I did make it to adoration last night, the temp cooled just enough to be okay for walking.
I found a beautiful sermon in my brievery that I thought I would share part of:
The Armament of Love: "Love, indeed, is the source of all good things: it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey's end.
My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together."
I thought this was so beautiful, and a great example of what I need to remember while I am here and what I can practice when I return home.
It was a very peacefull feeling to leave the Mother House with, but was quickly overtaken by the ridiculous choas of the streets. The streets become so crowded at night and walking home last night left me wanting to yell "shut up!" to everyone around. For the most part I have been able to just walk ahead and not let the honking and yelling get to me, but for some reason last night I was very impatient. Rikshaws will come up right behind you and start ringing their bells and yelling at you even though they can see that you can't move either. And then taxis honk until you finally can move. There is never a time when someone will just wait for room to go by. They are always expecting everyone else to move. And then the boys and young men on the street will say "hello hello" which normally I would want to respond to and be polite, but here, as soon as you look their way they make some sort of rude comment and then laugh or they flip you off or worse yet, try to sell you something. Once someone thinks they can sell you something they will follow you all the way across town. Oh man, if it wasn't for that, I think I could stay another month. Of course all of this is what makes the city the way it is and I have to remember that just because it makes me angry doesn't mean it should be different.
I went out this morning and found some hot lemon with honey...which ended up being "hot lemonade" (mom) and was excellent and helped my throat for the time being. After breakfast I started feeling stomach cramping so I'm not really looking forward to the rest of this day. I hope I can just feel normal for my last few days here! I really would rather be in Daya Dan than sleeping on my hard bed. I did finish the murals and explained to sister that I probably wouldn't have enough time to do the other two that she wanted. I have a little bit more shopping to do so that I'm not doing it at the last minute like everyone else that has left has done. Maybe tonight if I'm feeling okay I can venture over to New Market...picture Pike Place times 15 with guys following you around asking if they can help you shop and then expecting a commission. Oh and there's a meat market in the center...the worst smell ever. I will never compain about how "crowded" Seattle is ever again!
Well, I think I'm off to sleep a bit more, or read. The people in my dorm think that's about all I do because that's all the ever see me doing! Always sleeping! Oh well. Take care and be good! Love you, Corina
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
One more week!
It is crazy to think that I have only one more week here! I am a little happy to see the end, but also a little sad to leave. I think maybe I complain about things a lot here, but really I'm having a lot of fun. Some days it is harder to see the good parts of Kolkata, but there really are a lot. I think I will miss working with the kids, but it is good to see that there are so many volunteers. I know that they will have just as much help after I leave.
I feel much better today. I was able to wake up early to make it to 6:00 Mass this morning! I was surprised to wake up before my alarm went off! And I felt okay at work today, I took it easy and sat pretty much the whole time, which was okay because I was teaching. I taught Mongol about nouns today. And he taught me that buses only has one s....I was thinking it had two...busses....hmmm, now they both look wrong. Oh well.
I think I might make it to adoration at the Mother House tonight, but it is so hot here right now that it hurts just thinking about the walk there.
Not much else to report, I guess that's what happens when I spend a lot of time asleep!
Take care, I love you ~ Corina
I feel much better today. I was able to wake up early to make it to 6:00 Mass this morning! I was surprised to wake up before my alarm went off! And I felt okay at work today, I took it easy and sat pretty much the whole time, which was okay because I was teaching. I taught Mongol about nouns today. And he taught me that buses only has one s....I was thinking it had two...busses....hmmm, now they both look wrong. Oh well.
I think I might make it to adoration at the Mother House tonight, but it is so hot here right now that it hurts just thinking about the walk there.
Not much else to report, I guess that's what happens when I spend a lot of time asleep!
Take care, I love you ~ Corina
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sleepy sleep
Yesterday and today have been spent in bed. Uggg. I walked to the mother house this morning feeling feverish and dizzy and the volunteer in charge said i probably shouldn't go to work. I walked back to my room and slept all day. this is my first attempt to be awake and outside(!) for more than 10 minutes. So far, so good. I'll probably go back and sleep more and maybe out to dinner with some friends from the dorm. Hopefully I can go back to work tomorrow, it all depends on how hot my forehead is.
One more week! Hope you all are doing well, love you lots ~ Corina
One more week! Hope you all are doing well, love you lots ~ Corina
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sorry!
I didn't realize this was such a frequently visited site! I'll make sure not to skip days anymore. I almost didn't blog today because I have a fever and a cold...kindof a weird combo if you ask me. But don't worry, I went to the "chemist and druggist" down the street and pointed to my head saying hot and my nose saying runny....he gave me three different medications. i took two of the three about an hour ago and am still able to type so i think they are safe (unless they are just slow working).
Tuan left last night. I moved into a dorm this morning, they really cram those beds in there. The good thing is is that a dorm bed is less than $2 a night.
Not much else happened in the last 24 hours. We went to a special Mass in honor of Mother Teresa's Birthday. That was pretty cool. The archbishop and all of the sisters and novices were there.
In his homily, the archbishop talked about Mother's firm stance on abortion. I was thinking about that today while trying to take a nap. I realize that people who are reading this do not necessarily share the same views as me, but on this issue, I think it is important to not remain silent. As one popular pro-life saying goes "Silence kills, speak out against abortion".
I touched on this topic a bit in one of my recent posts but after thinking about it more I found I had more to say. Mother was not afraid to stand up for her speech after winning the Nobel Peace Prize and tell all who were listening that it is the countries who legalize the killing of children that are suffering from the greatest poverty. Now, this is a woman who knows poverty. She has held in her arms every sort of person from the very least-the beggar and the dying to the very greatest-Princess Di, and had lived in complete "financial" poverty herself. Yet, she can proclaim that a nation like the United States faces greater poverty than all of Calcutta. She says it is because we fear our own children. This idea seems so profound to me. How can we fear a tiny baby? It seems impossible but it is true. We fear them at a rate of nearly 4,000 a day!
When I take out all politics and all other crap that we are fed from very early on, and look at the heart of respecting LIFE, I see that it comes down to a choice between life and death. Abortion is the taking of a life, whether you agree with the 'personhood' of the fetus or not, abortion ends life.
As I look at the children I am working with I see massive physical deformities and Down's Syndrome and speech problems, and urine and vomit and drool. But what shines above all of those things is that each one of them is a life to be treated as equally as mine. How can any of us determine whether or not someone else has a right to live? Should I be of greater value than little Bashker because I can walk, or I can talk, or I can eat solid food? What is it that makes people feel that they have the authority to end his life? If he had been conceived in the United States there is a great possibility that he would have been killed in the womb. There is this idea that abortions don't really happen that often, but in reality they are happening all the time. The Planned Parenthood in your town is performing abortions everyday. It is happening right down the street from each one of us and why are we letting it happen? We protest war against people who could terrorize our country, we protest the death sentences of convicted criminals, we donate money to homeless shelters, but why can we not help the victim of abortion? (Please note that I too am against war, death penalty, and all other offenses against life, after all I am pro LIFE!) Why are we afraid of a child? They are so beautiful!
I have heard every argument in the book. One is that we can't let our government regulate morality. If I didn't want them regulation morality, why am I not protesting the fact that I cannot take a gun and shoot my neighbor and not be sentenced? If I say that it is in my "morals" to shoot my neighbor then I should be allowed to, right?
Another argument is "I would never have an abortion, but I can't tell others not to". Would you allow your friend to keep slaves even though you don't believe slavery is right?! Or let's say we were in another great Holocost and killing Jewish people was the right thing to do. Maybe the government tells you that if you don't want to turn in the Jews that you see, it is okay, you don't have to. But if anyone else wants to you have to let them. So even though you are not turning them in to be killed, they are being killed just down the street from you and you don't do anything to stop it. Would you stand for that?
I am also reading a book on contraception and how it is very closely linked to abortion. This is a particularly touchy subject even among devout Catholics. I think I won't get into it today, but maybe (if you are still reading : )) you can think about those two things might be connected. Once again, are we really so afraid of the child that we cannot be open to life?
I'm sorry if people don't like hearing this kind of stuff, but it is something very dear to me and the main reason for me being here in Kolkata. I believe in the sanctity of ALL human life from conception to natural death and in a culture of death it is important to stand up for life.
All of your lives are very precious to me, thank you for allowing me the gift of life (mom and dad) and everyone else for giving so much to my life!
Tuan left last night. I moved into a dorm this morning, they really cram those beds in there. The good thing is is that a dorm bed is less than $2 a night.
Not much else happened in the last 24 hours. We went to a special Mass in honor of Mother Teresa's Birthday. That was pretty cool. The archbishop and all of the sisters and novices were there.
In his homily, the archbishop talked about Mother's firm stance on abortion. I was thinking about that today while trying to take a nap. I realize that people who are reading this do not necessarily share the same views as me, but on this issue, I think it is important to not remain silent. As one popular pro-life saying goes "Silence kills, speak out against abortion".
I touched on this topic a bit in one of my recent posts but after thinking about it more I found I had more to say. Mother was not afraid to stand up for her speech after winning the Nobel Peace Prize and tell all who were listening that it is the countries who legalize the killing of children that are suffering from the greatest poverty. Now, this is a woman who knows poverty. She has held in her arms every sort of person from the very least-the beggar and the dying to the very greatest-Princess Di, and had lived in complete "financial" poverty herself. Yet, she can proclaim that a nation like the United States faces greater poverty than all of Calcutta. She says it is because we fear our own children. This idea seems so profound to me. How can we fear a tiny baby? It seems impossible but it is true. We fear them at a rate of nearly 4,000 a day!
When I take out all politics and all other crap that we are fed from very early on, and look at the heart of respecting LIFE, I see that it comes down to a choice between life and death. Abortion is the taking of a life, whether you agree with the 'personhood' of the fetus or not, abortion ends life.
As I look at the children I am working with I see massive physical deformities and Down's Syndrome and speech problems, and urine and vomit and drool. But what shines above all of those things is that each one of them is a life to be treated as equally as mine. How can any of us determine whether or not someone else has a right to live? Should I be of greater value than little Bashker because I can walk, or I can talk, or I can eat solid food? What is it that makes people feel that they have the authority to end his life? If he had been conceived in the United States there is a great possibility that he would have been killed in the womb. There is this idea that abortions don't really happen that often, but in reality they are happening all the time. The Planned Parenthood in your town is performing abortions everyday. It is happening right down the street from each one of us and why are we letting it happen? We protest war against people who could terrorize our country, we protest the death sentences of convicted criminals, we donate money to homeless shelters, but why can we not help the victim of abortion? (Please note that I too am against war, death penalty, and all other offenses against life, after all I am pro LIFE!) Why are we afraid of a child? They are so beautiful!
I have heard every argument in the book. One is that we can't let our government regulate morality. If I didn't want them regulation morality, why am I not protesting the fact that I cannot take a gun and shoot my neighbor and not be sentenced? If I say that it is in my "morals" to shoot my neighbor then I should be allowed to, right?
Another argument is "I would never have an abortion, but I can't tell others not to". Would you allow your friend to keep slaves even though you don't believe slavery is right?! Or let's say we were in another great Holocost and killing Jewish people was the right thing to do. Maybe the government tells you that if you don't want to turn in the Jews that you see, it is okay, you don't have to. But if anyone else wants to you have to let them. So even though you are not turning them in to be killed, they are being killed just down the street from you and you don't do anything to stop it. Would you stand for that?
I am also reading a book on contraception and how it is very closely linked to abortion. This is a particularly touchy subject even among devout Catholics. I think I won't get into it today, but maybe (if you are still reading : )) you can think about those two things might be connected. Once again, are we really so afraid of the child that we cannot be open to life?
I'm sorry if people don't like hearing this kind of stuff, but it is something very dear to me and the main reason for me being here in Kolkata. I believe in the sanctity of ALL human life from conception to natural death and in a culture of death it is important to stand up for life.
All of your lives are very precious to me, thank you for allowing me the gift of life (mom and dad) and everyone else for giving so much to my life!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Still alive!
Sorry, I realized today that people who read this might wonder why I haven't blogged in a couple of days....
Don't worry, I didn't get sick and didn't get hit by a rickshaw or bus (though that would make a great storry). I've just been pretty busy with finishing the murals and shopping with Tuan on his last day here. That's right, Tuan heads out tonight which means I'm left 'alone' come tomorrow morning. Ack! No, it should be okay. Tuan's taught me a lot about the city and how not to get ripped off. I'll be fine.
Let's see, what's happened since I wrote last....
I finally saw a Bollywood film! A romantic comedy (my favorite) complete with typical Bollywood singing and dancing (even better). We taught one boy about the stars and planets and space travel yesterday. It was really cool to see someone who has never heard anything about space to see pictures in a book for the first time! I think we take a lot of our knowledge for granted. I tried to teach him about gravity...he gets that it makes things fall, which is what's important.
Yesterday was Louie's birthday! Happy Birthday! and it also happened to be the feast day of St. Louis...weird. I went to adoration with the sisters yesterday and when I opened up my Liturgy of the Hours I saw a paragraph about St. Louis! He was a married saint, king of France(?) at age 22 and had 11 children. He fought for Christ's tomb in the crusades. Awesome.
Today was the 97th birthday of Blessed Mother Teresa. There was a beautiful Mass at Mother house this morning with I think I counted 6 priests. Tonight we will go to a local parish (Saint Mary's) for a special Mass in Mother's honor.
And congratulations to Kolton and family! It is such a blessing to have another member added to the church! It makes my heart so happy to think about all of the graces he is now open to receive and what wonderful parents he has : )
Not much else has happened. I have to finish laundry...hand-washed in a bucket : ) G-L-A-M-O-R-OUS (hopefully you've heard that song)... I was thinking that I can't really sing that here, but compared to the people that I pass by on the streets everyday, I'm flyin' first class up in the sky...
Peace, Corina
Don't worry, I didn't get sick and didn't get hit by a rickshaw or bus (though that would make a great storry). I've just been pretty busy with finishing the murals and shopping with Tuan on his last day here. That's right, Tuan heads out tonight which means I'm left 'alone' come tomorrow morning. Ack! No, it should be okay. Tuan's taught me a lot about the city and how not to get ripped off. I'll be fine.
Let's see, what's happened since I wrote last....
I finally saw a Bollywood film! A romantic comedy (my favorite) complete with typical Bollywood singing and dancing (even better). We taught one boy about the stars and planets and space travel yesterday. It was really cool to see someone who has never heard anything about space to see pictures in a book for the first time! I think we take a lot of our knowledge for granted. I tried to teach him about gravity...he gets that it makes things fall, which is what's important.
Yesterday was Louie's birthday! Happy Birthday! and it also happened to be the feast day of St. Louis...weird. I went to adoration with the sisters yesterday and when I opened up my Liturgy of the Hours I saw a paragraph about St. Louis! He was a married saint, king of France(?) at age 22 and had 11 children. He fought for Christ's tomb in the crusades. Awesome.
Today was the 97th birthday of Blessed Mother Teresa. There was a beautiful Mass at Mother house this morning with I think I counted 6 priests. Tonight we will go to a local parish (Saint Mary's) for a special Mass in Mother's honor.
And congratulations to Kolton and family! It is such a blessing to have another member added to the church! It makes my heart so happy to think about all of the graces he is now open to receive and what wonderful parents he has : )
Not much else has happened. I have to finish laundry...hand-washed in a bucket : ) G-L-A-M-O-R-OUS (hopefully you've heard that song)... I was thinking that I can't really sing that here, but compared to the people that I pass by on the streets everyday, I'm flyin' first class up in the sky...
Peace, Corina
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Be Childlike!
Jesus tells us that not until we have faith like a child can we enter into Heaven with Him. I am reminded of this everyday.
My favorite way to start the day is at Mass with the Sisters. When they sing they sound like a choir of child angels. It brings such peace in my heart to hear them. They are singing for the purpose of praising God, and nothing else. Their voices remind me to be childlike.
When I get to Daya Dan at about 8:00 I am sometimes greeted by my "boyfriends" on the first floor. There are two boys in particular that love to catch my eye and then smile big when they do. One of them tries from across the room. They start each day so happy and don't show at all that they have not a thing to their name, no parents, and can't walk on their own. They remind me to start each day like a child.
Today when I arrived upstairs all the girls where dressed in their prettiest dresses in celebration of the Missionary of Charity Feast Day (pre-vatican II Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary). The Massees (women who work there) had even put make-up on all of them! They all looked so proud to be so dressed up and celebrating with the sisters. All morning I saw nothing but smiles on their faces as they danced and clapped and wore their dresses. They didn't get all wrapped up in the fact that they had terrible haircuts or couldn't speak or that their dress didn't really fit right. I thought about all I complain about when I am getting ready in the morning. Seeing them reminded me that I shouldn't care, just like a child.
We all danced and sang and laughed for like two and a half hours this morning! The Massees were all dressed up in their nicest sarrees and they adorned the sisters with flowers and danced special dances for them. The kids didn't have to get out their video games, dvds, cell phones or remote control cars to have fun...not that they have these things anyway. All they did was dance! I held Bashker in my arms for like 20 minutes and let him squirm all over and then held him upside down as he laughed and smiled bigger than I have ever seen!
Seeing all of these children in the orphanage only strengthens my pro-life views even more! Many people would say these are "unwanted children" and that they are a burden to society and that it would be better had they not been born. I can tell you right now that I am so thankful for everyone of their lives. I know that every volunteer feels the same way and the sisters as well. All children are wanted children and all children bring joy to someone's life. Maybe all it would take is a smile from one of these kids to change the hearts and minds of people.
Be childlike!
On another note...
Today was fun. Tuan and I got a lot of painting done. As I was working on a mural of boats in the sea, I asked one boy if he liked it. His response: to throw his head back, stick out his arms and spin around in a circle. I hope that means 'yes'. Another boy hanging around us grabbed the brush full of blue (very toxic) paint and put it in his mouth...well, close to. He's albino so the blue paint showed up very well. I might have mentioned him doing this before...
Tuan's stomach is feeling much better, but now he has pink eye! HaHa! oh man, this guy never gets a break.
That's it for now. Thanks for listening to my psudo-inspirational mind vomit! I love you all! ~Corina
My favorite way to start the day is at Mass with the Sisters. When they sing they sound like a choir of child angels. It brings such peace in my heart to hear them. They are singing for the purpose of praising God, and nothing else. Their voices remind me to be childlike.
When I get to Daya Dan at about 8:00 I am sometimes greeted by my "boyfriends" on the first floor. There are two boys in particular that love to catch my eye and then smile big when they do. One of them tries from across the room. They start each day so happy and don't show at all that they have not a thing to their name, no parents, and can't walk on their own. They remind me to start each day like a child.
Today when I arrived upstairs all the girls where dressed in their prettiest dresses in celebration of the Missionary of Charity Feast Day (pre-vatican II Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary). The Massees (women who work there) had even put make-up on all of them! They all looked so proud to be so dressed up and celebrating with the sisters. All morning I saw nothing but smiles on their faces as they danced and clapped and wore their dresses. They didn't get all wrapped up in the fact that they had terrible haircuts or couldn't speak or that their dress didn't really fit right. I thought about all I complain about when I am getting ready in the morning. Seeing them reminded me that I shouldn't care, just like a child.
We all danced and sang and laughed for like two and a half hours this morning! The Massees were all dressed up in their nicest sarrees and they adorned the sisters with flowers and danced special dances for them. The kids didn't have to get out their video games, dvds, cell phones or remote control cars to have fun...not that they have these things anyway. All they did was dance! I held Bashker in my arms for like 20 minutes and let him squirm all over and then held him upside down as he laughed and smiled bigger than I have ever seen!
Seeing all of these children in the orphanage only strengthens my pro-life views even more! Many people would say these are "unwanted children" and that they are a burden to society and that it would be better had they not been born. I can tell you right now that I am so thankful for everyone of their lives. I know that every volunteer feels the same way and the sisters as well. All children are wanted children and all children bring joy to someone's life. Maybe all it would take is a smile from one of these kids to change the hearts and minds of people.
Be childlike!
On another note...
Today was fun. Tuan and I got a lot of painting done. As I was working on a mural of boats in the sea, I asked one boy if he liked it. His response: to throw his head back, stick out his arms and spin around in a circle. I hope that means 'yes'. Another boy hanging around us grabbed the brush full of blue (very toxic) paint and put it in his mouth...well, close to. He's albino so the blue paint showed up very well. I might have mentioned him doing this before...
Tuan's stomach is feeling much better, but now he has pink eye! HaHa! oh man, this guy never gets a break.
That's it for now. Thanks for listening to my psudo-inspirational mind vomit! I love you all! ~Corina
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Feeling much better!
Don't worry...only minor sickness. I feel much better although Tuan is really sick (again). That guy has been sick like 4 times in the two months he's been here!
Darjeeling was AMAZING! I have some really great stories to tell about my three day adventure, but they would be lame on here. Sorry. Let's just say that God was really watching out for us from the first taxi ride to the train station to the available room at the same hotel we were staying at before. After the first 10 hour train ride we hopped on what is called the Toy Train (because it's tiny) to go up the mountains. This train was the one that Mothere Teresa was on when she received her "call with a call" to serve the poorest of the poor here in Kolkata. Don't worry, I didn't hear that call when I was on the train so I will be returning home in a couple of weeks. Although, there is still time....
The view from the train was outstanding! I have never seen such beautiful mountains. They reminded me a bit of the Swiss Alps, but the Himalayas definitely have their own charm.
Yes, I bought tea in Darjeeling. I need to start drinking more tea now. I wanted to hire a Sherpa, but didn't really have a reason to so I didn't do that. It would have been cool though.
Hope all is well in the states! I seriously haven't read, seen, or heard anything news related since I left.
Peace out, Corina
Darjeeling was AMAZING! I have some really great stories to tell about my three day adventure, but they would be lame on here. Sorry. Let's just say that God was really watching out for us from the first taxi ride to the train station to the available room at the same hotel we were staying at before. After the first 10 hour train ride we hopped on what is called the Toy Train (because it's tiny) to go up the mountains. This train was the one that Mothere Teresa was on when she received her "call with a call" to serve the poorest of the poor here in Kolkata. Don't worry, I didn't hear that call when I was on the train so I will be returning home in a couple of weeks. Although, there is still time....
The view from the train was outstanding! I have never seen such beautiful mountains. They reminded me a bit of the Swiss Alps, but the Himalayas definitely have their own charm.
Yes, I bought tea in Darjeeling. I need to start drinking more tea now. I wanted to hire a Sherpa, but didn't really have a reason to so I didn't do that. It would have been cool though.
Hope all is well in the states! I seriously haven't read, seen, or heard anything news related since I left.
Peace out, Corina
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
