Coconut Groves

Last week, I spent 4 days at a boarding school in a small village about 2 1/2ish hours outside of Chennai. It was an amazing experience. The group I was staying with is called Rising Star Outreach. They support a number of Leprosy colonies in Tamil Nadu and also have opened up a boarding school for children whose parents or grandparents have been inflicted with the disease. Their goal is to eliminate the stigma that follows Leprosy patients and their families. They are doing amazing things.

Every evening, the volunteers, directors and the like have dinner on the roof of the childrens hostel. I walked up there and in front of me was a giant table with banana leaves as settings under an Indian print canopy. I always thought Utah won for best sunsets until this moment. Looking across the mango trees, the crisp jungle air was full of wispy clouds and the deepest of pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows.

I sat there with 11 other passionate people ranging from age 17 to 68. They all chose to be at that table and they all wanted to use their talents to help others who otherwise would not have a fighting chance.

Small things add up. This was the proof.