The Beauty of India Shines Through

India changed me. The trip was an exhausting, but life-changing experience. I've seen documentaries and other programs about India and was aware of the conditions. However, witnessing it in person is another story entirely.

It is shockingly filthy, with piles of trash everywhere. Yet, its beauty still shines through. Despite there being nothing but dirt on the ground, it is surprisingly green with trees and other foliage. Buildings are dilapidated; but many are very colorful. Even the buses and work vehicles are colorfully decorated.

To me, it was the people that shined the most. Despite their impoverished living conditions, they appeared very happy. They were very friendly and helpful people. The men who sell merchandise on the streets were incredibly persistent and didn’t take no for an answer. No, to them, meant “Not at this moment, but if I persist,you’ll cave in.” They have a can-do attitude and will quickly figure things out. Americans could learn a lot from their determination. The women are always beautifully dressed, even in the poorest areas. Many of them are quite shy; but they always smiled when they engaged with us.

Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) was my favorite location, despite having poor living conditions. Locals are quite fascinated by "white" people and the girls would giggle if we said hello to them. Many wanted photos with us and one man even handed me his baby to photograph with us. It was like we were celebrities. Some just stared because they had never seen white people before.

We visited several cities in Bengaluru and also in Kolkatta and New Delhi. Many of the excursions were long ones, especially with the crazy driving. It's quite frightening...weaving in and out of cars, with some coming head on and then swerving at the last minute. This is the way they drive on a daily basis. Different sounding horns are constantly going off and it can be quite maddening. What is interesting, though, is that the drivers aren’t stressed out and irate like Americans, and they don’t have as many accidents. Again, something we can learn from them. They work hard and are at peace with their way of life.

My favorite parts of this trip were visiting the orphanages and Mother Theresa House. We toured Mother Theresa House one day and a couple of days later volunteered for Daya Dan, which is an orphanage that cares for disabled children. There, we made beds, helped wash and hang clothes, did physical therapy with the children, and fed them. Most of the children seemed to have cerebral palsy. The girl I fed seemed to be completely unaware of my presence. However, when I sang to her, she would hum back to me. This made me realize how important our presence was, even if just for a day. These places rely on volunteers to show up every day in order to care for the children. Without volunteers showing up from all over the world, these children would have no one to care for them.

We visited two other orphanages and delivered school supplies. One was in the red light district, housing young children of prostitutes. The children sang for us and were so happy and delighted we were there. We colored with them a bit and then had to leave. The other orphanage cared for children with AIDS and cared for the mothers until they expired.

The oldest boy, age 15, has lived there his entire life. It is all he has ever known. The children are under quarantine. However, they were allowed to perform a dance at the Republic Day Parade in front of the President of Kolkata. We had the honor and privilege of watching them perform the dance for us. You can watch it here. Their performance moved me to tears.

I feel so grateful to have had this experience. I was able to look past what my eyes could see and notice the beauty of India and its people. It has forever changed me.