The Mumbai team enjoyed the assistance of Allan Border, Red Dust's International Ambassador, who generously gave up his 'spare' time while in Mumbai for the India v Australia test. Children from three shelter homes in Panvel were thrilled to receive one-on-one coaching from 'AB' - an experience of a lifetime for the cricket-mad kids! They enthusiastically embraced other clinics in basketball and soccer, with some trying the sports for the first time. 

Meanwhile, a small but formidable team made their way to Chennai, where they enjoyed a six-hour train journey to the village of Bapatla. Pratham's shelter home (RBC), about 30 kilometres outside the village, is home to approximately 90 boys ranging in age from 6 to 16; upon the team's arrival at the home, they were greeted by all of the boys, proudly displaying their homemade welcome signs that they spent the entire previous night creating - out of salt.

Due to long stretches without power, the team spent the majority of time with the boys outdoors, introducing structured skills activities and games. A special highlight of the visit was the joy of experiencing, through the eyes of a child, ice cream for the first time.

Here are some tour reflections by role model Glenn Manton:

Imagine India

India fires a volley of stimulation from the very moment you step upon her soil. You couldn't possibly hope to process all that is offered. Spinning madly like tops Western visitors quickly experience sensory overload.

Imagine placing your nose inside a Perspex box containing a sweaty tube sock, the remnants of a Labrador, a sun-drenched piece of processed meat and a thimble of sour milk.

Imagine looking upon so much visual stimulus that your eyes decide to stop believing you before you stop believing them.

Imagine your fingers digging deeply into the faux leather door trims of a taxi as the driver takes a corner without his hands on the wheel or a head check  into traffic at high speed whilst singing Hindi ‘pop' at full voice.

Imagine having an air-horn surgically connected to your left ear and set to sound every 5 seconds while a street vendor constantly shouts ‘coffee coffee coffee' in your right. And to think you only drink tea.

Imagine your tongue contacting food stuffs that are so hot and spicy that your taste buds actually sweat.

Imagine searching your mind for a memory more resolute than a young boy taking thirty minutes to savor every last morsel of the smallest cup of ice-cream. Ice-cream that traveled over two hours to meet his lips for the first time at the age of nine. He is one of ninety boys aged between six and fifteen who have been extradited from circumstances of slave labor. Now to be re-engaged with school and community on behalf of leading Indian NFP Pratham whose work in residential bridge camps is currently being complemented by Red Dust Role Models. I can only imagine the courage that fills a boy whose warm deep smile shadows his past.

And that is why you find yourself, although relived to be home and reacquainted with the relatively mundane machinations of the Western world, already planning your next trip to the subcontinent. I can't imagine not going back. I've heard the ice-cream is very good.