I am woman...

You fill in the rest.
Stick with me until the end to get where I'm going with this! :)

The gals and I began our day heading over to the Marshall School

to work on taking class photos; what a way to start the morning with

such welcoming smiles!!

Big Bob got a massage and yoga instructions from his BFF Solomon, who happens to also be one of our "body guards'.  I guess you could say he's 

taking that whole looking out for our well being to the next level!!!

We had a very productive morning and went back to Novahu's for lunch

and to prepare for the afternoon activities.

Olivia practiced her cultural womanly duties

but rather out of love, not obligation...

Of course it wouldn't be a trip to India without a shopping experience

at the fabric store...

While waiting for each other at the tailoring shop, I took a stroll

around the building and this is what I saw inside and out...

Big Bob enjoyed time with the fella's...

From here we journeyed to a small village about 1 hour away to see

where Manjula grew up. 

After another warm welcome from a despairingly poor village

Novahu invited Jo and Loobie to each give their "talk" again

in hopes of encouraging the women who were listening.

Emma was also able to take this opportunity to

interview different women for a project she is working on 

at Lakeland College regarding women's rights.  

The conversations were heart breaking as she learned that these women

fell into the same category of women she wanted to help 10 years ago

when this ministry started. I'm sure we will hear more from her on this subject at a later date.

While Emma chatted with the women, the rest of us walked around the village and enjoyed spending time with the children who were more than happy to entertain us with their singing and dancing.

When it was finally time to leave, I gave thanks for three different things...

My life...

My gentle husband, Big Bob whose replacement "body guard" escorted

him out of the village...

My family and friends back home who will see this same moon tonight...

Back at the orphanage, the children were finishing up their homework...

Then it was time for dinner at 8:00 pm...

We followed it up with Sophie's Sweet Treats...

And then I got to read all these little "shine brites" a bedtime story...

Now back to the opening line...

I am woman watch me grow, see me standing toe to toe

as I spread my loving arms across the land!

But I'm still and embryo, with a long long way to go

until I make my brothers understand... 

If you don't get what I'm saying when I just quoted Helen Reddy,
then how about this by Gandhi...
"Be the change you wish to see in the world".

One smile, one child, one woman at a time...

Namaste'
~Jenny