Last night was an eventful night. A huge group of volunteer went out for monday night salsa dancing at Park's Hotel. As I was walking sudder street/park street. I had my video camera running so i can bring back to show all. It was quite the sight to see. I had absolutely no clue where i was headed but was invited to come along- being a lonesome traveler... what the heck; I love dancing and partying so why not! The contrast being the rich and the poor was so prominent as I walked towards park street. It was absolutely ridiculous. It was late at night so many people were either out partying or getting ready for bed. And when I say bed, I really mean... sleeping on some newspaper along the sidewalk. People were sleeping on the street everywhere! Within 20 feet distances you would walk by at least 5 people sleeping. Wether it's on tables, benches, sidewalk, underneathe tables... you name it. I passed by a group of 4 individual; 3 of which were children under the age of 4. One of the child was a baby no more than 6 months old. Sleeping naked on the sidewalk on newspaper. In the States, this sight is a rare occasion and thousands would jump to help at the sight of such but here; eyes are turned away and it's accepted not only those around things such as this but also by the parents. Many of the parents send their children to beg and make a living in that way, and directed towards tourist especially (especially those that come to volunteer and "trying to serve") At orientation yesterday, the MC sisters addressed this issue; telling us that by giving we're actually promoting their lifestyle of begging and relying on tourist. It's not bettering off the economy and deffinately not the lives of those that we're "trying to help". You will always hear "my mother is sick, she needs money of medicine" or "baby needs milk". It is so hard for me sometimes but for all those that are traveling to India if you do decide to give... make sure you give bought items and not just money. And whether buying milk or food for those who beg... open the packet because i've seen them recieve the MOST expensive milk they asked for and go straight back into the store and sell it back to the store owner. Anyways, I got really side tracked; back to Salsa dancing and the contrast of this crazy city Kolkata. I arrived at Park's Hotel dressed in dirty volunteer clothes and was escorted in (because i was a tourist). This whole place was made of marble, there was air conditioning and servers everywhere, a bar and private bar... all that jazz. Well to keep things short... I felt out of place and didn't end up dancing that night. The volunteers go every monday for salsa dancing so i'm sure i'll go one of these days but I don't of many opportunities to also say happy birthday to Sara (yesterday, June 25th) and wanted to get back to Sudder Street before the international phone booth closed at 11pm. Sara... I miss you like crazy (wish you were able to experience this craziness with me... I love it here!)
Anyways, today was another interesting day (I swear, everyday has something crazy instored). At orientation yesterday I was assigned to help at Daya Dan for the remaining of my stay. I asked for Kalighat also... but sister said it might be too hard for 2 shifts in one day and I can do one month at Daya Dan and one at Kalighat. I may come back to her in a week or so and just tell her I'm taking on two shifts or visiting from time to time. I went to Kalighat last sunday and it was amazing (yes, Sean... I did get to attend mass- actually did the prayer of the faithful for mass this last sunday at Kalighat) and stayed for chicken cury at kalighat for lunch. So anyways, back to Daya Dan (sorry, i feel really disoriented today and I'm jumping from one sentances to another... maybe i'll rewrite this blog entry later); I got there and did the daily schedule... clean crib, bathe, clothed, and physical therapy. Today I worked for a long period of time in the physical therapy room; with one girl specifically. Her name was Angeli.
Angeli is three years old. Gorgious gal and has really skinny/weak legs and arms, she also have trouble paying attention/keeping focus. I started out putting the leg brace on her so she can build muscles practicing standing; i've seen them do this for her several times since i've been here. After awhile I thought, what the heck let's try something new. So I took off her leg brace, and did some leg and calves exerices. After doing so, I held vertically up, standing against the wall. Her legs were locking and then giving in colasping, but it did this over and over a couple of times and she seemed able to stand longer and longer. So I had Angeli stand straight up with her back against my leg as I was sitting and ... wasn't a problem. So i tried having her stand on her own with my hand as support on her bottom, pushing her foward everytime she tried to sit. And suprisingly she stayed standing. The volunteers in the room looked over and we all shared this moment of joy. I felt so proud of her and I'm convinced that within 2-3 months she will be able to stand on her own or against the wall on her own. Not only did I feel overwhelmed with joy but... i notice Angeli did too. Never have I seen her smile but as she stood there in the middle of the room with my hand proping her forward; she turned over looking towards me, grabbed my hair towards her, smiled and than the absolutely God moment for me, she laughed. She laughed 4 times intervals of 2 seconds. And everyone in the room was taken back. To hear Angeli laugh really made my day, to see her looking at me for several seconds as I talked to her made me smile, and to see her stand gave me much hope. Life is too short for me to miss the beauty that God shows each day before our eyes; in smiles, winks, tears, and laughter, you can find Jesus in disguise. God is among us always we just need to keep our eyes open to the message of love.
Once physical therapy was done I helped with feeding and it wasn't an easy task, but what's new. After lunch time for the kids the volunter's first session is done but I ended up staying back helping the children be put to sleep. I must have missed seeing all the volunteers leave. I was trying to get Angeli to stop crying and then singing the rest of the children in that room to sleep (which consisted of singing Ave Maria, and a long... Divine Mercy Chaplet). The Masis left that room and poked their heads in every now and then and smiled. I would hear them say something about me singing (can-ta-re) or something down that line is the word for singing in bangali and I would over hear them saying something and then seconds later someone would pop their head in and smile then leave. It made me feel really happy... once again, it's God's pat for me. When I left Daya i was the only volunteer there so I was headed back alone. I took a rickashaw to get to the metro but ... i guess i took the wrong one. You have to remember, i've only worked at daya dan twice. Both of which i just followed other volunteers. Once i came back with the group through walking from the rickashaw to the metro and the other time I had to take a rickashaw and a bus to get to hotel circular. Well..... I got lost. haha. Simple as that. I took a rickashaw for several blocks going straight. towards Bose Rd and sadly to say there diffinately isn't a metro station on Bose Rd. Instead I ended up walking for a hour and fourty minutes back towards Mother House than backtracking towards Sudder Street. I felt like an idoit but it was fun. I went under the huge bridge by the train station and it was a HUGE street market place under there. It was quite the sight. I remember seeing on one of the sidewalk, a magician and with a huge crowd around him. I saw goats, cows, horses, chicken, ducks and all sorts of random animals through wandering kolkata detour. Anyways, I got back safe on sudder, drenched in my sweat and incredibly hungry. I went over to Blue Sky resturant on sudder and treated myself to a huge lunch. FRENCH FRIES, CHEESE SANDWHICH , 2 coca-cola, jerra rice and some type or cury.... and it costed med about 2.20 US dollars. Another day in Kolkata. Gotta love it.
Tuan
Lord God, in a world of chaos help me find light and peace within your love through those you put in my life. Blessed Mother, teach me to love the way you love your Beloved Son.
Anyways, today was another interesting day (I swear, everyday has something crazy instored). At orientation yesterday I was assigned to help at Daya Dan for the remaining of my stay. I asked for Kalighat also... but sister said it might be too hard for 2 shifts in one day and I can do one month at Daya Dan and one at Kalighat. I may come back to her in a week or so and just tell her I'm taking on two shifts or visiting from time to time. I went to Kalighat last sunday and it was amazing (yes, Sean... I did get to attend mass- actually did the prayer of the faithful for mass this last sunday at Kalighat) and stayed for chicken cury at kalighat for lunch. So anyways, back to Daya Dan (sorry, i feel really disoriented today and I'm jumping from one sentances to another... maybe i'll rewrite this blog entry later); I got there and did the daily schedule... clean crib, bathe, clothed, and physical therapy. Today I worked for a long period of time in the physical therapy room; with one girl specifically. Her name was Angeli.
Angeli is three years old. Gorgious gal and has really skinny/weak legs and arms, she also have trouble paying attention/keeping focus. I started out putting the leg brace on her so she can build muscles practicing standing; i've seen them do this for her several times since i've been here. After awhile I thought, what the heck let's try something new. So I took off her leg brace, and did some leg and calves exerices. After doing so, I held vertically up, standing against the wall. Her legs were locking and then giving in colasping, but it did this over and over a couple of times and she seemed able to stand longer and longer. So I had Angeli stand straight up with her back against my leg as I was sitting and ... wasn't a problem. So i tried having her stand on her own with my hand as support on her bottom, pushing her foward everytime she tried to sit. And suprisingly she stayed standing. The volunteers in the room looked over and we all shared this moment of joy. I felt so proud of her and I'm convinced that within 2-3 months she will be able to stand on her own or against the wall on her own. Not only did I feel overwhelmed with joy but... i notice Angeli did too. Never have I seen her smile but as she stood there in the middle of the room with my hand proping her forward; she turned over looking towards me, grabbed my hair towards her, smiled and than the absolutely God moment for me, she laughed. She laughed 4 times intervals of 2 seconds. And everyone in the room was taken back. To hear Angeli laugh really made my day, to see her looking at me for several seconds as I talked to her made me smile, and to see her stand gave me much hope. Life is too short for me to miss the beauty that God shows each day before our eyes; in smiles, winks, tears, and laughter, you can find Jesus in disguise. God is among us always we just need to keep our eyes open to the message of love.
Once physical therapy was done I helped with feeding and it wasn't an easy task, but what's new. After lunch time for the kids the volunter's first session is done but I ended up staying back helping the children be put to sleep. I must have missed seeing all the volunteers leave. I was trying to get Angeli to stop crying and then singing the rest of the children in that room to sleep (which consisted of singing Ave Maria, and a long... Divine Mercy Chaplet). The Masis left that room and poked their heads in every now and then and smiled. I would hear them say something about me singing (can-ta-re) or something down that line is the word for singing in bangali and I would over hear them saying something and then seconds later someone would pop their head in and smile then leave. It made me feel really happy... once again, it's God's pat for me. When I left Daya i was the only volunteer there so I was headed back alone. I took a rickashaw to get to the metro but ... i guess i took the wrong one. You have to remember, i've only worked at daya dan twice. Both of which i just followed other volunteers. Once i came back with the group through walking from the rickashaw to the metro and the other time I had to take a rickashaw and a bus to get to hotel circular. Well..... I got lost. haha. Simple as that. I took a rickashaw for several blocks going straight. towards Bose Rd and sadly to say there diffinately isn't a metro station on Bose Rd. Instead I ended up walking for a hour and fourty minutes back towards Mother House than backtracking towards Sudder Street. I felt like an idoit but it was fun. I went under the huge bridge by the train station and it was a HUGE street market place under there. It was quite the sight. I remember seeing on one of the sidewalk, a magician and with a huge crowd around him. I saw goats, cows, horses, chicken, ducks and all sorts of random animals through wandering kolkata detour. Anyways, I got back safe on sudder, drenched in my sweat and incredibly hungry. I went over to Blue Sky resturant on sudder and treated myself to a huge lunch. FRENCH FRIES, CHEESE SANDWHICH , 2 coca-cola, jerra rice and some type or cury.... and it costed med about 2.20 US dollars. Another day in Kolkata. Gotta love it.
Tuan
Lord God, in a world of chaos help me find light and peace within your love through those you put in my life. Blessed Mother, teach me to love the way you love your Beloved Son.
