It's That Time of Year, Again...

In just about three weeks, I will again be returning to India. This year, I have the honor of leading over 50 Rotarians and Friends of Rotary to India for two purposes: First, we will participate in the National Immunization Day (NID) on Sunday, February 10, 2008, where we will join tens of thousands of other volunteers, some from hospitals, some from the government, some from the United Nations and the World Health Organizations, and many from Rotary Clubs throughout India and the rest of the world. In one day, it will be our task to immunize all children in the country under the age of five against this crippling disease. As many of you know already, Rotary challenged itself more than twenty years ago to eradicate polio from the face of the earth, and about 99% of polio has been eliminated from all but four countries in the world, where the virus remains indigenous. Second, we will gather in an abjectly poor village, about fifty kilometers west of New Delhi, where we will work as common laborers, along with local Rotarians, to create the ROTARY VOCATIONAL AND COMPUTER TRAINING CENTRE OF CHAHALKA, as well as the ROTARY DAY CARE CENTRE OF CHAHALKA.

The village of Chahalka is a tiny Muslim village, tucked away in the barren territory situated near the foothills of the Aravali Mountain range. In a previous trip to Chahalka, it is difficult to imagine survival in this desolate area. When we worked in the village this past year, we helped to restore the potability of the village's water supply, which up until the time we built two washing platforms, the women and girls were doing their daily washing on top of the huge well tile, with all of the waste water pouring right back down through the hole through which they had drawn the "clean" water in the first place!

Our team is comprised of Rotarians and Friends of Rotary from five countries ~ USA, Canada, England, Australia and Sweden. Two Rotarians are bringing their children, ages ranging from 12 to 17. What an amazing experience it will be for these young people, and for us who are a bit older to witness how each evolves through working in a totally Muslim village, where up until very recently, the villagers had not even experienced "white westerners"!

We will endeavor to keep a journal, with many contributing to it, throughout the journey, and to provide as much of the fabric of the culture to our friends at home, as possible. You are welcome to comment and to communicate to us through our email addresses. Mine is as follows: eliasthomasiii@hotmail.com

Thanks for your interest.