Mother Teresa (Day 11)

" The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody."

Today during medical a couple things happened that I will never forget. We went to an old folks home in one of the colonies. This is the most unique old folks home you’ve ever heard of because everyone in the community put their money to build this home and then they all take care of the elderly there. Completely run by themselves and there were some great people here. I think I liked it so much because its like the elderly at home, they tell it how it is. As I was walking around I came up to a lady, I said hi and she started laughing and it made me laugh. They fact that I was laughing made her laugh even harder and her laugh made me laugh harder. We were just cracking up in the middle of this doorway. She was like that all day and it was always so funny! I was working on bandage removal today and it was nice because I didn’t have a lot of people that even had bandages so I had plenty of time to take pictures and to explore. It was really casual today but we got a lot done.

There was one lady today, that even when I think about it now, makes my heart heavy and my eyes tear up. I was removing her bandage and it was one of the more severe ulcers I had seen yet. It covered about half of the bottom of her foot and up the outside of her ankle. As I was removing her bandage I could tell she was in so much pain, and by the time I was done there were tears running down here face and she wiped them away with what was left of her hands. She was trying to tell me something in Tamil and I couldn’t understand her. There isn’t anything more frustrating than someone trying to tell you something while they are in so much pain and you can’t understand anything or do anything about it. I was kneeling by her side trying to do what I could to comfort her and she just looked down at me, still crying. She pulled my hand to her forehead and it was freezing. She was sweating so much and so miserable. I was useless and it broke my heart. I will never forget the look on that woman’s face and how I felt right then. 

Fortunately the rest of the day there, everything was light and fun. I had a guy come grab me and pull me into this room that all of the men there share and he went and grabbed the only book from his little pile of belongings and sift through it and pulled out a picture. The picture was of him and a painting hanging on the wall next to him. He had painted this painting and I have no idea what the rest of the story is. It was hanging somewhere nice and he was so proud to show it to me. It was so fun to see what treasures are to these people here. In this colony then have a little program called the Bindu school of art. Its where these leprosy afflicted people come and learn how to draw and make these beautiful paintings. A lot of these people don’t have fingers and a few draw with their mouths. They sell these paintings and that is what funds the school. It was really cool to be able to go see that yesterday after construction. Hundreds of paintings.

 One of the guys there had made fun of me all day because he caught me dancing earlier and it concluding in a miniature dance party in the middle of this building by the end of that day. One guy clapping the beat and a few of us dancing like crazy, Indian style. Which I had no idea how so I’m sure I looked completely foolish! It was the best day I have had here yet. When you mix that many emotions, these elderly with the funnest personalities, and hard work, it’s always a good day! 

After we got back I took my sweet time to get over to play time ( which is so much fun, we play soccer every day!) with the kids. Its the last time I will ever do that. I walked around the corner and Ruthish (a little boy in my family that has grown unbelievably attached to me, and I to him as well) came sprinting up to me and gave me the biggest hug. He said that he had been watching for me and I never came. He also told me that he had asked four people where I was and I felt so bad! I have people tell me all day long that he asks where I am all the time, he is the cutest little boy ever. It’s parents day in two days and I had to tell the boys in my family that I wasn’t going to be there for it because I was going to be in Delhi. They were all so sad. I thought that was hard leaving them for three days, I can only imagine what its going to be like when I have to leave to go to Indonesia. I also aOum very excited to go to Delhi and be a tourist for a couple days. I think it will be a ton of fun and we leave at 3:00 AM tomorrow morning. Not going to sleep.. this will be a fun night!