From Kolkata with Love

Tomorrow at this time we will be entering our last 24 hours in the city as a group. Although Emily, Bri and I will travel on to Darjeeling for the week, when we return our weekend here won't be quite the same without the energy of this whole group of people. There are a few really important things that I will miss about these wonderful three weeks we spent together: 

1. Washing and hanging laundry at Shanti Dan, especially time spent on the roof and the views of slums, families of pigs and Kolkata buildings from up there. 

2. All of the smiles at Shanti Dan - especially Suporna's, Asha's & Laloly's

3. Bani's smartness and Baby's sassiness

4. Rickshaw rides

5. Colors in so many places - especially beautiful sarees of the women and the sarees hanging in the inner section of the Freeset building.

6. Kate's Greek/goat/old person voice. Hello plz. 

7. Jacqui being a feminist.

8. Matt's lunar calendar.

No. Really, Matt's thoughtfulness, vulnerability and sharing of self, especially through sickness early on.

9. Mary's loud, beautiful, exuberant laugh. 

10. All the "sleeper cells" - especially Cara's one liners - funny or thoughtful

11. Blue Sky guys and Akash at Sunshines taking care of us

12. The comfortable, clean and lovely grounds of Baptist Mission Society, and all the kind people here taking care of us as well

13. Emily's insight and perspective

14. Brian's curiosity and willingness to try new things

15. Mark at Freeset, his accent and his wisdom

16. Absolutely everything about 8th Day Cafe

17. Mango at lunchtime and ice cream slices at dinnertime

18. Bri's thought processes and passion

19. Christine Bean's maturity, honesty and care for others.

20. Anu's prayers

21. Laughing and talking all the time, especially at our reflections, especially when I could wear my matching pajama set. 

22. The funny little smile with the teeth we've taken to doing

23. Kinder surprise eggs

24. Taking care of and holding up wonderful humans as we make this trip together. 

25. Feeling and giving love everyday. 

My overwhelming feeling as we go into our last day of service at the Missionaries of Charity and prepare to part ways on Sunday is deep gratitude for what I've learned through this experience leading a phenomenal group as well as what we've been able to share together in this very different, very special place. 

Thank you again to everyone who has supported us throughout this journey. 

From Kolkata with Love,

Sunny '12

"It takes a village. Literally."

"It takes a village. Literally."

Namaste! Hola! Hello!

  My name is Jacqui and this is my first time blogging ever, so bare with me. It is the first of June (which is also my older brother Paul's 23rd birthday...happy birthday!) and Kolkata is just as hot as it was two weeks ago when we arrived. It is our last week volunteering at the Mother Teresa homes. Emily, Sunny and I are volunteering at Shanti Dan. Shanti Dan, which translates to "House of Peace." Here, there are girls and women with a range of mental and physical differences and disabilities. It has been a tough couple of weeks but it is also great to start making connections and start seeing smiles appear.

  Today was tough because Sunny and I were on unofficial "bathroom duty." We had to bring quite a few to use the bathroom, which means, for girls who are wheelchair bound, we have to physically pick them off the wheelchair and put them on the toilet seat. In the Kolkata heat, picking up and putting down people is a lot of work. 

The first girl we had to put on the toilet, C, spoke pretty good English and understood us pretty well. I must say, it was a comedy show for C to watch me and Sunny. We were dumbfounded and clueless at how to even begin. C was talking to us in Bengali, the one words which we know are "good", "hello", "beautiful" and "I think you are a good person". (Thanks Bean/Sumil!) She kept telling us things in her language while Sunny and I kept looking at each other, wide eyed like a deer in headlights. "Maybe if you grab her feet.nope not that foot the other.." "You get the left side..ok the right.." "How about we just get help?" At this time, after witnessing Sunny and I pretty being two of the Three Stooges, C started to laugh. At us. We realized as we were about to leave the bathroom to head back to the classroom that C was saying, "My shoe! My shoe!" In a fit of stress and confusion, us two volunteers realized we didn't put C's shoes back on. But she knew. And she laughed. "It takes a village" said Sunny, referencing to all the help from the mashi we got in order to get one girl to use the restroom.

 However, I feel that this saying could be used in a broader sense: that a community of help and support is essential to get the job done. Ranging from the needed bathroom trips, to doing two hours of laundry a day, to feeding and carrying girls into bed, the Mother Teresa homes rely on volunteers to help run them. Also, they rely on us volunteers for a good chuckle :)

     Jacqui 

Blog 2 from Christine

What is the secret behind this chai tea?

Will monsoon season begin before we leave Kolkata?

How do Indian people eat only with their right hands?

Is the garbage on the streets ever going to be officially cleaned up?

Did I just explain my thoughts correctly?

How many naked babies have I seen so far on this journey?

Do the residents at the Mother Houses ever have their teeth brushed? 

How can I get my hands on Lay's Spanish Tomato Tango in the states?

How changed will I be upon returning home?

Am I going to get sick?

Can I try some of that?

Can that man stop making kissy faces at us already?

Do the mawshees appreciate it when I try to speak Bangla?

Where is the love?

Why do the blind children have no eyes?

Is this their first time seeing a white person?

Is my love over these three weeks enough to give?

Can I tell Ellen Degeneres about these homeless canines?

Where should I put this poopy diaper?

Is Mary safely home?

Can I take a picture of this?

Have I lost or gained weight?

Is it okay to feel my own sorrows while in the midst of this experience?

Why do my pants keep ripping where the sun shouldn't shine?

Who can we trust?

Just how dirty are my feet?

Whose poop is that?

Can we drink the water here?

How much is too much?

Does my family sense how much I love them from afar?

Why is that goat indefinitely tied to a post?

Where are all of the women?

What is wrong and what is right?

Pensive,

Christine Bean Peloquin

Home and Kolkata: Things We (Will) Miss

At this point, we have one week left of service in Kolkata. This time next Sunday, six of us will be packing to head home to the states while three will be preparing to board a night train to Darjeeling, getting a glimpse of India outside of West Bengal.

Though our destinations at that time will differ, we each in our own way are thinking about two things right now: what we miss from back home, and what we know we will struggle to leave behind in Kolkata.

Anyone in my immediate family can attest to the fact that I have had a turkey sandwich for lunch almost every day since I could chew. These sandwiches range from the simple to the complex: sometimes I don't even need condiments, while other times I'll have the folks at Subway whip up a turkey-bacon-American on Italian herbs and cheese with the works.

Here in Kolkata, one grain in particular has become commonplace in our daily diets: rice. Usually served at both lunch and dinner, it goes well with whatever spicy concoctions India has to offer, making for a filling meal.

However, whether we have one or two weeks left in India, some of us just want sandwiches - nothing special, just two slices of bread with a little something in the middle.

But the things we long for do not lie only in the realm of food. We miss our families and friends. We miss our beds. We miss our sense of security, even if we are alone. We miss being able to safely interact with animals. Essentially, to some degree, we all miss our lives, and look forward to the day we return to them.

Still, as with anything, there are some things, feelings and sensations we will be reluctant to sacrifice as we leave this chaotic and wonderful place. The smile that splits across a child's face when you make her laugh. A young man's gratitude, though he may not be able to express it, as you help to feed him. The (at times frustrated) joy of the Mashis as they watch you trying to help in any way you can within their world. The taste of fresh mango at dinner, and the pleasant surprise when the BMS workers bring out slices of ice cream. The wonderful, ethereal and holy sound of the call to prayer, reminding Kolkata's Muslims to take a moment to profess their faith. All of the opportunities to learn about a culture so unique and so different from our own.

And, in a special way, we will all miss each other. This group was brought together at this moment in time for a specific purpose. It is unlikely that we will all ever end up in the same place at the same time again. When I look back on this trip, I know I will remember our service as we strove to emulate Mother Teresa, the intense sights and smells we encountered in the streets of Kolkata, and all the wonderful organizations we learned about fighting against the injustices they see here. 

But, in a place just as deep in my heart, I will remember food runs at More, the grocery store around the corner from BMS; figuring out Kolkata as we discovered new places; nightly reflections where we learned about ourselves and each other in this shared experience; and being together wherever we went, ducklings walking in a line behind Sunny as she guided us through this strange city.

Making the most of the time we have left here is more than worth its weight in sandwich-less rice.

Namaskar,

-Cara

Trying to see the Beauty

Since we've arrived in Kolkata, I have been overwelmed and experienced much culture shock. I knew this was a poor area as we were coming to serve the poorest of the poor, but I was not ready for what I saw. Seeing so much poverty in one place without much hope of any change really discouraged me at first. My definition of poverty is rooted in my owe experiences and therefore very relative and had much bias. Yes, these people are poor, but just becasue they live on the streets and do have much to eat or clothing to wear doesn't make them unhappy or inadequate. I have really challenged myself to see the beauty that is Kolkata. This can be seen in many ways. 

Each morning we are all assigned to one of the Missionaries of Charity homes. I go to Daya Dan and serve on the ground floor. This is an all boys floor and there are about 20 boys ranging in age. They are all orphans and have  no where else to go. Mother Theresa's organization provides a safe place to live, meals, clothes, and interaction with other boys. These boys also all have both mental and physical handicaps that they much overcome each and everyday. I see beauty in their faces when we walk in the door each morning. Some want to give us high fives and they seem genuinely happy that we are there to interact with them. Not many can speak english, but a few know a couple words and can sort of communicate with us. Last Saturday we took the boys the park. That was quite an adventure. Some need to be in wheel chairs, while others needed much support as they walked. We somehow managed to walk the block to the park, crossing a major city street to get there. Each of the volunteers had at least one boy by the hand and in some cases two. I was really struck by the park. I was not expecting a park that I am used to with swings, and open spaces and grass to be in Kolkata. The boys ran around and played cricket, well they like to hit the ball with the cricket bat. They went on the swings and played in dirt. It was beautiful to see them playing and having fun. It was very unexpected, but I really positive experience. The sisters who work at Daya Dan also bring a tremendous amount of beauty to their jobs. It is clear that they love the boys they are serving. Yes, the are strict with them when necessary, but you can see how much they care about those boys. They know all their names, they joke around with them and take care of them. 

We visited an NGO called Freeset on one of our first few days in Kolkata. Freeset is an organization that takes women off of the street in the red light district and provides them with a job. They made bags and shirts. They women do not need any experience, they will be shown what to do and all of the women are paid they same, so there is no competition or pressure to be better than someone else. I saw beauty at Freeset at the beginning of the day when all of the women gathered before the work day began and they prayed together and sung songs as one community. Some of the women have children and they pass them around and let them run around without concern because they are in a space. 

There is beauty in this city and in these people, you just need to look for it. This has been an incredibly eye opening experience thus far and I'm sure our last week here will bring many more stories and emotions. Quite often I am lost for words when I am trying to describe and experience or place we visited. It's overwhelming being here, but I do feel fortunate to be here on this journey. I am with a wonderful group who have been so supportive to each other throughout our journey in Kolkata.   

Thanks to everyone back at home for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. 

--Matt 

Purpose

Many people struggle with the idea of what their purpose is in everything they do. Before leaving for this trip, several people had asked me: "You're only there for 3 weeks, are you really going to make a difference?" This created an inner battle with myself on what I was trying to accomplish here in Kolkata, and if my presence was really needed. People said "You know, the money you spent to go to India could've all been donated and helped those kids more than you being there for a few weeks." And that just added more fuel to the fire building within me. 

After the first couple of days here, our group reflected on this topic, and we began getting down on ourselves, questioning how much we're actually helping the people we're working with. Then I stumbled upon something Mother Teresa had once said that beautifully put into words why doing service and helping others, no matter how long for, is needed:

"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they [the poor] need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."

No amounts of money can make these people feel loved or wanted, the way human interaction can. Since my time at Shishu Bavan, an orphanage for children with mental and physical disabilities, I have worked with many children who suffer from extreme Cerebral Palsy and unresponsiveness. Every morning when I walk into my first shift, the kids just look blank, staring out into space, laying in their chairs alone. As the volunteers begin to wake the kids by rubbing their limbs, singing little tunes, playing with their hair, something magical begins to happen. Sad eyes begin to fill with light. The corners of frowning mouths begin to curl up as they fight back laughter. Heads turn to face these monsters bringing all this happiness, and the atmosphere changes completely. This is why we are here. Because even for 3 weeks, these kids are getting full, undeviated attention and love that they weren't getting before. 

To be able to make someone smile is truly the greatest gift of all, and I can't help but wonder how much better this world would be if we strived to do that just a little more often. Like my mom always says, be someone's sunshine on a cloudy day.

Namaskaar,

Kate Messitidis 

The Whole Person

Last night a social worker from the Loreto Day School, Theresa, came to speak to our group and share dinner. She had great insight about the city and about the alleviation of poverty here. I'm really pleased she was able to speak and share with us.

One of the first things she said in relation to her work was that she goes and visits the homes, writes case studies on the families, evaluates the conditions that students come from, works with them in counseling and provides support also to teachers. In my work as an educator we think a lot about what children bring with them to school, from the invisible knapsack of cultural capital to the physical and often emotional pains of being alive, including some difficult situations at home. To hear that these schools are making this a priority through Theresa's work is reassuring to me that the whole child is being cared for. As she put it last night, the child cannot be happy at school if they aren't happy at home. 

Mother Teresa had similar notions - believing firmly that peace started at home, with your family, with children and parents all feeling loved. We've discussed a bit how MT has had some criticism for her work, that it's not solution based but comfort and care based. For many, this sits uneasy based on our desire to see progress, to know that sustainable change will happen and we will move out of the status we are at to greater success. In our Western world, success is so important, and it's often only when a person is highly successful and has emerged from a disadvantaged point that we celebrate their improvement. For many children at Loreto and in the brickfields, they might not become university scholars or make buckets of money or even have much social mobility, but as Theresa said, they have a community of care that lifts them up and creates a place for them to be important and valued, 

It's my goal as an educator in all ways to help individuals feel valued and cared for. MT said that the worst poverty could be loneliness, and I know from my own experiences living alone that loneliness is a dark, quiet and sometimes scary place. In this beautiful group of compassionate and engaged individuals, I don't feel lonely or uncared for. We are looking at our whole selves with care and seeking that connection with each other as well as those we serve. It's a gift to be here. 

We are still healthy, happy, and curious. Thank you for your support and kindness. We're sending you all our love and feeling yours here in Kolkata. 

Love & light,

Sunny