Sunday morning we were collected at the YWCA by brother Franklin who took us to visit the leprosy mission. After a long car journey we turned along a dusty path outside of the local village and arrived at Bethel Town where the leprosy sufferers lived with their families, which is now extending to a second and third generation. We received a very warm welcome and as the bags of rice were unloaded from the car (which we were informed are funded from money donated by St. Andrews church) we were led to some seats just outside their small but beautiful church, where we would be having a small service. Franklin left to gather together the growing group of Christians in the community and as they gathered in front of us the very small children looked extremely unsure of us (I don’t think they get many strangely coloured visitors). Trying to put the children at ease and break the language barrier we remembered we had some balloons in our bag from a previous visit somewhere so I went quickly to collect them and start handing them out.

As we expected the confused faces quickly broke into smiles of delight when the children saw the brightly coloured balloons and they were soon dancing and play fighting each other excitedly! We then shared a little about Soul Touch and our trip so far, and encouraged the community that St. Andrews do still remember and pray for them, and Franklin gave a small message. After the small service we were chatting to the people from the community in broken English, with the assistance of 2 very small, very talented translators, when I was handed a tiny little baby boy who I fell completely in love with. The thing with this situation is that although leprosy is not genetic and the children of the community have not contracted the physical disabilities of their families, the stigma and the stereotyping of this illness has a whole other meaning in a country that has a social caste system.

This system, deriving from Hindu backgrounds, states that you are born into a specific “caste” (similar idea to class in the western world but more specific) and that is you for life. You cannot work your way out of this caste or marry with anyone from a different caste, so if you are born into the lowest caste “the untouchables”, that’s where you will spend the rest of your life. Your caste could well affect your job prospects, despite how intelligent or skilled you are. We have been told that this system is having increasingly less impact and that people are slowly moving away from these ideas, but when you have a beautiful little baby in your arms smiling up at you, you can’t help but think it can’t change fast enough. However the ideas behind this system involve many Gods and supernatural powers which many people have been brought up fearing and so to turn from this strong culture and scary “forces” is a daunting thing to many people. This system allows many to believe they can work within their given boundaries to earn their place in heaven and gives them clear outlines as to what is expected from them, which can be a comfort to most of us. There are however people stepping out of and pushing these boundaries, many Christians included and the recognition of the injustice of this system is a good thing and a sign of hope in itself. After saying our goodbyes and offering and receiving prayers, we got back in the car for the journey home, trying to keep as many mosquitoes out of the car as possible!

On Monday we were collected by Mary Sundaraj. Mary’s husband, Pastor of Mount Zion Church in Chennai, sadly died about 4 years ago suddenly in a motorbike accident. Then tragically about 1 year ago her son John, who had taken over role as pastor, and was also close friend of our church, also died from cancer leaving behind a grieving wife, Jesse, and 1 year old beautiful boy, Benjamin. Mary took us to her home where we were welcomed in by the smiling faces of Jesse, Benjamin and John’s sister in law, and her baby boy Nathanial. We were given a yummy dinner and played with the two boys as Mary told us about the financial struggles they are now facing after the family has lost two of their “bread-winners”, and then after some giggles with the boys and a tour of the lovely house which they are sadly having to leave due to finances, we were struck with an action that smacked us with a mix of shock and humbling power. Before we left the house the ladies gave a donation to soultouch and the work we are doing. I couldn’t believe it. Despite all their financial struggles right now, they gave us more than I’m sure they could afford for us to spend on others and all they asked for in return is prayer. But to them, and a huge lesson to me, is that prayer is indeed priceless. How amazing these women have learnt this through their hard times.

Tuesday we were picked up promptly (which is always strange in India) by Captain Thacker who would be taking us to visit the children at the brand spanking new buildings of Sangita orphanage. On the way we stopped for crayons, paper and some treats for the children, thanks to the kind donations from the night before. We pulled up about an hour or so later to one of Captain Thacker’s friend’s houses. We were welcomed in and as Captain spoke to his friend I was swinging excitedly on the swing-seat in their house sipping yummy lime juice. Next stop was a nursing home called “Amazing love”. We had a quick tour of their new building which was lovely with really nice gardens, a lovely church and around the clock care. Captain joked with us about moving here, but we’re sure he wont be moving anywhere for a good wee while yet! Finally we reached the stunning new grounds of Sangita. They are still in the process of finishing off the buildings, but everything looks incredible! It’s all so well planned, they’ve thought of everything, with everything colour co-ordinated for age groups. They also have huge grounds for sports and the work they do with the widows which is just going to be a huge blessing to everyone. Walking around the site I was breath- taken with how much Sangita has grown from it’s humble beginnings in 1997 which I have only heard about in stories, and must seem to some like distant memories now. We spent some time drawing and playing with the youngest children before travelling home smiling contently with echoes of “aunty, aunty” in our ears.

Wednesday we visited Kennedy School with Mrs Matthew, whose late husband founded the school. We went round as many of the classes as we could fit into the school day teaching songs to the younger pupils and discussing cultural differences and exams with the older children. However, the song “If you’re happy and you know it” sort of lost it’s meaning as the youngest children constantly clapped right throughout the song! After some reasonably successful attempts to explain the 2 claps after each line, we just decided they must just be super happy! Before leaving we were given photo albums to look through of events held in the school where we came across Laura’s smiling face from her visit with the St. Andrews youth group in 2008. Was funny to see they had kept this and I’m sure that when the photo’s were originally taken Laura had no idea she would be looking over them in the very same place 2 years later! We were then given lovely gifts of trophies for our visit, which seemed very unearned but were hugely appreciated and will be displayed proudly in our homes when we return for a visit in a few weeks.

Tomorrow (Thursday) we are off to visit friends of St. Andrews’ Pastor Abraham and Sister Ruth in Dindigal until Monday morning, before we fly out to Israel far too early Tuesday morning (about 1am). Please keep in your thoughts and prayers all the lives of the people we have been honoured enough to visit and also everyone at our home preparing fundraisers for our return on April 8^th.

Loadsa love,

Jenn xxx