Change A World

Today was an incredible day, just like it always is in India. I was given the opportunity to attend the "Moot" leprosy colony today. This colony is known for its remote location and lively occupants. Medical attention is not something that is too necessary there, however, the company and human interaction is what they long for. Twelve of us took the hour bus ride to the colony. We all had our own expectations we had gathered from past visitors descriptions of their experiences. As excited as I already was, I never anticipated all of the wonderful things I saw today.

The first woman we met was Saroja. This tiny woman has suffered from the affects of leprosy for almost 70 years. The disease has stolen so many things from her, including her right eye, one leg, and all of her fingers. Her petite stature and frail bones force her to pull herself on all fours from one place to another. Saroja has spent her life in the same 1 mile vicinity with a husband who has beat her. Although they no longer speak, she still feels the need to care for the man that she once loved. She is given a small amount of beans and grain each month from Rising Star, but every day you will find this small woman crushing this food in metal bowls and leaving it out for the birds. It takes her 30 minutes to move 20 feet to the well in order to collect water for these birds. Saroja has hardly anything, but chooses to give everything to the only creatures that have less.

Jayraj was the second friend I met in the small colony. By far, he is the happiest human being I have ever met! He is so funny and is always laughing. He loves to dance and always made sure everyone else had their smiles on. He is an incredible example to me of how possible it is to find something positive in even the most difficult circumstances.

After we got to know everyone we started playing music, jenga, and dominoes! Everyone in the colony loved it and I couldn't stop smiling :)

Saroja was the bomb at Jenga! Every time I'd go for one she'd move my hand because she knew I was going to ruin it! haha


Codiserie threw dominoes at everyone's towers that we made in order to make sure that hers was always the tallest. She had the best sense of humor :)

Moot was my favorite colony. I learned so many things in such a short amount of time. Because of their example, I'm hoping that I can find happiness in my life like they have in theirs, no matter what the circumstances may be.

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The theme for Session 6 at Rising Star was "Change A World". For three and a half weeks now I have had this phrase on my mind, trying to pinpoint what that really means. What does it mean to change a world? I know. I came here thinking I would make an incredible impact on these children's lives, but the changes I saw weren't what I expected.

As I sit here in the middle of a tile floor, I'm struggling to see my computer screen through the cloudy haze of tears welled up in my eyes. I spent my last few hours tonight, playing with the children and tucking them into bed. The little ones go to bed at 8 so I saved just enough time to hug each and every one of them before I had to say goodnight. As I hugged each one, the memories of my time with them ran through my mind. I began sobbing as each one looked up at me and said "I love you" and kissed my cheeks. When I got to one of the last girls, she looked me straight in the eye and said, "You remember me?". At this point the light tears turned into a steady stream of sobbing, but I managed to release a few words between sobs. "Of course I'll remember you. I'll always remember you." Sweet little Ramia placed both hands on my cheeks and wiped the tears from my face. These little girls probably won't remember me even a year from now, but I will remember them for the rest of my life. I pray for each of these girls every night. I pray for their safety, their future, their education. I dream of the lives that they could have and what they are capable of. Although I'm not a mother and won't be for a while, I truly felt that tonight I knew what it felt like to love a child more than life itself. I wish I could describe the sweet spirits that have touched my heart for the last 21 days. I came to India to do something. My job here was to make them smile. Whether it was swinging them around, reading stories, or dancing with them, I was here to make them laugh when the world was falling apart all around them. Someday I won't be able to fix things so easily for them, but for now I can. Each smile was a victory in my eyes. I did my job and they did theirs. A world was changed, and that world was mine.

Unexpected Masterpiece

It seems that for as long as I can remember, teachers and parents have drilled it into my head that "Anything is Possible". In all honestly, even though that phrase is used for encouragement, I have always felt that it was overused and not really true. However, I now sit here in a tiny village in India and put those doubts to rest. Anything IS possible.

I saw these words in action this morning when the bus pulled up to the Bindi Art School. I desperately wish that I could truly describe what I saw in front of me. I watched in awe as men and women sat at small desks and mats on the floor. Right before my eyes, these people were living their dreams. One by one, each student put their lives on canvas. In the heart of this leprosy colony, were India's best artists. Despite their disease, they were painting. Leprosy has left these people with awful sores, mangled hands and feet, and sometimes missing limbs.



I continued to watch each artist paint. Each one had their own style and I could pinpoint which of the hundreds of paintings they had done. I couldn't believe that their mangled hands, which have little if any feeling, were able to create something so beautiful. At one point I was able to sit with a man while he explained one of his paintings to me. He literally explained his fears, goals, and dreams on this small and simple sheet of canvas.


It is truly a blessing that those who are leprosy afflicted are able to support their families by doing something they love. The money raised from each of these masterpieces is put into one pool that is given to the artists equally and supports the rest of the colony as well.

If I learned anything today, it is that everyone has a story. All you have to do is listen. I'm grateful for the chance I've had to listen. I can't tell you enough how many people I have met here that the world has overlooked. The world will never understand that they didn't just shun the leprosy affected. They have shunned artists, enginners, doctors, mothers, fathers, teachers, and the most humble people I have ever met. I hope that after my experience here, I will be able to remember how important people's stories are. My job is to listen.

My Seven Wonders of the Weekend

This last weekend, many of the volunteers and I had the amazing opportunity to fly to New Delhi. Our man purpose in going was to see the Taj Mahal. It is common knowledge that the Taj Mahal is labeled as one of the "Seven Wonders of the World". This means that universally, it is considered to be incredibly beautiful, meaningful, and fascinating. After seeing it, I do agree that it is all of those things and more! I created my own personal list of "Seven Wonders" while traveling through New Delhi and Agra.

Shannon's Seven Wonders of the Weekend (in no particular order):

1. The Taj Mahal...of course it made my list!



As I walked through the north gate I couldn't believe how beautiful this building was. It truly took my breath away. It took 22 years to build and 20,00 workers to artistically created inlaid marble that would last a lifetime. I could have stayed there all day just staring at it and thinking of the incredible love story that went along with it's creation :)

2. Old Delhi


This falls mostly under the "fascinating" criteria. There were so many electrical wires and people and monkeys. So random but so fun to go through!

3. Elephant Ride

The funny thing about this is that Indian people don't ride elephants and before doing this, I hadn't seen one the whole trip. It's strictly a tourist thing, but I loved it! Kristen and I set the mood by singing songs from Aladdin the whole ride! :) haha


4. The Jaypee Hotel


It's the largest hotel in India and so pretty! It was so great to have real showers and normal bathrooms!

5. Ghandi's Home



This was a surprise stop while on our way to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. This was where Ghandi spent the last 144 days of his life. He was also mardered here. I got to walk alongside the path of the last steps he took. He has always been a hero of mine and said one of my favorite quotes. "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

6.The Spice Market


It was so crowded and I felt a little uncomfortable, but it smelled amazing!

7. The Unknown Indian Woman

This woman is my Seventh Wonder. I saw here from the window of our bus as we drove down a dirt road. Something about her just seemed so incredible. She is beautiful and you can tell she is a hard worker and so humble. I realized when I saw her that I got lucky. I didn't earn the life that I have. I was born in the United States and live comfortably without having to worry too much. She works every day just trying to get by. I admire her for so many reasons. I saw her for two seconds, but for some reason I kind of felt like I knew her :) I absolutely love the people of India. I can learn so much from them.

What the World Needs Now

My eyes were locked on Dr. Kumar as he told his story. It all started as a simple conversation to pass the time on the long ride to the different colonies. Somehow the conversation shifted to why he became a doctor. Dr. Kumar told a story of how he visited his dying grandfather every day in the hospital and realized that being a doctor could help save others from that kind of heartache. In India, anyone can be a doctor but few are given grants from the government. The top 1,000 students recieve a grant taking tuition from 200,000 to 200 dollars a year for medical school. Dr. Kumar recieved a 99.97% on his final test and still placed 247th. He is incredibly intelligent and had so much to teach us.

Our first stop was to a preschool where we needed to test some of the children for leprosy. These children were absolutely beautiful. None of them spoke english, but a smile was something they could understand. I couldn't believe as I looked at these children that Indian society had pushed them aside. They have parents afflicted with leprosy and therefore, are forgotten about. The world has no idea what they are missing out on. I am lucky to have met them and the hour I spent with them will leave an impression on me forever.


After we left the preschool, the medical van made its way to the leprosy colony where we washed the feet of those afflicted. I was in charge of diabetes testing, which meant I had to see each patient wince as we pricked their fingers. It's sad to see them in pain, but Dr. Kumar showed us all of the before and after pictures he has taken of their wounds and ulcers. It's incredible to see what kind of progress and healing has taken place due to the care he has given. When we dropped Dr. Kumar at his home afterwards, one of the coordinators talked to us about the kind of sacrifice Dr. Kumar has made to work for Rising Star. As an Indian doctor, he is going against all stigmas toward leprosy in society. He recieves standard doctor wages, but in the future will most likely be turned down for any other jobs he applies for. He is truly doing acts of service as he helps people that society has told him to forget.


Dr. Kumar said something today that really caught my attention and made an impression on me. He said, "Leprosy does not kill them. It kills thier self-esteem, family life, and everything else." I now know why it is so important that I am here serving these people. They are in physical pain, but my job here is to prove to them that they deserve to be loved. The world has pushed aside incredible individuals that I am honored to know. People will never know what they have missed out on, but I will.

No Lefties Allowed!

Yesterday was a great day! As a volunteer at Rising Star, I have a strict schedule every day that I follow. Every day we all wake up at about 7 a.m. and work all day until we go to bed at 10:30. Our jobs rotate daily between tutoring,construction, and the medical team for the first half of the day. However, yesterday, all of the volunteers were given a much needed day off! We woke up at the usual time, but instead of the usual routine, we all boarded a rickety bus and drove two hours to a town called Mamalapura. The town resembled a giant flee market with tiny little shops lining both sides of the streets. Each shop was filled with Indian trinkets and rugs that made me feel like I had just stepped into "Aladdin". We spent the first four hours of our day going in and out of stores shopping, or more specifically, bartering. There are no price tags. The price is made up on a whim the second you walk in the door. In the beginning I took it as a challenge, but the novelty wore off after a few stores.

There are a few things I learned throughout the day:

1.Spending time in India has made me very cheap! I won;t pay more than 200 rupees for anything! (200 rupees= about 2 bucks haha)

2. All the villagers make the same face when you barter with them.( If it looks like they are disgusted it's because they are)

3. I miss shopping at Nordstrom. (No offense to Disney Land, but Nordstrom is the happiest place on earth. ;)

4. Be very careful what kind of "authentic Indian souvenir" you buy to take back to the states. (see picture below....haha)


In the end, I realized that there was no use for little trinkets that would soon end up at the bottom of boxes or junk drawers. There is nothing I could buy that could describe the things that i've seen here. I just have to hope that the pictures I take will be able to do this experience justice!

After we shopped we saw a lot of really cool stone temples that were throughout the village. The carvings were so intricate!



On the way back to the volunteer hostel, we stopped at a traditional Indian restaurant, everybody ordered "prata" which ended up being all of our favorite dish so far! Prata reminded me of very thick tortillas with a spicy sauce on the side. It was definitely the most filling meal I've had in India. I don't get hungry much here which is probably due to the extreme heat.


Since we were in a public, traditional restaurant, we had to respect "Indian manners". This meant that we ate with our hands; our right hands. The left hand can at no point touch your food. It's very difficult to tear prata using one hand but we all managed. :)

Singing in the Rain :)

Monsoon season has officially hit India and I'm in love! It is no secret that I have loved the rain ever since I was a little girl. The smell, the foggy skies, and the small tinkling sounds on the roof have always had a way of making even the most awful days magical.


I spent the first half of my afternoon working on construction of a community center in one of the leprosy colonies. Not only was this my first true attempt at manual labor, but it was also attempted in 105 degree weather. Let's just say that the 4 1/2 bottles of water I drank pretty much just became ammunition since I was consistently sweating bullets! Loading concrete cinder blocks in and out of a truck all afternoon may sound like no big deal, but factor in the heat and humidity and you have a recipe for an incredibly exhausting day. I can honestly say I have never worked so hard in my life!



After I got back from the leprosy colony, I got the chance to see all of the children from the school perform dance routines for India's Independence Day. Seeing Indian children dance to "We Will Rock You" and Michael Jackson songs was absolutely hilarious and they had so much fun putting on their special performance for their classmates, teachers, and volunteers. The kids here are so full of life. Even though their circumstances are nothing like those of American children, the love for life and sweet demeanor is universal.


On the way back from the assembly, the rain finally hit! This is what I had been waiting for after a long day of excruciating heat! It couldn't have been any better! When it rains in India, it pours! As soon as we got back to the Volunteer Hostile we all stood in what initially was supposed to be a fountain, and danced for at least an hour! All of the girls had a blast and it was a nice break from all of the work we have been doing. For once, I was actually almost cold here ;)

When I grow up...

...I want to be a teacher! It is so weird to hear myself say that but I have fallen in love with teaching little children. I've gone back and forth between different majors and haven't found the right fit until now. India allowed me to feel confident about the decision to switch to Elementary Education before I left and I can't wait to begin the program when I get back to BYU for fall semester.



Today I woke up and took a bucket shower. For those of you living lavishly in the U.S. right now, bucket showers are exactly what they sound like. You sit on a stool and fill a bucket with water. You then proceed to dump it on yourself. Very simple and very time consuming. In all honesty it was absolutely fantastic. Spending all day in the heat makes any kind of shower sound fantastic!

After getting ready, me and a group of five other volunteers were assigned as tutors. We spent about five hours cycling through about 50 kids, reading for twenty minutes each. They were all so excited to learn. A lot of the older children haven't always been in school and because of that, they struggle a little bit more. Some of the younger children, however, have been in this school from the start and are doing amazingly well. So many of these little girls have dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers, and administrating officers for India. All of their aspirations inspire me to do so much more. These children are so smart and I'm grateful for this organization for giving them a chance in life.



The best part of my day had to have been while reading with one of the girls in 1st standard (equvalent to 1st grade in the U.S.) The air conditioning in the school is very sparatic and goes on and off throughout the day. While I was reading with her, the air conditioning had been down for about thirty minutes. I tried not to make it obvious that I'm not used to this heat but she must have noticed I was a little uncomfortable. Next thing I know, this sweet little girl is blowing a steady stream of air straight into my face. When I asked her what she was doing she simply replied, "It is hot. I am helping." She had the biggest smile on her face which I immediately reciprocated because I couldn't believe she thought of something so funny! I am amazed with how giving and considerate all of the kids here are. They are always thinking of others and I learn so much from them. No matter what we are doing, they never fail to put a huge smile on my face and keep me laughing throughout the day!

Changed Forever

I left Monday morning at 8 AM and 33 hours later I found myself in Chennai, India. The fact that I survived all three flights, every transfer without getting lost, and the man behind me making unusually gross noises, is a miracle. Culture shock set in when I boarded my last flight. Almost every single passenger was Indian and those who were white were easily pinpointed as my fellow volunteers :) I had my own little personal television which would have been more exciting had the only category not have been...BOLLYWOOD! haha Let's just say I figured sleeping would be a better way to pass the time. The only times I was awake throughout the 10 hour flight was when I was brought curry. Curry for dinner and curry for breakfast. I can now say I don't like curry and the smell will probably never go away while I'm here :) When we were finally about to land, we recieved the funniest announcement. "Attention passengers, as per Indian Law, it is appropriate that we fumagate the plane before releasing all passengers. Contact wearers and those with sensitive eyes, please cover your eyes, nose and mouth for your convenience." (LONG PAUSE) "Commence fumagation". I was in tears laughing as two flight attendants walked down the aisles holding a can of lysol in each hand and spraying it in the air. HAHA hmm...I wonder why those 9 shots were necessary before I left. It seems like the Indian people believe that Lysol cures everything! ;)

When I stepped off the plane, I was exhausted and couldn't believe what I was seeing. There was no organization, hardly any signs, and dirt floors left a thick coat of blur in the air as people ran to and from terminals. Luckily, my prayers were answered and both my suitcases made it safely to me. The humidity and heat was definitely a shock and the ride to the hotel through the streets kept me awake. Speed limits are optional, lanes are suggestions, and a steady stream of honking is expected. There is only one way to describe the drivers...Really good bad drivers haha. I wouldn't survive two seconds driving on those streets. When I finally got to the Marriott hotel for the night, the bomb-sniffing dogs checked my baggage, and I headed up to my room. It was absolutely beautiful and the workers were incredibly helpful. It was a much needed rest before I left the lap of luxury.


*This is what I found the next morning when I first reached the orphanage. A warm welcome to India from my worst fear.


These are the faces that make it all worth it!
The power and air conditioning works on and off, the bugs are huge, and the heat is hardly bearable, but a smile from one of these kids will make you forget all of that in an instant. These children live away from home for 9 months out of the year and 90% of them are abused when they return home for break. Their life is drastically different from mine and yet the second we stepped foot on their school grounds they ran up to me and hugged me. "What your name is?" That's their favorite question and even when I told them it was shannon, they just call me "auntie". When I ask for their name in return I hear about twenty syllables. When I try to repeat it they all giggle because I sound so ridiculous speaking Tamil.


The little girl on the right is Nageesh. She was the first one to run to me when we got to the orphanage. She tells me that she loves pink, pictures, and white people (in that order haha). Each volunteer is placed in a family. Every family has about twenty kids and either a house mother or a house father. This family gives them some stability and a structure while they are away from their real family. Nageesh was placed in my family and I have loved spending time with her.


This honestly is the most incredible experience that I have ever had. I'll never be the same after this. There is so much more for me to learn in the coming weeks, but I feel that I have grown up a lot while I have been here the last few days. My testimony has grown so much as I see the Savior's hand in all of these children's lives. There are tender mercies all around me and I know that my Heavenly Father is aware of each and every boy or girl at Rising Star Outreach. Jesus Christ healed the leprosy-afflicted when he walked on this earth and I know that he is still healing them today. As I tucked the little girls in last night I watched as they all pulled out their mats and layed them on the cement floor. At first I winced at the sight of them all laying there without even a pillow, but everything changed when I looked up at the door. There was a large picture of the Savior and I knew that these little girls were incredibly blessed. They are happy and I knew that night, they were going to be safe because they are here.

One Step Closer...

"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."

-Mother Teresa

Today I became one step closer. One step closer to truly doing something worthwhile. It's amazing to me how much your past influences your future. I lost my best friend to Cancer when I was thirteen. After twelve years of miracles, it was time for my Dad to be called home to my Heavenly Father. Even though I know that it was his time, I decided then, that I would do whatever I can to someday save someone's life. So here I am, 19 and doing everything I can to earn a spot in a nursing program. That, for me, means saving someone's life. Today, however, I came to the realization that maybe I don't need to literally save someone's life to satisfy my goal. Being a nurse is my dream and I won't stop until my dream comes true, but I decided that I had another dream. I'm going to go to India.

This is one of the children I am going to meet. His life is drastically different from mine. He is a child of parents with leprosy. Due to an incredible organization called Rising Star Outreach, I have the once in a lifetime opportunity to go to India and and serve people who have literally lost everything.

Rising Star Outreach Mission
Our mission is to help the leprosy colonies become thriving, self-sufficient communities.

We are accomplishing this through three major initiatives:

• to educate the colony children in a safe, healthy environment


• to provide leporsy patients with their own small businesses using micro-finance


• to address the unique health challenges of the colonies with mobile medical units

Leprosy is curable. Rising Star Outreach seeks to defeat it. Even so, people who have contracted leprosy must often spend their lives completely isolated from society, although they may have been cured.

They, and members of their families, sometimes find it impossible to marry, recieve education, and find work. An estimated 100 million people worldwide are victims of this discrimination. In India, there are over 700 "leprosy colonies" where the stigma of leprosy is inevitably perpetuated.

If caught early enough, Leprosy can be stopped before it ravages a body and ruins a life.

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So here I go. On August 9th, I will be on a plane to India. I'll be living in a leprosy colony at the childrens' orphanage for 17 days. I will see beautiful children with the sweetest spirits who have been forced out of society because of their parents' condition. I will also meet people whose bodies have been destroyed by Leprosy. I have no doubt that this will be the most shocking and difficult experience of my life. I am absolutely terrified. That's how I know it will be worth it. I'm one step closer to achieving my goal. There's not a doubt in my mind that I will come back a different person, a better person.