After several long flights I am happy to be back home again in Indiana from a week in India & Singapore. It was good to be back in both places after 2 years away.

In India we spent time in Chennai with Ball Project partner Sangita Charitable Trust, an orphanage on the edge of the city.  http://sangitacharitabletrust.com

I was able to observe a Ball Project soccer clinic for a group of 10 year old boys. The boys were more interested in scrimmaging & playing than doing drills & working on fundamentals, but I think that is pretty standard for 10 year old boys everywhere.

At the same time the older girls at the orphanage were doing a photography lesson “shapes” using The Viewfinder Project’s curriculum. The Viewfinder Project has a free curriculum which helps people “see life differently” by teaching them photography & life skills. www.TheViewfinderProject.com

We also helped with a food distribution for 300 widows that live in the area.

The time at Sangita was incredibly encouraging &  humbling to see what our friends & partners are doing there: kids learning & playing & widows struggling but building community & contributing to their families.

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I also visited with most of the leadership team of Ball Project partner Chennai Sports Fellowship & got to watch a couple of their volleyball clinics. It was great to see kids of all ages & skill levels practicing, learning new skills, being encouraged & coached. I was encouraged that some of the older kids in the group that had come up through the program are now coaching the younger kids.

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We also traveled with a founder of Invisible Girl Project which works through local partners in India to end female infanticide & other initiatives to increase women’s value in that society. Invisible Girl & their local partners are doing important work that is saving & changing lives. http://invisiblegirlproject.org/

My time in India was very eye opening & presented several new opportunities for partnering between Ball Project, The Viewfinder Project & Invisible Girl Project (probably because we all have “Project” in our names).

Thanks, as always, for your encouragement & support to help children play.