Happy 4th of July! I celebrated today with another workday at Prem Dan (the adult mental health facility). More laundry, lunch, and hanging with the ladies there. We even had a little dance party with one of the younger women. She grabbed us and started dancing with us in the other room and would periodically run out to grab more volunteers. So joyful! The day was just filled with little experiences of joy like that. Whether I am carrying a woman to bed, working the bathrooms, or just wiping down the tables, I try to fill the task with lots of love. That way, nothing I do will be futile. That is the goal, at least. :)
Today was my last day working at Prem Dan because I got my permanent assignment for the next month! I will be working at Kalighat, the center for the dying, along with Nik! Although I am nervous, I am praying that God puts me where he needs me to be. It is exciting, though, to be working where Mother Teresa started her service in Kolkata. Tomorrow will be my first day, so I will let yall know how it goes.
Short update, so I will take a minute to rant about random aspects of my life here in hopes that you can get a better mental picture.
So far, these past 5 days living in Kolkata have been great! Our hostel is about 20 minutes from the Motherhouse and 30 seconds from the market (dangerous). There is so much stuff there I can visualize in my new place in Dallas, and it's cheap! We'll see what I end up getting.
The streets are paved and flooded with all kinds of modes of transportation.... pedestrians, bicycles, bicycle carts, rickshaws, chariot things, motorcycles, taxis, trucks. All with very loud horns (minus the pedestrians). The good thing about our hostel is that the rooms are set away from the street so it is not as loud.
The male to female ratio is wayyyyy inflated here.
Cows roam the streets freely here. My initial thought was that it was because they are considered sacred, but then I noticed that they only roam around the meat district. I don't know, you tell me.
I get LOADS of Chai tea here!! (for those of you who don't know, I LOVE chai tea) Every morning at the Motherhouse and at the market as store owners try to woo me into buy their clothes. India and your chai tea craze, where have you been all my life?
On our way to the Motherhouse, we pass by a lot of random shops and stands. Our favorite stands are the mango stands. We have now made it a tradition to end the day with a mango feast. This makes me very, verrrrry happy. :) The mangoes here come in a close second to the best mango I have ever had in the Philippines.
Blog turns serious here:
Today at registration with the Missionaries of Charity, they gave us an information sheet to read over about how to handle beggars on the street. Although I knew this happened in India (thank you, Slumdog Millionaire... amongst other sources, of course), it really hit home seeing it first hand and reading the Sisters' warning. They basically said that you never know if a child has been hired to be "cute" and affectionate with you so that you will give them something. Even if you buy them food, they can sell it back to the store for money or bring it to their boss to do the same. They had the same warning with women, but just reading about the children after having several children run up to us after our work day made it really hit home. After leaving Prem Dan, lots of children run up to us saying "chocolate! chocolate!" We didn't give them anything, but I can see how human trafficking can definitely be a reality. So far, I have concluded that it is best to funnel all my efforts through the MC work. Although it can be immediately rewarding to individually try and help someone, that may not always be the best help. If anything, I'll give just a smile and a recognition of their human dignity and then pray, pray, pray.
Pray for us as we begin our work tomorrow!!
Today was my last day working at Prem Dan because I got my permanent assignment for the next month! I will be working at Kalighat, the center for the dying, along with Nik! Although I am nervous, I am praying that God puts me where he needs me to be. It is exciting, though, to be working where Mother Teresa started her service in Kolkata. Tomorrow will be my first day, so I will let yall know how it goes.
Short update, so I will take a minute to rant about random aspects of my life here in hopes that you can get a better mental picture.
So far, these past 5 days living in Kolkata have been great! Our hostel is about 20 minutes from the Motherhouse and 30 seconds from the market (dangerous). There is so much stuff there I can visualize in my new place in Dallas, and it's cheap! We'll see what I end up getting.
The streets are paved and flooded with all kinds of modes of transportation.... pedestrians, bicycles, bicycle carts, rickshaws, chariot things, motorcycles, taxis, trucks. All with very loud horns (minus the pedestrians). The good thing about our hostel is that the rooms are set away from the street so it is not as loud.
The male to female ratio is wayyyyy inflated here.
Cows roam the streets freely here. My initial thought was that it was because they are considered sacred, but then I noticed that they only roam around the meat district. I don't know, you tell me.
I get LOADS of Chai tea here!! (for those of you who don't know, I LOVE chai tea) Every morning at the Motherhouse and at the market as store owners try to woo me into buy their clothes. India and your chai tea craze, where have you been all my life?
On our way to the Motherhouse, we pass by a lot of random shops and stands. Our favorite stands are the mango stands. We have now made it a tradition to end the day with a mango feast. This makes me very, verrrrry happy. :) The mangoes here come in a close second to the best mango I have ever had in the Philippines.
Blog turns serious here:
Today at registration with the Missionaries of Charity, they gave us an information sheet to read over about how to handle beggars on the street. Although I knew this happened in India (thank you, Slumdog Millionaire... amongst other sources, of course), it really hit home seeing it first hand and reading the Sisters' warning. They basically said that you never know if a child has been hired to be "cute" and affectionate with you so that you will give them something. Even if you buy them food, they can sell it back to the store for money or bring it to their boss to do the same. They had the same warning with women, but just reading about the children after having several children run up to us after our work day made it really hit home. After leaving Prem Dan, lots of children run up to us saying "chocolate! chocolate!" We didn't give them anything, but I can see how human trafficking can definitely be a reality. So far, I have concluded that it is best to funnel all my efforts through the MC work. Although it can be immediately rewarding to individually try and help someone, that may not always be the best help. If anything, I'll give just a smile and a recognition of their human dignity and then pray, pray, pray.
Pray for us as we begin our work tomorrow!!
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