Chennai: A worthy job

From Chennai Photo Album 2009

The final Distribution of the 2009 Chennai Trip occurred in a small school on the outskirts of Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India, on February 17^th. The school was located in a particularly poor area with an almost impassable road leading to it.

The children here had missed our initial Port Blair Distribution because of a mix up in schedules and bus availability. They were a particularly joyous groups, full of broad smiles and bodies full of energy. It was a fitting end to a most memorable experience for all of us.

Although exhausted from the many adventures we had experienced, it was time for reflect upon some of the most poignant memories during our trip:

• The single mother, whose husband had died of cancer, leaving her with three children to bring up ... while working at the most menial of jobs ... in a stone quarry. Oh what courage and determination.
• The young boy whose both feet were turned in (club feet). That didn’t stop him from keeping up with his peers as he hobbled along in sandals ... just one of the gang.
• The gaiety and effusive joy of the girls at a Girls School in Nellore who prepared for our arrival one month in advance, showing off with pride their crafts, herbal gardening, school study projects, different religions reflected in the School, their knowledge, baking and cooking, etc.
• The smallness in many of the children who vastly under portrayed their ages due to malnutrition.
• Listening to our hosts on the Andaman’s describe their memories of the 2004 Earthquake and following Tsunami ... especially the disastrously heavy tolls taken in their neighbouring sister Islands in the Nicobars, located south of them.
• The skills and hard work by the many India Volunteers we met everywhere during our trip ... trying to better the lot of those in need through education and life skills.
• And the unswerving friendship and dedication of the members of the Rotary Club and Ambattur whose support made the success of this trip possible.

There were many memories for each of us to weave together into what forms the mosaic of this trip. 6,000 BedKits were distributed to the neediest. It was our privilege to represent all our donor’s during this trip as well as having all of you who did follow our blogs, join us on our journey.

Our Team thanks you for your support and prayers.

Respectfully submitted
Tom Belton, Team Leader

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