Saturday

Whatever this virus is my body seems to be fighting off…. Just very weak and achy today. 

I was able to get up early this morning to head out with the group to see the slums and observe the Hindu bathing ritual. We left while it was dark so as not to wake people as we literally drove through the middles of their home.  The slums were difficult to observe, the level of poverty is unbelievable…. Even worse than what we have been observing in other parts of Kolkata.  Families are living alongside a river where the city’s sewage drains.  The amount of garbage and sewage was unreal…. And it is everywhere! People actually sleep in the piles of garbage as this offers not only a soft place to sleep, but also warmth.  To be honest it was difficult to stomach this as I can’t fathom what it would be like to live in such conditions.  This was one of the more difficult experiences we have encountered and it was an upfront reminder as to how fortunate I am.

Our morning journey brought us to a dock and ferry as we observed the Hindu water bathing ritual.  Every morning as the sun is rising those of the Hindu belief jump in the Ganges River and perform a water dance as an act of worship to their Sun God.  This is a huge ordeal and it appears to have almost a festival feel to the atmosphere.  We then boarded a ferry that took us across the river to observe this on the other river shore.   I tried to take pictures of the river, but there is so much smog they simply didn’t turn out, in fact you could hardly see across the river due to the thick smog.

Next stop was a tour of Mother Teresa’s tomb.  She is buried beneath Mother House, the convent in which she lived for many years.  Being able to observe her room, her things, see her tomb, and learn more of her life story seemed far too surreal, it was a humbling experience.  She felt called to missions in her early teens and left home at 18, never to see her mother or sisters again. I can’t fathom the strength she possessed to do this and make it her entire life’s mission. She is a beautiful woman simply following God’s calling for her life.  She is example to all of us as to what it means to truly love God’s people!  In her own words… “We have been created for greater things… to love and to be loved.”

Next stop was volunteering at one of the homes Mother Teresa started.  The home I chose was actually an orphanage for mentally disabled children.  It was incredible to do the work that Mother Teresa had done…. But it was also heart breaking.  I spent most of my time singing with a couple of the children and clapping hands with them… trying everything to stimulate communication or even a response.  Not only was there a language barrier, but many of the children struggle with even simple communication tasks, so this made it difficult to work with them.    

Through the last few weeks, we’ve maintained a busy schedule with constant, in-your-face type confrontation of poor and helpless people, in a loud, ceaselessly busy city.  The sounds of cars honking, dogs barking, and people shouting never ends…. Not even at night.  There is literally nowhere quiet to escape as the sounds of the city come in through all parts of the building. The windows and doors can be closed, yet everything is still loud and clear.  My heart has been pulled in so many different directions and amidst the chaos I strive to understand all that I have seen, experienced, and loved.