Last Day

After relaxing by the pool and in the sea yesterday, we set out for our last visit today to see another old peoples home, as well as visit Shallom House again and see our new found friends. The old peoples home we visited today was just for men; and what men they were. Never had we seen such as group of happy and cheerful men all together, and, like all other places we had visited, they warmly greeted us and prayed for us. We had been warned of some of the men we might see in this home, and their condition, but Jilly thought we were brave enough to witness some of the more extreme examples of old people. It was difficult when we first saw these certain men, but as we got talking to them and listening to their stories, we saw them in a different way, and ignored their disabilities. One man I talked to came from Naples with his family, but broke his spine, resulting in his family leaving him alone in India. Another man had no sight and no feeling, only the sense of hearing. Seeing him lying helplessly on his bed with Rick talking to him was saddening, but even he was grateful for us being their to be with him for an hour or so.

After looking around the home, we regrouped and watched them perform for us. One entertaining man got out his guitar and started playing 'Jingle Bells'.

The highlight of today, and most definitely the whole holiday, was returning to Shallom House to see our friends again. On arrival, we were welcomed again into their home, where they sang and prayed for us. Afterwards, we split ourselves up into groups of around 8, with each of us boys having our own group. We then had lunch of rice, curry, chicken, crisps and fruit, where we got the chance to talk to our groups and learn more about each of them. I found in my group how much they respected us, as one boy was copying everything I did. Normally that would be annoying, but it was in fact funny to see him imitating me.

Then the fun began. Back inside we had the task of creating Christmas cards by colouring in pictures and printing our hands in the card, which has to be said got a bit messy. The children loved colouring in, showing off their skills to us, and showing how well they could write. All the children were fascinated by our cameras, so we thought it would be interesting to give them our cameras to take pictures of everyone. The smiles on their faces of seeing themselves on the screen will stay with me forever.

It was nearly time to say goodbye, but we got a final chance to play in the playground with them. After some more picture taking and prayers, we handed out more sweets and some new balls to play with. The kids loved being lifted and dunking the balls in the hoops, as well as playing volleyball and football. The balls we gave them were only basic, but to them it would be like having the latest Playstation or computer.

When it came for the time to go, we didn't want to leave. We had made such strong bonds with the children over a short space of time, we felt as though we had known them for years.

Saving Our Neighbours

Today was the day we had been building up for. Rick had told us that what we saw today could be upsetting, as we were visiting our first old peoples home, as well as feeding the poor.

Our first stop was to Mapusa market, near Panjim, where we bought some night dresses for the old ladies, t shirts and hats for the old men, and rice for the poor. Only 380 rupees for 25 kilos (about £4)! Here we got to see Rick bartering prices, so that we could see what we needed to do for later when we visited Anjuna market.

On site, the old peoples home looked rather trodden down. The first thing I noticed was a little lady sitting on the porch, watching us as we came in. You couldn't help but see how fragile she was, and as we walked into the dormitories, we saw more old ladies sitting on their beds. Afterwards, we all agreed that seeing the ladies reminded us of our grandparents, and how fortunate they are to live they way they do on pensions and in care homes. However, we knew they had good care. Some of us found it hard to hold back the emotions from meeting these women, especially when one lady broke down in tears as she prayed to Rick about how lucky she was to have us 5 boys come and visit her. I would have to saw that I found this hard to watch, because it made me think that these people have nothing, and are grateful for us coming there. I don't think they cried about they present we gave them, but simply for us being there with them for a few hours. Looking around their rooms, all that they contained were beds and a few cabinets. Just what do they do everyday?

Next up was the men's dormitories. There were fewer men than women, and were certainly much quieter than the women. However, there was this one man who stood out straight away. The guy in the middle of the picture above has to be the coolest guy in India. As soon as he saw us, he came over and started talking about himself and us, and it was very interesting to hear about his life and the things he has done. As with the women, they were very appreciative of their gifts.

Then it was time to visit a village where we would feed the poor rice and sweets. Unfortunately, we could not personally feed the children because of the 2 men watching over us, but we did get the opportunity to hand out sweets. This was a memorable experience, because you could see the desperation on their faces as they looked up at you, pleading for more 'chocolate' to fill their empty stomachs.

Final stop of the day was Anjuna market. We had been told that it was the size of 3 football pitches, and it lived up to its expectations. Because it was only recently that the monsoon season ended, some stools were still being set up. First off we went to a bar near the beach for lunch, where we saw a very talented girl tight rope walking, and Rick taught us how to devour a chicken drumstick! Then we started on the shops. Being boys, we weren't as good at shopping, but we learnt along they way about how to lower prices and get a better deal. It felt bad buying sunglasses for less than £2 from a desperate shopkeeper, but it isn't guaranteed to be genuine. Rob was the shopaholic among us, buying gifts for everyone and bartering down prices to get less than half the amount offered. Only problem was, how would he fit it all in his suitcase?

A spectacular thunderstorm ended an eventful day, with almost all of Goa suffering from no power due to the storm. Luckily out hotel had a generator, otherwise it would have been us as well using candles for light!

Not Another Curry!

Today was yet again another jam packed day, as we had a many places to visit. First stop was Helen's house, a very kind and caring woman from England who was creating a holiday home for orphans in her back garden. We talked to her about her experiences so far and the reasons for creating this home, and it was interesting to hear about her thoughts. We have to admit, her house was extremely luxurious, complete with chandeliers, several bedrooms and a huge garden for the children to play in. To think that a person is putting in all this time, effort and money to improve the lives of children is touching.

After our look around Helen's home, we made our way to the spice plantation. Weren't quite sure what to expect from this tour of the spice farm, but it had to be worth it to be on our itinerary. On our tour, we learnt various facts such as that banana is from a grass. Yes, that surprised us too, as did the fact that saffron is the most expensive spice, followed by vanilla.

I would not recommend the tour of the spice plantation if you have a fear of spiders, because the ones we encountered were ginormous. We had to be careful not to get a face full of cobwebs!

On our travels, we came across a young man. We had heard of the one who could climb trees, and this was him. As we stood around him, he jumped onto the 50 foot tree, and sprung his way up in less than 3 seconds. It was amazing to watch as he swung at the top of the tree, leaping to another tree, and sliding his way down. To prove how hard this was, Sammy had a go at it, but simply could not make any progress. The climbing man must have had years of experience and practise to allow him to climb the way he does and shake the coconuts down from the top.

The highlight of this trip was the interaction with the elephants. We were allowed to touch and feel them, which has to be said they felt very strange - almost like a wrinkly rubber-like texture. Unfortunately, we did not get to see them bathe which would have been a great sight, but being so close to one is an experience in itself.

Afterwards we had lunch (another curry!!), and had the chance to buy some of the spices we had seen.

We briefly stopped off at the hotel, but then set off for Palolem Beach. On arrival, the setting looked spectacular. Our timing could not have been better, as we sat in a local bar and watched the sun set behind a nearby island. It was a good time to reflect on what we had done so far, and what would be happening next. This was also a great time for photos, and a chance to see some of the local fisherman selling their daily catch.

To give us a break from all the curries, we decided to have dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. This was an unusual yet interesting dinner, as we sat on minute seats, almost on the floor. We all had pizza or lasagna, and afterwards did a bit of shopping in the market. This was our first chance at bartering, which is surprisingly fun. Wish we could do it back in England!

Why We Entered The Challenge

All those countless hours we spent over the 5 months of the challenge paid off today simply when we saw the look on the children's faces when they saw us arriving at their orphanage. You could see the excitement on their faces as we walked in to their tiny orphanage, all stopping what they were doing and running over to greet us. The children, not forgetting to mention the adults, were so polite. Compared to people back home, they are so respectful and generous, it made us wonder about ourselves. As soon as we arrived, all the children came up to us and shoke our hand. Their eyes were lit up, and a smile beamed across their faces. These children have no family, hardly any material possessions, and share a room with 15 other people, yet they are the happiest children we have ever seen, because they are loved and have their faith, giving them hope for the future. Makes you appreciate what we have at home. All these feelings, and it is only the first orphanage we have visited.

Whilst at this orphanage, we were treated to a display of singing, dancing and listened to the testimonies of 3 boys and their lives so far. We had a lot to do in the day, so we couldn't spend much time there. Rick and Jilly have created a jam packed itinerary for us, as they want us to experience as much of what they do as they can.

Next up was a visit to the homes of 2 boys that go to Shallom House, an orphanage supported by Rick and Jilly, and a place we plan to visit later this week. Depak invited us into his house, and introduced us to his family. Looking around this tiny home, we only saw 2 rooms (bedroom and kitchen / toilet). You can see the kitchen below, with no tiles, a rusty stove, simple pots and pans, a dirty sink as well as a toilet tucked away in the corner. It seems crazy to have a loo in the same room as where food is prepared, but this is how these people live and have got used to living. We were warmly welcomed into their home, offering us drinks and food. Considering how little money they have, to be offered Pepsi and biscuits was a very kind gesture.

After that we briefly looked around Joseph's house. His house held 8 people in 1 room, and a small kitchen next to it. What shocked us was that there was no toilet, meaning sewage flowed outside in the street. However, there were children outside playing cricket. What struck me was that when offered a sweet (which they call 'chocolate'), one boy immediately gave it to his brother, showing how selfless they are, and just how much they love their family. I doubt that sort of generosity would happen back home in England.

After a short car journey, we found ourselves at the bottom of a Muslim village. Straight away, children and adults came out of their houses in curiosity. I had the job of handing out sweets to children, attracting everyones attention. I looked like the Pied Piper with my followers as we progressed down the street. At the top of the street was Salmon's house, which was a very dark and dingy home. At the back were buckets used for washing, shared with the neighbours. As we returned from inside the house, we saw Papa Rick interacting with the children. He is obviously very popular and likes to be around children, because that is his passion. You can see from the video (below) how much the children like him and his games, but also how happy and cheerful they all look.

Final stop of the day was at Shallom House. After everyone introduced themselves, including us, we took a tour around the orphanage, seeing where they sleep, eat, wash and play. Shallom House holds 30+ children, which all sleep in one room, the majority on the floor. Some of the stories we heard where heart wrenching. For instance, one girl's father tried killing her as a baby by pouring hot water over her. However, she survived, and is now a happy girl growing up with all her friends at Shallom House. We hope to return to Shallom House Friday, where we will be able to play and eat with the friends we made today.

SON, Sea and Sand

To help us recover from the jet lag and adjust to the temperature and surroundings, we spent today relaxing by the pool and swimming in the sea only 200m away. As always, it was very hot, so plenty of water was drunk and we were instructed to put on suntan lotion.

It feels a bit strange living in a five star hotel, knowing that just outside our doorstep are people living in poverty, with little running water and trying to scrap a living from their market stores. We think that it is something we have to get used to, because this is our prize for all our hard work. However, the real prize is what we are doing tomorrow and the rest of the week, where we are going to visit several orphanages, homes and old peoples homes. It is fair to say we are excited about tomorrow, as we are unsure of what to expect.

We were all still feeling a bit tired, and did not feel like adventuring out for dinner, so we had dinner at the hotel. We were spoilt for choice by the variety from the buffet, from salad to curry, as well as some continental food. One dish that attracted us all was the chicken vindaloo! Only one word can describe it... hot! Billy couldn't have chosen a hotter dish for his first curry!

Hello India

Feeling very tired so we will try and keep this short. These are just a few of our pictures taken so far on our amazing journey. We were greeted and to a traditional welcome by our hosts Jill and Rick. The immediate bombardment of culture differences made us gobsmacked! So much so we remained quiet for the majority of our transfer.

Once at the hotel, we had a brief chat and sorted out our rooms. Billy, Harry and Andy got the 'Deluxe Room', and Rob and Sammy got the 'Plaza Room'. After we had our showers so that we felt human again, we chilled out for the rest of the day by swimming in the sea (only 100m away!!) and playing in the pool.

Later we were rejoined by Marie, Rick and Jilly, and went to dinner at a fish bar. Despite the food being different, it was very nice. All of us had a kebab but Sammy had a curry.

Tomorrow we will relax around the pool and sea, and try to recover from the jet lag, as well as look at our timetable for the week.

Here We Goa!!

Less than 24 hours to go till our flight from Gatwick! Each of us are finishing off our packing, trying not to forget anything but at the same time trying to fit it all into our suitcase. We must say a massive thank you to our friends at Oasis church for all their generous donations to those of the orphanages. It was very kind and will be very much appreciated by the children. We hope to return to church around Christmas to tell them all about our holiday.
Last night was a special night for us all because we got to meet Linvoy and his wife to talk about what is about to come. We met up at Marie's for a Chinese (which was very nice), and chatted to Linvoy about his experiences with the charity as well as his Christianity. We all knew about how good a speaker he was, and it was very interesting to hear about his life, not to mention his wife's, on how they were introduced to the religion, and some of their best experiences with their faith so far. We hope to meet up again after the trip, possibly at church or at the party we are hoping to hold, where we will show everyone our photos and our video.