What Makes You Beautiful?

Today I had the chance to go out to one of the colonies with the medical unit. We entered into this colony and got all of our equipment organized and began to work. The looks on their faces as we washed their infected feet were looks of great gratitude! Again, these people are so amazing to me. I still can't imagine how they have so much faith! My job instead of washing their feet was to take pictures of them after they had been dried by the other volunteers. Looking at this old guys foot was pretty horrific. His foot had been eaten out so much that you could see his bone. Brittany, one of the girl volunteers, was washing his feet, and she told me that you could feel his bone as you were washing his feet. I can't imagine the pain that it causes him each day as he walks around. After washing their feet, we wrapped them up in these huge bandages, so they wouldn't get it infected from the ground. Another colony that we went to today was a fairly well off colony. They had food, shelter, and no leprosy, so that was nice. This colony was a school colony. These little kids that were there were so adorable. We came in as they were eating, and the funny thing about this situation was that they looked at us while they ate as if any minute we were going to rob them of their food or something terrible was about to happen. The girl volunteers painted the nails and toe nails of the little children and to see them so bewildered was really funny. Tonight we had our first family home evening lesson with the children on the topic of honesty. The younger kids couldn't really understand the lesson because they didn't know English very well, so that was sad, but the older children I hope got the message. At dinner we had our tradition of highs and lows. This is when we go around the table and each person will tell their high and their low for that day. My high was going to the colony and seeing these people being so grateful that we came. It always touches me when these people look me in the eye and tell me thank you. I just love getting that feeling knowing that I did something great for these people that have nothing. This work is truly remarkable! My low was just being so exhausted from the day. The minute I came back the campus I just passed out! Tonight we also had an amazing slide show. This slide show was a compilation of pictures put together to show what the true meaning of beautiful was. We all have our own meaning of beautiful, but I think sometimes we get blinded by what is happening out in the world that we don't actually see what the word beautiful really means. Tonight looking at these pictures it really hit me that God has made everyone beautiful in their own way. The regular world doesn't think that these leprosy infected people are beautiful, but the truth is they are. Seeing pictures of them smile without teeth, watching them hold your hands to praise you because you're actually talking to them, hugging them, and just giving them love, totally makes their life more complete not just their day. I guess when I first came out here I didn't really grasp the meaning of what I thought was beautiful, but the real truth is the word beautiful means a lot more than just what is on a cover of a magazine, or some supermodel taking some photos. Everyone in the world is beautiful! I love being here, and I love being with these amazing people! India is truly a remarkable country and it is filled with so many life lessons that I keep learning each day. People here in India these two weeks have honestly taught me so much more than anything I have ever learned in the last 13 years of my life. I want each one of you to think about what you think beautiful means. I think you'll be surprised with the kind of meanings you can come up with just by pondering on the word. Again, I love each one of you and I miss all of you back home! Take care and do the best you can with your time!