2010 Trip

For a link to the 2010 trip blog, click www.cagindia.blogspot.com

Pictures 5

A view of the mission from above.

A school class lining up for lunch.

Inside a hut.

This is Prassad. He is deaf/mute & lives at the mission. Great kid.

The hospital lab at Good Shepherd.

Pictures 4

Kids playing at the mission.

Filling a moto rickshaw.

Can you pick me out?

Indian driving. Notice the bike on the right.

Family bike.

Pictures 3

This is from the famous oxen parade.

A view of the carts before we got on.

A picture looking back toward the mission. In the back is the mountain we hiked.

A village hut.

Some of the girls at our departure

Pictures 2

Another band that greeted us at a medical camp.

Learning to ride a bike.

Kids at a rural school.

Lunch at the mission.

Kids at a medical camp learning to yell "Go Tigers!"

Pictures 1

A fully loaded scooter.

Typical Indian street

Women working in the rice fields.

This is Brother Henry. He is the founder of Good Shepherd Mission.

Here is another street shot.

Here are some of the girls from the mission wearing their new clothes.

Here is the band that greeted us upon arrival. They led us on a parade to the Good Shepherd hospital.
Some young boys from the mission.
A view looking back from the hospital to the vacant field where the children played. We stayed in the building near the center of the picture with the red roof.
A village picture of where we held our first medical camp.

Friday Morning

It is Friday morning and we just left Good Shepherd. We are in the van headed to Chennai to spend the day. Our flight leaves at 4:00 am Saturday, India time.

Last night, the Americans provided a meal and served it to the mission kids, staff and others. We fed about 300 people. It was nice to return the favor for all that they have done for us.

As you can imagine, leaving here is bittersweet. I miss my family and friends at home. I am ready to leave.

However, I will also miss my new friends. Although I will be physically gone, I doubt that you can truly leave it all behind. Now that I have looked them in the eyes and laughed with them, they are real people to me. Real people with real personalities, real hopes, and real concerns. I have an obligation to help them out in the future.

In a strange twist, these people have very hard lives but are some of the happiest people that I have ever met. No one was clinging to me, begging that I take them back to America. Instead, they just need some help.

Good Shepherd Mission is a miraculous place. The staff works for meager salaries and does great work. They house and feed orphans and the elderly. They provide free health care to those that would go without. Remember that there are no social services in India. If Good Shepherd did not exist, these people might not make it. I have seen some of the people that have to fend for themselves and it is not good.

I know that a lot of you were scratching your heads when I said I was going to India. Trust me, I was too. I'm not the most touchy-feely guy out there. This was a leap of faith that paid off for me. I hope that you find your own India and it pays off for you.

I want to thank my wife Julie for holding down the homestead while I laughed and played. I also want to thank everyone that donated funds to help buy medical supplies. Finally, thank you to everyone that provided kind words and kept me in their prayers.

Thanks for reading. When I get back I will post some photos. Stay tuned.Chad