We All Can Do Great Things!

Well it's been about four days since I have last written and I am anxious to tell you guys about everything. Friday, which was the 28th, was a very interesting day. From the time I woke up to about 6 in the evening it was pretty calm, but when I had the chance to go to Uthiramerur again it got very interesting. Entering the small town of Uthiramerur eyes cannot help but look at a huge tower that stands high casting its eyes down upon the people. During the day this tower, which marks as an entrance to the temple behind it, stands shining in the sun, but during the night is when its true beauty can be seen. Standing tall as a pillar in the night its lights in each one of its crevises glows lighting a path to an ancient temple still used for people today. One of our teachers is a very devout Hindu. She wanted to come with us, but to go pray, and of course we tagged along because we were curious. Inside the temple were many locked cages of what looked like Hindu Gods. At each one our teacher would stop and pray. I just did the usual indian salute of respect by putting both hands together and bowing my head. I felt I could at least respect the Gods, but worshipping them was too much for me. The priests inside wore white skirts wrapped around them like towels and all of them had prints on their foreheads as respect to their Gods. It was a great experience to be inside an ancient Hindu temple and to be a witness among people as they worshipped. After the temple, I had parotha for dinner. Since I come to the diner often I am now known as a local and the cooks always greet me with a warm welcome. Saturday the 29th I had another chance to go visit the old man with a broken hip. I came with Radhika and Nicole to not only check up and take care of him, but this time hoping I could learn more about his earlier life and who he was as a person. I could not believe how hard his life was. He had been married, but his wife died trying to give birth a long time ago. He said he was fine and doing well after the loss, but it was his accident that changed his life forever. He was on a bus and had fallen off breaking his hip. I could not imagine the pain it would cause me breaking my hip and never fully recovering. The hospital he was in saw no hope for him and threw him out with nowhere to go. He obtained leprosy at some point in his life as well. All these moments in this poor man's life slowly ate away his hope. I made sure he would regain it. It was great seeing this man smiling, laughing, and living like he should have been. I hope I get another chance to visit him before I leave here. Sunday the 30th was Swathi's engagement, which I did not have the opportunity to go to because I was in bed all day feeling pretty awful. I knew my time would shortly come when I would get sick here, and I guess being here for a month already was long enough. The rest of the day nothing too exciting happened. Monday the 31st, which was yesterday, happened to be a rather cool day. It felt nice to have cool weather for a change. I am still preparing everything for my new project, so yet again I am left with nothing else to do, but during the kids' playtime I am helping them learn a different sport. Each day I spend thirty minutes with the kids teaching the basics of whatever sport I decide for that day. The kids are great and love to learn anything new! Today was also a cool day and I loved it! I wish India was like this everyday! I got the chance to teach another family home evening lessson, but this time it was on goals. I had three rows of dominoes laid out each one different than the other. One row was divided by a gap and could not connect to be a perfect line, another line had one dominoe jutting out making it again a not perfect line, and the last line was completely perfect. I told three different stories about kids who had goals. One kid wanted to do well on his science exam, but decided not to do his homework. I had a kid knock down a line of dominoes. The line still had a few left and I explained how we need to do all the small things in order to make our goals come true. The next story was about a girl wanting to become a dancer, but decided she did not want to practice. I had a kid knock down another line watching all but four dominoes fall down. I explained to them we still have to practice if we want to become great dancers. I explained to them the importance of doing the small things again. Finally, the last story told was about a boy who wanted to finish all his homework so he could play outside. He checked every subject twice to make sure it was all done. I had another kid knock down the final line watching every dominoe fall. I told them once you have obtained your goal you will feel better and want to continue to make new goals. I explained the importance of never giving up and even though we will get discouraged it is still better to keep pushing forward. Learning from our mistakes is where we truly become a better person. The kids loved the lesson and I felt great to give it. I think family home evening was a perfect way to end my day today. Eventhough my last few days have not been too eventful I want you all to know there can always be lessons taught as you go about your day. Sometimes I have noticed small things I do end up being some of the biggest things. Somedays we are too blind and cannot see opportunities crying out at us, but if we truly look I bet we could find a myriad of opportunities. My mother once said, "You do not have to be great to do something great, but if you have love anything great is possible." I did not fully understand what she was talking about when I first heard her say this, but now being in India I think I have come to understand what my mother was trying to teach me, and for that I am truly grateful. Mother Teresa quotes, "It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving." With love in anything we decide to accomplish the outcome will always be greater and more meaningful in our lives than simply doing them. I hope each one of you can share love to someone who is in dire need of it. Mother Teresa quotes,"There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them." We all know what it is like to hurt from not being loved and we know how badly we long for love in those times, so why not share love with people that truly need love and give them the feeling we at times desire. Open your eyes so you are not blinded from opportunity, open your minds so you may be mentally ready, and most importantly open your hearts so your love is not locked away, but ready to be given. I pray for each one of you back home and I miss every single of one you guys! A day does not go by where I do not think of you! I love what I am doing here and I love these people! This work here is truly amazing!