These past few days have really been exhausting. Now that I have a better feel for Kolkata, better relationships with the staff and children, and a closer connection with the Mother Teresa home, my days are jam packed.
Sometimes in the mornings I have been attending mass at 6am with the sisters & volunteers. Otherwise I have been heading straight to Nirmal Hrday which is the original home Mother Teresa established. It is for the dying and destitute with the translation meaning "pure heart." I was very fortunate to be able to sort it out where I could formally register as a volunteer to provide my services in the mornings. It is also perfect since it is located right in Kalighat about 3 minutes from New Light.
The home is divided up into male and female sections and is comprised of people who are dying, abandoned, severely wounded, or just found to be in extreme need. One of the doctors who I have gotten to know gave me the link for this YouTube video which shows the quarters I am in. The home has had some slight modifications but overall everything in the video is as it is in real life. It is
https://youtu.be/3ZWhlNgrUZM
The doctor reminded me of a very important lesson. He was telling me that each person there had a story. They were each a parent, a child, a friend, a spouse, etc and that we must really learn to see them as that person and not just someone who is in need of shelter or help. For example, the woman I was exercising with was not even 50 years old, a mother of two teenage sons, and a wife who had been cast out of her home once she had a stroke. Losing the strength in her left side would have been something she could have received therapy for and regained strength for the most part. However, she was cast aside for 3 to 4 years before receiving the care she needed thus leading to very bad contractures. Still, with a lot of therapy, she will be able to walk again with a least a crutch. Her main struggle now is finding the will and motivation to do so. Which, I can't blame her. Still, I encourage and push her in hopes that one day she will find the strength to go and be with her children again. It was very difficult as she would often yell at me out of exhaustion or frustration. But I knew she did not mean it to be personal as she would also hug me and hold my hand as if to say she was sorry.
Though everyone in that home has their own struggle, it really is such a wonderful place. The volunteers there are from all over the world and are all such amazing people with bright spirits. And the sisters are the kindest people you will ever meet. Even as a volunteer I feel surrounded by such love...which is exactly what Mother Teresa had hoped for. There are even several locals who are permanent staff members there or volunteers which is very helpful as they can all work as translators (for the most part).
After we tuck the women in bed for their afternoon nap at 12, I walk on over to New Light to visit with the children. I think they have all finally warmed up to me since now they all run and pull me in every other direction to play games, patty cakes, draw tattoos on them, and they love when I give them some of my purell. They are obsessed with it! The only worry I have is that I am noticing that a lot of them are covered with lice. Needless to say, my buns have never been so high or tight.
Once the children eat and head off for their naps, I take an uber over to the boys or girls shelter. This week I educated them on basic first aid. They learned what to do is someone is bleeding very bad, how to treat basic cuts or scrapes, infections, and how to treat burns. The lessons go very quickly as they are all so anxious for the worksheets and games at the end which quiz them on the material. This week I made a bingo board with all of the relevant words on it. They went HAM. Bingo was a foreign game to them so between getting the opportunity to pull and say the word from the hat while racing to see who wins the Kit Kat bar, they were crazy excited. After we had our 5 winners, they all said "auntie, auntie we like this game! You bring this game again next time." The boys also taught me how to play soccer which was a muddy disaster but still loads of fun. And as always, the teenage boys and girls all love taking pictures with my phone and looking through my personal pictures. The selfie obsession is a worldwide epidemic.
Anyways, I believe I have bored you all enough for one entry. I will check back in again soon! Thanks for reading!
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