On the Road Again

Monday night, and we're on the road again. It's just gone past 9pm, we have a seven hours drive ahead. And condisering that we started at 6am, one can say it has already been a long day. But again a very good one. WHen the electricity finally came back we were able to make full use of the HOPE offices broadband and coffee making services and catch up on webwork.

And being in a fishermans village, we both saw and ate some delicious fish for lunch. And got our feet finally wet whilst wading on the beach for a couple of minutes.

Pic of the Day - Friday

Tsunami Coast South of Chennai

This is where the tsunami took it's toll two years ago, on the Boxing Day 2004 (26.12.). What do I expect to see today? Ruined homes like in Bhuj, or ultimate powerty and apathy as in the slums of Delhi - perhaps. Still I've already learned to cap my expectations and keep an open mind. HOPE workers and volunteers seem to make miracles happen everywhere they go.

And I am certainly not disappointed today either, nor discouraged. Much the opposite. The Tsunami is long gone, and the first villages at Puduputtinam have seen total rebuilt of 500 homes and 150 new boats donated to the fishermen to get their livelyhoods back on track. Several charities are doing a remarkable job here - World Vison building homes, Rotaries building another village and local Indian donors working together with international organisations. After the initial disaster relief (they were here 4 hours after the waves hit) HOPE is concentrating in providing essential community services. They started a school for the children, run a primary medical clinic, arrange vocational training and continue with the counseling - a job that long from being completed after such massive personal loss and common trauma to the whole village.

AIDS Home of HOPE in Chennai

For the next place to visit I had to brace myself and get mentally prepared to be discouraged by the sick children - all 28 of them are HIV positive, and most have lost either one or both of their parents. Not a pretty thought, and possibly a sight either..

Boy was I wrong again. As with the previous HOPE projects this place for brimming with smiles and full of life and love! We had great time with the children, and they just loooved to be photographed.

Sunday Morning Church in Chennai

What does one do on Sunday morning in Tamil Nadu? Find a good church, listen to a challenging but uplifting sermon and meet old and new friends. Great message by Gimms' younger brother Joabis.

Long day travelling to Chennai

Starting at 3.30am from Bhuj driving seven hours to Ahmedabad to catch flights from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad and on to Chennai. What a change! Chennai is busy, noisy, hot and humid.. and full of life. As Xavier is from Tamil Nadu, we embarked a quest to find some proper Chettinadu nosh - idly and perfect sambar. And yes, we did have some. Lots of it.

Proud Parents and Teachers

Center of HOPE at Bhuj, Gujarat

After an overnight drive from Ahmedabad, we arrived the the Center of HOPE in Bhuj at 6.30 in the morning. We were warmly welcomed by Cristo and his family - and tucked immediately in bed for a good hours sleep before joining in the Republic Day celebrations! The school has 250 pupils. They were all coming in impeccably dressed in their uniforms and this time many parents joined them for the first time and saw their children perform both at the parade and the sporting events afterward. An impressive event, lots of happy smiles and good fun. Bagged around 300 great images, of which we can only show a select few here.

Surprise stopover at Ahmedabad

After a short flight from Delhi we were met at the airport by two brothers from the local church at Ahmedabad. They invited us to their home for some refreshments - which we enjoyed whole heartedly whilst having a little bible discussion. Very encouraging, read Joshua Chapter 1 for more! Here are Nagaraj and Myakele with their son and daughter photographed half and hour ago, and edites and sent in the car on our way to Bhuj overnight. 21st technology at work. Amazing!

Pic of the Day - Wednesday

Kids and carer at the Asharan Orphanage

Asharan Orphanage, Delhi

Afternoon visit to the Asharan Orphanage. Not without some anxiety and uncertainty, I expected to be greeted with some disillusioning stories and sadness. Quite the opposite, the orphanage was roomy, comfortable and full of warm light - and this is not even mentioning the warm welcome from the staff and the kids!

The 28 kids were a joy to be with, full of joy, laughter and love - I have rarely seen such happy children. And did they want to play, and have their photographs taken! We had to sort to some orderly queueing to make sure everyone has theirs taken. Hope you can see some of that energy and enthusiasm in the pictures.

Village of Hope, Delhi

Our first point of call is the Village of Hope in Delhi. Originally started in 1992, the village has provided housing for 800 families. The center has several education programs, dental care and leprosy bandaging clinic, and also provides employment opportunities through micro credit scheme and a craft shop selling hand made jewelry, embroidery and small garments and handmade paper items. An awesome, and utterly encouraging experience!

First images from Delhi

Delhi, the first day

Arrived to Delhi around 11 am local time (5h30min ahead of UK), well rested on the plane. Xavier from the local HOPE office picked me up and took me around to the HOPE Foundation in the town center. We're going to be best buddies as we travel together for the next two weeks!

Delhi is busy, buzzing, dusty - and not half as crowded as I thought before hand. That is likely to change tomorrow as today was more of an office day and getting acclimatized.

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Travel plan

Here is a map of India and our destinatinations. You can find the same map and more info on each program on HOPE Foundations website (link on the right).

We're first two days in Delhi, visiting the Village of Hope and Asharan Orphanage. Third day we fly to Ahmadabad and drive to Bhuj to visit the Bhuj Centre of HOPE arriving on the 6th Anniversary of the earthquake!

After another day back to Ahmadabad and flight to Chennai in the South East, where the tsunami made it's worst damage in India two years ago on boxing day. We will spend a week there driving from one village to another and visiting the AIDS Home of HOPE in Chennai, Wilhelm Hamm Center of HOPE in Tharangambadi and the Divya Orphanage in Trichi among 5 other programs.

Finally return to Delhi to visit the Child Survival Program in Sonia Vihar and the Tigri School before debriefing and saying goodbye to all the lovely heroes of HOPE in India.

Ready to go!
Monday morning, and things are starting to be ready. After a bit of uncertainty (money coming in a bit late, got new camera only this thursday and the visa and passport almost too late), all the preparations are new done.

On the health side, I have had five different vaccinations against Diptheria, Typhoids, Polio, Tetanus and Hepatatis E (the ones you can get jabs for..). On top of that into second week of double dose of malaria tablets and also Gefilus lactobacillus tablets to guard me againt "Delhi belly". Still feeling very well, with no side effect so far!

Managed to book my seat last night with BA's online facility and got the seat I wanted (exit windows seat, allows me to stretch my feet and dose off leaning towards the wall - not waking everyone around me with a steady snore).

Must admit I am a bit nervous, going to the unknown. This is going to be a demanding trip, travelwise and most of all for all the programs we visit. 11 in all, with so much need, suffering and HOPE!

Fundraising website

You can help our work and donate online www.justgiving.com/centersofhope. We aim to use all donated monies towards the material costs of photobooks and other deliverables. All donations however small are welcome, as a little goes a long way in India!

Off to India

for the last week of January and the first week of February!

Mission to photograph, document and capture the essence of the work that HOPE Foundation does in India and the impact it has in the lives of thousands and thousands of people. Just reading about the many programs at numerous places around India is a humbling experience, let alone being priviliged to visit so many of them at the time.

Travel plans are ready, the arrangements almost there and the mind is starting to shift towards eventual travel on next Monday night - exciting, but scary at the same time.

You can follow my progress here, as I have the possibility and access to the internet at distant corners of this vast country.

Best regards,
Mikko