heavy lifting

We did some manual labor in the colony this morning. The goal for today was to move a huge pile of concrete bricks from one area to another. We started off doing it by hand- well head. I took note from the locals who effortlessly transported the bricks on top of their head. My head feels kind of flat now. Later in the day, a truck came that we could load up.
Jenny told us that the work that we were doing could be done faster by others, but that was not the point. Although the caste system is illegal now, the feelings and prejudice is still around. As white, Americans we are automatically seen in the highest class. The leprosy-afflicted are seen in the lowest of low class. It is meaningful to the residents to see that people in a higher class would do manual labor for them. These people are wonderful and I feel bad they have to live with an unfair stigma.
RSO set up an art school in the colony. We got to go see some of the leprosy-afflicted while they were painting. They were actually pretty good; I might buy some and bring them home! The neat part is many of them did not have all of their fingers or did not have full vision. Their artwork is a way they can help sustain themselves.

I feel like I have lice. The majority of the young girls have it, so their hair is cut short. The kids just run up and jump all over you. I can just feel the lice jumping from their hair to mine.

PS- tell Carly I met her sponsor. He was so excited to tell me all about her.