Study Hall

Every afternoon from 3:30 to 5 the children have study hall. I have been
sitting with the 4 and 5 year olds helping them learn to read English and
Hindi,their multiplication tables and simple subtraction. A group of 5 girls
have one tutor.
--

Baby

Priti is the youngest child at the orphanage. She is almost 3 months old and
has been here since she was born. About a month ago she developed bronchitis
and had to be fed with a tube when she quit eating. She is better now.

--

Isha on the swing

Isha loves to swing, jump on the trampoline and play in the dirt.

Babaji

Everynight there is a ritual in Babaji's room that involves quite a bit of
ruckus, chaos and unmitigated joy with a tinge of pranking. Everyone is
invited to come to Babaji's room for games, reading and hanging out. Babaji or
a child sitting next to him on his elevated chair of honor flings a piece of
foil wrapped chocolate to the person entering the room. That person attempts
to catch it and then eventually eats it, balling up the foil for ammunition to
pelt others in the room. Adults and children run around collecting foil balls
to throw at one another. Meanwhile, people are playing board games, reading
aloud to children, talking, laughing, enjoying the fun. The noise level
generally gets quite high. After about 1/2 hour of this, the children leave to
go eat their supper.end #

Welcome

नमस्ते, एंड वेल्कोमे तो इंडिया
Namaste, and welcome to India

Sri Ram Ashram in Shampur near Haridwar

Arrived here at midnight Wednesday, having missed the afternoon train and hired a private car instead. 6 hours later, we finally found the place. Beautiful place, welcoming people, in spite of the lateness of the hour. The children are quite fascinated with this new visitor. I assisted in the clinic with Andrea, a german nurse who lives here, married a local man and has a 14 mo. old girl baby named Isha. In the clinic we found 3 ticks in the ears of 3 different people, a strange, unidentified white thing with pain and swelling in another ear, infected ears in a fourth person, scabies, constipation, general joint pain in some older people. There is a visiting chiropractor who treated the pain. Fascinating work. I babysat Isha and looked in some ears.

Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest)

Went on a most amazing flight seeing tour this morning to see this 29,000 foot peak via Yeti Airlines. Plane load of Chinese tourists, one lone Japanese man who is taking a year to travel around the world and reported he was feeling "very lonely." Two Philadelphians and us. We all oohed and aahed and snapped many a photo. No clouds, and very little snow, considering how high up the terrain is and how deep into winter we supposedly are. Regardless of these factors, quite a wonder.

Changu Narayan Hindu Temple

This temple is over 1500 years old. Up many stone steps at the top of the village. Beautiful wood carvings, gold covered doors.

Shivaji Temple

Opposite the funeral pyres is a stone platform where singing and fire puja is performed each evening from 6-7.

Shiva Temple

Visited the Hindu temple in Kathmandu in the evening where they have funeral pyres which is what you see burning in the center of this picture. The temple is on the bank of this dried up river. After several hours of cremation, the ashes are sprinkled in the river below.

The light colored building to the right is a hospice where people go to die opposite the temple and conveniently located right next to the cremation staging area.
We hope to visit that place today. Our Nepali guide is somewhat reluctant. His response to my request to visit the hospice was, "I have no courage."

Buddhist Temple

Lighting devotional oil lamps daily.

Visit to Buddhist Monastary and Temple

Incredible temple sourrounded by shops selling everything buddhist and more. A whole shop of singing bowls; a shop with nothing but malas; books and posters; movies;

Never seen so many prayer flags. Notice the face mask on the man in the foreground. If I stayed here long, I'd be wearing one. Wiping my nose this morning yielded sooty looking mucous. (Sorry for the graphic details, but I am a nurse...)

Bright colored clothing, saris, sweaters, Nepali style woollen hats, sweaters, traditional boots.

Driving through town

After settling into the beautiful Everest Hotel which is the oldest 5 star in Kathmandu, we squeezed into a tiny taxi and road through town. Again, I was lucky enough to score a window seat and snapped street scenes out the window, like the one here. Bicycle vegetable vendor. The gutters and alleys were filled with trash. The driving (and riding) was treacherous. There is no observation of lanes, and liberal use of the horns to let others know we're coming through. Saw two cows, many motorcycles and mopeds and of course thousands of cars, trucks, buses, crammed with people. The air is very smokey. No sign of the big mountain, but Joan and I plan to take a flight seeing tour while we're here. Joan is from Denver, travelling with my dad, and met him through his Reading for the Blind group. She's a very nice lady in her eighties who has travelled a lot in her life, but never to this part of the world. Pleasant company.

Arriving Kathmandu

Our plane departed New Delhi at 1:05 pm on Sunday afternoon. We arrived in Nepal about an hour and a half later. However, the Nepali timezone is 15 minutes later than in India. I was lucky enough to have a window seat and saw scenery like this as we approached the airport. I snapped many photos, but each picture requires 5 minutes download time, so you'll be getting a precious few. You'll get to see many hundreds upon my return, should you so desire.

Arrival in New Delhi

After many hours trapped in my seat with only one bathroom break, playing endless games of freecell on the little screen in the back of the seat in front of me, our plane touched down after 13 and 1/2 hours in the air, direct from Newark. I missed the man who had arrived to pick me up to take me to the hotel where my dad is staying; found someone else to take me to a two star hotel near the airport. Got on the internet, read my old e-mail with the phone number, made contact with my dad by phone and went to bed. Awake at 5 am, but even a few hours stretched out on a bed is better than many hours curled up in the plane.
We are 13 and 1/2 hours ahead of folks back in Santa Cruz. I discovered that making a call home to reassure them I had been found. My dad had called there when I did not arrive at the hotel as scheduled.
My first impression upon walking outside at the New Delhi airport was smoke. People still use wood fires for cooking and heating their living space, I guess. Lots of car, bus, truck and auto rickshaw traffic--horns blaring; many near misses; no delineated lanes, just a free-for-all. No sitings of livestock yet, just one lactating dog.
This morning I bought a cell phone I can use locally and to call the US. If you want to call me, try 910-9711591028. It took me one hour standing at the cell phone stall on the street to get it all connected. I walked with the owner to a photo shop to get a digital passport sized photo for his phone records to establish the phone in my name. He was very polite and accomodating and ended the transaction by giving me 6 numbers where I could reach him, including his personal number. I have a friend for life. I was approached by several beggars while I stood there, but not inundated as I remember from the past.

Hospices in Mumbai

After a teeny bit of internet research I have discovered that there are actually hospices in India already. Actually, my friend, Hanife clued me in on that one. So, there are 2 in Mumbai that serve people with AIDS. Niramay Niketan in Trombay, and Jyoti Terminal Care Centre at Kalamboli. I'm hoping that I can figure out exactly where these centers are and perhaps visit them on my way through Mumbai, which it turns out is the hub of all travel by air or by train, so I will be passing through there a few times on my way from here to there.

Future Hospice Building Site

This is the photo Timothy Jalam sent me of the land he has acquired for the hospice he wants to build for the women and children in his community who are dying with HIV.

Hopefully we can break ground while I am there and we can begin construction as well as program planning. I will also have time to familiarize myself with the people in need of this service, the local medical system and supplies, medications and expertise available in that area.

Leaving for India very soon!

Count down to take off time. One week from today is my last day at Hospice of Santa Cruz County. One week after that is the day I fly to New Jersey and New Delhi, leaving SFO at 8:00 am Friday January 23rd. Between the 16th and the 23rd, I relax in the hot baths at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, in between Improv classes for 5 days. Then the marathon journey begins.

PBS Special on India

Saw a fabulous 1 hr. special on India last night, 9:00 PST on PBS. I think it's part of a longer series and plan to tune in again tonight, Tues. Jan. 6th. History, Archaeology, Anthropology, and many current shots of people and places primarily focused on the Indus River valley in Western India, north, through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan. Very intriguing. Toward the end they showed film clips of the narrator, a Brit being showered with colored powder during the Holi festival last year. I'm definitely looking forward to that.

History and Mission Statement of Prabhat Tara Sanstha

Respected Cynthia,

Greetings from India!

Please find information about Prabhat Tara Sanstha and its activities.
Prabhat Tara Sanstha is Non Governmental Christian Organization in India. It is registered under

Societies Registration Act, 1860, on 15/07/1994 and its registration number is Maharshtra / 4402/ Sangli.

Public Trust Act, 1950, on 21/09/1994 and its registration number is F4367

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 1976, on 13/12/2001 its registration number is 083960064.

Since its inception with the regular intervention and support of the Positive Steps , Unit 6 Meadowmill, West Hendersons Wynd, Dundee, DD1 5BY, Scotland,
<> Mr. Derek Sharkey is the Chief Executive Officer of Positive Steps, Scotland.

Prabhat Tara Sanstha is working in the red light area of Miraj, Sangli and Gokul Nagar among around 4000 sex workers and their children for the transformational development with the ideology of collective struggle and care and support to women and children living with HIV/AIDS.

Vision
A society of sex workers, Devdasis Eunuchs, and their children based on justice peace and equality and harmony with the Nature.


Mission

To restore human dignity of sex workers, Eunuchs and women and children living with HIV/AIDS through collective struggle and care and support.

To Activities our vision we have carried out following activities.

Three Pre school education centers in the three red light areas
Extra tuition classes to the children going to the school,
Home of Hope [hostel] for 40 girls who are from red light area these children are cared and accepted irrespective of caste, creed, religion, race and provided to the extent possible an opportunity to receive and enjoy the benefits of physical mental and social and moral education so that each will be light and the salt in the days to come.
Home of Hope for boys [hostel] who are from the red light area.
Care and support, psychosocial support, Nutritious support and travel support visit ART Center Civil Hospital to 35 children living with HIV/AIDS in Miraj Taluka.

Care and support, psychosocial support, Nutritious support and travel support to visit ART center Civil Hospital to 40 women living with HIV/AIDS in the red light area.
Collective struggle for livelihood and food security for sex workers and Devdasis.
Skill training to the adolescent girls.
Eye camp, ENT and Dental camp,
HIV/AIDS awareness and preventive education and home based care for HIV/AIDS.
In the red light area Brothel House is converted in to a Church and we are having regular church service in the red light area in spite of all oppositions.

Looking forward to hear from you.

His Grace and Peace.

The Rev. Timothy Jalam,
Chairman,
Prabhat Tara Sanstha,
Swami Vivekandnada Nagar,
Miraj 416410, District Sangli,
Maharashtra State,
www.bmsindia.wordpress.com
Prabhat_tara_sanstha@yahoo.co.in

Photos sent by Timothy Jalam

Prabhat Tara Sanstha

Just received word from Timothy that he received the donations I sent him as "seed money" to purchase some beginning materials for the hospice building. He also sent some beautiful photographs of some of the women and children in his community.

This initial donation came from my friend, Rebecca Dalton in Silver Spring, Maryland, thank you, Rebecca. A second portion was given by me in honor of my family at Christmas, my mother, Freda, my father, Don, and my brother, Thomas.