Final Ceremony

On our last days, we only worked until noon... but before we left, the family that we were building one of the houses with, took us to where they were currently living. It's funny about language barriers...they were trying to say that this is the house that they rent, but it first came out like "winter house" and then like "rental house"... Their family of four will be much happier with their four room house that they actually own...

Old house...

New house... (once it gets a roof on it)

So back home we went to get "gussied up" for the big party....But getting dressed for the final ceremony took more effort than we thought. Saris have a lot of material in them...It's kind of like putting a kids bike together at Christmas...you're done but you still have all these spare parts left and you don't know where they go?? We ended up calling down to reception and see if there was anyone who could help us dress. (who knew there were so many pins to put in??)

Team Canada women going out on the town!!

While some of the guys wore a lungi. (lungis are a sheet of material that guys wear that they fold in half and tuck in their waist)

When we arrived at the build site, some of the local women pulled us into their house so that they could give us silver rings, gold necklaces, bangles and a bindi. (forehead decorations) It’s pretty amazing when people who have so little, give you gifts. To refuse would be insulting, so you humbly accept.
Just a side note about bangles here in India. They only come in small size and I must have the largest hands in all of India. We went around to at least 10 stores and in each one, it’s like I’m the ugly step sister trying to squeeze my foot into the glass slipper. Many of the bangles are made of glass so they would occasionally break while the shopkeepers were trying to squeeze them on me… Finally, one shopkeeper squeezed and contorted my hand so much that he got two of them on. I then felt obligated to buy some from him. So once I get home, Penny and I tried to put some more on my wrist and they all ended up breaking and flying off. I even cut myself on the breaking glass so that my hand was dripping blood. So you can imagine my delight when we arrive at the village and they insist on giving me bangles… Through clenched teeth, with my cut hand, I let them put two of the non-glass ones on…I think that’s called “public relations”

Next, our entire team and the locals formed a procession to walk through the town. It was led by local Musicians. (Tim, remind me what they were playing?)

Here's some pictures from the ceremony...

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Friends come build a house with me
No sad faces anymore...
Building Homes and Building Hope...
I feel like I'm knockin on heaven's door...

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door