Day 9

Didn’t think I’d get this in, but just got an email that our flight out of Bangalore is delayed an hour, so……..

Started the morning with a trip to IJM, got a tour of the facility and then an excellent presentation on who they are and what they do.  We had heard bits and pieces of this in past trips, but never the whole enchilada, or, more appropriately, the whole chicken masala.

Got to meet with the people we have worked with in the past, which is always good.  And of course, left thousands of calories of candy for them. 

We then travelled to Tarika Women’s Center and had an excellent afternoon there.  John, Cindy and Jessica did a quick medical camp, several of the ladies got henna on their arms, as practice for the gals who are studying cosmetology at the center. 

Of course, we had to shop.  And took rickshaw rides.  And shopped.  And shopped…..

The last official thing was to visit the orphanage.  The joy on the girls’ faces when you pull up, it cannot be described.  Hugs from every single one, “Oh Uncle, do you remember me?”  I do a few, Asha, Kavya, Praisie, Gayathri, Theresa.  I recognize most of the rest, but the names do not stick. 

We have dinner catered in.  They are in a new building, on ground that we prayed over 2 years ago when here, and a partially finished building John and I saw a year ago.  It is beautiful, such a great place for such special girls who would have much, much less if they were not there.

We color with the kids, we hand out stuffed animals.  Gayathri gets a stuffed bear, and names it “Stan”.  8~) 

All too soon it is time to leave, the girls must do some studies and get to bed.  Multiple hugs, “When will you come back??”, another round of hugs.  I can't seem to let some of them go…this is always the hardest part of the trip for me.  I know that I will keep in touch with most of the other people we meet on these trips via email, Facebook and Skype, but these kids I won’t see till I am here again.  And I promise them that I WILL come back. 

So, we now have an hour delay in Bangalore airport, which reduces our layover in Frankfurt to 20 minutes.  That is not possible in that airport, so……

Talk to you in the States…..

Stan