6th Report

Wednesday - I am away from the orphaned again today, so just a rambling set of thoughts, while travelling to Vijayawada. This part of India attracts no British tourist, so my white skin gives near Royal status, particularly when my host declares, he taught Prince Harry! Two 12-year-old boys on their bikes returning from school stop to ask for their photo to be taken. What is your name? they ask, in their best English, and I answer, then I ask them the same question. They proudly answer. We look at the photo on the camera and shake hands. We say bye bye and depart company with their bright and happy faces in my mind and another little valued memory. 

The driving is crazy and the road surface is seldom flat, possibly with even more potholes than in Benfleet after last Christmas; sometimes there is no road at all! Overtaking is done anywhere, left lane, right lane, muddy verge or just straight down the middle. Motor bikes weave in and out through the smallest of gaps, actually we do also in our battered 4x4. The hooter rules the road, at least it seems that way. The bumper fell off earlier and was welded back on by a young man working from a road side hut. He wears a pair of ordinary sun glasses to protect his eyes, as everyone else spectates with no worries at all. 

I am coming to understand a little about the Indian culture, particularly the way people live away from the cities. Most homes are small and basic with mud floors and cooking on wood fires. They are swept immaculately clean, they are proud people. As you travel you see the ladies working in the field and bringing water back to their homes on their heads and Men loading trailers sky high with wheat, wood; anything and everything. In fact, we have just got stuck behind a truck over-full with Sugar cane. However, we were only there for a few seconds before the long blast of the horn and onto the verge we go. 

Life in the villages where the orphans come from is very basic, quite hard and of course very poor. You can understand why a child cannot be supported by others, when their parents die. The work of the Orphanage is so important. 

I have just been told about Shivangulu, who was bitten by a snake recently and lost half of his little finger...... maybe I will leave that story to the documentary!