Here Comes the Sun! (And a lot of it.)

Our first day of work is done! We have successfully begun the construction of three out of six foundations for the Narikuravar community. I know you’ve all been hearing about the heat waves that have been sweeping India in the news, and let me tell you first hand, IT WAS HOT. But don’t worry, we took plenty of breaks, drank lots of water, and didn’t push ourselves too hard. Not to mention we had the help of many awesome Narikuravar community members (who are unbelievably strong and seemingly heat resistant) as well as some great masons! The community was even impressed with how much work we were able to accomplish in the heat of the day. Our relationship with the community is beyond anything we could have imagined! We seamlessly worked together and are learning from each other in so many ways! Despite the heat and hard labor, our team was able to accomplish so much, while maintaining positivity. I’ve never been more proud to know such amazing people!

Today was our day of rest which we chose to spend adventuring through the mountains of Southern India. Shout out to our driver, Suresh, who navigated those bumpy hair pin turns like a pro. The beauty of nature combined with beautiful markets, churches, and temples was almost too much for our team to handle. No words can do it justice, but these pictures can at least try.

Tomorrow begins our second day of work, but first we will be receiving a true Indian experience at a traditional Hindu wedding bright and early at 7 am, which, needless to say, we are all pretty psyched about! Say a quick prayer for us that the clouds are plentiful tomorrow and we’ll talk to you in a couple days!