Volunteering

It has been so long since I have posted anything. Part of it is because I have not been on the computer and the other part is because I am trying to convince someone else to write. Alas, neither has been realized. So, here I am writing about what is going on. Don't get my wrong, I like writing, but I am think ya'll might want to get someone else perspective on the whole shinnanigans of India.
We have been in Kolkata for almost 2 weeks now work with Calcutta Mercy Ministries, www.butain.org. Fran, the address is
Cummings at Volunteer House
Mercy Hospital
125/1 Park Street
Calcutta 700017, India

We toured the hospital. The hospital provides free and low cost surgeries and medical care to children. The also operate a nursing school that is free of cost to girls from the region. The nursing school is interesting. We have been told that the nurses are highly sought after because their training is so good. After a 2-year paid commitment to Mercy Hospital many of these girls are recruited by other hospitals that pay them more. Some go and some stay. The thing that has been hard for me to watch is the religious thing. The nursing graduation was full of thanks to God, the Christian god. Lots of songs, prayer, talks. Most, if not all, of these girls come from a Hindu or Muslin background. They come to the school and are converted, or so I think, into Christians. Christ is an integral part of the curriculum. Don't get me wrong it is people with a Christian background paying for these girls and they want them exposed, but what God would you believe in? The one who is giving you food, clothing, shelter, and college? Or the one who has you living in a slum living the exact same life as your parents? The candle ceremony at graduation.


The organization has been a happy surprise. Most of what they do is run without volunteer help. . The feeding program. . . All done. This is great because they do not need volunteers to get through the day. We saw a stark contrast to this when we went to Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. We worked here for three days. Here, the organizations is run almost entirely by volunteers. We went to Prem Dan, a house for adults with disabilities. The men and women are separated and cared for. Many of the women were once prostitutes. This does not surprise me considering 80% of people with mental disabilities in the states have had some form of sexual abuse. These women were deemed less then other women and as such did the lowest job. (I still want to see the Red Light District, not sure if it will happen though.)
Anywho, at the facility, which was a couple large buildings and a garden area, we did laundry in the morning, hung out with the ladies, had tea, and served lunch. None of this would be possible with out volunteers. We happened to come during one of the busiest times of the year, so there was actually less to do. The week before there was 9 women volunteers and out week there was 36. Laundry is all done by hand. You put it in boiling soapy water, warm soapy water, less warm water, 3 rinse sinks, then wring in out, and hang it on the roof. It took us about 2 hours to do bedding, clothes, and cleaning rags for the 90 women living there. The awesome thing is that some of the women living there are running the show. They are barking orders in Bengali, the language of the region, or silently mouthing something in your general direction. Either way you eventually get the point or they come over and move you and your hands until you do. It isn't mean, just forceful and loving. We came to laugh with the women by our lack of understanding.
After laundry we would hang out with the women as they took their tea. Massaging of the hands with lotion, or simply holding their hand was a favorite. There is a huge communication barrier, but you learn to get by with the natural language of love and affection.
Next the volunteers have their tea together and we all talk about our experiences. I met some cool people from Spain who have invited me to come see the running o the bulls.
After we serve lunch, do dishes, and head home.
We did this for 3 days and is was wonderful. In the afternoon we headed to the School for children who are blind or partially blind. This was for sure a highlight. When we got their we went on a tour of the school. The kids were in their classes learning to read and write English braille. . Learning braille. .The kids returning from class. I met a kid names Sanjay who has no eyes, so he is fully blind. He has two laterally placed scars on his cheek, probably from a machete. But, he lights up when you say his name. He showed me what he was working on and sang me the alphabet. The next day when we came he and some other kids were banging on the parked bus we took there. (This was something they loved. They enjoyed making rhythmic noises on the bus. Many of them would pound on it for hours.) I saw him doing this and yelled "Sanjay", his little ears perked but he kept pounding possibly thinking he heard wrong. So I called him again "Sanjay", this time his unmistakable smile shinned through and he looked around to see where the voice was coming through. I said it again "Sanjay", now he started walking towards where I was sitting all the time I kept saying his name and he kept smiling bigger each time. He finally reached me and took my hands, felt them and did not let go until we left. He walked everywhere with me, feeling my arms and back, touching my hair, and when we sat down he kept running his hand down my bristly legs. I loved being with him. So much that, mom...you wanna adopt him? . Friends, lots of friends!
The School for the Blind was awesome. . . Touch and feel are obviously important. However many of the children are not blind. Some are having surgery to correct their vision. Some could possibly be corrected with really strong glasses. So my question is...is teaching reading and writing Braille really the best thing? I suppose it is here, but in the states don't we only do that for people who are truly blind? I don't know. What I do know is it is hard for me because I know there are resources out there, but these resources are expensive so they go untouched and these kids futures are up in the air. What will happen to them when they turn 18? Will they be the beggars I say no to? Prostitutes? Shop owners? Waiters? Taxi drivers? I sure hope not taxi drivers, that would be dangerous on a lot of levels! . Always trying to get names.
. Teaching "American" hang gestures.
Alright I am off to bed, I'll write more later about the volunteering we are doing now. Brother promised to update and I'll see if I can't get some others to do the same. Sorry for no pictures. We were not aloud to take them at Prem Dan, but I will post some from the School for the Blind later.