Chennai Experiences Part II

Greetings!

It is now the 7th day we're here. We have already visited 3 slums a countless number of times, and it is getting boring to the other two. Like YP says, there's only so much heartbreak one can endure. For me, it's the heartbreak of not being able to do anything that's getting to me. We went to a village hit by the tsunami, and all we could do was get shown around and stand around. We went to a medical clinic at one of the soup kitchens and all we could do was get shown around and stand around. We went to the slums and all we could do was get shown around and stand around. I'm sure you're getting the idea now. Of course, you're all getting a biased view of what we couldn't do only, and not seeing what we did (which will come when I get back to my beloved laptop with a workable keyboard, along with other thoughts). But the thing is that there's so much one person can do, and there are sooo many things to be done. And for someone who wants to do things, especially medically-related things, but has very little ability to do so, like me, that's dismaying. At least we got to take BP and weight today at a medical camp in Paddapai (we went a bit BP crazy there), to assuage our need to do something. And I got to try driving one of their mini-buses (absolutely manual!)! It was on the bumpy earthen road heading towards the camp area, so no lives were lost, although a wandering buffalo might have gotten worried. Also I stayed in 1st gear all the way, because I didn't know where 2nd was and I was too afraid to try.
But that's beside the point. Everyone here has been exessively nice to us, as if we've been doing something. But the fact is that we haven't done much, or even anything at all. I tell myself that it's okay, that I'll come back here again to really help, when I am better equipped. No, I don't tell myself I'll come back - I vow to come back. Then a nagging voice in my head asks if I really will.

I hope and pray I will have that chance to.

Going beside the point again, we went bok-shopping at Spencer Plaza's Landmark, and chuddidhar/Punjabi suit shopping in Madhar Sha with Sundari. What wonderful buys we have!

More news soon.