Bye Bye for now Udayan & Titagarh
rnrnOnce again it was a 5am start – for the girls at least! The boys decided to stay in bed for a lie in (well until 8:30am). Over the past three days, we have been called aunty and uncle by the children which has become the norm for us, and what we are so used to answering to! In the girls’ dorm, the younger girls enjoyed giving the girls a makeover before breakfast.rnrn
rnrnAfter breakfast, the children enjoyed some free time and we had lots of fun playing games such as frisbee, cricket and a very crowded game of snap, although we definitely did start to notice the heat! Afterwards, the children went off to their lessons and we had some down time to prepare to deliver ours. Today, each pair were only doing 2 periods during which we somewhat successfully taught the kindergarten children head, shoulders, knees and toes. The older boys were very enthusiastic and quick to pick up songs in the music class. Once the lessons were over, we spent some time playing with the younger children which was extremely funny despite the language barrier!rnrn
rnrnThe time seemed to fly by before we had to pack, have lunch and say our goodbyes. It was very sad to leave but we definitely found some comfort in knowing we are coming back on Sunday, and we are going to have our kabuddi match! Leaving was somewhat odd, as we sort of forgot what the environment was like outside the lovely Udayan bubble. In any case, we made our way to Titagarh, to the Missionaries of Charity Brothers’ Leper Colony.rnrn
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rnrnTitagarh was quite an emotional place seeing the suffering of some of these lepers and the wonderful work that the Missionaries of Charity do. We visited the wards, the wound dressing and physiotherapy areas and the surgery rooms. This was difficult to see but we were glad we could witness the impact of leprosy in real life which gave some context to the importance of Udayan’s work. We saw how the lepers make cloth, including the famous cloth worn by Blessed Mother Teresa and her sisters as well as the specialised sandals for people who have been affected by leprosy. Before leaving Titagarh we saw the gardens filled with vegetables and the animals they kept. Titagarh was a wonderful place to visit and certainly something we will all remember.rnrnAfter making our way back to the hotel, we were starting to feel the effect of the early rise, but nonetheless made our way to the local market to buy some traditional Indian outfits. After a lot of bartering and really impressive persuasive skills on Mrs Weldon’s part, we managed to get a really great deal! We got measured up, decided on materials and told we would receive them on Friday!rnrnWe all felt pretty pleased with ourselves as we made our way back to the hotel for dinner. After the meal the long day seemed to be catching up with us all so it’s off to bed for us! rnrn
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Hello everyone,
nIt is great to read about your experiences with the amazing children and inspirational staff at Udayan. Please remind them that they will always be in our hearts and in our prayers.
nWishing you every blessing,
nMr Sweeney.