If I had to describe what India was like in one word, I couldn't do it. The people are wonderful.The land is beautiful. The culture is ancient and mysterious. To truly understand what my experience was like you need to see it for yourself and feel the warmth, the history and the truth. This incredible part of the world has so much to offer.

I was filled with pain, joy and true emotion. Itry to imagine what it must be like to live there, not just for a week or a month, but for my entire life.

I believe in love and its infinite power, its ability to bridge the gap between races, cultures, religions and all else that separates us as human beings. Thank you to all of you who have helped me along the way in my life and have supported me and believed in me, without you I would not be here.

Now I could go on about what I saw, but instead I will let you read the words I wrote while I was there. Click the Mission Updates button to read the entries I wrote while I was there.

11-28-2005

Well here I am in Chennai, India. What a strange and mysterious part of the world. My trip here is not without its moments, I found myself stranded in paris in record snowfall that closed the airport for a while. Then we sat in the plane waiting for over 3 1/2 hours while they were deicing. When we finally arrived in Chennai we were almost 5 hours late, so finding our transportation was a bit difficult. A group of us wandered around the busy city streets fighting off the thousands of buses, cars, motorcycles and bicycles trying to mill in with the rest of the pedestrians. Then there were the small children of varied ages clinging to your arm and pant legs begging for money for food and the young mother holding an infant pleading "will you please help me for my baby."

We went to the work site and it was flooded due to the heavy rains, so we took a route to a different location to work on other homes being built. Hopefully, when the water recedes and the road opens back up we can travel farther south to the area we originally intended on going to.

Homelessness is a definite problem here and I find it difficult so see a solution even with the work that we will be doing. Also, the group that worked before us has been stranded at the work site because of the rains and are supposedly trying to work their way back north so they can fly home to the USA.

I am uncertain where we will be working but there is definitely work to be done. So I wish all of you my love and pray for me as I try to make a difference in the lives of so many who are in need in this part of the world. Consider yourself fortunate that you are not here and that this is not your home.----love Robbie

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11-30-2005

Well lets first start by saying that I may have accidentally gotten married to this young girl from one of the villages and have had three others offer since then. I'll figure it out. So much has happened in the past couple of days, so I will just try and list some of them.

We were still in Chennai until a couple of days ago and now we are in Pondicherri heading south. We'll work here in a remote village for a few days, then finally move down to Chidabarom where most of the roads are still flooded. One may be passable but we will have to walk for a 1/2 mile in th flood waters carring our tools.

As of lately we have been bricking houses as we build up the walls. Many of these homes are right on the shoreline, they were washed over during the tsunami and are demolished. So we remove all of the existing bricks and rebuild it from the ground up to allow the homes to withstand harsh rains. By the way, we are kind of expecting a typhoon to hit nearby very soon. It's nothing to be worried about, they have them a lot. The work consists of laying a lot of bricks to build up walls and the roof, then we seal the roof with this interesting mixture of crushed brick, sand, lime, mortor, and much water. We churn it, mix it, and level it out. It sounds much easier than it is.

The men of this village are fishermen but also are very skilled masons and could easlily make $30 an hour in the usa. They have been training most of us on how do do this work. They are very patient and understanding of us even though there is a huge communication gap.

Some of the other experiences are: seeing a security guard at a hotel slap a homeless man repeatedly for being on the hotel property and the homeless man responding by chasing him with a rock. Today, I saw this man stomp his foot down onto the back leg of a small dog possibly breaking its leg for the simple reason that it entered his house.

Many of the children are amused by me as you can imagine, and the young girls like my tatoos and my eyebrow ring. There are so many children that are so needy and clingy it is difficult to just leave them, and at the same time there is nothing I can do for them but build their house.

Getting on the internet is very difficult. It's slow and I have to pay per minute, but it's worth it so all of you can hear first hand of my experinces.

The traffic here is complete madness with all the cars, buses, bikes, bicycles and ox pulling carts. There are definately oxen everywhere wandering around in the streets because they are free to do so. Also, dogs are everywhere with some cats, goats and chickens all just wandering around like the people. There are so many people you can't even imagine the population here. As I stated before, the homeless are everywhere begging for money and food. Even at the worksite as I crush bricks by hand in the hot sun and 90 degree heat, they beg from me. What can i do? Share myself with them, make them smile and build their homes. I feel so helpless, but it is the only way. If I were to start giving things to people I would get swamped just as I do after I take a photo of a group of children and then they all want to see it.

Over all, this has been a great experince and I am glad that so many of you helped make this possible. This is truely a once in a lifetime experince that I will never forget.

Everyone be safe and I'll write again very soon
love-----Robbie

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12-2-2005

Well I am in some kind of trouble in that village in Pondicherri. It seems I ended up with five wives and now I owe their families 10 goats each. Needless to say, I have moved to a different village. I am now finally down in Killai (good luck finding it on a map). It is just outside of a larger village called Chidabaram. As some of you may have heard, that a typhoon hit Chennai. I was lucky that I am 6 hours south on the beautiful coast of the Bay of Bengal. It's very wet down here from the typhoon and largly from the tsunami. It's obvious the destruction that has occurred. The villagers speak of the high wave that swept over their tiny fishing village. I would have to say the village is everything that I had imagined and more. Today, I held a 10 month old boy who has fluid on the brain and in these conditions may not have much of a chance for survival, but we can love him while he is with us. We are staying at some fancy hotel that costs 700 rupees per night ($14). This is the nicest village with all dirt roads, hundreds of shops, thousands of people and one huge 12 story hindu temple. I will enter it on sunday with the people of the village and experience their religion.

This morning was a nice treat. Just before we got on the bus (20 of us) we saw a family of monkeys on the wall and in the trees just near my balcony. We arrived to the new work site and met the villagers and started in doing what we have been doing. There are about 40 villagers working along side us some of them women. These women do some manual labor that many american men could not do. Today I was digging a ditch around the perimeter of the houses exposing the foundation so they can plaster. Then, later me and my new friend from scottland built a scaffold out of tree branches and homemade rope, so we could lay bricks up this wall. The tree branch broke and the scaffold fell out from underneath us. I was hanging onto the wall at the time so I caught myself, the scott was not so lucky.

I felt a bit strange at first just walking around everywhere in the streets and going to the shops. I thought maybe someone would want to do us harm, but the only problem I have had so far are the fathers in Pondicherri trying to collect their goats. Its a beautiful country filled with wonderful people whom everyday live in the most horrible conditions. The social classes are pretty well integrated, instead of all the nice palace like homes in one part of town and the grass huts in another, they are all just mixed together. It's really strange.

I leave you with this final note : dont drink coconut milk from a silver cup as your ordained with flowers by a young girl, for if you do---you're married.

love and peace
Robbie--goat herder

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12-3-2005

The power just went off in the entire village for some reason, but yet I am still typing(back up power). I almost got impaled by an ox while walking over here to the shop with computers. Today, I helped lay many many bricks. It is a very complex process, but I'm doing it and up go the walls. There is a lot of manual labor to do every day and it's so hot and humid and dirty it's difficult to stay clean. I washed out my clothes earlier and made a clothes line, but I have to watch to make sure the monkeys dont steal anything. I was just talking to a group of children on the street and I told them where I was from, what village I was working in, and what we were doing. I also told him that I was working for no money, his eyes got real big as he asked me why. I told him that I have very little money, but I have two hands and a strong back so I can help, he said wow! All the children here are so great, it's like they dont have a care in the world except the need for food or the need for money to buy food. Many of them run around with no shoes, no shirts, and sometimes I see little children right on the edge of a dirt road wearing nothing at all as the buses go wisking by. Most of these people will never know anything different then what they know right now, but they are happy. None of us could live the lives that these people do, not for one day, not even me. From the outside it's so dirty and depressing but from the inside its so warm and beautiful. Sincerity is all they know. If you were not aware, Indians do this thing with their head as they talk with you. It's almost like a bobble. It's very strange at first, but it's interesting.

I am really confused about what day it is, I think it's Saturday night about 9:30pm, which would make it 11:00am Saturday morning in Cincinnati. I think I have been here a week. Some of the volunteers will be leaving in 6 days and the next group will be arriving. I will probably have to teach them how to do many things, which will be fun for me. I love teaching, especially if I know what I'm talking about.

Don't forget that my birthday is coming up--December 16th

I hope all who read this find this intersting, but my words won't even touch the surface of what my photos will. I garantee it. Be safe, be happy, and do something nice for a stranger. They need it.

love Robbie

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12-4-2005

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LIGHTNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who is afraid of lightning? Take the worst lightning experience you ever had, and it's still not close to what I witnessed last night. I left the computer place last night only to find a torrential downpour. I was almost the only person walking down the dirt street as everyone else was underneath the over hangs at the shops. I was most definitely the only white person doing so, but the cattle and the goats were still wandering around. I arrived back to the hotel drenched, but it was ok. Having to wade through the deep water was nice.

Most people here walk around with sandals, but many also walk with no shoes at all. About an hour later I was on my fourth floor balcony watching the rain and the people when lightning lit the sky just a little ways away and behind it was a light rumble. Then, a few moments later another lightning struck closer and it was much louder. I decided to do a CNN and I set my video camera up and a microphone with the skyline behind me. Man, did it happen. The lightning got closer and louder. It shook the building and made me very very nervous. It lit the sky for miles. The intervals were getting closer, just like in Poltergeist. I was very very concerned, then one huge bolt struck down. I looked out and it had knocked out all the power to the city, except the hotel where we are staying. I took the camera down to the lower floor, where some of the others were staying, to see if some preparations need to be done. They were drinking. I don't drink. So I left. I ran into two hotel staff and asked them both what they were dong to ensure my safety. They said "yes" and did the bobble, how reassuring. Some time later the rains passed on and eventually all the power came back on (this morning). Today was my first day off. I mostly sat on the roof with the monkeys reading a book, and I also bothered the hotel staff. Later, I walked about 6 miles in a square perimeter around the temple grounds looking through all the shops and talking with all the people. All day long I am waving to people and saying hello. They are all so fascinated by the american, I feel like a politician and that makes me want to take a shower. EEEEK!

Just a while ago, I went to the main hindu temple in the city where thousands of people come to pray. The temple property is very large and very old. Some architechture dating back to the 8th century. While I was inside the main temple I witnessed a very unusual ceremony with a loud church like bell, rattles, and drums. I found it to be very interesting and very spiritual. Even if some do not believe in hinduism it is still a fascinating aspect of the Indian culture. I have witnessed cermonies from various religions and even if it's not my belief it's theirs. I want to understand it and give them my repsect just as I would expect others to do for me. As you can imagine, the streets(dirt roads) are very muddy today so my feet are black. Chennai, the city I flew into, is having problems with flooding. Hopefully, this will not be a problem for those that are leaving at the end of this week or those just arriving.

Well, I hope to find all of you happy and well. I know I am, surrounded by so many wonderful people and all of you when I return.

love Robbie

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12-7-2005

Work here is very hard and strenuous. It starts early in the morning and ends after dark. The heat drains you, dehydration is just around the corner. Many of the volunteer workers take their turn being ill from all of this and need to stay back in bed. For the villagers, this is their life from the moment they awake. They work until late at night. All day long, everything they do is some form of work. It is a struggle to survive. This is a life they have always known and probably always will. To most of us would seem impossible and hopeless. So why do they do it? It's the life they are born into just like you and I. We are all born into a life and it is up to us to decide what to do with this life and which path to follow.

A couple of days ago we took a boat ride to a nearby island in Killai. The island wasn't there before but the tsunami made it possible. The boats we were in were small fishing boats and the water was only waist high. We went about a mile out from land to the island. There were about 90 homes on the island and approximately 500 people.

When the tsunami came almost 1 year ago it came without warning. The villagers were just going about their daily work habits and routines as they always have, when the destructive wave came crashing in with the water reaching high about the tops of the coconut trees. Brick houses and buildings were instantly swept over and dissolved. Fisherman and their boats were carried through and over the village smashing and sinking most. Children playing together in the park area were dragged into the ocean. The exact number of those who died is unclear, but the number was great. This is the story of only one village in this area. There were many others that the exact same thing had occurred.

Many of you are aware that I was working with the Red Cross in Biloxie, MS shortly after hurricane Katrina. I saw alot of the same type of destruction. The only difference is the people of Killai had no warning, no chance, and no possible way to escape even if they had. So what am I doing in India you ask? I am working side by side with some of the most resilient people I have ever known. In the United States, Americans have many choices as what to do in this type of situation. These people have no choice, so they rebuild their homes. Now they are farther back because now there is a tsunami made island in their way.

While I was on the island I stood in what was left of the children's school. There were hand paintings still on the wall and the lesson still on the board. All I could do was wipe the tears from my eyes and wonder to myself what is this life for, mine, yours, and theirs.

What are we teaching the children of the world? Hopefully, it's something they can look back upon to help them make the difficult choices in life and to make a difference in others. As for myself, my purpose in this life is clear. Although this path of mine is sometimes lonely, it is a small sacrifice to make for so many others to benefit. My reward is their happiness, no matter who "they" are.

love Robbie

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12-9-2005

That last update was kind of depressing wasn't it? So much has happened since that time on Wednesday 12-7-05. I am definitely a mason's apprentice. I am learning so much from the villagers, it's incredible. I learned to put up brick walls, concrete the roof, build up the upper walls, painting, chiseling bricks, placing electrical conduit, and putting in framed windows and doors. All of this has nothing to do with what I do but it's still interesting.

Some of the volunteers rented bikes for the last few miles going into town one day, I got to ride in the luggage rack of our bus and film the bikers as well as the people of the neighboring village. Everyone was waving to me, I felt like the president of a small country. About half a mile from the work site I got down and walked the rest of the way. I started playing the junior accordion I brought with me. It was like they were looking at an alien with their mouths wide open as well as their eyes. With a half smile of wonderment I danced around through the village leaning back and forth swaying to the music. Everyone was just delighted to hear this strange breathing box.

Later that day, the villagers had prepared a huge lunch for us consisting of shrimp, various fish, crabs, and rice. I just ate the rice. All of this was food they fished from the ocean and they were so delighted to do this for us. They are very happy that there are people like us who travel from across the world to work hard for no money just to help the people of this village.

Later that night, the children came down for a celebration; it was complete madness. All of the children want their picture taken so they can see it on the little screen. Even the adults like to do this. I never thought that I would be taking so many photos. That night I also met this woman journalist from Sweden who has a radio program similar to BBC. She was here to report on certain aspects of the tsunami. Boy, did I scare her away. Many of you who know me realize that I am an acquired taste that takes time to get used to. That's all for now. Have fun in the snow Cincinnati.

love Robbie

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12-10-2005

Friday was to be the last day of work for many. Most of the volunteers will be leaving on Saturday to travel 6 hours north to Chennai and fly home. Around 12:30pm, the police came around the work site and asked us to stop and leave because they were predicting a cyclone coming very soon. Remember when I first arrived in India and told you about the floods and the roads and bridges being washed out? Well, the same thing is possibly going to happen. So we had to boogie back to the hotel and pack real fast to get ready to leave. For those of us who were staying until the 27th, we decided to stay in Chidambaram and the rest went to Chennai without us. I said goodbye to my new friends and I was only somewhat envious that they were going home and I was not. But, I am glad to be staying because I really want to be here for the 1 year anniversary of the tsunami. After they left, it rained a little but it wasn't so bad. The next morning it was pouring down and flooding the streets. Cattle were walking through the water without a care in the world. Then, it stopped and the water went down. We found out that the cyclone hit south of us and the problems were over. On Sunday evening, the new volunteers will arrive and I will assist as their guide.

Some of us went to go visit the house for the habitat staff here in India. Along the way, we were riding a tuk tuk and right in front of us a motorcycle hit a man on a bicycle. No one was hurt. Later, we went into a silk fabric shop and I stayed so the girls of the shop could do a mehendi tattoo on my arm. I was as the silk shop for about 3 hours assisting as many customers as I could. Next, I think I will try waiting tables at a restaurant. Well, happy times to all. Be safe and love each other

love Robbie

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12-15-2005

Thankfully, the cyclone caused no problems at all, we were concerned of the villages flooding again. Group six arrived safely in Chidambaram at the hotel, very tired from the long trip from the usa. This team is a little smaller and the average age is a little higher but they are all terrific people and are ready to make a difference. In the last group we had a doctor but in this group it seems I am the most qualified from my experience as a medic in the army national guard as well as a certified civilian EMT. With that said, I can't believe how many people come to see me every day to treat their blisters, abrasions, nails in their feet, minor lacerations, sinus problems, and ear aches. I clean a lot of wounds and dress them to hopefully fight off infection just a little while longer. Can you imagine a work site where most of the workers wear sandals or no shoes at all. About 1/4 of them are women and another 1/4 are children ages 14--18, then the rest are men.

Today, a man said to me "Come please there is a child, very sick, needs medicine, please come now." This only reminds me of the many problems in this area. We told him to get a doctor, that we do not have one. There are many doctors in the villages and most of the care is free, but the medicine is not. Even after all of this I still enjoy helping people in this way. It seems like they do not ususally recieve this kind of attention but they need it.

Everyone on the new team is really getting into their new jobs, laying bricks, installing windows, painting and many others. I have been working on various jobs, trying to assist all the new people as I have been here longer and I have done most of this work already. We will have a day off on sunday and I know the new team is looking forward to it. I think we are going into Pondicheri again. It is the area where I have seen most of the foriegners and there is a big statue of Ghandi right there on the shore line of the ocean. As a matter of fact, I have seen many statues of Ghandi in many places as well as his picture on all of their money.

Friday is my birthday and i am looking forward to celebrating it with my new freinds, but if I were home I would prefer to spend it with my 16 year old son Kevin. I have much more to say but will save it for next time. I hope all who read this are happy, safe and I wish you all the love in the world.

love-------Robbie

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12-17-2005

The work has pretty much stayed the same. I do all different types of work, but mostly the same as I have been doing since I arrived. Team 6 seems to to be setting in, though they are looking forward to their day off on Sunday. We definitely play a lot and if you know me I play even more, but at the same time I work twice as hard. I am still seeing patients every day. Now, they call me doctor, but I tell them I am not. When I bandage someone I sign the outside of the bandage and they find this very funny. Yesterday, this woman showed me her children's hands. They were swollen and covered with blisters and the children could barely move their fingers. She said they heve been to the city to see the doctor for a shot, but still it does not remove the open sore on the children's hands and feet. It is just an invitation for infection. It is so difficult to help these people, for as soon as I clean and dress a wound it gets contaminated just as fast. But, I still try in hopes to ward off infection just a little longer.

All the people of the village are terrific and wonderful. They come to us everyday because they are so intersted in the people who have come from across the world to help build their house. I really enjoy the children and it seems they all know my name, everywhwere I go I hear "Robbie Cook", it's funny. The other team members make fun of me but I don't mind.

I only have one more work week and it's over. I hope we can get a lot accomplishd. Just as in the USA, there are many obstacles to overcome in this whole process but someday it will be done. All this people of Killai will have a new home that is strong and durable and last for many years, they all have a part of us mixed into them. With everything I help build I think about the people I am building it for and the lives, the love, and all the memories. It makes me feel good knowing that I have played a part in all of this. Yesterday was my birthday which means I had my video camera with me all day. I wore this thing called a "loongee", it is the typical garb of the men of sothern India and it looks like a skirt. The men of the village did not become offended by this, nor did they laugh, they smiled and said "super" out of apprecation. Just because it was my birthday does not mean that I got out of doing manual labor, and it was hot.

Later that night in the restuarant, the team planned a surprise for me with the wait staff. It was fun. I got to take my video camera inside the kitchen and film the whole process. Later, there was cake and King Fisher. In Tamil Nadu, they make their own brand of beer called King Fisher. It's the only beer they sell so if you want beer you have to order it. I just drank water. Also, one of the guys who works for Habitat in Chennai happens to own an old beat up accoustic guitar and he allowed me to borrow it for a few days. It sounds rough but I don't care, I enjoy it anyways.

Today after work, I went to this other hotel called "Akshaya" and I got a room on the 3rd floor for 200 rupees (about $4.00), so I could get some time with out roommates for one night. More importantly, the hotel is right next to the hindu temples and from the roof you can see all four of them. I wanted to take some photos, and while I did there were eagles flying about 20 feet over my head, very close. When I left the hotel to meet up with everyone else, a group of about 20 monkeys came running past. There was a larger male chasing after some of them. They were climbing on a wall near a house andhid behind a nearby pole and took pictures of them. It was great. I saw many of the mothers carrying their babies. When the angry male got about 20 feet from me and was howling at me with scrathes on his face filled with blood, I backed up.

Later that night, we went to the temple for the ceremony that I had seen before. I was not aloud to film it, but i did manage to get a short audio sample. Later from my balcony, I saw 2 security guards trying to chase a bull out of the hotel property, man was that funny.

Well, we are off to Pondicherri on Sunday so I will see what kind of trouble I can get into. take care and dress warm.

love-------Robbie

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12-20-2005

Lately, the work is pretty consistent and the flow of patients is never ending, but I don't mind. It's strange, everywhere I go they know my name and even in the city people know me from being here. I try to spend as much time as I can getting out into the communities and meeting people. I know that all of you do not find me that intersting but these people are fascinated by the strange bouncy american with blue glasses.

I thought that I would take this time to discuss food. I am a vegetarian and in the land of mutton that holds strong. Mutton is mostly goat and they cook it into many dishes. Also they have several chicken dishes as well as fish and a whole lot of vegetable foods. The hindu culture is mostly vegetarian, but not all. Seldom do they eat cow. This may not make sense to any of you, but trust me if they did not stand firm on their religious beliefs, then I am sure the cows would go. Most of the food is very spicy, I don't mind it much but some of the team members have had problems (if you know what i mean), but it usually goes away after a couple of days. Also, we can drink only bottled water as there may be many forms of bacteria and parasites that our body would not enjoy. Of course, there is always plenty of rice as it is their main export product. I have definitly eaten more since I have been here, but I am slowly eliminating the amount I eat so I can get back to where I started.

The trip to Pondicherry was fun. We saw a pedestrian get hit by a car and thrown 10 feet, then about 100 people came running and some others quickly grabbed him and put him on a tuk tuk and rushed him off.

Pondicherry is a nice area on the ocean and it seems many tourists visit there and that's the problem. There are many street vendors walking aroung insisting you buy their crap I just ignore them, but it's still frustrating. On the way home a funeral procession passed us. Men were walking playing drums and cymbols. The body was in a long cart covered in flowers being pulled by a horse. Many people here are burned (not cremated) because it's all they can afford.

Today, we went back to the island. I took many more photos of everything. I met a man on the beach who was walking on the edge of the water looking out. I was wondering what he was thinking of. Was it that day almost one year ago? Was he thinking of the destuction and the loss? I'm not sure, but I felt honored to be here beside him, working in his village, and trying to make a difference as well as a positive lasting impression.

That's all for now. I hope all of you are healthy and safe. At Christmas time, remember how fortunate you are just to be alive and for all the wonderful opportunities you have. Christmas is an experience to be shared, not just an expensive gift.

love---------Robbie

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12-23-2005

One of our team memebers left 2 days ago, one more left today, and one more will leave tomorrow. The rest of us will stay until the 27th or so (cyclone depending). Habitat for humanity has erected a monument at the edge of the village that I helped to build the foundation. Then, they used a crane to place a 2000 pound stone on top of the monument and we built a stone border arond. It stands about 10 feet and it's a dedication of the homes to the people of the village. I feel blessed to be a part of these people's lives as they rebuild their homes and families.

A couple of days ago, the local fire department came by and did a fire and safety training for the villagers, telling them what to do in the event of a fire, accident, or flooding. For some people, all of this was new and unfamiliar.

Yesterday, we invited all the families to come and pose for photos with our group. They think we are celebrities so we are making prints for them to keep. Many of them have never seen themselves in a picture before and it's all very exciting for them. Today, I went with some others to the school. There were about 50 students, ranging from 5 years old to about 14. We handed out pencils and rulers and brought some shoes for them to try on so we can buy them all new shoes since many have none at all. Of course, most of them knew my name.

On Saturday night, we will go for church at either the Roman Catholic or Protastant church for the midnight christmas eve service. Then on Sunday, we are having a big party for the people of the village. We will have games for the kids with prizes, we will have music and we are preparing food for everyone. We bought many large sacks of rice that we will distribute to the entire village, it should be a wonderful christmas. I will be able to help these people who have very little. On monday morning, the villagers are having a service at the shore to remember one year ago. Then, we will follow them in a procession down through the village to the area where those who died from the tsunami are buried. For these people it will be a sad day of reflection. I will be honored to be a part of their history.

Today, I left the village at 4pm and walked home. What a trip it was. If you can imagine being part of a parade, that is what it was like except I was the only person. The onlookers all wanted their photo taken and they asked for pens. They asked me what country I was from and when I told them America their eyes lit up. They came running from way down the road just to look at me and hear my voice. When they shook my hand it was as if they just met Elvis. It's all very strange for me, but i really enjoyed the people. It was a long walk, so many of them asked me why I didn't take a bus. I told them "If I ride the bus, I can barely get a glance of any of you. But when I walk, I can talk to you and see your smile as I walk along side of you." They were amazed.

I love these people dearly and I want so much for all of them, but it's difficult to give anything for as soon as I do there are 100 more waiting to be next. The only thing I will always have enough of for everyone is me, along with all the love I have to share with all people no matter who or where they are.

I'm not sure when I'll write again, maybe in a day or two. Be safe and have a merry christmas.

love---------Robbie Cook

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12-25-2005

Things here are coming to a close and I have to admit that I am not looking forward to leaving. Not that I don’t want to come home, but more like it feels to soon to leave. I have established some relationships with some people over here and it's going to be hard to say goodbye. I'm not sure where I left off but here it goes.

Christmas Eve was the last day of work. Some of the volunteers went to a midnight mass at the local Catholic church but I was so tired that I fell asleep. By this time, both of my roommates had left to go back to the USA so I was forced once again to change rooms. It seems that I have had to do this at least once a week. On Christmas morning, we had the usual breakfast and then went to the village by 10:30 am. I had printed out about 200 photos of some of the villagers and passed them out to them; they really enjoyed getting this; it is all very new to them. After that, we had set up some games to play with the children. I had been to the children’s elementary school which is now in the village temple because the school has cracks in it and is unsafe. The temple is just one large room barely enough room for the 50 plus students, but they manage.Anyway, the games went on for a couple of hours and it was enjoyed by all. After this we set up one of the houses so one person from each home come through and receive a portion of rice that we bought to give to them, it came out to be close to a five gallon buckets worth. Then, they received photos they posed for some days before . Next, we had arranged to have enough rice and chicken cooked for the entire village as well as the laborers that were still working on the houses, this was lot of food. After all of this, we just socialized with everyone the best that we could, even though most of them spoke very little English and most of us spoke very little Tamil we still managed to communicate.

As we left the village, I walked down the dirt street visiting with many of the families and as I did tears came gently from my eyes for I knew that in only one day I would be leaving. I sat for a few moments with one family in particular. I had spent much time with them before and they saw that as I sat on the ground next to them holding a child in my arms that my eyes became red and lined with tears. At first they were confused as to what was wrong, but I told them that I would be leaving the next day they understood my pain. With this understanding, they reached out and took my hand and held onto me. I was thankful for them and for all the beautiful moments we had shared in this short time together.

After going back to the hotel in the city, I went for a walk around the streets to say goodbye to all the people I had met. Some of the people I had photographed so I gave them their picture and they were grateful. Mostly, I just wanted to spend a little more time with this culture and all it has to offer for soon I would be back in the land of never ending distractions (America).

Later that night, the hotel threw us a Christmas party in gratitude for all the time that that Habitat teams had been staying there, since September. It was a very strange party with dancing and food and of course KING FISHER. After the party, I went to my room and started to pack my things, how sad.

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12-26-2005

Today is the one-year anniversary of the Tsunami and the main reason I am now in India. A year ago, I was in Ulan Ude Russia and woke up with the most horrible feelings ever and I had no explanation for it. It was real, powerful, and controlling, later I found out it was happening at the same time as the tragic Tsunami.

Today is what they refer to as a black day. Not one of celebration, but one of rememberence and great sadness. We started off by going to the village of Killai to the shore by 8:15 am and meeting with many of the villagers on the shore. There were many dedications on this day from various groups that had been helping rebuild this area. Monuments to remember those that had died and to stand strong for those who had surrvived. Habitat also had a dedication to the people of the houses we had built and the many more that are still being constructed for them. It was a commitment to the people that we care about them and we want for them to be able to live life as they should and want to. From my impression, they were grateful for this opportunity. As the monuments were being dedicated, all the villagers would throw handfuls of flower petals on them and pray. I walked with many of the children holding their hands as we went to the shore and together. We threw flower petals into the water in respect and remembrance to those whom they have lost. I have a new respect for the sea, not a fear but an appreciation for life. Then, I walked with some of the mothers, wives and daughters of the village to the dedication of the building that would soon be their new school and they were all so very happy to see how life for them was slowly coming back to normal. This was a sad day, but at the same time the beginning of a new tomorrow one of hope and promise. I was honored to be in these people’s lives and to be a part of this day that held great emotions. I stood beside them as a symbol of compassion, to remind them that there are people who are not from this culture or this religion but still care for the simple fact that they are human beings.

As the ceremonies came to an end, it was time to go. First, I ran through the streets to found as many villagers as I could. I shook their hands and to thanked them for their kindness and generosity. As I did this, it was with great emotion and sadness. I knew I was leaving right then and I may never see them again. These people had become my friends. They realized and understood that I was broken inside and they could see that I care for each and every one of them.

Now it's over and I must go on a 7-hour bus ride north to Chennai (Madras) and wait for a while as I prepare to fly home to the USA. I am glad to be going home but twice as sad to be leaving. No matter what impact or impression I may have left on the people of Killai or India for that matter, that have left a greater one upon me. I am thankful for this experience and for knowing all of them as they have touched a place in my heart that can never be reached.

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12-27-2005

I am home now and I am tired and a little confused about where and who I am. My trip from Killai to Chennai was interesting and long. We arrived in Chennai at about 6 pm and got a hotel room near the airport. Some people were leaving on different flights and we all need a shower and some rest. I watched all the different coverage about the Tsunami on the BBC, it was most interesting to me especially since I was part of it. That in itself was an important factor to my trip, to be a part of history.

I would have to say that outside of my flight from Chennai to Paris (leaving over an hour late) had to be one of the smoothest flights I had ever had. When we arrived in Paris, we had to take that stupid bus ride around the terminals go through security and then back on the bus to my next plane. This flight left almost 2 hours late because once again it was snowing and all the planes and the runways needed to be deiced, but I cannot complain about safety. By the way, just as we were taking off from Chennai there was a father son fight where the father slapped the 16 year old son and was yelling something at him in French. He was demanding he change seats and the boy was yelling loudly back at him extending his finger and the flight attendants in the middle. I thought they weren’t going to lift off but they did. That flight was 11 hours in the air. My flight from Paris to Cincinnati was about 9 hours and had no problems. When I arrived in Cincinnati, I had to walk through a maze to get to passport control, wait in line, and then defend the reasons I was out of they country. Next, a man at a podium that decided who went on through and who had to be searched. Of course I’m suspicious, so I was searched. Now this man was the most pleasant man you could ever imagine.

His first question was "How long were you in India?" It's not like it wasn’t already stamped into my passport. I replied 1 month. "A month?",he said with a sarcastic tone, "What were you doing there for a month?" I told him of the rebuild project as if he cared. "Your job let you off for a month to go to India?"I guess the reason I gave him wasn’t justified. Then, he put on his rubber gloves and started to literally tear through my things. I pointed out to him which items were fragile and asked if he could please be careful. It didn’t matter he just continued ripping open my things, then threw them aside. He even ripped open a double plastic bag I had some fragile items in just because he didn’t want to undo the knot. He looked at all my things and on occasion held something up and said "What’s this?" as if he really cared. It seemed to me that he was more upset that he was not finding anything illegal as he had assumed. The entire time he had a sarcastic tone to his voice and treated me like an inmate with no rights and acted like he was being forced to do this. Finally when he had nothing to hold me on, he said thanks for your patience as if he meant it. Then he went into some office to inflict pain on himself to overcome the anger he had inside towards me but was unable to unleash it. What a horrible 15 minutes, the worst I had in a month and I had just come from a 3rd world country. Well I guess freedom has its price, torture. So, here I am trying to readjust to society and to fit back into the realm of normalcy, but it's not like I was normal to begin with. I have been through this before so I know what to expect, but I still can't stop thinking about this place I had just come from. It's all so dream like in comparison. To be honest, I look forward to going back and some day I will. I will visit all the people and places that I have influenced and have definitely influenced me. To sum up my entire experience in India including the people the places the culture the history I would have to say "Beautiful".

I would like to thank all of you who have helped me and supported me for this mission. Without your help it would have been much more difficult, but possible because as you may know that I am determined to do in life what it is my path dictates. Every day that I am alive is an exercise in freedom for I know from experience this is not the case throughout the world. My purpose in life is to serve all of man regardless where in the world that may take me, I will go.

I would also like to thank my friend Matt Snedaker for helping me develop my website and working on my updates while I was in India. For him this was time consuming and sometimes difficult because I sent everything to him to be spell checked and I have dyslexia on the computer. I have been told by some that the updates were great to hear and interesting and without Matt's help would have never happened.

So that’s all for now check back soon to see a small fraction of the 2100 photographs I took

Love—Robbie