South India Service Trip, Spring Break 2019

Open your heart to reach and extend your arms to grab. This is a great opportunity for a driven, positive, and compassionate individual to be a ray of sunshine to 30 orphans living in a tiny village of Ponmar located right outside of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. This 11-day trip (8 day-stay and 3-day travel) will expand your horizons and stretch your comfort zone while allowing you to gain valuable experiences through working at the orphanage, a local church, and a local school.

Junro has made this trip several years in a row and are excited to now share this experience and connection with the St. Stephens community. A group of 10 students will spend 8 days in the city of Chennai and village of Ponmar in Tamil Nadu. We will experience daily life in an Indian household by staying at local pastor, Solomon Prabhakaran’s family home. We will assist his daily operations at his church and at an orphanage / school that he runs. We will primarily teach soccer, art, dance, music and more to the kids at the orphanage, the church, and a local school. We will hold a soccer tournament for locals in the neighborhood where we will distribute T-shirts and donated soccer gear. This tournament is always a highlight of the trip and has drawn 500 spectators in the past!

Chennai is the fourth largest city in India but least Westernized. Tamil is the language spoken but many people including the children at the orphanage speak English. In addition to our daily duties, we will also visit a world-renowned Hindu temple, learn about its tradition rich culture and history, shop at a local market and do some sight seeing around the area.

To see photos and learn more about the orphanage and Pastor Solomon Prabhakaran’s work please visit this website.