I actually went and did some work today! It was a beautiful experience. We got up at 5:20 to try and get to the metro station so we could make it out to Daya Dan by 6:45 for Mass. The metro doesn't open until 7:00 so we found a taxi that wasn't trying to rip us off and rode out to Daya Dan. That was the coolest taxi ride ever! They don't stop for anything here, even pedestrians! Seriously, centimeters from cars, rikshaws, people. And I have found something in common with the taxi drivers, we don't like to come to a complete stop for fear of our car dieing...pretty much just slow down when another car is coming into the lane. It's a blast!
We got to Daya Dan and found out there was no Mass this morning, so Tuan, Caitlin and I went to the chapel to pray a Rosary. At 8:00 we began work with the kids. Cleaning beds, physical therapy, and music time. There are a few kids that I already want to take home. Piya is a little girl who is 5, but looks about 2. She can't really hold her head up, talk, walk, or much else. She has the most beautiful smile though! Her face is precious. And then Baxter, he is 3, but looks 1. His arms and legs are like jelly, they move all over. He has a great laugh and when you pick him up he wraps his arms around your neck. And Megha is a wonderful 9 year old in a wheel chair. She is fine mentally but has a disease that is causing her muscle to deteriorate. She probably won't live past 13 or 14. She led the kids in music today, and holds Piya in her lap. I was joking around with her from the very beginning and she said she'll be okay with me staying for a month. All of the kids are wonderful.
Tuan told one of the sisters that he had an artist friend coming to stay and as soon as I met this sister today she showed me all of the pictures that she wants painted on the walls. So it is my first day here and I have already been commissioned for murals. She said that there was boy working on them before but she doesn't know where he went so it must be God that sent me to her. So I will be with the kids in the mornings and painting in the afternoons. I'm kind of excited!
Caitlin and I took the metro home from work today. After I blog, I have orientation at the Mother House at 3:00. Tuan stayed to work a little longer.
I decided (with the cooercing of Tuan and Caitlin) to travel to Darjeeling on a train in a couple of weeks. They said it is just beautiful and you get to take a jeep up to the base of the Himalayas. I can't wait for that! Tuan said he loved it so much that he wants to go with me.
It's hot today. I pretty much feel like I just ran as hard as I could for about 40 minutes every time I step outside. The restaurants all have AC and our room has a fan, so inside it's not too bad, but the streets are killer. It's hard to drink enough water. I feel light headed almost all the time. Which means I should fix that and drink more water...
Tonight I think we have some fun things planned since it is Caitlin's last night here. I don't know what we are doing, but the other two seemed excited as they were planning it last night. I pretty much just leave everything up to them since I have no idea what goes on around here.
Hope all is well back in the states. Take care!
Corina
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2 comments:
Hey! Here I am, returning the favor and posting a lonely comment on your post. :)
Sounds like Kolkata is going to be great, and a real adventure too! Keep posting, your friends back in the states are usually bored out of our minds and need all the vicarious adventure we can get!
And when it gets tough, just think: any time you want you can hop on a plane and be back packing boxes at Premier! That thought should be enough to keep you there til September, at least, eh!
Great work.
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