Belated Merry Christmas!

For all our friends and relatives in the US, we sincerely wish you a Merry Christmas. Two weeks ago, Deb and I joined her colleagues from Novartis in spreading some cheer in a couple of places. I want to start with the orphanage. Novartis donated a new building to the Child Haven International facility in Hyderabad. If nothing else, you get the picture of what "wretched refuse" looks like. The children here, ranging from infants to young adults, are the cast offs of prostitutes, ultrapoor families who just can't deal with another mouth to feed, and generally the human equivalent of the pervasive litter on the side of the road. The folks that work full time at the shelter were probably residents here as well.

The kids play in a dusty yard in the compound or in a dusty field that surrounds it. Notice that the operative word is "dusty". I didn't want to think about a description during monsoon. As construction continues on the new building, the ubiquitous rubble piles are all around. A feral dog had puppies and the kids were taking care of her and the puppies as best they could. The mom dog was like the kids looking for the attention of anyone who would look at them with the possibility of something to eat or some attention -- any attention.

For anyone feeling gloomy over these holidays, just look at these folks and realize how many blessings you've got. It's like being part of the "Christmas Present" ghost section of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". No, I didn't say "humbug" or anything like that.

Our second stop was to a clinic for people suffering with multiple sclerosis. With very few options for healthcare, most people are paying for treatment out-of-pocket, so Novartis supports the clinic with financial support and reduced price for drugs (of course).

Next post will be our trip to Kerala.