LARRY, the Moose from Maine

So often, it is difficult to assess the impact one has upon others. This is particularly true with respect to Rotary International’s campaign to eradicate polio throughout the world.  During the past ten years, I have had the honor and privilege of leading teams of Rotarians from throughout the world to India for the purpose of distributing polio vaccine to children under the age of five years during the National Immunization Days (NIDs).  This February 2012 was no exception.

My ROTARY DREAM TEAM – INDIA 2012, returned again to an area within the state of Haryana – the Mewat District – which up until recently had been a hotbed of outbreaks of new cases of diagnosed polio victims.  For years, the people of the area (predominantly Muslims) had prevented their children from being immunized because of their concern that the vaccine would sterilize their children.  Through Rotary’s efforts, this myth was dispelled and each month, more of the children in these villages received the vaccine.

The team was divided into groups of four or five, and were sent to various enclaves and neighborhoods in the towns of Bisru and Punhana.  Three other Rotarians accompanied me to the front porch of a home in Bisru.  Upon arrival at the “booth”, we met the three local ladies and one gentleman who were in charge of that “booth”.  We explained who we were and why we were there – to assist them in distributing the polio vaccine to children from their neighborhood.  In addition to my fellow team members, I had brought with me a stuffed animal toy – Larry the Moose – which my Rotary Club president had entrusted to me to take with me on this journey. 

Larry is the unofficial mascot of our Rotary Club in Sanford-Springvale, Maine. He has participated in many projects throughout the year, always wearing different outfits of clothing.  This was no exception, as Larry was sporting a jacket and pants, made of Indian cloth, as well as a Rotary pin and a “collar” with the slogan END POLIO NOW.  As I had brought Larry with me, more and more of the children were fascinated with seeing him, and I was able to use him as a puppet to attract the attention of the children and to encourage them to bring their brothers and sisters to receive the drops of life-saving polio vaccine. More and more children gathered around our distribution “booth” and as Larry “spoke” to them and waved his paw, they giggled and sometimes shrieked with joy.  Larry even grasped one of the markers which is used to mark children’s left pinky finger with purple to show they had been immunized that day.  We refer to this as the Purple Pinky Project.  Even Larry had his left antler marked with the purple dye AND he signed the official poster for the NID.

After some time, I decided to walk around the neighborhood, bringing Larry with me.  Children would walk alongside me and Larry would wave to them or speak to them, through my voice.  It was lots of fun, both for the children and for me.  I walked up the alley and spoke to a teenage boy, asking his name and introducing myself. He smiled and said his father and I had the same name – Elias. I asked to meet his father and he sent a younger brother to look for him.  Soon, his father, Elias, came to the front of their home. We shook hands and were glad that each of us shared the name – Eliash (their pronunciation). Larry even was included in one or two photos with the two men named Eliash. Before saying good bye to my namesake, he turned to me and in very clear English, asked, “Where is Sarah?”  This shocked me and I asked him to repeat his question. Again, he asked, “Where is Sarah?”  I remembered that two years before, Sarah Miller, a teenager, had accompanied her father on our trip and evidently, she had worked in this neighborhood distributing drops of vaccine to the children. Obviously, Sarah had made a lasting impression and had served to break down one more barrier of cultural prejudice and replaced it with an extension of friendship.

When I turned to walk back to the “booth”, more children had joined our walking group.  I was startled to see two children who had evidently returned to their houses and had brought their stuffed animals, presumably to meet Larry.  One child had a stuffed bunny rabbit. Another little girl had a Teddy Bear – a white one, which had a torn seam in what would be his left armpit and some of the stuffing was falling out of the “wound”.  I took Larry over to the little girl and after the two stuffed animals shook paws, we marked the Teddy Bear’s left paw with the purple marked, and again, the children shrieked with joy!  We paused for a moment so a photo could be taken of these two new “friends” and then moved on.  The smiles on the faces of the children were priceless and will always remain in my memory as an indication that again, through Rotary, we have helped to bring about peace through greater understanding and friendship, one tiny step at a time. 

Together, we will END POLIO NOW!

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BACK TO CAMP FOR THE LAST EVENING - Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Before we returned from the dam site at Teench Wala, I asked if it would be alright if we could take about a half hour and walk up the hill to see the Hindu temple we had passed earlier on. Sanjiv asked the driver to stop and park the bus and together we walked to the summit of the hill and entered the gate to the temple. It was enjoyable for me to be able to explain some of the mythology surrounding the various depictions of the gods to my friends. The temple building and shrine were built of white marble, much the same as that used at the Taj Mahal in Agra. Once we were in the courtyard area, we approached the temple and saw a gentleman, most likely the caretaker/priest, and I asked if we would be able to enter the temple and perhaps, make an offering. He agreed and gave each of us a small sweet to eat, about the size of a Necco wafer, with a sugar/mint taste to it.  The temple had several manifestations of Lord Shiva, as well as Lord Ganesha, Parvati and the three-headed representation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It was so peaceful to be the only people there, almost like a private viewing. Each of us offered prayers and then simply walked around to take advantage of the stunning views from this vantage point.  Looking off to the distant valleys below, it was obvious to me that part of the lush green was a result of the construction of the dam from two years prior. Once more, Rotarians from all over the world had made a significant difference to the well-being of others, whom they would perhaps never meet, but whom they had served selflessly. It was very gratifying to know that ROTARY DREAM TEAM -INDIA 2010 had contributed to this. When I get home, I will definitely send on photos of the dedication tablet at the dam, listing all of the Rotary Clubs and the team members who had participated in this project. Now, back down the hill and aboard the bus and back to the village where we would meet the tractor driver or maybe, if luck was running our way, the "TING" would ferry us back to camp.  We did luck out and our regular driver was there with a big grin on his face, and we all climbed aboard the trailer and off we went.   When we arrived back at the tent village,  we were met by members of the team who had stayed behind. They all had questions about what we had seen. We enjoyed some drinks before going into the dining tent for dinner. Tonight, we would be exchanging club banner with one another, so we could take them back to our respective clubs, to include with the club's collection.  Linda Bertuzzi had also brought the banner from the N.I.D. and asked that we all sign our names to it, so she could bring it home with her to present first to her own Rotary Club, and then perhaps take it along to the District Conference later this Spring. When she asked me to make an announcement for everyone to sign the banner (about three feet by eight feet) I got another idea in my head - auctioning off that banner to the highest bidder. After all, we had all participated in the N.I.D. and would be equally proud to have the banner to share with our clubs and districts. I kind of suggested to Linda that I might do this and at fist, she was very upset. After thinking about it for a while, however, she came back to me and told me to go ahead. The moment arrived and I made the announcement that we would be all signing the banner and that I would then auction it off to the highest bidder, with the proceeds being designated to be used to the next project of ROTARY DREAM TEAM - INDIA 2013, whatever that might be.  I began the bidding with $100 and the contest moved forward from there.  There was some spirited bidding, a competition among three or four different areas - the Californians, the French, the Midwesterners and the Rotary Club of Delhi - Megapolis. In the end, we settled at $4,100 for next year's project!!! Not a shabby amount for a few minutes of work. Since this would be our final night together, before departing on our separate travel portions, with some even departing for home the following evening, we enjoyed good fellowship and then moved outside to the fire pit, where some Rajasthani performers - singers and dancers, waited to perform for our enjoyment, complete with fire-eating and two young women dancing with a stack of eight pots on their heads.  There was even an older gentleman, who had been a victim of polio in the sixties and although he had one leg totally withered and contorted at the knee, he danced for us, using a strong pole for balance. This was particularly moving for Linda, who herself had been a polio victim and who depended upon crutches for stable mobility. Dancing and singing continued for a couple of hours and then we all went off to our tents for hot water bottle enhanced sleep.

TEENCH WALA, Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Although it was difficult for some of us to get up after our short siesta, we met Dinesh near the gate and boarded the "TING", or at least that is what we thought. Actually, we were lulled into believing that a real Massey-Ferguson tractor,  pulling a proper trailer would be much better than the "TING" but that was not the case. Since Dinesh had told us this would be a bit of a long ride into the town where we would then meet one of our buses, he suggested we sit down on the bed of the trailer. Big mistake, REALLY BIG! Not sure if this trailer ever had springs, but if so, they were long since sprung! All I know is that our backs and spines will never be the same. We bounced along, causing pain and discomfort to our spines and backs and butts. All the while, Dinesh would turn and grin his famous and charming grin while we suffered, but not in silence. I have no idea which road he took, but it was certainly not the shortest or the one with the fewest potholes.  When we reached a real road, we thought the journey would be a bit smoother. Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything it was just as bad, if not worse. I was concerned for Sanjiv, because he has a bad back any way and this jarring could not be doing him any good. When we approached the town, we saw some children wearing Polio Plus caps or cardboard masks which we all had given out to children where we worked, when they had their Polio vaccines a few days prior. It was gratifying to see that even the kids in the country had been reached and given the vaccine.  We rounded a corner and there, parked at the end of the road, were our two buses, we had left there three days before.  Anything would have been superior to the ride of the past twenty minutes. Of course, kids gathered around us as we boarded the orange bus and began our drive to the country.  The village close to the first dam we had built, TEENCH WALA, is located about fifteen minutes from one of the entrances into Sariska Jungle Park.  Because the Dream Team in 2009 had stayed at the Sariska Palace Hotel, we were forced to take a bus to and from the dam site each morning and then late in the afternoon.  Our route was through the jungle park every day, which took about an hour and a half each way. Otherwise, if we had missed the timing, we would have been forced to drive all the way around the park, which would have taken about four hours!  Even taking the shorter route cut into our work time and this is why we opted to have the tent village only a few minutes away from our site, this year. Our orange bus lumbered along country roads, and as we approached Teench Wala, we saw a beautiful Hindu temple up on top of the hill and then we turned right and down the other side of the hill, to the town.  It is always fun to see how the locals look at a passing bus with Tourist emblazoned on the front since I am confident they don't see such a sight more than once or twice a year. This time was no exception.  Kids ran alongside our bus, with little regard for safety. After all, we are in India and this is the norm - that people of all ages, camels, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, cars, trucks, buses and who knows what else are ALWAYS in the roads. Always with the wonderful smiles on their faces, with the brightest eyes and whitest teeth. The neem tree does wonders for dental hygiene and teeth whitening.  We finally reached the village and got down from the bus. First, we walked over to the school where only two years before, we had been a total disruption in the day, by bringing lots of trinkets for the children, including frisbees. I remember it only took about three tries before the kids, who had never seen such a thing, were able to master the art of throwing, or is it slinging, a frisbee. Some of the children gathered around us, and I recognized a couple of the boys who had helped us in 2009, with the dam construction. Although a bit taller and somewhat geeky, I knew they were the same kids. We began our march ago the dam, along the path that wound through the woods but something was so different... There were leaves on the trees, and grasses growing, rather than the barren turf it had been two years before. An old gentleman from the village walked with us and at one point, turned and began to explain the difference our project had made in the lives of those living nearby. He told us that since the dam had been completed, the valley had become productive with crops, one of which they refer to as a upper crop, since  it was vegetables and not only could they eat them, but also they could sell the vegetables to others in other towns not too far away.  As we turned to look westward, it was thrilling to see green everywhere... There were even pumps and hoses running down to the reservoir, bringing water up a few levels for irrigating even more area for production. Turning again and heading further along the path, we walked up a small hill and came to the crest and looked to see the fruits of our labors - a dam that was not only finished, but that held back a good deal of water, even after seven months since the monsoons! From atop the dam, I was able to point out where we had once sat and had our dining tent, or where the potty had been located. Swimming in the captured water were cormorants and ducks. Wildlife was everywhere. What a thrill to think we had actually had a serious impact upon the lives of those living net Teench Wala.  Dinesh asked me to walk across the top of the dam and to turn so he could take my photo with the marble tablet in the background. The name of the project was engraved on the 3' x 4' piece of black marble, as well as the fact that the project was one involving the Rotary Club of Sanford-Springvale Maine, USA, and the names of all of the team members from all over the world who had gathered as the Rotary Dream Team - India 2010. Now, heading back to our bus, many more of the children in the village had heard we were there and came to walk with us. Again I recognized a couple of boys, who now must be about twelve or thirteen. One boy in particular had very light skin and light brown hair, not something one sees often in India. I aught up to him and his school chums and said I recognized him and asked if he had helped us two years before. Hi friend, in perfect English said they both had worked with us. When I said I thought I recognized his face and his hair, the other boy taunted him saying, "He is a white boy, he is your boy!" Everyone had  a good laugh about this, andre continued walking toward the bus.  Before we boarded the bus, the same old gentleman came to me, took my hands in his and as best he could explain himself to me, with tears in his eyes, he thanked me for what our team had done, and elaborated that six bore wells, which had long since gone dry, had been restored and were now gushing, due to the dam. Pretty powerful stuff to hear about a group of Rotarians who had given their time and their talent and their treasure to about five thousand strangers who benefited from it all.

WEDNESDAY, THE FINAL DAY OF WORK... Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Again, we were up and at it at an early hour and today, it really was earlier, since we had messed up the day before by not showing up for work on time, as far as the local crew was concerned. We were up at 5:30 with breakfast at 6:00 and departing either on foot or in the "TING" so we would arrive to begin working no later than 7:30. Again, this was to help avoid working at the hottest time of day, when the sun was brightest. Temperatures each day climbed well into the 80s and it was very easy to over exert and to suffer from heat exhaustion or from us poisoning, so e had to avoid that at all costs. Once more, there were definite teams which had emerged and although there was no announced competition, there was an underlying tension which those on our team felt. The one team was much larger with Dream Team members far outnumbering any of the locals. This team had its act together and began passing basins of masala almost immediately. The tough part, however, was the fact that the local ladies, who were part of the labor force, did not show up as we had planned, to begin working at 7:30. Perhaps this was a it of payback? And you know what they say about payback! Much to the delight of our smaller in number team, several of the local ladies came over and began to carry the basins of masala that Tim Mulcrone began filling. Marcia sat down on the edge of the pit and was the catcher and the passer of the full basins, first taking a full basin from one of the local ladies and the passing it on to Randy, who was already standing on the floor of the pit. He, in turn, would toss it on to the next team member, who tossed to another and so on until  reached its destination and then was dumped. The empty basin was then passed back through to Marie Unger who then tossed it up to me, where I was standing on the edge of the pit. Catching the empty basin in my left hand, I then passed it to one of the ladies waiting to return to Tim for a refill. Our group was pacing itself well, and we seemed to be making great progress, steady progress, without getting totally exhausted in the process. We took frequent mini breaks, stopping for one or two minutes only to pass water bottles, or bottles of electrolytes, for all of us to drink. One or two of the Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Delhi-Megapolis had driven out from Delhi to join us in the line. N.P. Singh and two others were part of our team. After working for about two hours, and facing the very hot sun, I determined it would be a good move if Randy and I could trade places and change r respective exposures to the sun. We switched places but did not refrain from a very active and sometimes pointed repartee between us. Tips also helped the hours pass more quickly. Even Marsha (this time I spelled it correctly) added a few barbs and this made it even more fun to be on our team.  11:30 rolled around and we all began to climb out from the pit and to move over to where Kelly was holding down the fort and watching over our backpacks, etc. Dinesh looked over and pleaded with me to have the team work just one more half-hour, until noon before calling it quits. We all agreed, or at least most of us, and we made the final push for another thirty minutes.  Again, we gathered over to where Kelly was located, in the shade, and with Dinesh to help us, we were able to distribute some of our old work clothes, some shoes, work boots, hats and who knows what. In a very orderly manner, each member of the local labor force received one item, with care be given to making as sure as possible that a lady would receive something appropriate, rather than a pair of men's work boots.  Once this task was completed, we then headed back for lunch.  Our trips back and forth in the "TING" followed a very differ route from the one used by the walkers.  Was great fun, because we chugged down country roads, passing an occasional house where mothers and children were bathing on the front patio area, or an older gent was sitting off to one side, puffing on his hookah.  Then we would look out into the fields of wheat or mustard and there, standing in the middle, was a scarecrow! This was not your average, everyday scarecrow, but rather one which came complete with turban!  A short distance further, we maneuvered our way through a small enclave of homes, where a half-dozen men sat on a cot and shared their morning hookah and where the local women squatted in front of a small fire, preparing breakfast for the family. One morning, a young woman walked holding a newborn kid goat, still wet and with its umbilicus, and the nanny goat braying to have her kid returned so she could nurse it. Talk about sensory overload!!! Just around the corner, where several women and children gathered each day to wave us through the turn, were two pens of water buffalo, totaling about fifty head. There might be a crow perched on the back of one of the water buffalo while a woman might be milking another. What we witnessed each day was the simple life at its best! When we returned to the tent village, a group of locals was kind of hanging out near the gate. You see, the "TING" attracted a great deal of attention as it hurtled across the desert terrain each day, due to the fact to our driver plugged in his mobile phone into a speaker and we had musical (very loud musical) accompaniment each day. By the time we reached the gate, some of the women were dancing. One older woman, in particular, was really into the scene and twirled around and had all of the hand gestures of a true Rajasthani dancer.  We paused to watch this display, and even some of our own women joined in the dancing. Again, we we handed wet washcloths and were able to wipe away the sweat and grime of the morning. Beer (now Foster's from Down Under, which the Aussies did not fancy) and wine and soft drinks were again offered. Linda Bertuzzi shamed Gene Hernandez and Randy Pote into venturing to the kitchen tent and returning with two small plates with sliced cucumbers for our eyes.  Another great lunch and then a siesta until about 2:30. Several team members chose to return for a last session at the dam site. Others chose to rest in their tents, while the rest of us traveled to Teench Wala, the site of our first dam project back in 2012. I was eager to see the progress since we had left the construction of the dam, and to see if it had sustained, even after many months since the monsoon.

A PLETHORA OF PIT BOSSES - February 21, 2012

After sorting out the previous day's level of production, a few of us chatted about how and when we might be able to realign the teams in order to become more productive, and whether or not members of the team would spend to gentle suggestions as to how they might adapt, just a bit.  After full consideration, we determined everyone would seek his or her own level of comfort and would also most likely not change teams, so, as my friend, Bob Weel from Anchorage, Alaska would say, "onward and upward!" Pacing ourselves seemed to work well and actually we did become more productive. We got into a great rhythm on our end of the dam, and we just seemed to be firing on all burners. Since it had been almost oppressively hot the first day, we decided to try to arrive at 7:00 in the morning, and begin work and work in the cooler part of the day, then take a longer lunch and return in the latter part of the afternoon. Having arrived later than we had planned (and had assured Dinesh that we would arrive at that hour) when 11:30 rolled around, the local ladies stopped, lined up and began eating their lunches.   One or two of the ladies also reached inside a fold in the skirts or blouses and pulled out a small pipe. I stopped to watch what they were ding, while they cleaned out and then refilled the pipe with who knows what.  They lit the pipes and began puffing on them. Seeing my fascination with the pipe, they gestured for me to join them. So as not to offend any of them, I obliged.  I did not put m mouth on the pipe, but took it in my hand, with my thumb and index finger wrapped around the mouth, and then puffed a few times. Not knowing what they and now I were smoking was probably for the better! Skew of the team members joked about getting high at work,  but truly, the heat and exertion contributed to my wanting to take a break ow and then, far more than anything else. We, however, continued working, until it was time for us to break for our lunch. Back to the tent village, either by walking or taking the "TING" and once more, the boys greeted us with the wet washcloths and beer, wine or soft drinks. Linda Bertuzzi decided that we could benefit from clearing the dust out of our eyes, and requested the kitchen staff to bring some thinly sliced cucumbers that we all placed on our eyelids, and enjoyed the spa-like cool and relief of the cukes on our eyes. Another fantastic lunch and then it was siesta time. We struggled to rise up from our beds to return to work, but somehow we made it. A full afternoon for us, but the local ladies all of a sudden stopped work, lined up and started to march away. Goverdahn shouted to them to stop but they kept walking. Finally, one of the ladies turned around and shouted back that THEY had arrived early to accommodate us, and although we had arrived late, there was no reason for them to work overtime, but that our team could work on until we had completed a full day. Back for wet washcloths, beer, wine, Scotch, soft drinks and another fantastic dinner, and you guessed it, hot water bottles in our beds. Of course, the hyena and the jackals were also adding their voices to the night.

HI HO, HI HO, IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO... February 20, 2012

After a wonderful, tasty hot breakfast, we were told we had the choice of walking to the dam site or riding in the "TING-A-MA-JIG" but nearly all of us chose to walk, following along behind Dinesh.  Over dusty trails, which appeared to lead nowhere in particular, we came over a rise to see some of the crew from the tent village erecting a Potty Tent, not too far from the actual area where we would be working to construct the dam.  The paid workers were already there and hard at work. Some  of the women, who were clothed in bright colored salwar kameezes with orange head scarves, turned briefly to see what disturbance had interrupted their rhythm in mixing the masala (concrete mix) or in passing it along and down into the pit, where the very floor of the footing showed a great deal of progress.  The first, and perhaps the most crucial step had been taken - that of digging out the area which would then be filled with stones and covered over with dry and then wet masala mix.  In previous years, we had been responsible for the digging, by hand, of the trenches for the footing, so this was a real advance for us to have the huge trench already dug. The dimensions were approximately forty feet across to the other side, about fifteen feet in depth, and about one hundred and fifty feet from end to end. This was a good deal larger than the first two dams we had helped to construct the previous two years.  Almost immediately, we split into teams of twenty members and formed lines for passing basins of rocks or masala and then passing the empties back for refilling. Although most of the members of the team had never been involved in such a project, the team concept took hold and we were off and passing in only a few minutes. Some lines passed from one to the next person, both facing the same direction, while others of us determined it might be more beneficial to face one another, particularly if we were passing full basins of masala. When the women were filling the basins, they would double scoop them and they would be far heavier than those which were frilled with by Doug Fowler or Tim Mulcrone or Devo Ramalingam. Our own team members were a bit more cognizant of what it took for a bunch of somewhat out of shape, older folks to pass very heavy basins, and we also felt strongly by not filling the basins completely, we would be more productive and for a longer period of time than if we dropped from exhaustion and heat stroke.  "Don't forget to stay hydrated! Make sure you drink plenty of water and make sure to drink some electrolytes, too! Don't try to be a hero and not take a break!" These were all good warnings which each of us should be heeding, but as is always the case, until it is too late, a few always ignore the warnings and then get faint and drop to their knees. There were a few who sadly learned the lesson.  They were moved over into a shady area, where Camp Nurse Kelly would watch over them and make very sure they took in enough water and electrolytes. Also, when some got splinters, she offered Neosporin and band aids and even a safety pin to dig out the splinters. That first day, Kelly commandeered four bags of cement to be stacked so she had somewhere to sit that was not on the ground and full of long thorns. Every hour, she would have to readjust and face a different direction in order to avoid being in the direct sunlight. After about an hour of backbreaking work, both along the lines and in the "pit", we took our first break.  And did we ever need it. I suggested at this point that we needed to remember, "this is not a race, people! We need to learn to pace ourselves, because if we don't, we will not be good to or for anyone and every member is crucial to the mix. Take the time to assess your own strengths and weaknesses and do not over exert yourselves". Back to work for another hour and a half and the it was lunchtime. Initially, we thought we would be returning to the tent village for lunch, but we're told that lunch was being prepared and brought to us. Wow, what service! Time seemed to pass and still no lunch. Then, out of nowhere,we heard the coughing of the "TING" and soon it appeared over the hill. The boys from the camp had set up the chafing dishes with hot food and passed us tin plates and utensils. But the best part was the fact that they had placed a fifty-five gallon drum with a fire inside, so one of them could make chapatis or rotis, the nan type of bread that is a flattened ball of raw dough, that is then slapped against the outside wall of concrete within the barrel, and cooked until done. Sorry, but this is a bit difficult to explain.  If one is dexterous and wishes to practice eating in a more native fashion, one could simply use the chapati to scoop up the food from the plate, rather than using conventional forks or spoons. Lunch was delicious and finished much too quickly for some of us. After we finished eating, several of us went out to lie down on the ground and just rest before returning to "the line".  The remainder of the afternoon proceeded relatively uneventful, with no serious injuries and everyone pitching in at their respective comfort levels. When it was time to call it a day, a good portion of the team opted to take the long trek back to the tent village. A little late, I decided to walk back,  as well, but had some difficulty because I could not see the group that had left ahead of me, and to add insult to injury, I was raising a pretty good sized blister between two toes.  The "TING" rumbled up over the knoll behind me and so I took the liberty of riding the final two hundred yards and through the gate at the camp.  We all gathered in the reception tent and enjoyed Kingfisher beers or red or white wine or soft drinks. But the best part was upon our arrival, we were each handed a cool wet washcloth to wipe the grime off our faces and hands. As soon as some of us plunked ourselves down in one of the rattan chairs, we confessed we most likely would still be thee in the morning! Nobody wanted to move from their chose rest spot.  Dinner followed in the dining tent at about six thirty and the many of us sat around the fire pit and shared stories and then went to our tents and discovered a wonderful surprise... While we we eating, the boys from the camp had visited most of our tents (some had already gone to bed) and placed a hot water bottle in each of our beds. What a welcome gift, to be able to snuggle down into a warmed bed and settle in for the night.  Too bad they had not been able to provide this service the night before because that was really the coldest  of the three nights.  Falling asleep to the howls of the hyenas and the jackals as they were successful in their kills and then screamed at their kits when they may have taken too large a piece of the fresh meat. However, to my knowledge none of us poked our heads outside of our tents to take a look. Also, that night, there must have been a wedding taking place in a nearby village, because the singing (and presumably the dancing) continued on at least until one o'clock in the morning.

A TING-A-MA-JIG, evening of February 19, 2012

Boarding our two buses (one for Tour A and the other for Tour B), we now headed for what was to be one heck of an adventure. Of into the countryside we traveled, over roads which had more potholes than pavement, so each of us felt every bump in the way. Due to the poor condition of these country roads, we were forced to drive at incredibly slow speeds, which delayed our arrival at our tent village, before sundown. It was very dark out, with only a "finger nail" moon, when we arrived at the village, Gurkha  Kheda closest to the location of the dam project. Actually, the area through which we were passing had some familiarities to the landscape, and I later learned we were passing close by the area she our team in 2009 had helped to construct the dam at Teench Wala.  Our drivers were barely able to navigate through the narrow streets and at some of the turns, we nearly scraped the sides of the buses along walls and light poles.  All the while, the villagers either walked by the bus, stood in awe of not one but two buses lumbering into town, because I am confident Gurkha Kheda is not on anyone's "bucket list" of must visit sites in the world! We finally reached our stopping point and the point of disembarkation when we squeezed into patch of dung-covered soil and turned off the motors.  Now, the fun was about to begin... The next sound we heard over the cries of joy coming from the children of the village was that of a "one-lunger" or single cycle engine coughing it's we through the streets, and making its way to our location.  Just about that moment, a make-shift carry-all rounded the corner and hacked to a stop. This, we were informed was a TING-A-MA-JIG and it was going to deliver us to the tent village. SERIOUSLY?  Another name for it could have been Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  It was hauling behind it a platform with a couple of sides and that portion was the cart in which we would stand for the time it would take "TING" to traverse the barren night desert. What a treat we had in store for us. Not sure of the time we departed on our journey across the desert to what would be our home for the next few nights, but it was cold and it was dark. About a dozen of us climbed into the "trailer" part of the "TING" and then, truth be told, the driver climbed down off his perch and grabbed a handle grip, which he hooked over the square fitting and began to crank and crank in order to get the "one lunger" to cough and sputter and catch. I am sure he was hopeful it might purr but that was not to be, except perhaps at the least inkling of an incline, where it settled down nicely while awaiting the heavy foot which caused it to rev to a high enough rpm level as to surge our jitney forward and then cost for a bit before the next incline.  During this inaugural trip, I heard many iterations that included references of Tommy the Train or the Little Engine That Could! "C'mon" they said. "we think you can, we think you can!" Way off in the distance, we could see the glow of lights and hoped that might be our tent encampment and, indeed, it was. Some must have been expecting pup tents and a trench shovel to dig a pit for a toilet. This as far from that. The image of Lawrence of Arabia, perhaps, might have been a bit more accurate. We jumped down (only choice) from the back end of the "TING" and proceeded through a sort of entry gate in a cloth clad wall that surrounded the encampment. To our immediate right was the dining tent - sized to the task of handling a wedding reception for at least two hundred guests. In front of us was the reception tent, where we would gather in the afternoons following work, or we we returned to camp for lunch. At the perimeter surrounding the courtyard, about twenty-eight Swiss-style tents were placed. Each tent as outfitted similarly with an entry "fly" under which were set two peacock shaped rattan chairs and a table. Unzipping the main zipper and then the screen zipper, one entered the bedroom, where two cots were covered with brightly colored quilts. On the opposite side, there was a table and a side chair as well as a bench for luggage. Step now, through the next flap into the throw, which boasted a stainless steel sink bowl, mirror on a stand, a eastern style toilet and then a shower platform with faucets and a hose with shower head.  The appointments did not lack for much.   We were called to the dining tent, where a wonderful hot meal awaited us. Each round was set for eight persons, complete with table cloth, placemats, cloth napkins, etc. , with the buffet line offering savory dishes, from soup to nuts. Following dinner, the staff brought out a birthday cake with one candle inscribed with HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELIAS, P.D.G. Somehow, I think that dear friend Kelly Wike had a good deal to do with this. In addition, the three gentlemen from PHD Rural Development Chamber of  Commerce, with whom our teams had helped to construct two dams in previous years, were there - Goverdahn and his two sons, Dinesh and Banwari.  They also had a surprise for me, having purchased a traditional Rajasthani kurta and pantaloons. Unfortunately, even though I have lost some weight in recent weeks, sizes in India were not meant to fit me.  However, the thought was most appreciated. The topper,  literally, was a turban of bright colors, that they had to rework twice, because it had fallen apart.  We were then treated to a righty celebration  which included several drummers and dancers from the local area. It was very cold when we retired to our tents, but even with the night chill, we had been warmly welcomed.  To bed and not so early to rise the next  morning and to begin our three days of labor.

LOOKING FOR A SIGN... FEBRUARY 17, 2012

"Okay, Elias, how are we supposed to know where we are going when we arrive?" "Just  look for a sign - on that reads ROTARY DREAM TEAM -INDIA 2012." After deplaning, all of us having grabbed our carry-on items, proceeded to the concourse and began the rather long walk through brightly carpeted corridors, beautifully maintained with displays of plantings throughout and on to the escalators, which brought us down to the level of the Customs and Immigration bureau and bandage claim and for some, and even more important, the duty free shops!  Once having descended to tha level, we queued up to be processed through and then proceeded on to retrieve our bags.  Even if our bags had been tagged as PRIORITY, it basically meant nothing, and we had to wait just like everyone else.  However, the process took much less time than in many American airports. This place is really efficient, and for this, we are most appreciative.  Truly, to be processed through immigration within less than five minutes seems rather astounding! From baggage claim we worked our way out through to the general reception area where we were faced with literally dozens of people waving signs in the air with names of their special friends of relatives, or merely a taxi fare, to wisk them off into the night, which is India! And just as I had predicted, outside and to the left of the teeming multitudes, was my friend and member of the staff of HiPoints, Bani. his face lit up when he saw me, and he gave me a welcoming embrace. I told him I felt I had arrived home again,  and was so pleased to be here. I told him we would more easily find the team members, because each of us was wearing the team shirt - a wonderful shade of purple, which although Gene Hernandez found fault with the color and said he would have a problem wearing that color, it helped to pick out the team members and soon we were all assembled and ready to move on to the next leg of our journey - the bus rise to our hotel. And, oh what a journey that was! Even at the late hour of the night, the choked lanes of traffic we just as I had remembered them, nearly impossible to navigate. What would normally be expected to take a half-hour, took nearly two and a half hours. The cacophonous deluge of sounds, mixed with smells, put several of us on sensory overload.  Finally, upon arrival at the Ramada Hotel in Gurgaon, we stepped down from the bus and into the lobby where the night manager and his staff were prepared to carry our bags to our rooms so we could settle down for a short sleep, but one that was so welcome after the tedium of a fourteen hour flight with a surly crew. Bank explained that not all of the team members had arrived and that some of them would be coming on shortly.  Several of us remained downstairs in the lobby lounge, to enjoy a quick beer or some wine, awaiting the arrival of prospective roommates from either France or Australia. I enjoyed the company of Sergio and Norma Iglesias, the district governor nominee and his wife from Vera Cruz, Mexico. We found that we had a great deal in common and acknowledged reality of the Magic of Rotary. About a half-hour later, first the French contingent arrived, with Diddier Fosse, my dear friend and team member for four or five years, and a young lady named Elodie, who had accompanied him for this experience. Shortly thereafter, the four team members from Australia arrived - Pete Dalwood, Rossi Beddow, Leonie and Lee Ann. Rossi was to share my room with me that first night, and since his mother Carole Beddow and his sister, Fabian, had traveled with me in previous years, we had a great deal to discuss, especially the birth of Fabia's little boy. Finally, with lights out and talk winding down, we fell to sleep. Up early in the morning, and back into two different buses to be driven on to the village of Chahalka, where we would tour the projects of previous teams.

On the corner of MOSQUE and HAYWAGON... February 19th later in the afternoon

It seemed like a perfectly good idea, when Mr. Dargh suggested that it was time for us to take leave from the booth, but as we wandered further and further along, not so much!   As is so typical of American men, and perhaps men everywhere, we absolutely KNEW where we were going, so onward and upward, or actually downward along the alley to more of a main alley, weaving our way throw the maze of shop fronts and homes and yards with goats and chickens and water buffalo and a few cows, too!  We proceeded along our unmapped route and passed by a gentleman who was sitting out in front of his house, at a sewing machine, tailoring a pair of pants, he had just made. We stopped by, admired his work and then proceeded further down that alley.  After a few minutes, it seemed a good idea to perhaps try to return to where we had left the booth, just in the off chance that someone might actually be out there looking for us!   At one point, we found ourselves at another Polito vaccination booth, and so I decided to stop, introduce ourselves, and inquire as to whether or not anyone had seen Dr. Sanjeev from the WHO. After all, it had been he who had arranged for our transportation from Punhana to Bisru so, of course, they must have known him and perhaps even seen him. NEGATIVE on that one! Linda suggested that perhaps we might try calling someone. I had Diwan's telephone number programmed into my phone, so tried three times to call him and to explain where we were... "we are somewhere near the corner of Mosque and HAYWAGON!" and for some unknown reason, he not only had no idea where we were but then I lost the connection. Soooooo, then Linda suggested we try to contact Gene Hernandez on his mobile phone, so he could pass the word to the others how to find us.  Linda gave me the number, one from the USA, and I dialed. Imagine how surprised I was when a lady answered! I asked to speak to Gene and was told that he was not available. I asked if he was in India and was told he was. At least I had the right family. Then I asked if I was speaking to his wife, Louise and the woman said, "Yes!" I told her who I was and since we had met several months ago, we had a nice chat. However, she seemed somewhat concerned that supposedly we were all together and I had no idea where he was! I reassured her that everything was alright and that we had just been in a different section of the town, and not to worry.  I also suggested that she have an enjoyable sleep - since I must valve awakened her, guessing it was about  11:30 at night in California!  We decided to walk back to our original booth area and then retrace our steps. However, in a couple of blocks, we turned and saw some of the rest of the team and walked down to meet them at a different booth. Tis one was also in someone's home and located directly across the street where some young man had brought in the pipes and assembled them into a hand-cranked ferris wheel for kids and he was turning six "baskets" of kids around and around and around, while we all listened to their shrieks of joy and laughter!  Just think, if OSHA had been there, the entire town would have been shut down! In the next several minutes, the remaining members of our teams arrived and we headed back to Punhana and the schoolyard where we met up with the other team members and boarded the buses to travel to our next destination. 

IF IT IS SUNDAY AND THE 19th, IT MUST BE AN NID...

Waking up at 5:30 in the morning and then down for breakfast, with bags packed and outside our doors, we all were rather sleepy-eyed and quiet while we ate our breakfast. Others came from their hotel, telling us how wonderful their accommodations were, and they joined us for breakfast. Meanwhile, bags were brought down, either by each of us or by one of the porters when we could find one.  Before checking out of the hotel, we were told to take one of the packed lunches from the front desk in the lobby, because we would be eating on the buses, en route to our destination following the NID events later in the morning. We had to depart from the hotel at least two and a half hours ahead of time, due to impending traffic in the villages we would drive through. You see, not only is it an NID but it Sunday is also traditionally a market day so all of the stalls in the various villages would be packed with fresh fruits and vegetables, live hens in cages, awaiting their quick demise with the wielding of a sharp cleaver, the to be plucked by deft hands of a young "butcher-in-training" most likely working alongside is father or a uncle! Also, alongside the roads were skilled and unskilled mechanics, who had dismantled the engines of trucks and autos, and then attempting to reassemble them for their impatient owner/drivers. We arrived, actually ahead of time, which in India must surely be a record!  We left the buses and walked across the main street in Punhana from where we would disburse to go to the various booths throughout that town, as well as to Bisru, a neighboring town, where some of us had worked in past years. Finally, Drs. Rauh and Sanjeev arrived, and we were let into the schoolyard where we had gathered the previous afternoon prior to the rally.  We were assigned to different cars and vans where the drivers would take us to the various distribution points in the villages. We were divided into teams of four persons, and tried to have one seasoned Rotarian with three "newbies". I was pleased to have Mike Milner, Linda Bertuzzi and Devan Ramalingam (whom we call Devo). and what crew it was! We opted to be driven to Bisru, and to work in an area where about teams had worked in the past and where the most recent case of polio had been diagnosed back in 2010. We were dropped off at the bottom of a hill and walked up to the distribution point, a porch area of a private home of a Muslim family.  The open sewer ditch ran along one side of the alley we walked up.  All the way up the alley,  Mike was using his iPad to take pictures of the neighbor children and the wonderful architecture of this old village.  The smiles just got better and better as we got closer to the place where we would work for the next few hours. We arrived and were greeted by two women and one gentleman who were in charge of this booth.  Already, prior to our arrival, these three had administered polio drops to about seventy-five children, under the age of five years.  The rationale is that if every child, under the age of five, receives doses of the polio vaccine several times over the course of the first five years of their lives, the possibility of contracting polio is nil.  About two hours into our stay at the booth, Mr. Dargh asked if we would like to have some water, but since it would not be bottled water, I suggested that perhaps some chai tea would be great. He said he would go get some and returned about fifteen minutes later, with four china cups and saucers, and a pot of freshly brewed chai tea. It was asolutely delicious and we were pleased to have him bring us a second cup. He had also offered some biscuits, but those were to seeming to be forthcoming. Mike then ventured across the street, when two of the local village men invited him to step across and show them how he was taking pictures on his iPad. They seemed to be very excited to see the instant large photos, and especially since they were the subject of several of them. A few minutes later, Linda told us to look a into the doorway of the home and see the paper cut-out decorations surrounding the beautifully tiled wall in what served as the living room and the bedroom for this family. A little later on, we would be invited to enter the home and to tour through it. Now we are not talking what we would picture as a "normal" western home, but rather something that was very typical of a relatively well off family in Bisru. After all, most of us do not walk from our bedrooms into a yarded area, where our water buffalo is kept, along with the chickens! I would guess that perhaps five or six branches of the same family were all occupying this home and it was wonderful to see the twin daughters, about age two, sitting outside, totally naked and just playing together on one of the cot type beds, under a quilt, until they saw us and then one of them got off the bed and put on her shoes! Now, she was ready to face the world for the day! What a privilege and honor for us to be able to enter a home in a Muslim village, where white westerners are not the norm as those happening to drop by for a visit! We spent several minutes in the yard and then left by the side door. Once outside, I told the rest of the team I was going to take a walk further up the alley and just have a chance to chat with some of the locals. There were two boys, about sixteen years old, standing in the doorway of one of the houses and so I began talking with them. Both had gone to school and spoke some English. I asked them their names and they asked me mine. When I told them my name is Elias, he boy said his father was also named Elias, so I asked if he was close by so I could meet him. In a few minutes, I met the other Elias and believe it or not, through stumbling through few words of English and Hindi, he asked if Sarah was with me. I questioned him on this and he repeated his question if Sarah was with us. I told him no but that her father and mother were with me in another area of Bisru. Just imagine, two years ago, Sarah Miller was a part of our team and Elias remembered her! What ate the chances? We said out goodbyes to the team of locals at the booth and began to walk back to the area she we would be taken back in small vans to Punhana to meet the rest of the team members and take our buses to our camp site near she we would be helping to build the dam for the next few days.

LOOKING FOR A SIGN... (February 17, 2012)

ARE WE THERE YET???

Surely, each of us recalls times when we were children and riding in the car with our parents, and being impatient to arrive at our destination, incessantly asked the burning question, "Are we THERE yet?" Well, anyone embarking on a trip to India might well ask the same question, since our flight from Newark's Liberty Airport takes between 15 and 16 hours! Add to that the time from when we actually board the aircraft and the time we disembark, we are looking at close to 18 hours!!!  Are we THERE yet?

With all of the last minute details that each member of our team is checking, and double-checking and then re-checking, it is likely that each member of our ROTARY DREAM TEAM will be totally exhausted by the time we board in Newark later this evening, and hopefully, each of us will get sufficient sleep, so we arrive bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!  Again, as they say here in Maine, "T'ain't LIKELY!" After all, isn't this why God made pharmaceuticals?

In a few hours, I will attend my regular Rotary Club meeting, come home and pick up my baggage and then drive to meet one of the other team members, and together we will drive to Boston for the next leg of our trip - actually getting to Newark. Here, we will meet other team members of ROTARY DREAM TEAM at a wonderful place - Gallagher's Steakhouse.  We will all dig into our last "close to home-cooked meal" before then walking to our gate to await boarding instructions.  Each of us will be wearing our snappy bright purple team shirts, so at least on the plane, we will be able to locate other team members en route. 

Fast forward (PLEASE!) to our arrival in Delhi's new airport, and we will be met by Mr. Bani and Mr. Diwan Singh of Hi Points Expeditions, and guided to our motor coach for a two-hour ride to our hotel. There most likely will be other folks there to greet us - members of the Rotary Club of Delhi-Megapolis, with whom we have joined forces in past years - this year no exception. After an exhausting introduction into the Indian culture (flights getting to Newark, flight from Newark, bus rides, etc.) we can settle down for a few hours in our hotel rooms and then have breakfast in the morning, and then travel to Mewat district in Haryana State to meet with town officials and those from the World Health Organization (WHO) that will be coordinating the pre-NID activities.  Most likely, we will be marching through the streets and alleys of the various villages, led by a team of drummers, in order to raise the awareness of the following day's National Immunization Day (NID), encouraging all the while, parents and children to bring all children under the age of five years to receive their polio vaccine.

Due to the Herculean efforts of many, including WHO and UNICEF and government officials, but most especially because of ROTARY INTERNATIONAL, India can now boast of not having even one new case of polio in the past 13 months!  Together, we will END POLIO NOW!!!

Two days and counting...

With everyone making final preparations with packing and making copies of our passports and taking photos for visas, the excitement is building.  Yesterday, I met with one of our team members and provided her with an official team shirt and she sent a text message back to me saying she could wear the shirt as a dress and required a smaller size!  Hopefully, all of the shirts will not be oversized, but then again, that is one of the joys of organizing such a trip - one has to be FLEXIBLE! 
For those seasoned members of the Rotary Dream Teams, there is a full understanding that flexibility is a key word and temperament for each of us to adopt for the coming three weeks.  Adapt and adjust are two more good words to keep in our minds.  Nothing ever works completely as we may have wished or planned, but with adopting a mindset of adaptation and adjusting, and remaining flexible, each of us will once more enjoy the trip of a lifetime!
Approach each day as a totally new adventure and go with the flow.  Some of us will actually be literally going with the flow, as we take our travel portion of the trip and go whitewater rafting down the Ganges River!  This river is regarded by Hindus and others alike to be one of the holiest rivers in all of India. After our journey down river, we will stay one night at the Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh and participate in the evening celebration - aarti.  What a thrill to be able to observe - to see and hear and smell all of what comprises a havan and an aarti ceremony.  And what an honor and privilege, as well.

It is time to put aside the last minute jitters and just let it happen.  As I have always maintained, when Rotary is involved, everything works out for the best and together we are able to Reach Inside to Embrace Humanity, while bring about Peace through Service.

POLIO - Isn't it OVER, already?

Some people have asked, "WHY do you continue to travel to India to immunize children against polio?" or "Isn't POLIO a thing of the past?" or "What difference does it make to me, since polio is not here in the USA?"
Polio, a disease that only some of us remember, now, is still an endemic disease in four countries - amazing how the acronym spells out PAIN - Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria. Until or unless we eradicate this disease from the face of the earth, there remains a good chance that it could return to the western world. After all, in this world of global travel, polio is only a plane ride away!
This morning, I found something I wrote about five years ago, and it remains true today:
Administering drops of polio vaccine onto the tongues of unsuspecting babes, as we move to protect and transform their lives, and ensure they will grow to become healthy and contributing members of society... Need I say more?

TEN DAYS AND COUNTING

Can you believe it??? In just ten days, those of us traveling from the USA and Mexico, through Newark's Liberty International Airport will say our "Goodbyes" to our loved ones and colleagues, maybe even make that last Rotary Club meeting before we depart and then converge in Terminal C and gather - as is tradition - at Gallagher's Steakhouse for dinner in the banquet room.  It is there that Kelly Wike will bring our nametags and we will begin the process of getting acquainted with new team members and renewing friendships with past members.  Peter and Kim Miller will bring along the Team Shirts that I had made (and shipped to them) to give to those members flying with us that evening, and we will share stories of how we happen to be a part of ROTARY DREAM TEAM - INDIA 2012... these stories can be very poignant and often take many of us by surprise - did we know a friend or have a family member who suffered from polio? did WE suffer from polio when we were kids? did we become totally committed to Rotary International's single corporate project of ridding the world of polio?  What was it? What intrigued us to further explore the possibilities of joining a group of Rotarians and friends of Rotary to venture half-way around the world, to stay in accommodations which many of us would refuse to stay in if we were traveling within our own countries, to "camp out" in tents in the middle of a remote area in the state of Rajasthan, where it can get very cold at night and very hot during the day. What made us think we could endure the rudimentary toilet facilities in our tents - perhaps for the first time taking a "bucket bath" or a one-minute shower, and washing our hair (should we have any to wash) and putting up with the fact that there is NO HAIR DRYER, and perhaps the towels are small and scratchy?  What makes us do this?

The answer is sumple, although somewhat varied depending upon the person answering... it is ROTARY. It is why we joined this worldwide, international organization of men and women - some 1.2 million strong - not for personal gain or for increasing our business, but rather for reaching out to those less fortunate and making a contribution back to our communities, making a positive difference in the lives of total strangers, but making that difference nonetheless. It is all about relationships, and it is all about giving back.  However one puts it, it is all about SERVICE ABOVE SELF.

If we succeed in moving forward with the effort to END POLIO NOW, and we actually roll up our sleeves and put on our work gloves and carry basins of rocks or sand or masala (aka, concrete mix) and be forced to nurse our aches and pains at the end of the day, then we can acknowledge that we made a difference, we served others before ourselves. 

PEACE THROUGH SERVICE is the theme and motto for the upcoming Rotary year, and each of us is working toward that goal.  Thanks for supporting us in our efforts to reach that goal.

Those RED THREADS - What are they?

During the past eight or nine years, on each successive journey to India, I am blessed to have my "little sisters" tie red threads around my right wrist.  Many of the threads which remain on my wrist have been there since 2003!  Often, people ask me the meaning of the red threads, so I would like to share with you what I have learned about Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi. Although there is a celebration of Rakhi in India, generally in August, the tradition of acknowledging the bond between a brother and sister (familial or symbolic) remains strong.

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan is a very special tradition in India.  It is the celebration of the special bond between a brother and a sister.  Sisters tie a band of red thread around their brothers’ wrists as a sign of affection.  Legend tells of the sister asking that the blessings of God be showered on her brother throughout the year.  By extending his wrist forward so his sister can tie the threads around it, the brother is symbolically extending his hand of protection over her.

Early in January 2003, I had the honor and privilege of leading a Rotary International Group Study Exchange (G.S.E.) Team to India, for a cultural and vocational exchange.  The team was to remain in India for a period of six weeks, living in various homes and sharing their vocations with others in like professions in India.  By living and eating within this culture for that period of time, we all had numerous experiences that would color our lives for years to come.  One of the most touching experiences occurred when we traveled outside of the city of New Delhi and on to Ghaziabad.  We were to remain in Ghaziabad for several days.  When we arrived, we were welcomed at a Rotary-supported clinic, where screening was taking place for polio.  One of the activities for which Rotary International is so well known is the pledge in 1986 to rid the world of polio by the year 2005, Rotary’s 100^th anniversary.  We were driven to the clinic and when we entered the courtyard of the school, all those present were on their feet, applauding our arrival.  We were then presented with many garlands of white marigolds and red roses.  We had yellow and red tikas applied to our foreheads and rose petals were sprinkled over our heads.  The final portion of the welcoming ceremony came when young girls tied red strings around the right wrists of the men in the group.  The symbolism of this gesture has been one that has lasted since that time.

One of the young girls told me of the mythological origins of Raksha Bandhan – or rakhi.  She told me there was once a young queen in India, who ruled over many territories.  Her enemies were attacking her lands on several flanks.  She sent couriers to each of her older brothers, each bearing a simple red string.  The brothers received the message and each of them stopped what they were doing and came to her rescue, defeating her enemies.

In 2004, again while traveling in India, leading a group of Rotarians and Friends of Rotary to participate in a National Immunization Day against polio, I mentioned this tradition of Raksha Bandhan to the wife of a friend.  She gathered that I had been quite moved by the symbolism of the ceremony in Ghaziabad, and the following day (my daughter’s birthday) this Indian woman came to the home where I was staying and tied the red threads around my right wrist.  I thanked her and she questioned as to whether or not I was aware of the responsibilities that came with these threads.  I told her, “Yes, I am, and know that whenever you are in need, all you need to do is call and I will leave what I am doing at the time and travel to protect you or to help you.”  The evening before I was to return to America from India, my “little sister” from India, Jyotsna Dayal, came to me at a farewell dinner at the Ashok Hotel and tied red threads around my wrist.  She has been and always will be my little sister. 

For some inexplicable reason, I feel an affinity toward India and its people, and not a day passes but I think of my friends there, and of the colorful countryside, the noise of the tuk-tuks, and the visual of cows walking in the roads alongside cars and trucks and those people riding bicycles.  On December 26, 2004, the Feast of Saint Stephen in the Christian Calendar, when the tsunamis hit south India, and other countries bordering the Indian Ocean, I was struck by the enormity of the disaster, but was also moved by something else.  I looked down upon my right wrist, and saw the red threads that had been tied there by my Indian friend, as well as subsequently by my daughter.  I knew as soon as I looked at the strings, that I needed to determine some way I could assemble a team of volunteers to travel with me to south India to help rebuild the areas hardest hit.  My sister, India, was calling, and I felt the obligation to come to her aid.

With many Rotary contacts in India, we were successful in planning a two-week trip to India, departing from New York on Monday, March 28^th and returning on Sunday, April 10^th.  Upon arrival, we traveled down to Pondicheri, where we stayed for a week.  Each morning, we traveled by bus to the coast of south India.  According to statistics, as a result of the tsunamis on December 26^th, of all the towns and villages in the state of Tamil Nadu, nearly 8,000 people lost their lives, with over 6,000 from Nagapatinam, alone!  We were approved to work for a full week in Tamil Nadu, helping to construct permanent shelters for some of the fishermen and their families, who were rendered homeless as a result of the tsunamis.  We were asked to help build 100 permanent shelters and to raise the funds to pay for the materials.  The cost per shelter was $3,500.  We looked forward to working with local Rotarians, as well as with laborers in the village.  The shelters were constructed using mud bricks and concrete blocks.

The following summer, the daughter of a Rotarian (my little brother in India) came to this country for performing at fund-raising concert recitals, for the benefit of the fund to assist in this project.  Pallavi Saran Mathur is ranked as one of the top three classical dancers in all of India.  She agreed to come to the United States and to perform for no fee, if we are successful in arranging for her flights and lodging.

With the cost of each permanent shelter set at $3,500 it seemed reasonable to think that most groups or organizations or corporations could fund at least one shelter.  Imagine yourself looking forward to living in a shelter, which was less than 400 square feet in area.  These folks were so very grateful for anything we were able to provide safe and permanent shelters for them and their families.

My goal was to raise awareness of the needs caused by the devastation, to assemble a team of caring volunteers, Rotarians and Friends of Rotary, and finally to raise as much of the $350,000 necessary to pay for all of these dwellings.  In fact, we raised funds sufficient to pay for nearly one-half of the homes, and in 2006, I returned to India once more, and had the honor of working as a part of the construction crew for the final four housing units in the Village of Pannithittu.

Now, whenever I look down and see the red strings which were tied around my right wrist, I recall the tenderness and solemnity of the occasions where the strings were tied by friends and family, but I also remain fully aware of my inherent obligations, real or perceived, to be always ready to respond to the calls for help from my little sisters.  Even today, in 2012, some of the raakhi threads on my wrist remain from 2003 – a testament to the strong and unbroken bond I enjoy with India.

The TWELVE DAYS of ANTICIPATION???

With barely twelve days remaining before we depart from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and France, I know we are all experiencing the last minute jitters:
1) Do I have the proper clothing?
2) Have I PACKED the proper clothing?
3) What will I forget to pack?
4) Do I have the proper luggage?
5) How many bags can I take with me? (Check out the particular airlines you are using and their baggage policy to get the best answers and then, even take time to call them to make sure.)
6) Have I made duplicate photo-copies of my Passport information, so I do not have to give up my Passport?
7) Do I have my anti-Malaria medicine?
8) Did I ask my physician for a prescription of Cipro - just in case?
9) Have I called my Credit Card company to notify them that I will be out of the country and that I will be making charges to my credit card (pashminas, oriental carpets, jewelry) and that perhaps someone who is not going with me and who has charging privileges on my credit card will still be making those charges, even while I am away?
10) Have I given emergency contact information to my family and colleagues?
11) Did I remember to pack banners from my Rotary Club so I can swap them with other team members?
12) Did I remember to purchase the TRAVEL SMART adaptor/converter?
13) Did I remember to purchase a kayaking DRY SACK for my laptop, mobile phone or other items I wish to keep dry?
14) Did I remember that I am to meet my fellow ROTARY DREAM TEAM members at Gallagher's Steakhouse in Terminal C at Newark's Liberty Airport sometime around 5:00 p.m. on the 16th?
15) Did I pack baby-wipes and hand sanitizer and a roll of toilet paper?

This experience will be a once-in-a-lifetime and life-changing one, where we will meet old friends and make new ones and we will forge relationships that will last for the rest of our lives. Imagine, just knowing that my administering polio vaccine drops to even ONE child, that you have ensured that one child of a life without paralysis and perhaps death. Imagine that together with fellow teammates, we will help to construct a water conservation catch dam, which will serve tiny villages and help ensure that they will be able to sustain themselves by being able to plant and harvest crops because of the gravity irrigation system that will water the crops.
JUST IMAGINE - the possibilities are ENDLESS.  We WILL Reach Within to Embrace Humanity and we will achieve PEACE THROUGH SERVICE, and END POLIO NOW!

HELPFUL LINKS

For those who are interested in learning more about Rotary International and its involvement with the eradication of polio (as its only corporate project)  please visit http://www.rotary.org/ or to learn about past experiences with Rotary Dream Teams - please visit: http://www.eliasthomas.com/

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

With about two weeks to go before members of the ROTARY DREAM TEAM - INDIA 2012 begin to leave their homes and head toward airports and flights to new experiences and new friendships, last minute preparations are being made, both in our homes and businesses, but also half-way around the world in India. My colleague and dear friend (Little Brother) Sanjiv Saran, past president of the Rotary Club of Delhi-Megapolis is putting the final touches on the travel itineraries for our group. Suggested packing list items, room share lists, Email address lists, badges to be made by another dear friend and multi-year member of the DREAM TEAM, Kelly Wike from Pennsylvania, helpful travel tips and so much more - these are all going on while we continue to work at our jobs, interact with our families and Rotary Clubs.
One of the most remarkable experiences I will enjoy is that on my birthday, February 19, 2012, I will share in the excitement of administering polio vaccine drops to hundreds of children in villages near the Mewat district in Haryana state in India! This is one of the areas where in the past few years, Rotary has made great strides in immunizing children, and therefore, curbing the spread of this insidious disease - the crippling and sometimes deadly disease - POLIO. As of January of 2012, we are pleased to report that there has not been any reported new case of polio in India for twelve months! What a phenomenal accomplishment - an accomplishment of Rotarians from around the world who have financially supported this effort through contributions to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, but also for those tens of thousands of Rotarians and friends of Rotary who have volunteered their time and treasure to travel to India to participate in the National Immunization Days (NIDs) against polio, year after year. In reflection, I have had the honor of leading more than three hundred of these selfless volunteers to India over the past ten years and I am forever grateful to them for their willingness to share themselves in this cause.
Once again, on the first leg of our journey, those of us who are flying out of Newark's Liberty Airport on February 16th, will gather at GALLAGHER'S STEAKHOUSE for our final "western-style" dinner, before departing on our 15-hour flight to Delhi.
Wish us well in our efforts!