BTS 11: The Final Week

This time it really was my last week at BTS, and another short one since I had taken the Monday off. The remaining days were busy trying to get my work wrapped up before I left. 

On Thursday afternoon I headed back to the Madurai Sevashram Girls Home as I had arranged to buy some games and sports equipment for them. I met up with my old buddy Gobi, who had already been to a shop and ordered the stuff in advance, so we went to pick it up in an auto-rickshaw, before heading to the Girls Home. (We had originally planned to go back to Madurai's Sri Meenakshi temple first, as I wanted to take some photos, but they STILL weren't allowing cameras in, so we ended up going for a cup of tea instead!)

When we pulled up at the Girls Home all of the girls were sitting outside lined up in rows. I felt a bit like Father Christmas when we got out and started unloading all the gifts. We'd bought carom boards, chess sets, board games, volleyballs, footballs and badminton sets. The girls were pretty excited!

Lots of excitement as the gifts are handed out...

"eeeeeeeee!"

After we'd handed them out and taken a few photos it was time for their evening prayers and (apparently) they said a special prayer especially for my family and I. So sweet! We stayed there for another hour and played some of the new games with them. 

The board games get their first outing

It was also my second chance to see Suganya and she seemed a bit more at ease this time. Perhaps it was seeing all the other girls crowding around me! I also met my brother's sponsor child, Sowkraniya, who is really lovely. I'd brought some photos of my family and my home to show them and Sowkraniya recognised my nieces and knew their names. You can really tell how much sponsorship means to these little ones who get so little individual attention in the rest of their lives.

With Suganya (on my right) and Sowkraniya (on my left)

The week passed too quickly and soon my last day had come around. I was working right up until the last minute (Saturday lunch time) trying to get everything wrapped up, having to make a very last minute trip back to Rengasamy Children's Village to get some more photographs for some marketing collateral Jan and Narendra are creating. 

Joe was back down at the guesthouse for my last 2 days so it was nice to share my last evening meal and last lunch with him! I was really, really sad to leave.  It's such a beautiful place and I have felt really at home here. Saying goodbye to Joe was particularly sad, as was saying goodbye to Muthupandi, who has looked after me so well. I'm not sure how I'll get used to feeding myself and making my own tea next week! 

Muthupandi boiling milk for my last cup of tea!

Above all it was sad to leave the children and to leave this place where so much good stuff is happening and so much happiness is being brought to so many. It's going to be very hard to let go... I have a feeling I'll be back again before too long! I was gulping back tears as the car pulled away. It's definitely an experience which will stay with me for a very long time - probably the best experience of my life, so far. 

Last morning with the children, at Rengesamy Children's Village