Thank goodness for this Sunday because I can finally sit and recharge my
batteries. I went to bed at around 10 last night and did not wake up until
9:30. I think I really needed some sleep. Today I can reflect on the week and
also prepare for the week to come.
This past week I have felt so so so many emotions. On Tuesday we headed out for GLOW girls which is the first project (and probably only project) that I am team lead for. We got a little lost on the way and had to call SAPID to have some people come find us. When we finally got there we found out that our translator had a meeting she suddenly had to go to. We walked into the home where GLOW girls would be held and saw 3 girls. We were told by Dr. Meera that we would have 15 girls. We had planned for 17 just in case. We prepared a gallon zip lock bag with a decorated journal, a set of colored pencils, a pencil sharpener and two little jelly bracelets...Anyway, when I saw there were only 3 girls I felt a little bummed out that so many girls would not be able to get the bags...my disappointment did not last long because it seemed that word had gotten out that we had arrived. We were joined by 11 other girls and had to kick out some little boys! It was awesome. We wanted to do our best to get to know the girls without a translator. We passed around a piece of paper for a roll and the girls could all write their own name! We made name tags for everyone and passed out the bags. They opened them and we showed them how to wear the bracelets. After that we all just drew pictures together. These girls are so talented. So many of them have incredible artistic abilities…I am not sure if it is natural in Indians or what, but dang they put us to shame. Though I was so stressed to be in charge of something, I did my best to stay present.
India is stressful. It is so unfamiliar and so far away from home…With the time change and lack of service on my phone, being restricted to extremely slow internet at either the apartment or the church has been a steep learning curve for me. I am so used to depending on Sean for guidance and support and I feel lonely sometimes when I dwell on that. I have found power in prayer and the support of others here. When I am out working, I realize how blessed I am and how selfish I can be. These things that I miss and consider to be imperative to my happiness are often things that the kids we work with have never known.
We went to a place called the MV Foundation which provides education and housing for children who have been rescued as child labor workers. Brooke is in charge of that project and she teaches children’s chorus music. It is so much fun to sing and dance with the kids. While we were there Lindsey noticed a little girl who seemed to have some kind of social condition. She watched a few of the girls pick on her and one hit her in the face. Lindsey tried to comfort her but she was too shy to talk to Lindsey. Part of Brooke’s project is that she makes crowns that say things like “best smile” or “best dancer” etc.. Before the lessons she has all of us wear a crown to give to the kid who deserves the crown. We told Brooke about the girl who was being bullied and Brooke got her to go up and perform a song with her in front of the group during the time at the end when the kids do solos. This little girl’s face lit up and while she was performing I gave her my crown. She had the biggest smile on her face. Honestly that will be stuck in my mind forever. It is so cool that we can all work as a team so we can really make the biggest difference.
Talking to Brooke afterwards, we discussed how the statistics show that the majority of these girls at the MV foundation have been abused. We were humbled as we thought about the lives these girls have lived and will end up living.
The team has talked about how it is hard it is to be so unsure if this work we are doing is creating sustainable changes…Like, who is going to teach them music after we leave? Who is going to play games with them after we leave? I just have to have faith that whatever good we do here in India will be paid forward in one way or another.
In conclusion to this blog entry, I think that this trip is really teaching me the gift of charity. I am seeing more clearly all of the love that others show me. I am also really learning how meaningful the love I give can be to others.
India, you are definitely not going easy on me…but I am grateful.
This past week I have felt so so so many emotions. On Tuesday we headed out for GLOW girls which is the first project (and probably only project) that I am team lead for. We got a little lost on the way and had to call SAPID to have some people come find us. When we finally got there we found out that our translator had a meeting she suddenly had to go to. We walked into the home where GLOW girls would be held and saw 3 girls. We were told by Dr. Meera that we would have 15 girls. We had planned for 17 just in case. We prepared a gallon zip lock bag with a decorated journal, a set of colored pencils, a pencil sharpener and two little jelly bracelets...Anyway, when I saw there were only 3 girls I felt a little bummed out that so many girls would not be able to get the bags...my disappointment did not last long because it seemed that word had gotten out that we had arrived. We were joined by 11 other girls and had to kick out some little boys! It was awesome. We wanted to do our best to get to know the girls without a translator. We passed around a piece of paper for a roll and the girls could all write their own name! We made name tags for everyone and passed out the bags. They opened them and we showed them how to wear the bracelets. After that we all just drew pictures together. These girls are so talented. So many of them have incredible artistic abilities…I am not sure if it is natural in Indians or what, but dang they put us to shame. Though I was so stressed to be in charge of something, I did my best to stay present.
India is stressful. It is so unfamiliar and so far away from home…With the time change and lack of service on my phone, being restricted to extremely slow internet at either the apartment or the church has been a steep learning curve for me. I am so used to depending on Sean for guidance and support and I feel lonely sometimes when I dwell on that. I have found power in prayer and the support of others here. When I am out working, I realize how blessed I am and how selfish I can be. These things that I miss and consider to be imperative to my happiness are often things that the kids we work with have never known.
We went to a place called the MV Foundation which provides education and housing for children who have been rescued as child labor workers. Brooke is in charge of that project and she teaches children’s chorus music. It is so much fun to sing and dance with the kids. While we were there Lindsey noticed a little girl who seemed to have some kind of social condition. She watched a few of the girls pick on her and one hit her in the face. Lindsey tried to comfort her but she was too shy to talk to Lindsey. Part of Brooke’s project is that she makes crowns that say things like “best smile” or “best dancer” etc.. Before the lessons she has all of us wear a crown to give to the kid who deserves the crown. We told Brooke about the girl who was being bullied and Brooke got her to go up and perform a song with her in front of the group during the time at the end when the kids do solos. This little girl’s face lit up and while she was performing I gave her my crown. She had the biggest smile on her face. Honestly that will be stuck in my mind forever. It is so cool that we can all work as a team so we can really make the biggest difference.
Talking to Brooke afterwards, we discussed how the statistics show that the majority of these girls at the MV foundation have been abused. We were humbled as we thought about the lives these girls have lived and will end up living.
The team has talked about how it is hard it is to be so unsure if this work we are doing is creating sustainable changes…Like, who is going to teach them music after we leave? Who is going to play games with them after we leave? I just have to have faith that whatever good we do here in India will be paid forward in one way or another.
In conclusion to this blog entry, I think that this trip is really teaching me the gift of charity. I am seeing more clearly all of the love that others show me. I am also really learning how meaningful the love I give can be to others.
India, you are definitely not going easy on me…but I am grateful.
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