Dancing, Singing and Painting!

Eden Cowart


Dancing, Singing and Painting! We started the day out with a visit to the Hindu temple near our new home at the NHPC this morning. It was a great way to celebrate Eliza’s birthday! The kids had a great time seeing the Hindu culture in action. It was a little different than the Temple they are used to☺ From there we headed to the high school where we were greeted by hundreds of Indian students. We had an amazing time together and the teens did a great job with all of there performances-plus we all had a fantastic time seeing what our new friends had prepared for us. There were some really good numbers and some that were so funny I don’t think we will ever forget them.

After a little culture, we headed to my ashram at Kalsuin to do some painting. It was great to have the whole YMAD team together to get some work done. The teens painted three huge rooms in about three hours. They are amazing young people and I am so glad I have been able to spend so much time with them. They have amazing attitudes and they know how to work hard.

All the kids are in good physical health, a bit sunburned and tired, but if you ask them how they are doing they will tell you “AMAZING!” They are the bravest teens I have seen when it comes to eating Indian food.

My ashram girls at Kalsuin came up to me today and asked if they could show me some pictures. The proceeded to hand me photos of all the YMAD kids who have come to work in their Ashram, yelling out each of their names. “Alisha! Josh! Sarah! Andrew! Ben!...” I looked at probably 30 photos and by the time I was done I was crying like a baby. I have worked with the YMAD teens for almost 5 years now, and I know how hard they have worked to make a difference here in India. I was overwhelmed by the love and appreciation that these small children have for us. My teens looked at me like I was nuts, because I was crying over some pictures. But what they don’t realize is, that next year, when new kids are working in Kalsuin, these same children will be showing them pictures and screaming “Tiana! Austin! Deson! Alexa!” and maybe if I am lucky even “Eden.”