I don’t know how many of you have been paying attention lately, but this week in Japan 8 major global powers have assembled for the G8 summit. The purpose of this summit is for world leaders to come together to discuss climate change and how, as world powers they can positively impact the current climate situation.
A side-affect of this summit was a breakfast meeting yesterday morning between President Bush and India’s Prime Minister to continue discussion concerning a nuclear partnership between the two countries. I know in the US that people are divided on the proposed deal.
Some say that the thought of sharing nuclear knowledge with an Asian government is fundamentally a bad idea. Others are worried that India will use this partnership to further their standoff with not-so-neighborly Pakistan. Others see this only as a last ditch effort by Bush to put something positive on his international record before he leaves office.
There are also those that support the proposed deal. They see it as securing and ally in a volatile region of the world. Or as a great way to de-escalate the tension in the region by forcing India to pursue non-weaponized nuclear technology. Some even see it as a way of ensuring that the US interests in India’s budding economy is secured for years to come.
But what about India? It appears that the National government is reaching a crisis situation over the proposed deal. A vote of confidence in the current administration appears both likely and unavoidable as the country is torn between immediate need and future security.
It is no secret that India needs energy. There are constant interruptions in power and rolling brown-outs plague many regions. Ironically, this is not due to an over-reliance on technology or people having too many gizmos. It is simply too many people trying to power their lights and fans and demand far out drawing the supply. India needs energy infrastructure now. This new deal would accelerate the process of creating sustainable nuclear power to enable India to continue to ride the wave of this economic boom as well as extend that boom beyond the cities and into the very underdeveloped poorer areas.
But for India, this is a short-term fix. In agreeing to the deal, India would be forced to play second-fiddle to the whims of the US government for it really is an all give and very little take for the long term. Much of the development would be lining the pockets of Western companies and India would be forced to not only back down on their own military security (even possible nuclear disarmament while being surrounded by several very capable nuclear neighbors) but also other concessions that have very little or nothing at all to do with sharing energy technology. The US would not be held to such standards, for really they are giving up next to nothing yet reaping quite a bit of control.
Thus a political system that is already hampered by the demands of being the world’s largest democracy (1 billion people strong) is spending far too much time debating whether to make long-term concessions for the sake of short-term prosperity and far too little time addressing the plethora of other needs the country has. In a government of coalitions, this division could affect the ability (or inability) of factions to work together for years to come.
I honestly don’t know where I stand on the deal. I will say, however, that the deal is a lot more real due to waking up in the middle of the night because fans are no longer running or attempting to eat dinner with 11 kids by the light of two candles. I can also say that my Bible talks about loving my neighbor as myself and that I feel a high degree of cynicism that any government will ever heed that directive.
There are no simple answers here.
09 July 2008
Yaakov's Light
Yaakov’s Light is the sixth Udayan Ghar home and the most recent boys home to open. The planning stages started in March of 2007, and boys have been living in the home for nine months now. We live in a middle to upper class neighborhood that is very nice and the home is quite large by India standards. Across the street from the Home is a small grassy park with a walking path and some playground toys, which is great for wearing off some energy and there is another larger play area a shorter walk away as well which is great for football (soccer) time.
Major Sud is the Chairman of the Home, which means he is in charge of the overall operations and has been heavily involved since its inception as he is retired and quite wealthy at that. His wife, Asha, as well as Anjana Jain are the two mentor mothers. They see to the overall care of the children. All three are quite committed to the home and usually try to stop by every day if possible.
Birendra and Rita Xana are the caregivers. They live right here in the home and are the ones that really make this place tick. They do not know english very well (we have been doing some grammar lessons for about an hour each day) which makes it a bit tricky, but they are an amazing couple who moved here to the Delhi region specifically to work in this home.
There are also several teachers, drivers, and volunteers that pour countless time energy and effort into making this place tick. It’s really quite incredible to see the outpouring of support that these boys have and the dedication present to enable them to succeed both at present and in the future. Note, the goal of this home is not to work towards adoption, but to equip each boy with the life skills needed to succeed here in India.
That brings us to the boys... Currently there are eleven boys: Gaurav, Mohit, Sandeep, Umesh, Ajay, Shivam, Manjeet, Vijay, Rahul, Praveen and Aryan. I never was very good with names to begin with, but it has definitely taken some practice to get all of them down! All of the boys, except for Aryan, have spent the majority of their lives on the streets and do not have any parents. Aryan is the youngest and is actually Birendra and Rita’s son, but lives right in with the rest of the children and is treated no differently (for the most part). They boys have their rough spots and are still less than a year removed from their former lives (less than for months in the case of Praveen). That said, they have made amazing progress under the circumstances and I am so thrilled to be here with them for a spell.
Major Sud is the Chairman of the Home, which means he is in charge of the overall operations and has been heavily involved since its inception as he is retired and quite wealthy at that. His wife, Asha, as well as Anjana Jain are the two mentor mothers. They see to the overall care of the children. All three are quite committed to the home and usually try to stop by every day if possible.
Birendra and Rita Xana are the caregivers. They live right here in the home and are the ones that really make this place tick. They do not know english very well (we have been doing some grammar lessons for about an hour each day) which makes it a bit tricky, but they are an amazing couple who moved here to the Delhi region specifically to work in this home.
There are also several teachers, drivers, and volunteers that pour countless time energy and effort into making this place tick. It’s really quite incredible to see the outpouring of support that these boys have and the dedication present to enable them to succeed both at present and in the future. Note, the goal of this home is not to work towards adoption, but to equip each boy with the life skills needed to succeed here in India.
That brings us to the boys... Currently there are eleven boys: Gaurav, Mohit, Sandeep, Umesh, Ajay, Shivam, Manjeet, Vijay, Rahul, Praveen and Aryan. I never was very good with names to begin with, but it has definitely taken some practice to get all of them down! All of the boys, except for Aryan, have spent the majority of their lives on the streets and do not have any parents. Aryan is the youngest and is actually Birendra and Rita’s son, but lives right in with the rest of the children and is treated no differently (for the most part). They boys have their rough spots and are still less than a year removed from their former lives (less than for months in the case of Praveen). That said, they have made amazing progress under the circumstances and I am so thrilled to be here with them for a spell.
08 July 2008
Udayan Ghars
As part of their mission to serving the underprivileged youth of India, Udayan Care has established several Ghars, or Homes for orphaned children. They are set up with a “family-like environment” and aim to function as the primary residence for these kids as they mature to adulthood.
Most of the children living in these homes have passed the ideal adopting age (3 years old) and all come from living on the streets in and around the New Delhi National Capital Region. They arrive at these homes via government involvement or through the efforts of other non-government organizations. There are currently 4 Homes for girls and 3 Homes for boys with one more of each in the planning stages.
The homes are placed in middle class neighborhoods both for stability and isolation, but also to provide them access to good environments to play as well as to be near good schools and such.
Each home has two caretakers, which is usually a live-in couple who are responsible for being the primary care givers as well as 2-3 mentors who are directly involved in all facets of the Home operation and care of the children. There are also countless volunteers who drop in roughly on a weekly basis to spend time with the kids and provide extra support and encouragement.
Which leads me to me. My role in all of this is to supplement the quality care already being offered to these kids and to do as much english work with them as possible. They have english courses as part of their school routine, but they still need a lot of attention as far as proper speaking, grammar and conversation are concerned. It is quite interesting, actually, to be in a position where I am charged with something so simple and I really hope to be able to embrace this fully.
Most of the children living in these homes have passed the ideal adopting age (3 years old) and all come from living on the streets in and around the New Delhi National Capital Region. They arrive at these homes via government involvement or through the efforts of other non-government organizations. There are currently 4 Homes for girls and 3 Homes for boys with one more of each in the planning stages.
The homes are placed in middle class neighborhoods both for stability and isolation, but also to provide them access to good environments to play as well as to be near good schools and such.
Each home has two caretakers, which is usually a live-in couple who are responsible for being the primary care givers as well as 2-3 mentors who are directly involved in all facets of the Home operation and care of the children. There are also countless volunteers who drop in roughly on a weekly basis to spend time with the kids and provide extra support and encouragement.
Which leads me to me. My role in all of this is to supplement the quality care already being offered to these kids and to do as much english work with them as possible. They have english courses as part of their school routine, but they still need a lot of attention as far as proper speaking, grammar and conversation are concerned. It is quite interesting, actually, to be in a position where I am charged with something so simple and I really hope to be able to embrace this fully.
07 July 2008
The Physics of Lots of Boys
There are 11 boys here at Udayan Ghar VII ranging in age from 5 to 12 and there are not very many dull moments around here. Overall, they are actually pretty good boys. A bit rough around the edges and a bit lacking in verbal communication skills (they are boys after all), but parts of their past have led to some surprising maturity in different areas...
However, with this many boys things are usually pretty hectic. Whether it’s getting ready for school and making sure the right backpack gets with the right books and the right owner who needs to be wearing the right socks kind of thing or just making sure that everybody got some food at each meal, there are just lots of things going on at the same time.
It’s all an exercise in entropy really... Everything is kinda measured on the degree of disorder in the system. Some days have more measuring than others and some days are just flat out anarchy.
And every once in a while there are time like tonight... We came in from playing cricket, football (soccer) and frisbee in the street and park and all sat in the dining area for a snack and it was incredible; no yelling, no crying, not even anything goofy. Just 11 boys, 2 caretakers and 2 sweaty and exhausted volunteers all laughing, talking and still... magical.
...until the glass of milk got spilled, a fight broke out over the last few crackers, and anarchy reigned again...
I have had lots of those moments in my life. I gotta admit, as far as families go I think I came out pretty far ahead of the curve. But for these boys, I’m pretty sure that moments like this have not been the norm or even the exception for much of their lives to date. But this is why Udayan does Homes, for moments like tonight...
However, with this many boys things are usually pretty hectic. Whether it’s getting ready for school and making sure the right backpack gets with the right books and the right owner who needs to be wearing the right socks kind of thing or just making sure that everybody got some food at each meal, there are just lots of things going on at the same time.
It’s all an exercise in entropy really... Everything is kinda measured on the degree of disorder in the system. Some days have more measuring than others and some days are just flat out anarchy.
And every once in a while there are time like tonight... We came in from playing cricket, football (soccer) and frisbee in the street and park and all sat in the dining area for a snack and it was incredible; no yelling, no crying, not even anything goofy. Just 11 boys, 2 caretakers and 2 sweaty and exhausted volunteers all laughing, talking and still... magical.
...until the glass of milk got spilled, a fight broke out over the last few crackers, and anarchy reigned again...
I have had lots of those moments in my life. I gotta admit, as far as families go I think I came out pretty far ahead of the curve. But for these boys, I’m pretty sure that moments like this have not been the norm or even the exception for much of their lives to date. But this is why Udayan does Homes, for moments like tonight...
06 July 2008
Burned elephant goes on rampage, kills man in Orissa
A clipping from todays India Times newspaper...
Keonjhar (Orissa): A tusker, which had escaped with burns after villagers set it on fire last week, returned to Jodha Bhuyan Basti, 70km from here [Delhi], on Saturday and went on a rampage killing one man and destroying homes.
Panic gripped residents of the village as the elephant killed Phulchand Mohanta (40), who is originally from Mayurbhanj district’s Rairangpur.
The elephant, which has already killed eight persons in Barbil forest range area over the last two years, trampled Mohanta near his house around about 8am.
Keonjhar (Orissa): A tusker, which had escaped with burns after villagers set it on fire last week, returned to Jodha Bhuyan Basti, 70km from here [Delhi], on Saturday and went on a rampage killing one man and destroying homes.
Panic gripped residents of the village as the elephant killed Phulchand Mohanta (40), who is originally from Mayurbhanj district’s Rairangpur.
The elephant, which has already killed eight persons in Barbil forest range area over the last two years, trampled Mohanta near his house around about 8am.
05 July 2008
Boys Will Be Boys
The boys usually get up at about 6am every morning and start their day with a run in the little park across the street. It’s usually about 5 laps or so before they head inside to do their chores and get ready for school. The crazy part is that nobody wakes them up to do this, they actually get up on their own to start their day (not my childhood I’m sure). If you ask me, it’s a great way for them to burn off so extra energy before jumping into the daily school routine.
Well, apparently a few (and by few I mean that it turned out to be six of ten) of the boys had been using the park as part of their early morning bathroom routine as well. Now remember, these kids have spent the majority of their lives on the street where the prospect of having such a lush bathroom was never even dreamt of. Granted, they knew better and had a pretty good idea what they were doing was wrong. But for whatever reason, convenience probably, they were being naughty.
It took about 20 minutes to sort out all the details tonight and find out who was guilty and what the whole story was and why they felt the need. I don’t know very many Hindi words, but I think I was able to follow most of the conversation. I was definitely struggling at holding in the giggles the whole time. We live in a gated part of the town and the fact that there is any grass at all, not to mention really nice grass, testifies to the income level of the community. I guess the bottom line (pun intended) is that they are doing their part to keep it that way... C’mon, that’s just too funny...
Well, apparently a few (and by few I mean that it turned out to be six of ten) of the boys had been using the park as part of their early morning bathroom routine as well. Now remember, these kids have spent the majority of their lives on the street where the prospect of having such a lush bathroom was never even dreamt of. Granted, they knew better and had a pretty good idea what they were doing was wrong. But for whatever reason, convenience probably, they were being naughty.
It took about 20 minutes to sort out all the details tonight and find out who was guilty and what the whole story was and why they felt the need. I don’t know very many Hindi words, but I think I was able to follow most of the conversation. I was definitely struggling at holding in the giggles the whole time. We live in a gated part of the town and the fact that there is any grass at all, not to mention really nice grass, testifies to the income level of the community. I guess the bottom line (pun intended) is that they are doing their part to keep it that way... C’mon, that’s just too funny...
04 July 2008
Why this blog?
I will get to more details about the Home and the boys (which I know is what everybody is really waiting for), but today I’m just not feeling the whole details thing. I’m actually quite amazed that I’ve been able to keep up this pace on blogging, and hope to for the duration of my stay in the Home.
One of the things that I’ve been hoping to get out of this trip is discipline. One cannot jump into a society and a people that is so foreign without needing take a good long look at themselves. Everywhere I go and in everything I do I am reminded that I am different and not of this place. Really, this is probably pretty good for me since I often find excuses and distractions in “normal” life back home.
Blogging is part of this desire to be disciplined. Not only does it force me to process through the massive amounts of information and thoughts colliding in my brain, but it also affords others a peek into this experience and a brief taste of life a little different. I have had quite a bit of feedback, which is both wonderful and appreciated, and am starting to realize that this kind of experience is not possible for everyone to undertake. Hopefully the thoughts, words and stories here will not only continue to convey that fact that I’m still kicking, but also push all of us deeper into this whole living life mindful of who we have been, who we are and who we want to be...
(oh yeah, and last night I realized that I reached my goal of having all 10 boys’ names down)
One of the things that I’ve been hoping to get out of this trip is discipline. One cannot jump into a society and a people that is so foreign without needing take a good long look at themselves. Everywhere I go and in everything I do I am reminded that I am different and not of this place. Really, this is probably pretty good for me since I often find excuses and distractions in “normal” life back home.
Blogging is part of this desire to be disciplined. Not only does it force me to process through the massive amounts of information and thoughts colliding in my brain, but it also affords others a peek into this experience and a brief taste of life a little different. I have had quite a bit of feedback, which is both wonderful and appreciated, and am starting to realize that this kind of experience is not possible for everyone to undertake. Hopefully the thoughts, words and stories here will not only continue to convey that fact that I’m still kicking, but also push all of us deeper into this whole living life mindful of who we have been, who we are and who we want to be...
(oh yeah, and last night I realized that I reached my goal of having all 10 boys’ names down)
Udayan Care
Udayan Care is the parent organization that this orphanage operates under. It is a trust that was set up in remembrance of Udayan Modi, an Indian who cared deeply about the state of his people and went to the United States to study economics in pursuit of helping disadvantaged children here in India. Tragically, he died in 1993 at the age of 21 and the Udayan Trust was set up in 1994 by his family and friends in his memory and as a commitment to the work that he so passionately cared about.
“Udayan” is a Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language heavily tied into current religious writings) word that means “eternal sunrise.” It is the hope of all who come through these doors, whether they be here to help or be helped will then leave these doors as part of that never ending sunrise on India and the world. In fact, since practically all of the children all come to the Udayan Homes without last names, they inherit Udayan as their legal and official last name. Pretty incredible :).
The Vision:
To Regenerate the Rhythm of Life of the Disadvantaged
The Mission:
For every child a home and education, for every adult the dignity of self-reliance and desire to give back to society
This Vision and Mission has led to the development of 6 Ghars (Homes) for children rescued in and around New Delhi as well as programs to assist underprivileged young women with money and mentoring as they seek higher education and learning and supporting underserved communities by assisting in vocational training and personality development programs so that these affected individuals can then enact change in their own environment.
I have the opportunity to participate in only a small part of the bigger picture here, but it is pretty incredible to realize the scope of how many ways the underseved and underprivileged of any society need assistance and chains to be broken. It is incredible how large Udayan Care has grown in the past 14 years and amazing that they have been able to tackle several different issues head on. Even more exciting is the fact that it is a completely native Indian organization and not a Western dependent program.
You can find out much, much more about Udayan Care as well as ways to get involved at their website: www.udayancare.org
“Udayan” is a Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language heavily tied into current religious writings) word that means “eternal sunrise.” It is the hope of all who come through these doors, whether they be here to help or be helped will then leave these doors as part of that never ending sunrise on India and the world. In fact, since practically all of the children all come to the Udayan Homes without last names, they inherit Udayan as their legal and official last name. Pretty incredible :).
The Vision:
To Regenerate the Rhythm of Life of the Disadvantaged
The Mission:
For every child a home and education, for every adult the dignity of self-reliance and desire to give back to society
This Vision and Mission has led to the development of 6 Ghars (Homes) for children rescued in and around New Delhi as well as programs to assist underprivileged young women with money and mentoring as they seek higher education and learning and supporting underserved communities by assisting in vocational training and personality development programs so that these affected individuals can then enact change in their own environment.
I have the opportunity to participate in only a small part of the bigger picture here, but it is pretty incredible to realize the scope of how many ways the underseved and underprivileged of any society need assistance and chains to be broken. It is incredible how large Udayan Care has grown in the past 14 years and amazing that they have been able to tackle several different issues head on. Even more exciting is the fact that it is a completely native Indian organization and not a Western dependent program.
You can find out much, much more about Udayan Care as well as ways to get involved at their website: www.udayancare.org
03 July 2008
There and Back Again, A Luggage Tale
Driving in India is crazy. The lines designating lanes are really more of a suggestion and a formality than an actual structure to be followed. Really that sums up driving in general. In the West, we have been trained to function out of designated structure. We stay in our lanes and follow all traffic lights, etc. In all things, we are taught to first “know the rules.” Not so much in India. Here, movement is based on the movement of others around you. Keep in mind of course that most vehicles here are small cars and motorcycles and bikes (much unlike the behemoths we Americans tend to favor). Traffic is constantly in motion and horns are used to help one identify where others are around them. The flow seems immensely chaotic to those of us used to highly defined rules of engagement, but as a whole, it is a beautiful motion that is really impressive.
I had experienced this motion by car when getting picked up at the airport and delivered to the Home, but today was a bit different. I went into New Delhi today to pick up my luggage which had finally been recovered, but since I didn’t have a car, the method of transportation was an auto rickshaw. These tiny little three wheelers are really the taxis of India (along with their bicycle counterparts) and have replaced the traditional rickshaws which were pulled by people running (great little aside: the “autos“ can run on either gasoline or propane along with many of the cars here in India). They don’t have seat belts or any real sense of safety (Mom, start breathing again), and compared to some of the trucks we’re little more than a bug about to get squashed, but the city is full of them and they are really quite useful to anybody who needs to get around and doesn’t have a vehicle.
So really the good news is I got my luggage (yay!) and the ride of my life to boot. There will definitely be more fun rides to come (Erin start working on those nerves of steel)...
I had experienced this motion by car when getting picked up at the airport and delivered to the Home, but today was a bit different. I went into New Delhi today to pick up my luggage which had finally been recovered, but since I didn’t have a car, the method of transportation was an auto rickshaw. These tiny little three wheelers are really the taxis of India (along with their bicycle counterparts) and have replaced the traditional rickshaws which were pulled by people running (great little aside: the “autos“ can run on either gasoline or propane along with many of the cars here in India). They don’t have seat belts or any real sense of safety (Mom, start breathing again), and compared to some of the trucks we’re little more than a bug about to get squashed, but the city is full of them and they are really quite useful to anybody who needs to get around and doesn’t have a vehicle.
So really the good news is I got my luggage (yay!) and the ride of my life to boot. There will definitely be more fun rides to come (Erin start working on those nerves of steel)...
02 July 2008
Details
Well, I’m pretty much settled in now, so I guess it’s time for a few more details...
Noida
Just prior to my arrival here in India, the boys’ home where i was to be working was flooded. The monsoon rains came 2 weeks early this year, and the location of the home is apparently not on the highest ground. The boys are all currently living eith with volunteer families or at another temporary facility, so I have been rerouted to Noida, India which is a South East suburb just across the Yamuna River. The name of the home is Yaakov’s Light and is still part of the Udayan Care Homes. I’ll talk about Udayan Care more in a later post. I am no longer living with a host family, but am living in the home for my stay. We have internet access here, so I should be pretty consistent with updates and emails :).
Steve
I have a roommate. Steve is from Philadelphia and has been here for a month now. He is taking some time this summer to hang out here before heading back for his senior year at college this fall. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have another American around just to be able to ask questions and process things with. What a welcome surprise!
Erin
My friend, Erin Counihan, who I worked with on the coast for 21 months is ending her term with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in the beginning of August. Before settling in to “normal” life, she is coming to India for two weeks at the conclusion of my stay at the Home. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have a travelling buddy to explore more of the New Delhi region with and to have an excuse to prolong my stay.
Other
I got word this evening that my luggage has been delivered in New Delhi and will be taking an auto-rickshaw into the city tomorrow to retrieve it. I have never been so excited about clothes (and most importantly flip-flops) before in my life. I’m also still working on the whole acclimating myself to life thing. I did not get much more than four hours of sleep during the traveling craziness, so needless to say I was pretty wiped when I got here. I fell asleep Tuesday afternoon at 3pm and slept hard until about 2am. Of course, since my internal clock was flip-flopped, I spent the rest of the night awake and doing the few miscellaneous things one can do when there is one roommate, 11 boys and a caretaker couple all sleeping in most areas of the house. Today was much better, I hit the wall at 6pm, but with a little bit of soccer time, I’ve managed to make it this late (10pm). I’m hoping to crash hard tonight and be close to getting on schedule after that.
Noida
Just prior to my arrival here in India, the boys’ home where i was to be working was flooded. The monsoon rains came 2 weeks early this year, and the location of the home is apparently not on the highest ground. The boys are all currently living eith with volunteer families or at another temporary facility, so I have been rerouted to Noida, India which is a South East suburb just across the Yamuna River. The name of the home is Yaakov’s Light and is still part of the Udayan Care Homes. I’ll talk about Udayan Care more in a later post. I am no longer living with a host family, but am living in the home for my stay. We have internet access here, so I should be pretty consistent with updates and emails :).
Steve
I have a roommate. Steve is from Philadelphia and has been here for a month now. He is taking some time this summer to hang out here before heading back for his senior year at college this fall. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have another American around just to be able to ask questions and process things with. What a welcome surprise!
Erin
My friend, Erin Counihan, who I worked with on the coast for 21 months is ending her term with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in the beginning of August. Before settling in to “normal” life, she is coming to India for two weeks at the conclusion of my stay at the Home. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have a travelling buddy to explore more of the New Delhi region with and to have an excuse to prolong my stay.
Other
I got word this evening that my luggage has been delivered in New Delhi and will be taking an auto-rickshaw into the city tomorrow to retrieve it. I have never been so excited about clothes (and most importantly flip-flops) before in my life. I’m also still working on the whole acclimating myself to life thing. I did not get much more than four hours of sleep during the traveling craziness, so needless to say I was pretty wiped when I got here. I fell asleep Tuesday afternoon at 3pm and slept hard until about 2am. Of course, since my internal clock was flip-flopped, I spent the rest of the night awake and doing the few miscellaneous things one can do when there is one roommate, 11 boys and a caretaker couple all sleeping in most areas of the house. Today was much better, I hit the wall at 6pm, but with a little bit of soccer time, I’ve managed to make it this late (10pm). I’m hoping to crash hard tonight and be close to getting on schedule after that.
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