February 18th
     Before I embarked on my journey to India, I was very nervous because I had never really traveled farther than Hawaii. Going to the San Francisco international airport was very intimidating, I was leaving my parents for the first time in a while to travel abroad and face cultural divisions. When I actually boarded the plane, I was overcome with an excitement because I knew that in 24 hours I would be in India, the place my CBSL partners and I had been working towards since sophomore year. The plane ride was extremely long and unfortunately I could not sleep; 17 hours to Singapore and then another 4.5 to Trichy and I slept for 3 of them. It was all worth it though when we stepped out of the Trichy airport and saw the smiles on the faces of the Indian Love Manifest heads. They gave us leis and could not stop saying how happy they were to have us there. We had finally made it.

February 20
     The first full day in India we went to the i35 school and were amazed by the love and smiling faces we saw. It did not matter that these kids could not walk or talk, they were still the happiest children I had ever seen before. We played and tried to talk with them and their parents told us their stories. We saw how the physical therapists would stretch them and rub their muscles out, and it was really amazing to see how much time and effort they contributed to these children's well-being. Later in the week we made home visits and many of their parents thanked us for everything we contributed and told us about how Love Manifest had stopped them from ending their lives because the physical therapists had made their children walk and talk for the first time. It was surreal to hear their stories and I know it made all of us feel lucky to live the life we do. When I went to the high school where I put my well in, I did not know much about it. It was where the i35 center was, at Infant Jesus School. After I made my speech, I walked over to pump the well but I saw one of the i35 children already doing it. I was amazed and saddened that I had provided them something that they should have had since the beginning of their lives; clean water. Throughout the journey so many things amazed me, but the single most important thing was the children.

February 23
      How did this trip impact me? It not only impacted me on many levels, including spiritual and emotional. I had hard days with the i35 children and I had happy days. My hardest day was with a child named Alvin. Alvin was 11 years old and was a part of the i35 program because both of his feet were turned in, so he could not walk properly. Most of the children who are a part of the i35 program are too young to know that they have something wrong with them, but Alvin was fully aware and the children in his class were too. When we did home visits, Alvin told us his story. He has an amazing talent, chess. He came in 9th place in a national chess competition, but did not feel comfortable enough to share with his peers because he was an “untouchable” and had a disability. Alvin’s story struck me the hardest, and it was the most emotional day for me. To know that this young boy is bullied everyday for something that is completely out of his control and was labeled an “untouchable” at birth was beyond me. But, when we went to his school to put a well in, he got up in front of everyone to give a speech, for the first time, to the Love Manifest group. It was so special and I could not believe it was his first time speaking because he was so clear and never stuttered. I strongly admire Alvin and I know he is a strong boy that will persevere. His story inspired me to never let anyone get me down and love my life because he is so happy even though sometimes it seems the world is against him.