The Longest Best Day Ever

Writing from Calcutta, i am indescribably grateful.  On a basic personal level, i am just grateful that i was able to sleep all the way through last night, and am feeling so rested.  i am even more grateful for the wonderful things we have already been able to see and do on this trip, and it's only our third day.  Yesterday we sponsored and led an outing for 92 survivors, born into brothels kids, and red light community adults, to a beach at the Bay of Bengal.  For most, it was their first visit to the ocean (well, almost ocean).  For all, it was a welcome opportunity to get away from the struggles of life in the red light area - the noise, dirt, and human sorrow, the death of dreams, the slight but ever-present sense of danger and violence, the stigmatization and scorn from mainstream society.  

We woke early (in my case, unfortunately, it was 3 am due to jet lag), and left the hotel at 7.  The taxis all over India are on strike, due to a new law outlawing 2-stroke engines in the auto-rickshaws (a step forward for the environment, but a burden on the already poor auto-rickshaw drivers). 

Anyway, we took a series of city buses to pick up the kids in the Kidderpore red light area.  There we had a most joyous reunion with the kids, who we have been working with for the past 3 years.  It is amazing to see many of them growing up strong and healthy, getting educated, learning English even, becoming slavery-proof with empowerment and education, growing in confidence and self-esteem, dreaming of a future as a doctor, teacher, or police officer.  I was moved to tears as I hugged and held each one, SO grateful that we have been given the privelege to be part of their lives. 

I appreciate the fact that our NGO partners allow us to bring volunteers here - many NGOs don't allow it because it can be disruptive and distracting from ongoing programs.  And i don't believe in short-term interventions myself, unless they are backed up by a continuous commitment and ongoing support.  In TEN's case, our presence is felt in this community throughout the year through the handicrafts/income generation programs, and through school sponsorships for 40 of these kids.

We took what seemed like the longest bus ride in history - bumpy, rocking side to side, packed three to a seat, and of course kids started getting carsick and things got kind of ugly for a minute there.  The Bollywood music was blaring, kids were singing, laughing, sitting on our laps.  I was utterly exhausted, headachy, and slightly seasick, and had only one half of my butt on the seat for 3 full hours, but still it was three of the happiest hours of my life! 

What a gift to see the excitement in these children's faces, and in their mother's faces, as they got off the bus and saw the water!  The outing cost just 500 dollars, and 92 people experienced a day of complete bliss - that's only $6 a head, and it was worth 10 times that to see the kid's smiles as they got on the boat for a 'cruise', or to watch them tucking into a nutritious cooked lunch.  Many of these kids are pretty malnourished, so we always try to incorporate nutritious food into all of our volunteer projects.

We stayed at the beach all day, splashing in the mud flats, playing badminton and duck,duck, goose, and conversing in our pidgin hindi-english (hinglish?). You don't need words for the kind of love these children offer.  It is a generous, pure and open love, and i don't feel worthy of it, but i am so glad they are willing to give it to me, and to our team of volunteers.

By the time we got back on the bus at 4 pm, we were all paralytic.  The younger kids all fell asleep immediately, but the older girls serenaded us all the way home, singing and dancing and raising the roof.

These children see their mothers exploited every single night.  They have witnessed degradation and violence and many have already been exploited themselves.  But their love, their potential, and their hope is so much greater than the evil that surrounds them and has been inflicted on them.

Huge Thanks to everyone who bought our products and made donations this year, which made this outing possible.  You all came along with us today, and i hope you feel the gratitude and love, coming across the ocean.