Rising Star Outreach

Wow!  Sitting down to put the last couple weeks into words is more challenging than I thought it would be!  Where do I start?  To quote Julie Andrews, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.”

For a number of years, we’ve had the desire to go on a ‘humanitarian trip’ with our family.  All our research turned up holidays to far off places, with a day of serving in an orphanage or some other form of service for one day.  We felt we wanted . . no, needed . . more.  Then a few years ago a good friend of ours spent two weeks giving service at a leper colony in India through Rising Star Outreach and his experience resonated with us.  We started researching what it would entail and realized we would have to wait a year or two until all our children were old enough to participate.  Then our window of opportunity came . . . and we jumped in with both feet!

After a month of receiving various series of travel jabs (or immunizations) and gathering supplies, we were feeling pretty anxious.  As a family, we had been watching videos online of the work we’d be doing at Rising Star so we would be prepared and know what to expect.  As one of our friends put it, ‘get your funny faces out now.’  There is no easy way to prepare your children for the shock of deformities left behind from leprosy or the amount of poverty they would witness in a 3rd world country, but when we left for India, we were . . . ‘hesitantly excited’ . . . and anxious to serve.

Loaded with Donations & ‘Comfort’ Food

The first thing that hit us upon arriving in Delhi was the smell.  It hit us like a wave as we disembarked the plane.  It’s amazing how quickly it grows on you, though, and you just don’t notice it anymore.  We took another flight down to Chennai in the southeast part of India where Rising Star is located.  After a night in a hotel, two of Rising Star’s long-term volunteers picked us up for the 2 hour bus ride to the campus and we were in for the most amazing 10 days of our lives . . . forever to be changed.

Hotel Pick-Up

We have arrived!

Elephant House (aka Volunteer Housing)

Rising Star Outreach has four different initiatives, and we were able to see all of them in action:

Micro-Grant Loans

There is a strong stigma attached to leprosy, as people see those afflicted as unclean.  Traditionally, leprosy patients were unable to have jobs and provide for their families.  In turn, they had to survive by begging for two weeks at a time in their closest city before returning to their colony for a few days.  Then they would be back on the streets again.  Rising Star Outreach has been able to give loans to create small businesses so these colonists can be self-sufficient.

Village Worker

Stone Carrier

We were able to visit one of these colonies and see how these micro-grants have made a difference in their lives.

Micro-Grant Tour

As the people learn the skills they need to run small businesses, they are gaining self-respect and confidence.

Rice-Flour Welcome Mat

We met a beautician, shop owners, . . .

Sari Shop

. . . carpenters, day-care workers . . .

Going to School & Day-Care

Putting my Primary Chorister Skills to Use

“Once There was a Snowman”

Loved Seeing Their Pictures

Sweet, Sweet Day-Care Children

. . . seamstresses, cow-rearers . . .

Out for a Walk

Try Some Milk?

. . . and even garbage men.

Local Garbage ‘Truck’

We did find it a little humorous that the garbage still has a hard time finding its way into the waste bin.  However, how many American and European cities have this same problem?  Hopefully over time and practice, the culture will begin to take pride in using the receptacles.

Waste Bin . . . and Garbage

Two of the biggest businesses were the artists selling their paintings . . . .

What?!  The Washington D.C. Temple?!

(This man, Bala Chandran, was amazing.  We bought two works of art – both were his.  He has very little use of both of his hands but creates amazing paintings!)

. . . and the women selling their jewelry.

Checking Out Wares from ‘Pearls with Purpose’

Absolutely beautiful . . . and awe-inspiring when you know they can produce such beautiful work with limited use of their limbs.

Cami with Leprosy Patient

So Thankful at 81 Years Old!

Medical

As it was explained to us, leprosy is caused by a slow-moving bacteria.  After the bacteria is treated and the body is rid of it, the after-effects still remain.  These are the disfigurements and nerve damage.  Because the patients can’t feel their extremities, they don’t shift their weight to other parts of their body when needed and ulcers form (similar to bedsores).  These ulcers need routine care through cleaning and fresh bandages, which Rising Star provides in their mobile medical unit.

Set up in the Community Center

We, as volunteers, were very hands-on in helping the doctors prep for their work.

Assembly Line to Doctor

We had the privilege of removing the soiled bandages . . .

Removing the Old Bandages

. . . cleaning their feet and open ulcers . . .

Cleaning / Oil Massages

. . . clipping toe and finger nails . . .

Amazing Emma

. . . and putting in eye drops.

Caleb’s Duties

Helping Abraham Put Footwear Over New Bandages

The younger girls were able to be hands-on as well as they carried the dirty water outside to be disposed of and then washed each basin to be used again.

Water Managers

Even  in down-times, if we weren’t busy, we had the priviledge of visiting with the patients . . . and playing with the children that came with their parents or grandparents.

Waiting to be Seen

Grandmother

Granddaughter

These medical days were some of our most humbling experiences while in India, not only to be with the patients, but to see our children step up and serve with patience, love, and gentleness.  It was definitely out of their comfort zone, but they were steller!

Dr. Emma

Dr. Hunk Caleb

We also loved visiting the colonies because they truly did give an inside peek at their day-to-day life.

Queuing up at the Water Tank

Morning Wash

Drying Laundry

Airing Sandals

Beautiful, Happy Children

Stately, Calm Grandparents

Community Outreach

There is never a lack of work to be done when you are involved in a successful organization.  Rising Star Outreach has grown a great deal since they started in 2002, supporting other organizations.  In 2004, Rising Star Outreach rented their first building and provided a home for 27 children from the leprosy colonies.  Today, in 2015, they have their own beautiful campus with a school and living quarters for 200 children who are preparing to enter mainstream society outside the leprosy colonies!

During our time in doing community outreach work, we were able to move bricks from an old building to another area of the campus to create a pathway, reducing the mud in the area during the rainy season.

Work Crew for the Day

Cami Loading Her Bowl

Lots and Lots of Brick/Cement

Preparing to Unload Trailer

Start of New Pathway

We were also able to work on the new girls’ living quarters that will be completed when school resumes in the fall.

Caleb – Prep Work for Foundation

Chris Lending a Bit of Experience

Chris Manages the Assembly Line

Cami: Our Indian Worker

It was a privilege to work beside this amazing Indian man.  As we struggled working in the sun, with no shade, doing assembly lines to share the load, he worked to the side of us on his own.  He filled up his bowl with dirt, put it on his head, walked over to the dumping area (in bare feet), and walked back to do it all over again.

Working Side by Side

As we were walking back to the volunteers quarters after working on the girls’ quarters, we passed the small girls as they were lining up for lunch.  They asked us what we had been doing.  When we told them we had been working on the new girls’ quarters, a number of them thanked us.  It wasn’t a passing ‘thanks,’ but ‘Thank you, Auntie, for working hard on our new hostel’ or ‘Thank you, Auntie, for your service.’  The thanks continued as the line passed us on their way to the dining hall.  I was really in awe – how many other 5-7 year olds would think to thank someone for helping to build them a new building?!

Education 

Lastly, and probably most importantly, Rising Star Outreach helps educate the children to give them opportunities for the future and help break the cycle of poverty.

Peery School

There are 60 staff on campus, which include amazing teachers.  The kids work so hard during the day, and the older ones have advanced study time in the evenings, as they prepare for their exams.

Morning Assembly

One of our favorite ways to serve was through the education rotation.  We had the opportunity to tutor the young kids in reading, writing, and conversational English.

Rhyming with Yaminishri

Cami with Santhiya

Happy Hannah

Caleb at Work

Emma with Naveen

We also got to enjoy a few PE classes where we learned how to play some new games.

Hopping Tag with the Kindergarten Class

Back to Class

The older kids’ PE classes were always separated into boys and girls, as most of Indian customs are.

Bare-footed Football Game

Discarded Shoes

The boys always enjoy playing football, which they do during their breaks as well.  However, bare feet were NOT optional for PE and Caleb was definitely feeling it afterward.

Football Attitude is International

The girls, however, taught us how to play a new version of volleyball, where there is no net – just a line drawn into the sand – and you have to catch the ball. If you let it fall on your side, the other team gets a point.

Girls Playing ‘Catch-ball’

We also got to work with some of the older kids in the computer lab.  No matter the interaction with the kids, their excitement for learning was ‘catchy.’

We honestly can’t say enough about our amazing experience with Rising Star Outreach.  We would go again in a heartbeat!