YRG Care Peds Clinic

It's easy to forget the holidays are just around the corner when you live in a tropical predominantly Hindu country. No mad dash to buy presents. No Christmas cookies at work. No drives through the neighborhood to look at lights and decorations. Don't get me wrong though, Christmas does exist in India, just in different ways. There are random Xmas trees at gas stations and in 5 star hotels and pictures of Santa hanging in restaurants alongside adverts for Xmas dinners. But it doesn't really feel like the holidays. Besides a few Xmas tunes from my iPod, the season could almost pass without notice...but one event last weekend reminded me of the true spirit of Christmas--at least the one I prefer to associate with Christmas.



A fellow non-AIF fellow in Chennai works for Y.R.G. Care, an HIV/AIDS clinic and research center. She invited us to visit the pediatric clinic (once in three months). YES, a clinic for children with HIV. Families travel from all over South India for check-ups and medications spending what little money they have on travel, food and staying over in Chennai to help their kids. During the Christmas season YRG Care turns this day of doctors visits, tests and waiting into a Christmas carnival full of dancing, singing, games, popcorn and cotton candy, and even a visit by Santa Claus.


As new visitors (and prospective volunteers) to this clinic, we were unsure what our role could or should be. They seemed to have plenty of people managing all the activities and the kids were happily entertaining everyone with their singing and dancing. We are hopeful that next time around we can be more active participants now that we have made contact with the organizers.
I would guess that most, if not all, of the students are non-Christians, however Santa Claus was there and all the kids were thrilled to dance on stage with Jolly Saint Nick (who was actually a Jolly Saint Nicole!).

This is the true spirit of Christmas: family and friends, fun and togetherness!