“We have been created for greater things…”

The other day I realized my cheeks hurt because I’ve been smiling so much. It’s the greatest pain I think I’ve ever felt.

This past week I’ve been helping out at Shanti Dan—Mother Teresa’s home for mentally challenged women. Most of the women are fairly self-sufficient. They can feed themselves, dress themselves and clean themselves. They just need people to love them.

So that’s what I do every morning. I smile and shake hands and give hugs. And then sing and dance and color. After tea time all the volunteers set up a makeshift beauty parlor where we give massages and paint nails. Occasionally, we do puzzles and build with blocks. Essentially, I help lead a pre-school for adult women who are emotionally disturbed for reasons I weep over as they try to explain in Bengali. But I experience such joy—such unbelievable joy—being with them.

It would be a lie to say that these women are “beautiful.” One has a beard. Several are missing hands and feet. Another lady looks like she is straight out of a horror film. But each morning these dear women come to us shouting “Aunty! Aunty! Aunty!” and embrace us and shake us and tickle us with such passionate abandon. They bless our feet and kiss our hands just for showing up.

And I love them. I really love them. And I am really loved.

It’s been really neat meeting all the volunteers. Every day I get to enjoy women from Ireland, Switzerland, Argentina, Italy, France and Spain. All are deeply affected by the life of Mama T and curious to experience the work she was convicted to do.

Sometime early next week I am hoping to interview the “Volunteer Coordinator” Sister to find out her deal—our 1st day she mentioned quietly to me in passing that when she was my age she was also “particularly fond of the tie-dye.” Legit.

There’s A LOT to do in Calcutta. It’s a lil’ weird being in such a Westernized city. Sometimes I feel like I’m in NYC. There are taxis everywhere and some pretty hip restaurants. Stores like Levi Strauss litter the streets. Poverty lives and sleeps in the alleys. Each time we walk to the “Mother House,” we pass men showering in the streets, women sleeping under torn cloth and babies running around half-naked. Within a few minute walk through the city you will easily encounter all the different castes. And the whole thing so much more significant than upper, middle and lower classes. Your caste is your identity, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.

Since Kolkata [sweet new modern spelling!] is such a bumpin’ town I thought I’d share some of my street highlights…

1. Blue Sky Café—Super rad Indian diner with 500 items on the menu. ALL the Mama T volunteers eat lunch here every day. Get the potato salad!
2. Juice World—Straight up fruit juice shack. Everything from pomegranate lime to mango banana. Just don’t order the iced coffee unless you like strawberry ice cream and almonds….
3. Autorickshaw—The sweetest way to get around town. Smaller than a taxi but more spacious than an old school rickshaw. Recommended capacity = 5 passengers. We fit 7.
4. Volunteer Day! :)—O.K. So this only happens once a year and we happened to get lucky but this international variety showcase featuring the volunteers at Mama T’s homes is one of the most beautiful LOVE fests I’ve ever experienced.
5. Queen Victoria Memorial—But only the gardens outside. Walk through the park with “wild stallions” in the rain to get there and take a picture amidst the sunflowers.

Bonus: Buy Alibaba Peacock Pants at Sunshine across from the Hotel Maria on Sudder Street! Best thing EVER!!!

Tonight we’re attending a celebration with music and dinner at a Sikh Temple near Khaligat. Get excited!

Prayer Requests
-Missionaries of Charity
-Women at Shanti Dan
-Revelation of Jesus to EVERYONE we encounter
-Travel for all the volunteers who are acomin’ and agoin’
-Individual & collective growth according to God’s will
-Sisterhood
-Health [we’re all catchin’ colds :(]
-Safety

I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to “blog” again before we begin our EPIC journey home…BUT there will definitely be one more “namaste” post comin’ along with my “Sister Story.” Stay tuned!

One week left! Sooo good!