Today was such a dream. It flew by as if it didn't even happen. We woke up and jumped in the van to check out the Bindu Art school which is located at a leprosy colony that paints to sustain themselves. A European artist came to the colony a few years back and taught many of them how to paint and they have been making quite the living ever since. Many of the leprosy patients are missing fingers, but manage to still make beautiful paintings by getting creative like strapping the paintbrush to their wrist. There were so many beautiful paintings and I am happy with the one I have chosen. It reminds me of rural India which has captured my heart.
An artist's station
After we returned to Rising Star, I made it over to the last little bit of my friend Brenen's English class at the school. I wanted to see what their classes were like. It was so much fun to listen in on their English classes and see how they all interact in a school setting. I also just wanted some extra time with them as well, I just can't get enough.
Brenen's Class
The best part of the day was probably play time. We had a huge water balloon fight and dance party with all of the kids. It was easily one of the happiest moments of my life. As I looked around and saw all of the smiling faces of these children whom I have grown to love, I think I felt what pure bliss must feel like. The Indian sun was shining down on us, Indian music was playing in the background, and buckets of water were being thrown every which way. I love those moments in life when you are just so happy that you can't even take it all in. I feel so blessed to have been able to have this experience and chasing them down to dump water on them and dancing like an Indian princess made it all the sweeter.
Whitney and I got soaked
After dinner we headed over to the children's hostel for our last family time. It was bittersweet and so hard to do. These kids have become such a part of my routine and they have taught me so much. I am going to miss these kids more than I can even imagine right now. As I was leaving, some of the girls came up to me and gave me things to remember them by. Suvitha game me a plastic beaded necklace and V. Devi game me a hair clip. G. Devi tried to give me a picture of her family and a negative of her mother, but after much deliberation she agreed to give me a picture of herself because I wanted her to have the pictures of her family to remember them by. Eswari made me a little packet of things she cared about as well and when I told her that she worked hard for those things and should keep them, she refused and said that they were gifts so I better take them. These girls have so very little and what they do have they get from the star store which they purchase using points they earn for good behavior at school. I was so touched by these girls and their desire to give of what little they have. I must admit, I am not the best and most willing when it comes to sharing certain things. But these girls have taught me that when you really care about someone, you want to give them what means the most to you. You should give freely and without a second thought and if they can share, so can I. I want to be more like them, true examples of Christ like love and behavior.
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