2016 India Odyssey – Through the Eyes of our Tribe (Part 1)
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Terri Wingham is the founder and CEO of A Fresh Chapter, a cancer survivor, and someone who believes that we are not defined by the most difficult aspects of our story. |
We love sharing our programs through the eyes of our participants. Below, you will meet just a few members of our inspiring 2016 India Odyssey tribe.
Sheila: Note to self: I am not my cancer. Cancer is just one chapter in my life not the whole book. ❤❤ #butgod
Eliel: For those that know me well you know that i love kids (explains why I have 5)…This trip to India is not only giving me the opportunity to start a fresh chapter in my life but it has also allowed me to spend time with beautiful kids who unlike many of us do not have the luxuries we sometimes take for granted..But they have something much more valuable; joy, happiness and a genuine heart. And no matter how difficult and chaotic life may seem around them they always have a smile in their face and look at you with their bright eyes filled with love. This is worth so much more then anything money can buy…
What an experience this has been for me! It’s been an eye opener, new perspective, lesson in finding happiness and an inspiration to be a better person, father, husband and friend. I am not going to lie, It has not been easy to get out of my comfort zone. The noise, smells, language, hard bed, new food, chaotic traffic, poverty and rollercoaster of emotions can be very overwhelming. However; it is so worth it, my heart is filled with love, joy and purpose! Coming out of my comfort zone has been the best thing I have done in my life! Today, here, now is where I was meant to be and I would not change this moment for anything in the world!
I leave you with some of the beautiful faces that have stolen my heart while in India!
Our Mother Teresa’s volunteers
Heather: One of the challenges I’ve experienced in coming to India is feeling as though I cannot possibly make a difference. There is so much need here and the culture is so complex and contradictory it is nearly impossible to fathom – let alone work within. But I’ve also found that kindness is able to transcend even the most daunting language barrier. Most of these people are eking out an existence somewhere at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy and when we walk through the doors of Mother Teresa’s they clamor for our attention, to hold our hands, to be seen. It is lovely and confusing and devastating all at once and frankly I don’t know how we will manage to walk out of their lives at the end of our time here.
Though most of our contribution has been simply to give our attention and time, to work alongside them as to scrub floors and hang laundry – there have been some phenomenal breakthroughs as well. Yesterday the bedridden Tibetan woman we have been caring for was able to get up to a chair and sit in the sun. The sisters are using the barrier cream I found and taught them to use, her wounds are beginning to heal. When she was wheeled into the courtyard, the other patients came to greet her, to welcome her to the fold, to cheer her progress. The sweetness of this interaction was one of the most purely human moments I have ever experienced.
And so my lovely friends, if you ever are questioning your ability to make a difference in this world – I assure you the only way it can be done is one person at a time.
Chris at the Taj Mahal
Chris: Taj Mahal day. Absolutely breathtaking…for all those who made it possible for me to go on this mission. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This morning brought it all together for me and it is a time I will never forget. It has been an exhausting week of cultural lessons, working at the school and talking about how cancer makes us feel and what we want to leave behind in India so we can start a Fresh Chapter when we get home. During that discussion a lot of tears were shed by all of us, but the 1 thing I’m going to leave here is to quit searching for the reason I have this disease. I’m going to live my life to the fullest and stop wasting time being mad at God. God gives us the life we have and he will guide me in whatever that path is. I can’t change my cancer diagnosis/outcome but I can control what I do with the time I have. India has really help me learn from the other tribe members here and it really has been a trip of a lifetime. Thank you!!
Jennifer: A week ago I could have never imagined how much I would come to love every single member of this amazing, crazy, perfect tribe. Today marked the midway point in this Indian adventure, pretty darn epic. #afreshchapter
Comments (2)
I enjoyed the trip with all the pictures my bestie posted. I felt the love and peace from her smile and the smiles of all the children. You are right we can’t change the world but if you connect and help one person at a time Good things will come from it. Blessed to have been here with you Sheila. I love you
Chills!!! That has to be the most beautiful tribe I have ever seen. Thank you for bringing me back to that life changing trip. I feel like I’m walking on Air!