20 Sept 2012, Jawadhi Hills, India: Humanitarian Clowns visit School

We got organised to head off in the morning around 9am I think. We packed the tractor tray with all our things. Alex very cleverly packed it in rows so people could sit on backpacks and any fragile stuff was in the back. It was well done, she is a great organiser.

I sat next to Ami and had a great laugh all the way. Dear sweet Jo was behind me with her goregous sense of humour. She has a dry wit so sometimes you may not realise she is joking, but she jokes a lot. She is studying acting and performance. She has had a bit of sickness and struggled but I admire her tenacity to keep going and is quick with a smile. So I tried not to cramp her too much by leaning back. The ride in the tray behind the tractor was cramped but again everyone took it in their stride with good humour. The only thing we had to watch was stray branches and poor Jo copped on in the nose.

I listened to my teachings on the ipod and felt conscious of my connection with nature. I felt to look beyond the scene to the truth of life. This for me is a spiritual journey and I am open to all experiences of where life takes us. How many people get the opportunity to go into the Indian mountains and meet tribal people, off the beaten track. I felt a priviledge to be here and also marvelled at how a group of clowns can find their way to a remote village.

We were supposed to clown at the first school but found out there were two days off. However, children were at the school and a small group went to the children. I and Jo waited for the key and she painstakingly tried to hold off bursting her bladder. Giri came and waited with us and we just joked around. Jo and I I was very tired (as usual) and had a little lie down in the back.

I asked Santosh if he’d like a walk and we had a little walk into the countryside. He had an umbrella such a sensible idea in the heat. We spoke of earth changes and the future. We are both excited about the future and feel great change is coming. So it is beautiful to walk with a like minded person.

Then gorgeous Lennon turned up and said we are leaving, so we walked back. We all jumped into the tray and headed to the school that Humanitarian clowns had funded. Tim had raised 5,000 dollars to build this school. Apparently there is a policy in India that a school be built I think every 7km (or less). In these remote areas there are few schools. So Seb’s managed to speak to the top people and get permission for a school which was paid for by Humanitarian clowns. The school was a grass thatched Hut with open windows and a mud floor. The school had 50 kids. They were all waiting for the clowns. I didn’t clown this day as I was still tired but felt to contribute with face painting. The children were lovely and Toot was in there being a scary clown with a big smile and you could see the cheeky smiles and the kids running. They were in their best clothes and the parents also were around.

We had a lovely lunch sitting on the floor eating with our hands. There was a blackboard in the room with Indian writing, it seems so similar to Thai to me. The teachers are all males which appears to be the norm here, in Australia teacher’s are mostly women. It is so important the children get an education, otherwise they can be exploited into bonded labour. I felt that Seb’s could have clowns or westeners sponsor children’s families so they are never hoodwinked into taking money for children working to find they never see their kids again. In these remote places this happens and it is very concerning.

The afternoon with the kids was wonderful and there were balloons, dancing, face painting and all sorts of activities to keep an excited bunch of kids going. When you paint their faces you look deeply into their eyes and I see nothing but beauty and innocence. These kids I feel have the better life, they live in paradise and they are not polluted by t.v. for how long I am not sure, but the more pure the life the better for people. The only issue seems to me to be education, they need to be able to understand the modern world and the thinking but somehow preserve their traditional ways and independence. It is a struggle not only for tribal people but for indigenous people across the world. Capitalism is the operating paradigm and in the times were are in there is great identification with this system as wealth creation and progress. Yet in truth our planet is heavily exploited, polluted and people become enslaved in systems of work that are not focussed on happiness and wellbeing but profit. So we are all on a journey across the world to work out how to live in harmony with each other and nature.

After the school we headed a further hour down the road and met with the bus. There was much singing and happiness. We had a lovely Indian boy with us who was recovering from an extensive accident where he would not have lived had Seb’s not made sure he got the medical care. He was very happy and there was much love sent to him as the tractor went back to the origin, another 3 hours back along the road. We all waved at him and I was told that Gerry was so happy he had a great time. Seb’s Project are doing wonderful work and it is such a joy to know there are so many beautiful people behind the scenes seeking to serve others so they have happier lives. We may clown to bring happiness but the social development work which empowers others is the true work that brings happiness. I was thinking that today. Moreover in my work in peace, this again is the deeper work of peace. It is in learning to live in harmony and accept life in its challenges and highs, but to know that each moment is a golden temple and the alter of this life is learning to love under all conditions, this is the challenge for humantiy, to find its heart again and recognise we are all one.

This thought permeated my mind as I heard our group singing on the bus, out of tune but indeed in harmony. I just love Ami’s energy and desire to celebrate. I have never met a person with such zest for life and it is intoxicating. She had them all singing and then thought to do a flash mob. As we passed through towns you could hear Indian music up very loud. She thought it would be funny to jump out of the bus do a dance for 3 minutes and then jump back in. I laughed hard at that as it would be very funny.

I am loving this group day by day. Yes there have been conflicts but my feeling is that life is all about learning, in truth it is about learning who you are. What a dull life it would be if we all just pretended harmony, we find harmony when we understand conflict has its purpose. I have learned we are here to question ourselves, if a negative thought arises, it is coming from us. It doesn’t mean you condone negative behaviour it means you monitor your own. I feel that we can never change others, but we can change ourselves. We can find light in the darkness, we can find hope in the tiniest flower. For me each in this group is a light and I see their lights clearly. They are beautiful people doing extraordinary things and I deeply admire the effort and commitment to humanitarian clowning, which is simply caring about others and learning to connect with our human family. We are each others keepers. The challenge is to not judge but discern differences, to work on ourselves in peace and with good humour. That is the essence of the clown, to feel the childlike innocence that sees the world as good, because in truth it is good. It is only fear of change and ourselves that holds us back. A quote I really love is ‘the love you withhold is the pain you carry’. If this was our mantra imagine a world that no longer holds love back but embraces life with great enthusiasm and gusto. That is the world I see that I feel will move from my dreams into reality.

With that we returned to Vellore and went to bed.

The next day the others visited a leprosy place, a deaf school and a gypsy village. I had a chest infection and didn’t go. I was told the gypsies were full of happiness and fun. They greeted the clowns with such love and acceptance. Apparently they were crazy and danced and gave necklaces to all the clowns. My friend Alex said it was the best time. They were all tired from the day but they got that boost from the gypsies. I wondered at their experience. I wondered about their life moving on. Apparently their english was good but they were not educated. Yet they had a strong community, I was told the women were tough pushing the men and pulling them into line. I was told it was very interesting. I feel that when men and women are open with each other and feel free to express themselves without being shut down, perhaps happiness opens up as freedom of speech is the flower. I don’t know the depths of gypsy society but I can certainly resonate with a life on the move, I’ve lived it and loved it.

One last word about Seb’s Project. They invited the clowns for afternoon tea and gave a small present for everyone. Emma the head there thanked everyone. She is a beautiful soul I saw and they were the organisers of this trip in the background. They did an excellent job for their first clown trip. I send them great love and thanks for all they do for people, for us as clowns and sending out a vibration of love and support to others. This is what paves the new world.

Peace and love,

Peacefull clown