We visited Asha Bhavan, a center for "learning disabled women" that is run by the diocese's women's fellowship. Anne McCollum from Trinity Ashland presented the young women and girls prayer blankets sewn by parishioners in the Diocese of Oregon. They greeted us with smiles and songs. At the center, the 40 students start the day with prayer and then learn English and Malayalam for an hour before yoga, exercise, crafts and paintings. One of the girls, Susan, presented Bishop Itty with a framed pastel drawing that she made for him. The girls also make candles and art that they sell to help fund the center's activities. They are saving up to buy a keyboard and drums to start a music program (we're planning to help them with that before we leave). The center also has dreams of building a larger facility (it has grown too large for the small house it has used for years) but fund-raising is slow in India.
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