Saran Kumar

Near our house, there is a place called the “New Boat House”, named the “New Boat House” because it’s newer than the “Old Boat House”.  I love that really.  Well, parking there is nonexistent and I was on my way to get Sydney from school and there was a car that was taking a tremendous amount of time to parallel park.  So, I got impatient and, well, big-headed and went to “roar” around him, in the car/van/can mind you, and had to go on the grass to do so, knowing full well that the grass was wet and quite muddy.  Well, people, I got stuck.  Right in front of the car that I was impatient with.  Humbled is the first word that should come to your mind.  Well, I couldn’t get out without a bit of assistance.  It took eight men, four rocks, 10 minutes and at the end, them actually lifting the right side of the car/van/can out of the mud.  To add to the story, since that time, whenever the car/van/can hits any sort of hole, the horn automatically beeps,  reminding me to be drive with patience and humility.  

This week we were able to share in a really special time with a 14-year-old boy named Saran Kumar.  His dad passed away in 1999, his mom ran away after that, and he has been living with his brothers and grandmother since.  Someone in his family gave him a small plot of land.  Probably 12 feet by 6 feet.  And we helped build a house for him and his grandmother.  The gentleman that introduced us says he is a hard worker, a good student, and soft-spoken.  Saran’s grandmother is nearly blind and quite aged, but strong in spirit, you could tell.  Jayson was especially taken with him and is so thankful to have been a part of Saran’s life for this brief time.  

So, we have been selling some of our things, and I took a few pictures to make a wee flyer to go around.  I am showing you some of the pictures to make you feel better about your own picture taking.  A lot of the pictures were taken when the kids were sleeping and I didn’t want to turn on lights or make much noise, so I just snapped and fled. 

After this photo was taken, we realized that we cannot sell this dog house. Maybe for firewood. 

Why try to sell the "potential", when you can sell the "reality"? 

Our heater has a strong resemblance to Wall-E.

I wasn't joking when I said the kids were sleeping when I snapped some photos, because James was dead asleep when I took this one. By the way, I'm highlighting the "mattress" in this photo.

Nothing about this photo is right - It's an awkward angle, the top edge of the radiator is off the photo, and there's underwear draped over it.

No need to get the water container down from the storage shelf...just point and shoot. 

The parenting class that I have been a part of with the two moms in the aftercare program has come to an end.  I have been with them for nearly 1 1/2 years and can hardly believe that I said goodbye.  I knew we were going to eventually finish once I left, but they decided to leave with their kids to go work elsewhere nearer to family.  I kind of got this panicky feeling when I knew they were leaving.  They are safer with Freedom Firm, not completely of course, but safer than the rice factory that they were going to work at.  The kids are safer with us keeping an eye on them.  I don’t know how to end this paragraph, because I don’t know entirely how I feel on the subject.  

All for now from Ooty, India.