The TV Room

We've only watched television once, with a gang of the younger girls. The sisters flipped back and forth between the Twenty/20 cricket match between India and Australia, what looked to be a childrens' program featuring real actors, one of whom was an Ali Baba-type character, and a really wacky mystery/comedy/drama/horror soap, with Ghostbuster special effects and Abbott and Costello-like cut-ups who played mental institution patients. Nick says there was also an evil ghost who seemed more like a witch. Much more time has been spent in the TV room playing Chinese checkers, chess, reading the daily Hindu Times and doing cross-stitching with the girls. That's Sarah's big project.

(Sister Anna--the head nun's--keen interest in cricket, reminded me of 4th grade at my elementary school, St. Sylvester's, in Pittsburgh. Our teacher, Sister Tarsicia, let us to watch the baseball World Series during class time in 1971, when the Pirates played the Baltimore Orioles. I clearly remember watching Pirates first baseman Bob Robertson take his swings on the black and white television perched about six feet off the ground, atop a bi-level, rolling TV cart. If I remember correctly, Sister Tarsicia said she knew Pirates All-Star Roberto Clemente personally, probably through his humanitarian work.)

Below, Smitha plays referee for Nick and Pete. Smitha appeared to be the "office manager" for the orphanage, running all over the building answering the phone (located in a booth on the ground floor of the sprawling three-story building), tracking down sisters and girls, receiving packages at the front door, etc.

The Sisters

From left to right: Sr. Lawrencia, Sr. Annie John, Sr. Rita, Sr. Sophie (standing at my left), Sr. Elizabeth, Sr. Theresa, and Sr. Annie Joseph. Not pictured: Sr. Anna (she's taking the photo), and Sr. Annie Kottaram.

Here are some of Sarah's impressions of Home of Hope, from emails that she sent to friends and family while we were traveling:

"India was really amazing; especially living and working in the convent/orphanage. The nuns were really interesting, nice, straightforward, laid back, and kind and loving to the children. Actions speak louder than words and I am really impressed by the way they are devoting their lives to helping children to live out the meaning of what it is to be a true Christian. Looking for a deeper meaning in life has become really important to me and it doesn't get more meaningful than helping abused and damaged children have happiness.

We are back at the orphanage and will leave tomorrow night. The nuns are great fun to talk to and wonderful hosts. One nun spent 3 years in Turin at a convent there, teaching, and said she could hardly stand it because the food was so bland (in the 1970's). Now she says, at least, they put pepper on the table. Another nun took us shopping for souvenirs and supplies and helped me pick out a sari.

Paul Wilkes is here and he is busy getting them supplies like a solar water purifier. He has been spending the past 2 years raising money for them and they have improved the place. So far he has been able to help them get a vehicle, a washer, a computer, a water purifier, bicycles, beds and various other things. They are working on building another building now. Everything has to be on pylons because the water table is about 5 inches below the surface. It floods during the monsoon. And there are open sewers.

India so far is absolutely amazing. We have had a great experience staying at the convent because it is a peaceful refuge from the squalor and noise and because the nuns host many visitors and know a local man who has showed us around - you cannot imagine how hard it would be to get around without a guide.

The nuns are fun and joke a lot, laid back and very interesting to talk to, know a lot about the world. They are taking care of 58 girls with no parents or else with mentally ill or prostitute single mothers. A couple of girls are tribal girls who were found abandoned living in the woods. They can survive there by climbing trees to get jack fruit, etc. Most come from the streets of the town where they are picked up by the police. Some have been through all kinds of abuse, but amazingly they are kind, good hearted, older ones look after the little ones, full of singing and like to dance, etc. This is how they entertain themselves. They are not shy, like to touch you and ask questions (most don't speak much English) but very polite, clean, etc. Very little arguing or teasing at least in front of us. It is absolutely incredible to see. They want us to sing American songs. They asked me to dance. They did some Keralan dances for us.

We left this morning after the older schoolgirls did a performance of classical dance for us which was so entertaining. We are learning a lot of traditional mythology with the aid of comic books Chris bought that portray the life of Krishna etc. The nuns explained a lot of it too. It helps in understanding the temple art."

First Days, Home of Hope

The first two days in India have been a bit overwhelming, but we're holding up well. The sisters at Home of Hope orphanage in Pallaruthy, a neighborhood in Kochi, Kerala, did up our room very nicely, although no shower for a week will be a challenge, as will washing in big plastic buckets. Of course, the girls are adorable. Nicholas and Peter and I played with them all day. I brought four good tennis balls, which kept us all occupied making up games outside through the afternoon of our first day here, a Sunday. Sarah bought them all tiny koala bears carrying Australian flags and wearing I Love Australia t-shirts. They are clip-on bears, so all the girls were wearing them on their ears, in their hair, etc. [That's Shency, Selvi and Vineetha in the picture with Sarah, Nicholas and Peter.]
They sang us a welcome song and we told them a bit about ourselves. Nicholas said he felt uncomfortable being the center of attention. Peter had a couple of small meltdowns today--the girls were literally pulling him in different directions and he got frustrated with not being able to ward them off or communicate with them. But all's well. After 18 hours of flying yesterday, we got here at 11PM (3AM Australia time) and by dinner time (about 7:30) after our first full day, Nick and Pete were out cold. Sarah took some fruit up to the room for them. [Priyanka, Priyanka's Mom, and Megha are pictured in the left-hand photo. Jyothi is in the next shot, and Reena is below.]

We are being served royally meal-wise (in fact, the bell just rang for 4 o'clock tea as I write). We also attended mass this morning. What a crowded affair! Shoulder-to-shoulder and only about a dozen pews on one side of the church, so most of the people just sat and knelt on the floor, with the men and women segregated. And the saris were gorgeous. A riot of color and beautiful patterns. I'm sort of embarrassed to say that we Americans appeared to be the worst-dressed congregants. [The next photos feature Reena, Athira, Ammu, Varsha and Shency; and Chithra, Vineetha and Viji.]

After mass we ate breakfast with Fr. George (I think that's his name) then walked over to his Don Bosco center, site of the boys' orphanage. He showed us around, then drove us over to another Don Bosco facility, but Peter couldn't handle anymore building tours, so he drove us back to Home of Hope.