Kochi Orphanage/surfing/yoga

Kochi is in south west India in the State of Karela -- a fairly progressive place by Indian standards.

One of the students on the ship is neighbors in the US to someone who is supporting the girls' orphanage in Fort Kochi. She invited Will and along on a visit.   A few years ago this American was doing the typical tourist things, and asked his driver what the Catholic Church was doing to help the poor in India.  The driver took him to the orphanage, and he was smitten with the need.  The girls had been removed from very difficult circumstances, and were sleeping on concrete floors

Since then, this benefactor has raised funds in the US for building a new wing for the girls, furnishing it with beds, and connected them with an American surf club and an American yoga group.  For the girls who do not have families, the surf club comes from the US and takes them to the beach for a week to learn surfing.  The girls wear their own long pants and the club brings them rash guards.  The yoga group comes from the US and does yoga with the girls for a couple weeks.

Where do the girls come from?  Some have been beggars on the streets.  The nun described one girl who had been in the orphanage for a few days, and suggested to the nun that they go begging. She showed the nun how to do it, and said she would split the money they raised.  One girl had been blinded in one eye to help her as a beggar.  Others girls have no parents, or only one parent who cannot provide.

The support from the US has allowed the girls to continue their education past high school, and has provided the dowry that has allowed some to get married.  When I asked the nun what were the most significant expenses, she indicated that the medical expenses and the counseling expenses were the most significant expenses.  This particular place takes girls from 5 years up.

Better for children have families, but these caring nuns and their American benefactor were providing something special for these 40 girls.  They were not idealistic -- the nuns talked about the difficulties in winning the girls' trust, motivating them to study, and keeping them busy.  Very interesting experience.