weekend and adventure

The last few days have been so fun and intense!!!! I feel like we have been so priviledged!!!! We even got to go to church in Chennai. It was quite the amazing thing, to see it. It was so much like Hungary, in the small branches, but yet again you see the strength of so few being incredible. There are even a few kids here that are LDS and went with us. It was cool to meet their families, and get to know a little more where they came from!!!
Then the last two days we got the oppurtunity of a lifetime here. Something that has never been done. We got to go to another state and be the first ones that have ever gone to these two leprosy infected colonies. It was supposed to be just a four hour drive to the first, and that is with stopping at the hotel, and dropping off our stuff. But the border here we got stopped, and had to bribe some people to get us across kind of. We had to rent a different bus, and leave ours at this town by the border, and then there was some huge guy gathering with Dr. Kumar, and the drivers, and a bunch of random people. The director Jenny came back and said, so pretty much we are bribing to get across the border to another state. It was so funny and yet so sketch!!! We arrived at the Hotel Grand which had a sign below it that said "really grand"!!! I found that to be really interesting since the Hotel ripped us off, and was really scary. Right before I fell asleep Megan said, grif this wall looks like someone got attacked, and kidnapped. I looked over to see, and there were black and red marks like hands and feet, and such. and a sign on the desk said, if you do not feel like your sheets need to be washed then please put this on, so we can conserve energy. WOW!! But it was still a good nights sleep anyway!!!!
The first place had seen Dr. Kumar two years ago but it has been a while. It was amazing to once again see the peoples patience as we worked with them, and got to kow them. I really went out of my comfort zone this time, and just went around talked to everyone shook their hands, and one of the men did something, that I will never forget... when I reached out my hand to shake his, he grabbed mine with both hands, and put his lips to the back of it, and then, put it to both of his cheeks, and just held it for a moment. It was a very touching moment for me!!! Probably even more than when I first washed one of the leprosy affected mens foot. To see the love that people have for strangers, just because they are so grateful for their sacrifice to come help them who have always been the untouchables. We arrived at two and were there til seven thirty. It was awesome!!!
The next day we went to the slums of the city. It was called Tirupati by the way, and the colony that we went to the day before is Jyothi. This one was just in the ghetto. First time they had ever been seen, and for that very reason, it was incredibly intense. Some of the ulcers were huge, and I helped wash and bandage one man who pretty much has no skin on his shin or top of his foot, and right side of his ankle. I thought it might be gross when I first was taking his huge bandage off, andn I could see the leakage. But for some reason I was not grossed out. I just started washing, and it took a lot because his skin was falling off in my gloves, and on the towel I was was washing with. He was so grateful as well. the rest of that day was intense, because we were brand new, and at least 107 people came to see Dr. Kumar, and before that the most was like 80 maybe. I even had to be a bouncer for a little bit, because people were pushing their way in. I found out that it is because usually the medical people that come, have limited supplies so first come first serve, but we were able to see all of them. It is an amazing thing we are doing here. I think I might make it even more a part of my life, to really help eradicate it. Dr. Kumar is one of the only doctors that does what he does.
Today I am sick with diahhrea, and hoping the pills work, so I can go to delhi tomorrow, and not have to much of a problem. but I am feeling fine, it is just really bad diahhrea kind of wierd, but I am glad I feel okay. Hope many are enjoying learning of our moments, and adventures here.
-Grif
P.S. On the way home we had to bribe more people to get back across the border. haha. Oh man TII (This Is India)!!