it was a place i had only heard about, a place i merely saw pictures of; india: a place people talked about but had never been to. for me it became real. i arrived in delhi last night from arizona, u.s.a. and traveled to fardibad this morning, where i will be staying for the next week. you can find me sitting in the HelpAge medical bus, helping distribute medication to the eldery who would otherwise be without help. the people working on this project care for these elderly like family, making sure they are not sick, not in pain. there are few, if any, old age homes in india, leaving these elderly with nowhere to stay and no one to care for them. i came from america to volunteer here wherever i was needed, though i had the orphanage in mind. but to me, it is not about who specifically i am helping, but that i am helping at all, in any way that i can. this past afternoon we stopped the ambulance in a small rural village where we were greeted by mostly older women, in bright colored garments and gold jewelry, smiling at me and occasionally waving. the children treating me as a celebrity, acting shy and covering their faces, but obviously wanting to meet me. men from the village came out with trays of hot tea and carried it over to us on a tray. i could tell the ambulance was treated with respect in the community, that these people didn't take anything for granted, especialy valuable medicine. i am so pleased to not only be seeing india for the first time, but to be seeing it not only as a tourist, but as a someone who is helping improve lives as well. i hope this is not going to be my last visit. it is after all such a beautiful place.

by: virginia, helpage india volunteer