Then there's southern India

When you think of India, what do you picture? Well, I found the India I imagined here in the south. Relief washed over me as soon as we touched down in Visakhapatnam. I saw the coastline, palm trees, and beautifully sculpted lush mountains that gate the city and thought, “This is India.”

Ramana, HOINA’s driver, took us along the coastline as we made our way to the home. We passed fish drying on stones. We passed thatched huts. And of course we passed roaming cows. Welcome to village India.

-- Fish drying along the coast in south eastern India, north of Visakhapatnum

After settling into the guest houses, we made our way to dinner. The crowd of boys who live in the HOINA boys’ home greeted us warmly at the gate. “Good evening, sister. What is your name?” It was precious and exactly the reception we needed after our journey in Delhi and Agra.

After dinner one of the boys, Rajif, tried to take our group’s dishes from me. “Sister, you are our guest. We will clean,” he said. But, I persisted and we raced to see who could finish more of the dishes pilled in front of me. I made my first friend.

The following day, we took a tour of the grounds. I noticed the splashes of creativity that sprinkle the campus. Mosaics of children, animals and religious sayings decorate the walls in the children’s play areas. Near the girls’ home, there is a pet monkey living in a large screened in gazebo. Along the roads within the campus are brightly painted tires. I can’t imagine a more beautiful or perfect place to raise children. I would be a very happy child here.

Note: “Aka”, meaning (older) sister or brother is a way many Indians in this area refer to each other. That is why the children greet us and each other this way.