Rising Star Outreach of India

Part Two: Where I Am and What I'm Doing!

For centuries, leprosy has been regarded world wide as a treacherous and contagious disease, and in some cultures, it is still viewed as a curse from God. In the Indian Caste System, leprosy victims are seen as "untouchables", the lowest of lows. They are completely rejected and cast out from society. They are forced to live in leprosy colonies and are reduced to begging and starving. In reality, leprosy is completely curable and difficult to contract. Rising Star's Mission is to help the leprosy colonies throughout India to become healthy, educated, self-sufficient, thriving communities. They do this in three main ways: By providing medical care for leprosy patients through mobile medical units, by supplying micro-loans for patients to create small businesses within the colonies, and by educating the children of the colonies.

Rising Star Outreach is located in Southeastern India on the outskirts of a small village called Thottanaval (about 2 hours South of Chennai). It is very hot and humid here, and altogether much more tropical than I would have expected. I don't know if I just got lucky coming at the time of year that I did, but from that first day, I was absolutely captivated by the beauty of the land. Everything here is such a fresh, lush, green color and the palm trees and rice fields go on and on (Awnanawnanawn) I like to tell people that I live in a little piece of heaven! :)


The 193 children that are selected from numerous colonies in Southern India come to Rising Star and live in hostels on campus with a lot of the staff and with the volunteers. I am currently serving as the Promethean Spark Dance Master at Rising Star. All of the dance classes and our Life Dance Troupe are run by Promethean Spark, an organization that teaches life skills to impoverished youth through the performing arts. I teach every grade at the school (UKG-10th Standard) and rehearse with Life Dance daily. I travel out to the leprosy colonies twice a week to assist in the medical treatment of the patients, some of whom are the parents and grandparents of my students. When I'm not teaching dance, I am tutoring English and teaching Biology at the school. I like to think that I make some small difference in the world as I teach the kids, but in reality they are the ones who are teaching me every day. They are the embodiment of unconditional love and I am just having the time of my life spending every moment I can with them!

 Hello, and welcome to Rising Star! I love the Hindu temple and the cow in the background. So India.

 There is absolutely nothing like the green rice fields.... SO BEAUTIFUL!

 The sun setting over our little village, Thottanaval!

 My darling little home on campus, the Green House :)

 Vimalkanth, Deepenraj, and Ashok! Three of my talented Life Dance boys.

C. Vignesh. Boom Bam Baby!

 Favorite. The babies all snuggled up on the floor together.

 Two of my gorgeous UKG girls dressed in their very best for the Pongal Festival. :) Pongal is a three day Hindu holiday celebrating the new year. On the third day of the festival this year, all of the children got to take a walk in to the village square with the volunteers to see all of the decorated cows, tribal drumming, and food offerings to the gods from the villagers. 

My favorite cows at Pongal. :)

 A water fight at 6:00 pm in the dead of winter and it's a whopping 75 degrees.... Love it!

 Our BEAUTIFUL school building.

 Vinodhini, my Life Dance VP, and little UKG Tamilarisi. When I look at this picture, a certain phrase comes to mind. "Something about these kids..... They just nestle right into your heart!"

 -Kenady Bunker

 Buying flowers in Changalpattu, the closest city to Thottanaval. All of the women here dress SO immaculately. They always wear vibrant, fresh flowers in their hair. Almost every morning I'm at the school, I get flowers pinned in my hair by one of the teachers or children.

 Playing with the older girlies in the hostel. They LOVE taking pictures!

 I love the tall trees! So breathtaking!

 Gotta love the dish outside the grass hut... Ty, this one's for you. ;) AUTOMATIC SALE!

 A favorite patient of mine from Walagabad!

Samma and I getting in our daily worship at the temple in Bethelnagar..... Hooommmm Mannepadddme Mmmmmmmmm........

Like Minded People

To start off, I guess I should let you know exactly where I am, what I am doing, and why I am here.

Part One: Why I am Here!

From the beginning of my Freshman year in college, I have been researching and scouting out quality humanitarian aid programs to volunteer for on a long-term basis. After being referred by my lovely mother to an amazing woman by the name of Sally Read, I was introduced to Rising Star Outreach, a non-profit in India created to aid the leprosy affected. I was really touched merely by hearing about the mission of the organization, and decided to sit on the idea for a couple of days and decide if this was the project that was meant for me. One of the only hesitations that I had, was that if I came, I would have to leave dance (aka life) behind for four months. Literally two days later..... Just an average summer day working at my favorite little boutique in Bountiful, Hip and Humble..... This beautiful, pixie faced girl in a gorgeous white dress came into the store. I gave her a compliment on the dress, to which she replied, "Oh, thanks! I got it in India..." and the conversation got rolling pretty quick. We discovered that we had a lot in common. After telling her that I thought I wanted to double major in dance and nursing, or dance and human development, she said, "K, this may sound totally weird, but I think you need to volunteer for Rising Star Outreach as a Promethean Spark dancer. That's what I did when I went to India!" ..... Funny thing that I just happened to discover Rising Star two days earlier.... And funny thing that my one question had just been answered...... Puzzle piece.... CLICK! After finding out that I could go to India for four months, teach dance, tutor at the school, and assist in mobile medical trips to the leprosy colonies, I was like okay...... Sign me up! Isn't it funny how the universe brings like minded people together? Things literally just fell into place after that. One little thing after another. I was interviewed and selected as a long term volunteer, and before I knew it, I was sitting at the airport ready to begin 31 hours and 8,743 miles of travel with luggage, passport, and plane ticket in hand.

Puzzle Pieces

The further I journey down the path of life, the more I realize that my life is just a puzzle that I can't quite see the whole picture of yet. Day by day, and experience by experience, more of my puzzle pieces click into place, and my vision becomes broader and more beautiful. My last two months in India have added so many pieces to my puzzle and my experiences here have already consumed the space in a large corner of my heart. I know with out a doubt that my being here was meant to be. Coming here has truly been a "click" right into place. Although I am half way finished with my time, I couldn't leave without recording some of my experiences and sharing a little bit of the love with everyone else! So.... Cheers to a new blog and allow me to introduce you to My Indian Heart!