Kaddiapatinam

I have been trying to think since yesterday of appropriate expletives to describe our arrival in Kaddiapatinam yesterday. They all seem to pale.

After a morning of dawdling around Nagarcoil, and a wonderfully fun experience in a sari shop where I was attended to by somewhere upwards of 15 people to fit me in a sari (which I did not buy, I bought a sudidthar instead), we hired a rickshaw and headed toward Kaddiapatinam. (This is the village that the entire project was originally based around, and the subject of our Ashland fundraiser). This time we hired a CRAZY driver, and Kaddiapatinam is about a 30 minute drive (now THAT was scary-especially the ride back in the dark!). The change in scenery was incredible. The trees, the villages, the people. All very different than my experience of a rickshaw around the city of Chennai. This is yet another country. Cedric asked me to video our arrival, and just catch whatever came up. So the camera was running as we entered, and people on the sides of the road began to wave. The ocean was spectacular with large waves crashing off the rocks, throwing spray far, far into the air. There is that smell of ocean, and lines and lines of fishing boats. We are here to meet with Father Gino, the man Cedric worked with in 2005. We arrived at the church to find out he has been transferred to another parish, and no longer lives here. We wandered around a bit, and found a woman who said she would call Father for us, and after a few calls, a cup of tea and a bag of chips she was able to find him. Cedric was elated, and is scheduled to meet up with him today. So it seemed our trip to Kaddiapatinam was complete for the time, but I wanted to walk around a bit before leaving, this was a long journey for me. It didn’t take long before the hummm of our arrival traveled through this sleepy little village. A group of men approached Cedric, and one remembered him from 2 years ago. He introduced us around, one thing led to another and it appeared that the English teacher Cedric had worked with was still here, so a group of young high school boys took us there. They were very friendly and curious, and obviously were enjoying the opportunity to utilize the English they learn in school, which I have come to learn consists of “how are you”, “fine”, “what is your name”, “where are you from”. That’s it, sorta like me a spanish. There was a younger group of children who ran out in front of us and yelled out their 3 or 4 phrases and then excitedly ran away. Ultimately, the boys took us to the English teachers house, only this was not the teacher that Cedric knew, but they invited us in anyway, served us plantains and Orange Fanta, and we visited with this family, played with their babies, took pictures, laughed, and talked about the village, the school and the students. Their hospitality was so warm and genuine. We soon said good bye and headed out. Someone said they knew where the other English teacher was and we followed him. We knocked on door after door and eventually one was opened by a man who was obviously THRILLED to see Cedric. His name is Jesu. He immediately invited us in. We stayed for hours. We learned about the school, the community, and a volunteer program he has coordinated. We learned that teachers are not paid while they teach, they teach knowing that they will receive pay in 5 – 10 years. They teach HOPING that a permanent teaching position will become available. I am not clear how they actually survive in the meanwhile. But this man was amazing. His heart, his love for the children, his dedication. He has coordinated a group of 6 of his friends, and together they have created a volunteer after school tutor program. The purpose is specifically for the children from poorer homes, whos parents are unable to assist them with homework in the evenings. So he and his friends gather at the school and help them study. We talked on and on about the village and the students and tremendous needs that the school and students have. He said that the problems created by the tsunami had been handled, and now they are back to their normal struggles. He too spoke of the needs of the students and young people, as did the man in Chennai. We asked if we could see the school, and he said yes, we could peek through the windows, but if we wanted to see inside we would need to come back. It was decided we would come back on Wednesday.

Soon, a group of beautiful women showed up, and Jesu said, “oh, these are my friends who help me with tutor”. Eventually we were joined by one more young man that made this group of 7 complete. Here is where any description I may give will truly not do justice to this experience. This group of vibrant young adults (all in their early 20’s) go to school themselves during the day, some of them traveling to the University that is an hours bus ride each way, and then return here to tutor every evening, while also maintaining their own studies in History, Computers, Civil Engineering, Tailoring and English. I immediately felt like I had known them forever. Their glowing faces and optimistic outlook as they sat on the floor of this thatched roof hut, furnished with only two plastic chairs, a small television, a make shift bed and two large paintings of Jesus, spoke about school, and the children, and their village, and wanted to know if I was married because I wore a marriage ring on my toe. Then they asked if I wanted to wear a sari. When I said yes, they were thrilled, and rushed me off into the small attached room to wrap me up, put flowers in my hair and bindi on my forehead. We were all giggling and talking all at once, mixing languages and laughter and jewelry. The men in the other room were also laughing and waiting and saying, “what are you doing in there?”. When I came out it was more of the same, with photos and more photos and everyone wanting to stand together, and they took me outside for more photos and more laughter, and suddenly they ask if they can take me sari shopping (we are meeting tomorrow at 1:00) and would we come back to visit the school, and have dinner and dancing. And now Wednesday is a party – we’ll all be there and they are bringing friends, and celebration has begun and I am in love. And I am in love.