Namaste!

We are all well and are keeping warm :)

It is amazing how fast the days pass here at the ashram. I think its because there are still so many new experiences everyday. Today Sam and I bathed a man in the TB ward. He has been sitting in his bed for 2 months waiting for a hip operation. About half way between his knee and ankle he has a large spike going through his leg and attached to that spike is a rope and attached to that rope is a brick! This same man also has a broken left arm in a cast from his hand to his shoulder and he is blind in his left eye. Because he is in the TB ward Sam and I wore masks as we bathed his body with warm soapy water. Afterwards we got some of the Indian staff to help change his sheet which had not been changed in goodness know how long. He barely gets any sleep as he needs to sit up because his lungs are affected by the TB. You can see the muscles in his chest working over time. His bed has now been propped up and I think he is much more comfortable. I would like to take a photo of this man to show you how uncomfortable and lonely his day to day life must be, but I am hesitant to photograph him as I don't think I would like the world to see me in such as state.

Another great patient here is Jagadish. He is the most smiley guy you have ever seen despite his life and injuries. He arrived at the ashram a year ago today. He came to the ashram from a hospital after both his legs and one arm was amputated after an incident with a train. For the first several months he was like a vegetable, he was very depressed and angry and did not want to live. But overtime with love and encouragement his demeanor suggests he is happy despite his life. Unfortunately some days he can be overlooked; when we are short staffed and he may be left to lie in his bed for days at a time. This afternoon the kids and I found him tied into his wheelchair outside the clinic (he has to be tied in as his leg stumps are too short to be able to balance), so we took him for a walk around the ashram and played ball until the afternoon storm finished brewing and decided to bucket down.

I just ran through the rain to our room to make sure the windows were closed... they were but one of our windows is missing a pane of glass and even with plastic the water has run down the wall and formed a nice big puddle on the concrete floor. ahh well.

All the kids came around today for a swim in the pool. They were so cute they all walked holding each others shoulders in a sort of conga line with their new inflatable nemo and mickey mouse floaties. I have some great pics which I will upload in the next day or two

The playground construction is well underway now. The slide was installed today and soon the merry-go-round thingy will be installed.

The dinner bell just rang so I will leave it at that for now...

Would love to hear your news.... please drop us a line!