Susan's Blog
#GreatAmericanSolarEclipse
#GreatAmericanSolarEclipse Monday marked an amazing battle in the heavens with the sun and moon. For a time, the sun disappeared and the earth became cool 🙂 According to ancient literature, people formed various reasons for why the sun disappeared from the...
Nail Polish
Nail Polish Monsoon season has hit Mumbai. As we braved the deluge of rain with the drive to the red-light district, Philip, Santhosh and I began to prepare ourselves for the long day! Unfortunately, the rain did not stop once we arrived in the red-light area. It...
Welcome to Zimbabwe
Welcome to Zimbabwe We were definitely a sight to behold at JFK international airport. A team of 10 people all wearing identical “Love Without Reason” yellow shirts, trolleying 30 pieces of luggage which were all tagged with the same beautiful Volunteer...
Walmart After Hours
Walmart After Hours I’ve always heard my friends advise that one should avoid going to WalMart late at night due to the shady crowds that can frequent the supermarket. Normally, I would not be going late at night, but it was unavoidable so Santhosh and I made...
Milestones and Memories in April
Milestones and Memories in April April is a great month to be thankful for so many things. Sometimes I think that April should hold the Thanksgiving holiday. It is so wonderful to put away the winter clothes, and enjoy the longer sunny days, the beautiful flowers,...
I will march for Karnamaya Mongar
I will march for Karnamaya Mongar Hearing the name Kermit Gosnell again brought horrible memories from the forsaken West Philadelphia clinic on Lancaster Street. However, a newly released book and movie by the same title, “Gosnell,” was the reason for the...
The link between Craniofacial Deformities and Human Trafficking
The link between Craniofacial Deformities and Human Trafficking The smell of crispy sweet jalebi combined with the vehicle exhaust and open sewers greeted us at the entrance of one of Mumbai’s red-light districts, called Thurbe, where Love Without Reason operates an...
Forgetfulness is a blessing!
Forgetfulness is a blessing! Forgetfulness is a blessing!. Watching a child struggle with sleep apnea, is a heartbreaking effort. For a parent, the gift of a baby’s sweet, soundless breathing cannot be taken for granted. Recently, a close friend shared their...
Where Are the Children?
Where Are the Children? As I have met with many of the women who were trapped in the red light districts of Mumbai, I have heard many stories of heartbreak, tragedy, and shame. But it is amazing to me how that ugliness and fiery experience can be transformed...
Pornography doesn’t Hurt Anyone
Pornography doesn’t Hurt Anyone Does it? I stay on the email list and facebook pages of many different anti-trafficking nonprofits. This week, one story caught my eye, and has not left me yet. It was the story of a three year old girl who was found...
I dare you to read UNPLANNED!
I dare you to read UNPLANNED! I came across Abby Johnson’s book titled “Unplanned” while at the library, and finally finished it! For those of you who don’t know her story, I won’t spoil it for you here. Except to tell you that she...
40 years?!?!
40 years?!?! I remember growing up thinking that when my parents were in their “40s” they were considered OLD. Ah, well. How time does fly!! 🙂 🙂 And how history repeats itself! My children whispering to each other, “Mom is OLD! ...
Stirred not Shaken
Stirred not Shaken Back in my younger days I was a huge James Bond fan. I especially loved the new inventions of Q and seeing Bond in his tuxedo. It didn’t matter who was playing Bond. 🙂 Anyway, that phrase “shaken, not stirred” came into my...
Lessons from the Pretend Gardener
Lessons from the Pretend Gardener I don’t know how you garden, but for me I do not have a green thumb. It’s brown actually, lol. One lesson I have learned over the years, however, is that a great time to weed the garden is after rain. The weeds come...
Can I Hold You?
Can I Hold You? My youngest nephew, Chris, had the most adorable way of asking to be picked up and held. We would watch him toddle his way to his mom and dad, latch on to their pant leg and stretch both his arms up to them. He would ask them, “Can I hold...
Letter to Philip
Letter to Philip Dear Philip Today is your birthday. Fifteen years ago, we held you for the first time! Mom and Dad called you Philip, and you gazed at us with your one wide eye. You were not crying. You were so peaceful. Dad said that you were telling me...
Per the State of Tennessee….
Per the State of Tennessee…. The month of May was filled with a battery of tests for Philip. In accordance with rules with education, as Philip will be transitioning into high school (sniff, sniff) in the 2015 school year, he will have to be tested for special...
Will i bring Sara?
Will i bring Sara? In a world with destructive and evil pervasive attitudes and words, a parent sometimes may shudder to think of their children being out of sight for any length of time. I was telling a friend of mine as we were sharing stories of our experiences in...
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Child Abuse Prevention Month April was declared National Child Abuse Prevention Month back in 1983. It is hard to believe that a month has to be dedicated for such a horrible crime, but doing so does raise awareness and reminds us of action we need to take. I...
Kothamangalum Camp 2015
Kothamangalum Camp 2015 Our first medical camp in the town of Kothamangalum took place at the end of February! It was such an exciting time. To the see the HOPE on the faces of the parents was a joy for us.Initially we had about 20 people come to the camp, then...