Tanuku

After a few days in Tanali we spent a day travelling north to a small town called Tanuku. There's not that much to see in the center of the town - but it's surrounded by beautiful countryside - mainly sugarcane plantations. It's also one of the main places where Eare are working.

On the road to Tanuku:



On the way we stopped at a Leprosy mission run by Eare that cares for over forty people - many of whom are now disabled as a result of Leprosy. As Swine Flu is sweeping through India at the moment, a number of the people from the center had been taken to hospital. But we were still able to introduce ourselves to the rest of the people at the center and hand out supplies.

Handing out eggs and water:



Ruth distributing bananas:



Sudheer had managed to get us rooms in a pretty good hotel - it even had air con, TV, and most surprising of all: actual hot water coming out of the shower...it was going to be our base from which we would visit the outlying villages.

The one experience that really sticks in my mind from Tanuku is the evening we went to visit the untouchables. India has a strong caste system, which segregates society and dictates the type of life a child is going to live. For those at the top of the pile - a life of luxury and privileged. For those at the bottom of the pile - poverty and hardship.

The untouchables are at the bottom. It's considered by many a terrible thing to touch an untouchable - hence the name.

It took an hour to reach the village - a collection of over two hundred wood and banana leaf shacks on a piece of scrub land owned by the government. For many - the only income is made from digging through garbage dumps looking for materials that can be sold for recycling.

It's a hard existence - but these are real people - with real hopes and dreams.

As we pulled up in the van the children ran along side laughing and joking with each other. All of them wanted to shake our hands and ask our names. They might have very little - but there's a happiness and joy in the most simple things of life that you don't see most other places...

The untouchables:



A church service was held in the village for those who wanted to attend, followed by the distribution of food. Sudheer's team have already built bore wells here so that the people have access to safe drinking water, and a free medical service is in the pipeline.

It was an amazing and humbling experience to walk through this village as the sun sank from the sky and the night became dark. It feels strange to find so many smiles in a place that should be bereft of hope - but it's here - and it feels real...

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We did a lot of other things during our time here: visited several old peoples homes, a medical center providing free health care, visited some churches connected with the relief efforts, and held a number of services in outlying villages. And that doesn't really cover everything Eare are doing in India.

It's an amazing organisation, run for Indians by Indians - and every cent invested in it goes directly to the point of need.

It was really an amazing time...not only because of the things we did and saw - but also because of the team spirit that quickly developed. We laughed - a lot...

Time really flew and soon it was time for me to leave. I'd booked my plane ticket a day earlier than I should, having got the dates wrong in my calendar, and so had to say goodbye to everyone and catch the overnight train to Chennai to make my flight.

Here's me with Sudheer, his children, and Sunni at the station:

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Thanks to John Prosser for allowing us to go with him to India, and especially to Lindon and Sam for organizing everything. And a big thank you to Sudheer, his family, and the team at Eare who really looked after us...and to Sunni for the French Fries and Indian "Croissants" :-)