To update, after staying at the Cricket Stadium we drove to Chamba to spend a night at one of YMAD's friends houses. Mr. Dharmi helps organize all of our drivers who transport us around India. He owns a private tourism business. So, if anyone wants to tour India, he is a safe an trusted tourism company who will show you around.
He lives right out of Chamba up on the mountain side. You have to hike to his house, which is very strenuous but worth every step. His house is amazing and has incredible views. I've always been a mountain girl, so I felt very at home.
This picture doesn't do the view justice.
Lindsay and I on one of the floors of Mr. Dharmi's mansion hut. I loved it here.
A spider friend in our bathroom. Apparently this is a "small" spider in India. I didn't bother killing it because 1. I didn't want to miss for fear of it coming after me and 2. If he had any additional family members who would seek revenge on me. These spiders will supposedly leave you alone if you leave them alone.
Another view of the house.
We spent an amazing night and morning just relaxing. We definitely went swimming in his natural spring water pool and spent lots of time hanging out and writing in journals.
After hiking down from Mr. Dharmi's house and settling in at our NHPC rooms we drove into town and met the girls.
I cannot express the emotions I felt meeting them for the first time. It was such a humbling experience seeing the living conditions of these girls. India does have extreme poverty. But it hits my heart harder knowing and already falling in love with these sweet, beautiful, and happy girls.
This is their house. It holds about 25 girls and a few madams (adults who supposedly take care of, and watch over the girls). Seeing their house and where they live makes me want to fight harder to try and make a difference in these girls' lives.
Here's a picture of their shoes outside.
It amazes me at how happy and grateful these girls are, despite how they are treated and how they live. They don't take advantage of anything and were so happy to see us. My heart has been stollen. I can't wait to build a relationship with them and I'm so excited for this next week. I fear it's going to go by fast... I just want to spend as much time as I can learning from these girls.
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oh my gag. i never saw that spider pic until now (good thing too, because i haaaate spiders). i was lucky while in india, never spotted a spider, not counting the one the boys found on the last day.
ReplyDeleteit's interesting to look back on that first day we met them, to remember my feelings & emotions for girls i had only seen for a total of five minutes. it makes me so sad to look at pictures or even think about where they live. i wish i could do so much more for them.