Rachel Rawlings

What an amazing contrast India is to America! I feel at any moment that all of the noises and constant movement and chaos is going to stop when someone calls “cut.” It’s like a scene out of a movie! Today we were able to meet with some of the girls who aren’t in school and their mothers in Kochpikur, my village, to discuss the importance of education and to hear their stories. There was one mother who was smiling the entire time. Her husband died several years ago, and she has two daughters: a 14 year old and a 15 year old. The mother and the 15 year old work really hard in the fields so that they can support the 14 year old in her schooling. The mother was so willing to do anything to make it possible for her daughters to get an education, and now we are looking at providing this family with a scholarship. By giving these girls an education, we are offering their family an opportunity for change and a brighter future.
In the afternoon, we went to the DBS- the Day Boarding School. There is a girl named Supriya who has become my best friend here in India. She comes and finds me everyday when we get there. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I just want to bring her home with me! She is very quiet and shy, but when she sees me, her bright smile appears, and it makes my day. I gave here a bracelet that I made, and she got so excited! It humbles me so much to know how grateful these girls can be for such a simple gift. When it is time to leave the DBS, the girls surround me and every single one of them plants kisses all over my face. I have never felt so much love and respect in my life, and it is an amazing feeling.
I hope everything is going well at home for all of you, and I hope you are enjoying the blog! See you in a week!