After 14 hours on the plane and three days it is becoming more clear that we have entered a totally different world. The people, the sights, the smells... nothing reminds us of home. We are at the internet cafe and there are cows (huge cows. Iowa cows.) passing on the street outside. I repeat, nothing is like home ;)
Today we woke up at 4 am to another day at the train station. It is an emotionally difficult task to do. The kids range in age from 6 months- 12 years. Today we saw a babe that could not have been more than 6 weeks old sleeping in the station with her parents. Many of the kids we feed have no family.The kids live at the train station... the meal we give them is the only meal they will get all day, and it consists of 2 pieces of white bread and a banana or cookie and some milk. They are very grateful and very hungry after a long day and night at the train station. The living conditions for the children are worse than you can imagine, but they are all in high spirits and are always smiling. We wash them and dirt pours off of every inch of their frail little bodies. They look like little monkies crouched up on the washing table...it is then time for alphabet and letters. They are interested for a little while but quickly loose interest and would rather play (they are kids after all!). It is emotionally exhausting to work with the children. It is sad, but it is all they know and they are very appreciative of the time we spend with them.
When we were done with the children we took a much needed shower. It is so hot!!! 90 % humidity... we have not stopped sweating since the moment that we arrived. We had breakfast and went to find a taxi to take us into town (we are living in North Kolkata now. It is the slums, and certainley lives up to its name). It was a two hour taxi ride and cost a little over 6 dollars. That is one nice thing about this country! The downtown new market is a mess of people and the junk they are trying to sell. The traffic is incredible(as I have said before)...wherever there is 6 feet people will drive in every possible direction, honking their horns whenever possible. They drive on the opposite side of the road so it has been slightly disorienting.
I leave you in health and medium spirits! We are missing home a little and struggling to recover from the culture shock. It is absolutley a different world here...hopefully soon we will regain some sense of normalcy. We had a friend/ volunteer join us today from Germany... her name is Eva and seems very nice- and brave to be traveling alone!
We miss everyone very much already! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers for the next...57 days!
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"All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and goats on the left.
Then the King will will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you ivited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink" And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to You?
The King will answer and say to them, TRULY I SAY TO YOU, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU DID IT TO ONE OF THESE OF MINE, EVEN THE LEAST OF THEM, YOU DID IT TO ME.
May the Lord bless you daily for serving his little ones.
Let their happy faces and High spirits continue to inspire you! You're doing a great thing for the kids and for yourselves. This journey will be with you the rest of your lives.
Love, Aunt Sheilah
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