru5a8U3fyifLsfuWOCqvKOwV5fo-nPMmOlYmQ75GOVZ28k0SKPZygn0u-YytJMd-Jdlx_T/s1600-h/lighthouse.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gLjG0lbKvu_tu2Y8pZO_bs6JnvuE614t6oXm_0h3pbj7XUptyUezSjarPVssk0Ks4MFkIQru5a8U3fyifLsfuWOCqvKOwV5fo-nPMmOlYmQ75GOVZ28k0SKPZygn0u-YytJMd-Jdlx_T/s320/lighthouse.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208579933290899794" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">We made our way down a street lined with little shops selling clothing, jewelry, rugs and tapestries, and stone carvings. The volunteers had fun bargaining for purchases of Indian clothes and jewelry, and I dusted off my old haggling expertise honed in Silk Alley and the pearl markets of China to give them a little help. Vickie made a few small purchases, but we are waiting for awhile to decide what we really want for souvenirs.<br /><br />The shopping street leads right down to the sea shore. The locals have long boats similar to the ones in Thailand for hire, and I also saw fishing nets in some of them. The surf was refreshing and everyone enjoyed cooling their feet. This photo shows two temples on a jutting point of land behind Vickie. She purchased the embroidered bag for about half the price the man originally wanted and it has been handy for lugging her stuff around.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSidXHB-gFPWeX0CZnW_hKZZq20s6Tw8kU2uzbbR9aA3MCr2BIeaOS4fI4SXb-sBFpR-UuaHH7FBUprplrtRN9NArnZhT5WraHRryzIccvkrTYxDxvOTnaC4i3QAANq99kMTFCwtLPtHYT/s1600-h/seashore.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSidXHB-gFPWeX0CZnW_hKZZq20s6Tw8kU2uzbbR9aA3MCr2BIeaOS4fI4SXb-sBFpR-UuaHH7FBUprplrtRN9NArnZhT5WraHRryzIccvkrTYxDxvOTnaC4i3QAANq99kMTFCwtLPtHYT/s320/seashore.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208581361287210818" border="0" /></a>Returning to the school's residential hostels can be traumatic for the younger children after spending six weeks home in the colonies with their parents. The older kids generally seem to enjoy being at school--it's like a year-long summer camp, I suppose. But brand new preschoolers are a little more skeptical. This beautiful little one felt right at home with Vickie Auntie. Our next blog will detail the beginning of school and scenes from a typical day. Feel free to comment below; we would love to know your thoughts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNOWKSqTn_fBV5Pz9nFdqKFW1dw-_ZDjR3jk3gMN3TBCzuZzR7M2ReoPkNqTyfzkDs_1RQjsF8n_pMeJExwW5pWZ9HYWepYYph5KGjPGXn57hbW-pcFVQ1MMtDIs_e6a_bBCM9GSbf4HB/s1600-h/comfort.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNOWKSqTn_fBV5Pz9nFdqKFW1dw-_ZDjR3jk3gMN3TBCzuZzR7M2ReoPkNqTyfzkDs_1RQjsF8n_pMeJExwW5pWZ9HYWepYYph5KGjPGXn57hbW-pcFVQ1MMtDIs_e6a_bBCM9GSbf4HB/s320/comfort.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208578521786013282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></span>Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5113853883700442424.post-62903270760459478882008-05-23T23:27:00.012-06:002008-05-24T00:19:44.539-06:00Ten days on . . .We are pretty much all moved in and getting our routines down, which consist of waking up with the sun at about 6:00, going over to the school and hostels, and going to bed either when we are tired or the bedroom cools down a little. The electricity comes and goes during the day and night. A good night has our bedroom air conditioner on most of the time. On a bad night the electricity goes out and stays out. Difficult to sleep well with 105 and humidity, but we get by.<br /><br />Vickie is now the hostel director, meaning she oversees everything having to do with the children's residential living quarters, including the house mothers and cleaning staff, family groups, sanitation, food procurement, storage and preparation; laundry, and evening homework time. Thankfully, this is mostly organized with routines in place, but there is always more to do. The former director became a little lax in her medications and safety precautions and contracted malaria, so home to America she went.<br /><br />I am finishing up my teacher training schedule for the week of May 26-31 in preparation for school to begin on June 2. We are still looking for two teachers and not having much luck so far. Kaladevi, my school secretary whom we call Swathi, taught 1st grade in the past, so she might be pressed into service. We are also ready to purchase the first full sets of texts and materials the school has ever had. Last year the teachers just lectured out of sample copies provided by a local publisher.<br /><br />More photo updates:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDOukOPrg3Jc5a0bjZW0G4sT2KabhPvXM7MHKxPzagjaJ6TpVoB7DPhAF2N-FazOTL3_CTC1akXrKMtYtWkgm8lhFPQRWPFt8Lrp8RiE_rxJ102H-j1terww2kOhUyyZ0qmZ4667IgRKT/s1600-h/P5150134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDOukOPrg3Jc5a0bjZW0G4sT2KabhPvXM7MHKxPzagjaJ6TpVoB7DPhAF2N-FazOTL3_CTC1akXrKMtYtWkgm8lhFPQRWPFt8Lrp8RiE_rxJ102H-j1terww2kOhUyyZ0qmZ4667IgRKT/s320/P5150134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203819188126003410" border="0" /></a>Harvesting peanuts on the campus farm.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1D_Y6t1Dn1L6qfwlrQ1yTKLy9ZEoKLglaZZvF5vTypJ4ukEcXPYk46uzCqVITIDaUzj1AQUSE_btZXefFtVW8L3ggSuAJHQITiJYbgvRLm7RMR-yCiWuviyG1FmujjrFGHXCBWk49CqDZ/s1600-h/P5220005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1D_Y6t1Dn1L6qfwlrQ1yTKLy9ZEoKLglaZZvF5vTypJ4ukEcXPYk46uzCqVITIDaUzj1AQUSE_btZXefFtVW8L3ggSuAJHQITiJYbgvRLm7RMR-yCiWuviyG1FmujjrFGHXCBWk49CqDZ/s320/P5220005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203821451573768418" border="0" /></a>Vickie using the cell phone hot spot on our roof to send an email, in the shade of a mango tree. We use Airtel India: "Fewer bars in more places."<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRbSQ_zpSKXfjpfgatM-bde2Lg4x3C-25nLzTd5qzPBqIvSsfKMlcgmx0K0rmN1FVDGsfxRzwOBHlM4_Kp-KJQ0vZtAi8TFahqFbeCZNb8xweyY9rNtyS-Occ1F24-7FuA7AjFuw86XHa/s1600-h/P5140129.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRbSQ_zpSKXfjpfgatM-bde2Lg4x3C-25nLzTd5qzPBqIvSsfKMlcgmx0K0rmN1FVDGsfxRzwOBHlM4_Kp-KJQ0vZtAi8TFahqFbeCZNb8xweyY9rNtyS-Occ1F24-7FuA7AjFuw86XHa/s320/P5140129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203817268275622082" border="0" /></a>Our favorite night out. Our driver takes us to a roadside stand for purota and omelets. Purota is a coiled flat bread-yummy. Most eating places use banana leaves for plates--supposedly the cleanest thing to use, and certainly easy to clean up.Gordon and Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04767412138119899082noreply@blogger.com2