Monday, January 27, 2020

JOY...

It's hard to describe the overwhelming fanfare we get when we walk into an area, everyone is just so happy to see us. To be welcomed with such love everyday is such an amazing way to start the morning! 👊😍
 

So, back when the women from the travelers group were buying fabric to make outfits, Al was picking out fabric to have a tablecloth made for his sister. Since it was a fairly simple project, Manjula said we could have the students in the Cutting and Tailoring Center stitch it. Today we got a sneak peek of the almost finished project, and boy did they do an amazing job!!

Right before we came to India, $250 was donated to buy a professional sewing machine with the hopes that someday the C&T students could sew the school children's uniforms; pictured below is that machine.  Obviously, if we're ever going to get to that point, we'd need another couple machines, but for now it's doing the trick. The machine is now blessed and ready for business!!



Olivia has been sponsoring the same student since the beginning; today she had the opportunity to show her all the pictures she's saved of her through the years. It was a very touching moment on both sides.!


Basically, the rest of our day was spent with the hostel children...
 

We all fit on the new school bus, and headed to the forest for an afternoon of fun and exploring!








Through the years, it's always been such a great joy experiencing the excitment that fills the bus when we're all traveling together; loads of singing, dancing, game playing and basic chit-chat keep everyone preoccupied until we get to our destination. 




Our outing today was to the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, where we would stroll through the forest on a raised boardwalk.












It's all fun and games until the monkey hisses at you!!


Auntie Joan brought magnifying glasses for the hostel kids; I don't know who enjoyed them more, the children or the adults showing them what to do. 




I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!!



Once we returned to the hostile, we had time to do some art projects with the children ...




enjoy Sophie's Sweet Treats...


hand out fun shirts to our trusted "body guards"...




play with Pradeep's little guy...

and go for a spin down the road...


Then it was off to Yeti for dinner.... This has become a favorite tradition for the travelers through the years as we get to treat the hostel kids to a special meal and spend some quality time with them. 









A  great day was had by all!

The travelers are grateful for all who generously donated to the "travel fund" as it helped cover all the expenses for today and so much more!!

Namaste'
~Jenny