July 7
Yoga dude nearly killed me. I know now that I need to start gently with my old, stiff body. That is especially the case with my messed-up neck and back. So I’m gonna take a day or two off and then go back at it, but slow and mostly just stretching.
So we did the brick moving. It was just as menial as you’d think, but there is something gratifying about being able to look at a big pile of heavy stuff you just moved. Lily worked hard and we kept going longer than we were expected to, so I think it was a good experience for the kids. Lily in particular had a good experience really giving it her best, and she talked about it with the group at dinner, so that was gratifying.
At night we told bedtime stories to kids in the elementary school. We went up to their sleeping rooms. I was assigned to a room of boys who sleep in a concrete room with a single bunk bed in it and several mats—not much thicker than a sheet—to sleep on. There were nine kids assigned to the room. They were all fifth-graders, though they looked a couple years younger. A bare, single low-wattage bulb gave about as much illumination as one of our night-lights. The kids turned a five-gallon bucket upside down for me to sit on. About half were interested in what I had to say. I chatted them up for a minute or two. They asked for a song, so I sang them “I Am a Child of God.” They were very familiar with it from legions of Mormon do-gooders who preceded me. They asked me what my job is, and were all shocked when I told them that I’m a lawyer. “You go to court??” they asked. They told me to show them a picture. We’re forbidden from having our phones with us during story time because it winds them up, but I told them I’d show them something the next day at recess.
I told them a story about Raja the white tiger and his nemesis, the boy Satish. They really got into it. It was just like telling the “Hicah and Myrum” stories that I tell Micah and Hyrum sometimes at bedtime. After it was over, I told them I’d tell them another Raja and Satish story tomorrow.
July 8
Today we went to the Vandalur leper colony to volunteer. This was the first exposure we’ve actually had to any of the leper patients. It was different than I expected. I pictured a place out in the middle of nowhere, with the lepers as far away from everything as possible. Instead, the colony was located on maybe an acre or two of land directly on the side of a four-lane highway. The people live in the most ramshackle places I’ve ever seen, tiny shacks with frames made of sticks covered with just about anything flat you could find in the trash: scraps of weatherworn tarps, corrugated tin, other sheet metal pieces, tar paper, plywood, commercial signs. Electrical lines are strung everywhere so haphazardly that I can’t imagine there aren’t frequent electrocutions. In fact, there was an electrical line about 3/4” in diameter that was strung across the side of the lot that faces the road. It was strung through trees and attached (sort of) to poles, and it drooped to about four feet high. Before the medical vehicle could enter the place, two guys tugged on either end of it to get it higher. Then one of them used a forked stick to prop up the line so that it wouldn’t catch the top of the van. It looked like numerous electrical connections were completely exposed to the elements. Surely there are shorts every time it rains? Beats me—I just kept my distance.
The patients came in for treatment, and we were all set up in stations. The patients’ wounds are cleaned and debrided; their nails are clipped; their dry, scaly skin is oiled; and they are bandaged up and given written information. My job was to clip the deformed nails, and it wasn’t very straightforward. Some patients had some nails that were more or less normal. Others had gnarled, ingrown, or claw-like nails, or no nails at all. Of course the feet were almost all deformed to a greater or lesser degree. One patient had no left foot or ankle at all. Lily’s job was to clean the wounds and bathe them in a disinfectant solution for several minutes. For some of the patients Lily’s station was visibly painful, and I felt bad for them.
I wasn’t particularly surprised by the serious deformities and wounds we saw. Maybe the most surprising thing about it was how tiny many of these people were. One little woman was barely taller than my belly button. Several were maybe 4’6” or so. Rising Star has been visiting these places for quite some time, I gather, so many of the staff knew the locals and were very friendly with them. One little guy in particular was a Christian, and broke into a rhythmic song with us when we arrived. He started clapping his hands—or what remained of them, which was basically palms—and singing a song. We went along, and when he was done he gave a prayer that none of us understood. Seemed like a cool little guy. As I was sitting on my stool at my toenail-clipping station and watching the patients, I wondered what these people will look like in the Spirit World. Obviously, they won’t have deformities, but will they be tall? How similar will their appearance be? How will we see one another? Who will have learned the most from this mortal experience, me or them?
After the visit, we went to the Vandalur zoo, which is literally a few feet from the colony. We didn’t have a lot of time to see the whole park, which is huge, but we rode around in a vehicle and got out at the biggest attractions. The most interesting thing was the white tiger exhibit, though I have to admit the ice cream bars were a close second. Lots of people waved at us as we walked/rode through the park. A group of men from somewhere distant in India wanted to take pictures with the group. Lily paid to use a public restroom. I guess I’ll leave it to her to describe it, but I gather it wasn’t the Ritz. The attendant was incensed that he had to give Lily change for a ten-rupee bill. I guess most people have a two-rupee coin? One interesting thing about the zoo is that for some reason the normal Indian taboo against public display of affection doesn’t apply at the zoo. Not that anyone’s going crazy, but there were numerous couples holding hands or sitting together on park benches, which isn’t permissible elsewhere in public.
On the way back to the campus we stopped at “the Junction,” a ramshackle group of dwellings and store stalls at the turnoff to the road that leads to our campus. Lily bought a box of henna, and other girls bought flowers for their hair or little packaged treats. There wasn’t any ice cream to be had, dangit.
On the way back we passed a number of platted real estate developments that were obviously abandoned several years ago. I think it’s the equivalent of those places in San Tan and Casa Grande that folded up when the market crashed in 2008-09. The developments are called things like “The Majestic Megacity,” but to say that description is aggressive marketing would be the hugest of understatements.
Later this afternoon, as promised I downloaded one of my web videos, and they got to watch me talk on my phone about franchise law. Good for 30 seconds of amusement in a schoolyard in rural India, I guess.
July 9
Today we didn’t leave campus. Our assignment was to work at the school, on an “education assignment.” Indian schools are hot! Especially the computer lab (yes, they got a rich person to fund one). We started this morning by playing games with some kindergarteners. Then a session helping a first or second-grader practice the letter D. Then time in the computer lab trying to help fourth-graders do computer problems like “Write the number for four hundred fifteen thousand and twenty.” It’s a little hard to explain digits and decimals when you don’t share a language! Then a session with sixth-grade boys about obedience. I asked them what their favorite sport is—soccer of course. So we did a little skit about how obedience to your coach results in goals. After lunch more time in the computer lab, and then PE outside at about 2 p.m. You haven’t lived until you’ve played soccer in a dress shirt in 104 degrees and 100% humidity with the sun beating down on you.
Tonight at dinner Lily talked about how good her education assignment was today. Her kids listened well and she felt like she did some good. I do feel like this whole experience has been really great for her so far.
After dinner I got into a discussion with some of the counselors (older college students) about philosophies of raising kids to be financially responsible and unselfish. It was a pretty good discussion. I didn’t preach too much, or at least I didn’t mean to, and anyway they asked for my thoughts so I gave ‘em!
Tonight for story time I talked again about Raja the white tiger and Satish, the clever little boy who avoids being eaten by him. It’s a tradition now so they were excited to hear about it. Tonight, Satish escaped with the clever and speedy help of his two rabbit friends, Micah and Hyrum.
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