Morning Volunteer
I know there are well-to-do in Kolkata. I see them. But let's face it, I came to this city expressly to see the work Mother Teresa began. So my focus has been on the not so well-to-do. They have been easy to spot living on Sudder Street and walking to my volunteer placement.

People who were here 10 to 20 years ago say the Missionaries of Charity work has changed. I can only tell you what my mornings have been like....and what I have done in only a small piece of the Sister's work. I had seven choices of placement ranging from young children to the dying. The Sisters also have their community outreach work, etc.

But here was my morning....

I left the hotel at 6:30. The first two streets were relatively quiet. A few people were still sleeping on the sidewalk so I needed to watch my step. This morning a few young men were hurrying to the Maidan for an early morning cricket game.





Every morning there's a car wash on this street and men bathing behind the line up of cars. This morning there were hundreds of people lined up for a breakfast of bread and some other food stuff I didn't recognize.






These cows are usually tied up here. In the afternoon there's sometimes a herd of goats, too.






I pass through this neighborhood market with its meats and vegetables. Today a young man was bottle feeding a goat.











Eventually I'm at the Mother House. This is where Mother Teresa lived and where her tomb is. This is where the sisters and trainees live, study and worship.










The volunteers are served a breakfast of bread, banana and chai here. I estimate 70 volunteers most mornings . (There is an afternoon shift too.) They go to the 7 placements throughout the city. Most are young. Most are from Europe or Asia. Some are from Kolkata. Some stay for a day. Some several months. Some have been here a multiple of times.



After breakfast and announcements, we disperse. Those of us going to Shishu Bhavan have a short 5 minute walk from the Mother House.











From this entrance we will pass through a small courtyard to a building on the right. Shishu Bhavan is a care home (think of it as Kolkata's foster care) for babies to maybe 10-year olds. The floor I've been on for 8 days and the portion of that floor is where the less active "handicapped" reside.





The volunteers begin working at 8. The kids are ready for Hellos. Rinku, Bobeta, Lokhan, Nibhia, Deborsi, and Lota sit ready for the day.





After Hellos we make the beds. There are 30 to 35 of them.










The volunteers are at Shishu Bhavan to assist the massi (women in saris) who are the backbone of the operation. Rumor has it these woman were once beggars. They have a no nonsense and loving approach with the children. There is a sister in charge and several sisters in training (in white and blue) working along with the massi and us. With all the languages in this room, the kids could be multilingual.


Mornings we give the kids a drink of milk, a drink of water, a drink of juice and lunch. Between the water and the juice is mat time. (I apologize for this picture. For some reason the color is off. ) Mat time is physical therapy and play. There is a notebook for each child that explains what activities he/she needs. Mat time also includes massage.




Some time after their juice, the volunteers have a chai/tea break. Today we sat on the roof with the drying linen and nappies/diapers. As in all of India, I do believe, this wash is done by hand.
Miky on the right was happy when more Japanese volunteers showed up today.
And, yes, that is a wading pool in the far back left. In the afternoon the active children will get a swim.

After chai break we get the lunch feeding started. Some children are finished by the time we leave at 11:30. So I go around to tell those settling in for a nap Good-bye. Amitry is one of two boys who are developmentally delayed. The other boy was on the big ball in an earlier picture. Both boys are a year old.




It's now after 11:30. The walk back to the hotel is much hotter and the streets busier and more crowded. I find I don't care to do the sight-seeing I had thought I might do.








My two weeks in Kolkata are up. Tomorrow morning I'm off for Dharamsala. One of the volunteers told me today Dharamsala was her favorite.



























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