Last Sunday I went out for my last afternoon jaunt to the villages near our city. The IJM department head who has initiated village trips for years, Vic, moved back to America last month, and was back in town for a few days. We had an excellent adventure, and even found Vic's old cycle rickshaw guide to show us a new area.
We met some precious kids along the way.
Mildly terrified that we were on our way to encounter cobras, children of the corn, or both, I was relieved to emerge from the stalks and find these women.
At one point we stopped by the side of a road at the beckoning of a group of small boys. They insisted that we stare alongside them up into a tree across the street. It was about 50 feet high, but nothing terribly remarkable.
These boys meant business.
The best part of the day was baby holding. For reasons not entirely known to me, villagers regularly insist upon us holding their children. Sometimes they crowd around and watch.
I loved the two over here on the left who ditched the infant entertainment to check out the camera.
When we began to head out, the community walked behind us for a bit and bid us adieu with a Lion King moment.
We met some precious kids along the way.
We also met a woman chopping coconuts. There were probably a thousand piled around her.
Next we visited a village market.
The rickshaw guide led us through a pasture. We found ourselves dwarfed by stalks in a corn field, walking down a narrow corridor for what seemed like ages.
Mildly terrified that we were on our way to encounter cobras, children of the corn, or both, I was relieved to emerge from the stalks and find these women.
They were diligently about their work, and didn't notice us initially.
Once they did, though, they were more than welcoming.
At one point we stopped by the side of a road at the beckoning of a group of small boys. They insisted that we stare alongside them up into a tree across the street. It was about 50 feet high, but nothing terribly remarkable.
"Yep," we said, "that's a real nice tree." Upon further examination, though, I could've sworn I saw something moving toward the top of the electric pole. And sure enough:
He wasn't the only boy out having a good time. We found a soccer team practicing hard:
These boys meant business.
The best part of the day was baby holding. For reasons not entirely known to me, villagers regularly insist upon us holding their children. Sometimes they crowd around and watch.
This boy's epidermis was velvet.
As exuberant as parents may be for show and tell, children themselves don't always share the enthusiasm.
I loved the two over here on the left who ditched the infant entertainment to check out the camera.
When we began to head out, the community walked behind us for a bit and bid us adieu with a Lion King moment.
As we rode off into the sunset I was hard-pressed to believe that I'll be leaving India in four weeks. It's been a crazy ride.
Interns here acknowledge our inclination to "assign beauty;" in an effort to cope with otherwise desolate surroundings and putrid smells, we ascribe visual appeal to things likely considered unattractive in any other setting. It gets us through the longer days. On this day, however, I was certain that what we beheld was beauty in its finest form.
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