More NGOs

The picture above is actually a shot of a golf course we passed on the way with SAPID and Shekar to nine slum villages inhabited by squatters just outside of Hyderabad. I didn't take many pix because we don't know what we will be able to do and I didn't want to offend the people. Most have been here about seven years and have been taught by SAPID and HEAL (a private American LDS humanitarian group) how to improve their condition by first identifying their problems and then meeting to come up with solutions and implement them where possible. SAPID doesn't believe in straight charity. It wants people to take ownership of their lives and make them better themselves. HEAL has taught them about health measures, education, gardening and compost pits, which we saw evidence of, and both have taught them how to lobby for land rights so that the land will be theirs for more permanent improvements. They are to receive official notice September 22, 2008, and if it's in their favor, we will be able to do something to help. LDSC has already drilled a few bore wells, which produce good water, but we cannot do more until we know their legal status so that the government cannot cap the wells (they've done that previously) or take the land away from them and make our efforts wasted. What they need even more than water (since most have access to some somewhere) are latrines. Last year a woman was killed by a snake when going to the field for a restroom break and that's not the only problem as you can imagine. None of the villages have a single latrine (picture a lined hole in the ground, not chair height like our outhouses, with a privacy cover of some type, perhaps even bricks) and the women are very outspoken about the need. (LDSC would supply materials and they would build the latrines.) Urmi (SAPID) told us that working men make 150 Rs/day and women 75Rs and that the men are more interested in drowning their sorrows with alcohol than bringing home money to improve their plight. The women are the go-getters in these villages. We had an interesting day listening to Telugu and waiting for Urmi and Shekar to translate occasionally. We didn't understand the words but we understood the feelings and desires.
Shekar asked in several villages if the women would like tailoring training and laughter followed one response, "Sure we'd all like to learn how, but who's going to pay our salary." We had to wait for the translation.
We left in the morning following a fairly heavy rain, enduring one of our hottest and most humid days ever and finding the villages black with flies. These people have no electricity; they have to walk a way for water which they carry back in a jug; some have built small (size of a large shed--one room) homes to show the government their intention to stay (they pay taxes by the way), but we couldn't help but wonder how they find room to do anything inside. And the roads in their villages would make the forests roads seem like super highways. As I tried to fan off the flies I thought to myself, "Don't complain, Karen. You're going home in a while and you will be able to get a drink from your refrigerator, turn on a fan and lights and be free from the elements." We are praying that their wicked government, which lines its own pockets with the tax money, will relent and give them land rights so that we can help them.
We are so impressed with SAPID and HEAL and what they have done, briefly mentioned above. The picture below is on one side of a village where they have been constructing their homes.

Bill went with Shekar to a boys and a girls camp sponsored by MV Foundation who tries to get children out of child labor. They were having a lesson on parts of the body and the teacher asked Bill to come up and go through some of the parts of the body. He pointed to his knee and elbow and they didn't know the English word, so he wrote it on the board as well as corrected the spelling of a couple other words. They enjoyed his lesson and he was "Teacher of the Day." The children live at these camps and are fed by women who cook in the kitchen (above). MV is partnering with us on the water project so we will work at providing mats for the girls' beds as they sleep on the ground currently. There are about 150 girls and 300 boys in each of the camps.

There's more below.

Pictures above are at St. Anthony's School (for all children--350--but run by Catholics) on India's Independence Day, Aug 15. They had a flag raising ceremony and then a lengthy program which we left after two hours while it was still going. A Congresswoman attending had brought a saree for me to wear which I insisted they put over my dress. The saree itself is 5 1/2 yards wrapped and hand pleated and tucked and twisted till there's enough to hang down your back or front--whichever you choose. Children in the pic with us are dressed as leading figures in India--the bare chested is Mahatma Ghandi; Nehru and Mother Theresa aren't showing. Can't name the others. Children performed skits that taught valuable lessons and did many different dances. The modern dress one was a modern dance that was disappointing to me. They are watching too much TV or movies and losing their innocence.

Madhu

Yesterday (wrote this July 24 but wanted pix before posting) Madhu, with five long stemmed roses (three red and two yellow), rang our buzzer. He couldn't have come at a better time. We were OK but discussing how overwhelmed we were when this handsome 21-year-old stepped into our lives and assured us in very good English that all was well and he was available to help us any way that he could. I am sure that Heavenly Father sent him.

We called him this morning to help us find an ATM and a bank (two different places) to change larger bills into smaller ones as autos and street vendors (only way to buy bananas) don't give change. Stores don't like to either we have discovered. Before setting off for our walk, Madhu fixed the gas tank on our stove so that we could cook and set up the charge on our camera (no we didn't know how to do either).

He then negotiated us across the streets through traffic with ease. We'd still be struggling except for his easy lesson. Walk, don't run, stop (in the middle of a jillion vehicles) if necessary; if there's space, put out your hand and keep walking (The first time we crossed a street we were with Kaspers and Bill wouldn't go. Elder Kasper had to go back and get him across. You'd understand if you were here. But now he goes when I am uneasy.)

At home again we were dripping wet despite Madhu's claim that we were fortunate to have such good weather produced by a nice rain during the night, making the temperature cooler but the humidity certainly higher. (This was also the walk when we saw a camel ridden by two young boys, walking down the street right along with every other vehicle but my camera was charging at home and I didn't get a picture.)

We visited for over an hour. Telling us how much the Church has changed his life and why he loves the senior missionaries, he began to choke up, making us all a little teary. Madhu and his brothers Tinku and Chiru (sp?--now 19 and 20) joined the church at 13 (Madhu anyway; his Hindu parents wouldn't allow it earlier.) "Without the Church I would never have known God and that He loves me, he said. And then his association with the Eldridges, the senior couple at the time, gave him an understanding of gospel principles. He came to this same apartment to clean and was paid 10 rupees. Sister Eldrige would say, "Pay one rupee for tithing and do with the rest as you wish and your life will be blessed." He discovered for himself how true that was. After some education, Madhu now has a good job as a computer engineer.

On another day he got our internet working by discovering we had inadvertently turned off the router by clicking one of the many switches that decorate our walls. He then got us a phone charger and showed us how to use it (a little more complicated than at home). What a blessing he has been.

Last Thursday we went to lunch at his home and met his parents and brothers. We had rice and curry that was not too spicy according to Madhu but it was hot enough to make my nose run--very tasty and good though. We both liked it. I discovered that Madhu's mother is a seamstress and makes all her saree blouses and chudidars. Madhu entertained us with lots of fun pictures and his music--American show tunes, country (Johnny Cash), classical and his favorite Indian singer who was very good. He doesn't like the tuneless hard rock. Good man!

In the pix above he is here at FHE with Rajiv, one of his good friends and a member of our branch, and with Reka, who was his seminary teacher for four years but she's only 25 or 26 (I think). Madhu kind of likes her--who can blame him--but he falls in love a lot he tells us. We got to see lots of former flames' pix.

We look forward to more association.

District Conference With an Apostle

Imagine how absolutely delighted these people (and we as well) were to have a member of the Quorum of the Twelve come to their District Conference. It just doesn't happen very often at all and they appreciated fully the privilege. It seems an indication to me of the faith of The First Presidency that India is a place that is opening its heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. Members are so small in number compared to the population but they are strong and humble and full of faith and a forerunner to many who will no doubt join the fold. We had four wonderful and inspiring meetings about nine hours worth(one was Priesthood and one was with just the missionaries). The latter was very intimate and personal--an experience we are blessed to have had as we have never had such a one before. I took notes in that meeting and will record them--just not on this blog. One of the first things Elder Christofferson said was that people are excited and honor him because of the office that he holds and that the office is very important. "As for me," he said, "I'm no big deal." And yet we partook of the results of his life-long preparation for this very special calling. If we had not known, we would have believed he had been in the Quorum of the Twelve for many years instead of a few months. We saw his personal preparation and we felt the Lord working through him.

President Halstrom (Seventy and Area President) and both their wives as well as President and Sister Nichols (mission president) also gave very inspiring messages. President Halstrom is very competent and uplifting. He and his wife are starting their seventh year in Asia. I can hardly imagine such sacrifice as that. So many are so willing to do the Lord's work and the world is blessed because of it.

Rajeesh (spelled the way we say it--not necessarily correctly--see picture below) is the District executive secretary and in our branch with his sweet wife Mary. Mary grabbed Elder Christofferson just as he was about to get in his taxi and asked me to take their picture. I didn't have my glasses on so didn't catch that her eyes were closed or I would have snapped another one. Elder Christofferson was happy to do so as you can see and thanked Rajeesh for all his good work to prepare for the conference. This couple is very special. Rajeesh has been to our apartment a couple times, the last bringing bananas, which we can't find, at the urging of Mary.

The following pictures are after our missionary meeting and show Elder Christofferson next to his wife and President and Sister Halstrom. Unfortunately, they aren't the best focused pictures. The young woman in the background of the top pic is Srivali who converted from Hinduism eight years ago. She is beautiful, very intelligent and a great teacher. She made a card to give to Elder Christofferson and asked me to help her with what to say. I gave her general ideas but deferred to Noel (male) for the words so that it would come from them rather than me. (Noel is the best English speaker we have found. One Sunday morning after a horrific, record setting rain, we were crossing the street and hailing an auto when a car pulled up and Noel, whom we'd never seen before, got out and called out, "Elder, Sister, I can take you to church." He had to stay at work all night because of the storm and was on his way home when he saw us. More than a coincidence I believe.)

Holy Bells, Our Favorite So Far

Holy Bells is a K-5 school for street children; that is, their parents live in tents with no water or electricity and mostly beg for a living. They require their children to do the same or send them to do menial jobs because children will be hired before the parents. (Many organizations are trying to eliminate child labor.)

Ani and Syam saw this situation and felt that the Lord told them to help these children. They started with two in their home in 1998 which grew to 50 in 2003. Then they found the facilities above and have expanded enrollment to 150. They had to visit and counsel with parents to convince them to let their children come to school. Free government schools are too far away and without Ani and Syam, the fate of these children would be no better than their parents because children without an education in India have no chance at all. Syam envisions eventually helping 30,000 of these children through the junior college level so that they can get jobs and move their parents off the streets. Their only income is what Syam makes at his job, 25,000 Rs/mo (about $625 US). They depend on donations to run the school. Most of what they need does not qualify for us to submit. Furniture for the classrooms is a possibility but they might not have room for it. More children than desks can fit on the floor. Uniforms are common in the schools and needed at Holy Bells because children often don't have anything to wear. A young boy came one day in his mother's saree blouse. He knew he'd be teased but he wanted to be there. The red uniforms were donated by LDSC (Latter Day Saint Charities--us).

We loved these children who said, "Good morning, madam; good morning, sir" in each classroom as we entered. Then a group in each class sang a song for us. They were so respectful, so orderly when they filed outdoors to sing all together and then to do the Hokey Pokey with us. Any teacher would love to work with these children who are so eager to learn and so appreciative of their opportunities. The children everywhere are beautiful and tug at our heartstrings.

Royal Treatment

The Mariott Hotel at last for lunch buffet to

celebrate our anniversary and Elder Kasper's 66th birthday. The scene on the right is from the entrance drive looking across Tank Bund Lake toward our apartment which is probably pretty much to the right. The sideways pic of us is inside. The food was really good with all kinds of choices. We ate the Western style, including braised Sirloin tips, and didn't try the Indian as Kaspers said it was pretty hot. Going in, we ran into a man who sings in a local choir with the Kaspers and who works for the American Consular General who unknown to us until we were leaving had paid for our lunch. Then the maitre d' , who had known the Lyerlys, saw our badges and came to visit with us. He gave us his card and said to call whenever we are coming so he can take good care of us. We told him of our celebrations and he brought out some type of fancy chocolate cheesecake which we were too full to try and Kaspers took home for family home evening.

President Bushkar (I think) is putting a garland of very fragrant flowers around my neck (like a lei but with India's own unique look). Next he put on the scarf and the same on Bill. Then he gave us another garland of flowers to put on each other. We sat, laden down with this heavy and hot paraphanalia, while about 30 village men gathered around and watched us try to get information from the leaders--difficult because of the language barriers. As sweet as it was, I wasn't the slightest bit comfortable with the attention and gifts because we haven't done anything yet. We traveled to Pachampally for a possible water purification project which Praveen is trying to set up--different from the 30 village project that Shekar is helping us with. Can you believe that there were three of these signs on buildings around the village square?! I'm not geared for such attention. ( The camera's battery konked out so I don't think we got the best view and nothing after this little ceremony.) The scarves are very tightly handwoven in the village. If we hadn't stopped to watch one of the weavers after our questioning, I would not have believed it wasn't done with high tech equipment.

See All The Animals

The cows at left are in the outskirts of the city walking on the street right along with traffic. All the rest were in the country where we visited villages for our water project (see following post).(I have more animals to post but will stop here for now because of the late hour and trouble I'm having with the uploading.)

When in the country, the driver stopped and Shekar got out to take these pix for me. I told him that we had grandchildren who wanted to see the animals. We must have seen hundreds of cows and goats throughout the day. (For some reason one of the pic uploaded twice. Having trouble with this blog today.)

After snapping the farm types above, I said, "Now it would be icing on the cake to see some monkeys." Right about then, we reached a railroad crossing and were held up for 15 to 20 minutes. I happened to look over to our left and there was a monkey who found a man with bananas on the side of the road and grabbed one, peeled and ate it, but we missed that picture. There was a gully between us which kept us from getting very close but these were fairly large and we liked having some space. The yellow fence is part of the railway area--not a zoo.

This is the same picture as above and I can't find a way to remove it.

Water Starter

Putting reverse osmosis filters into 30 villages, 1500 to 10,000 population--not 500,000 as we were told--should be our first big project if everything goes right. These villages were identified by the Lyerlys and SMAAT (water and air purification company) as potential receivers of the filters after the Church okayed seven previous ones. Nothing has actually been submitted to the Church as yet but the villages have proceeded as if it has. They are building or have built structures to house the filters. They are so excited because their water contains so much flouride that their teeth, bones, joints and general health are adversely affected. The project meets the Church requirements of self-reliance, sustainability, leader, participation and work by the beneficiaries. All with whom we talked today are very anxious to have the water which not only will be pure and good to the taste but also will cost them 1/10 as much as their water now.

My favorite village is Jiapally Thanda on the left. It was the most remote and Mr. Sudhakar, president of all the Bibinagar villages, said the people are very innocent here. Only men came to the plant location in the other villages but here many women and children gathered round and made us feel very important. The older women are about my age but seemed much older. Wish you could see what they were wearing and had in their ears. The children were very thrilled with us. SMAAT and Sudhakar want a separate plant in this village although it is small and somewhat close (It was much farther away than I anticipated.) to its neighbor Jiapally. I'm all for giving these people their own. They were precious. But Shekar thinks one is enough for both villages.

Ms. Saraswathi is the president of Bibinagar a village of 10,000. People here have built this structure to house the RO filter and are very anxious to have it installed. She was elected by the people and will no doubt be elected again when they can have the purified water. The water tank tower belongs to this village.

This reverse osmosis filter is what the Church has purchased for seven villages thus far. Above is a small plaque that bears the name of the Church. (This pic has disappeared for me. Hopefully, it will show up when I post. Another pic also disappeared of the president, Mr. Ramulu, of Rairaopet. They have only a hand pump which he is standing by but they have a building just to the left to house the RO filters.)Bill and I will be involved at dedication ceremonies for the one at left and one other village which the Lyerlys were unable to do before leaving. The men above include their sanpache or mayor. I think the village name is Padmati Somaram.