Wow. So much has happened since I last posted a blog. I was hoping to do one before my birthday but totally ran out of time so this is like a double whammy.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.....
Between the 8th (When my last blog was written) and the 16th March, nothing much happened- Obviously school and Shanti Dan and Freeset but just the usual stuff there. (That makes it sound boring but it never is, promise) We also had more face mask fun! Oh aaaaaand we booked train tickets to go to Darjeeling on the 23rd! Pretty exciting huh?!
So the 16th was a little different. Instead of going to Hatibagan school, we went to The Good Shepard school in a large slum (12,000 people) called Basanti Coloney. The room which the classes are held in is tiny.
The first class of the day has about 24 students. These children live in the slum but go to a public school and the class is like a homework/extra study class. We joined in with this class, singing songs with them, telling them a story and doing some colouring.
The class after this is for about forty-five 3-5 year olds. Its amazing how they fit them in the room, but its nothing compared to the 70 that go there for the bible study sessions. They get taught simple things like numbers and the alphabet in both English and Bengali, until they are capable enough to read and write so that they can go to public school.
In this same slum they also hold language lessons, bible studies, youth group, music classes, dance classes, computer classes and on Sunday they hold various classes and worship sessions. They also work in a few other slums doing similar things. Its all quite incredible and such a blessing to be invited and able to take part.
On Saturday 17th, me, Josh and Naomi decided to go to an art exhibition we heard was on. We are trying to fill our Saturdays as we now only have 2 left!!! We got the metro to Rabindra Sudan, got a little lost, but this worked to our advantage as we found a photography exhibition!! We did shortly find the art exhibition after this. They were both really good and really interesting. The art geek coming out in me here.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.....
Between the 8th (When my last blog was written) and the 16th March, nothing much happened- Obviously school and Shanti Dan and Freeset but just the usual stuff there. (That makes it sound boring but it never is, promise) We also had more face mask fun! Oh aaaaaand we booked train tickets to go to Darjeeling on the 23rd! Pretty exciting huh?!
Ellen and I.
So the 16th was a little different. Instead of going to Hatibagan school, we went to The Good Shepard school in a large slum (12,000 people) called Basanti Coloney. The room which the classes are held in is tiny.
The first class singing songs
The first class of the day has about 24 students. These children live in the slum but go to a public school and the class is like a homework/extra study class. We joined in with this class, singing songs with them, telling them a story and doing some colouring.
Drawings
The class after this is for about forty-five 3-5 year olds. Its amazing how they fit them in the room, but its nothing compared to the 70 that go there for the bible study sessions. They get taught simple things like numbers and the alphabet in both English and Bengali, until they are capable enough to read and write so that they can go to public school.
The younger class singing.
In this same slum they also hold language lessons, bible studies, youth group, music classes, dance classes, computer classes and on Sunday they hold various classes and worship sessions. They also work in a few other slums doing similar things. Its all quite incredible and such a blessing to be invited and able to take part.
On Saturday 17th, me, Josh and Naomi decided to go to an art exhibition we heard was on. We are trying to fill our Saturdays as we now only have 2 left!!! We got the metro to Rabindra Sudan, got a little lost, but this worked to our advantage as we found a photography exhibition!! We did shortly find the art exhibition after this. They were both really good and really interesting. The art geek coming out in me here.
My favourite paintings at the art exhibition- with the artist!
On the 19th we were up early to go and pick up my daddy from the airport! Any excuse for him to go abroad and he takes it, this time, I was the excuse! When we had collected him, we went straight to Freeset and after dad was given a tour around we went up to Steve's house and his daughter Rachel had baked me an amazing oreo chocolate birthday cake!
Yummy!
After having about 3 pieces of cake, we got on a very busy metro train to Rabindra Sarobar where we then got a cycle rickshaw to a place called ConneXtions where they make pretty much everything out of recycled saris. Its quite amazing.
So we look pretty bored but we were not aware this was being taken! Me and dad on a cycle rickshaw.
Us at ConneXtions.
This was the day when the temperature really kicked it up a notch. It was 34°C but the humidity was on a whole other level so when we got back from ConneXtions we chilled (wrong word to use really!) for an hour before getting ready to be taken for a walk around the lanes of Sonagachi, Kolkata's red light district. Mena, one of the original Freeset ladies came with us which I am so grateful for. Sonagachi is where most of Freeset's ladies came from so it was good for us to see it. We were told before we set out that the ladies here are either owned, traffiked from elsewhere, or "free flyers"- ladies who come and go as they like. We were told that what we were going to see is only a fraction of what there actually is as we were going early. As we got closer to the main lanes of Sonagachi, Mena took hold of our hands, as if I wasn't nervous enough, her holding my hand proved to me that there really was a reason to feel nervous. But at the same time it made me feel safer. As we walked further and it got darker, more and more woman appeared. There were loads. Its so sad. Steve (our supervisor at Freeset) stopped us in one busy street and said "every girl you see here is in the trade" - wow. He said all the ones we see will be over 16, as the under 16s they keep in the rooms. Its sickening to hear and see all this. I can't write in words how I felt walking down those lanes, holding Mena's hand, seeing all these girls selling themselves so they can afford to live, or because they don't think they have a way out, with a group of guys following us around as if were were famous. My heart just broke for these ladies. We stopped outside one brothel which has 400 girls working in it. 400 girls in ONE brothel. And there were several. Its really sick to think that there are people who are trying to make all this legal. It makes you appreciate places like Freeset so much more. When you see where those ladies come from and the things they had to go through, its amazing to see how happy and free they are now. And to see them singing praises to God every morning in devotions is so beautiful. Please keep the ladies who are owned or trafficked and that feel stuck in the sex trade in your prayers. Pray that through places like Freeset they find God, and they find hope and freedom. These ladies go through many trials and so much abuse with no escape. They are broken people. They don't deserve this. And although its almost impossible to stop it all, to just help one girl is massive. It may only be a drop in the ocean, but drops create ripples. 'For nothing is impossible with God' - Luke 1:37.
Now lets move on to the 20th... Not a special day or anything... Just MY BIRTHDAY!!! 20 whole years old. I was woken up by a knock on the door as a delivery of flowers came for me from mummy!!
Early morning photos are never good but always seem to happen on birthdays.
I got out of bed at normal school time as the others told me thas what we would be doing. And when I walked out of the guesthouse gates this is what I saw:
The children from the school
How adorable is that!!! Oh my goodness I couldn't wipe the smile off my face!
They all seemed so excited too. So turns out we weren't actually going to school, so when we got back into the guesthouse we went up to Anu's house for breakfast and on the table was a chocolate croissant and... here's the biggun... BOVRIL!!! So unbelievably exciting.
Opening presents at breakfast.
I opened my amazing presents from the team and then dad arrived and we headed out on a very touristy tour around Kolkata- something we thought we ought to do before going home as its something we hadn't done yet.
Me and dad outside Victoria Memorial.
St. Pauls cathedral.
St. Andrews church.
Josh, me, Naomi and Ellen inside St. Andrews church.
We went for lunch with Anu at a very Indian food court type thing. Then we got the tram home- for the very first time!!
Anu and I on the tram.
When we got home, Kim who works in the office came to our room and told me I had a phone call. So I walked into the room next to the office and the only light in the room was that of the candles on a cake, and all the staff in the guesthouse were gathered in this room and sung happy birthday to me and I blew out the candles and cut the cake - It was so lovely!!
Us and the BMS staff
We relaxed until 6 when we went up to Anu's house to put our sari's on to go to dinner.
Naomi, me and Ellen
We went out for dinner at an Italian restaurant called Fire and ice. It was very nice. (That rhymes)
Whilst we were eating though, a riot started up in Park circus which is really close to us. Sooo we had to get home pretty quickly and then dad couldn't get back to his hotel cause the traffic was literally at a standstill. So he stayed over at the guesthouse and went back to his hotel at 5am to go home. Crazy times. All in all I had a really amazing birthday. My team went above and beyond to make it a special day for me and it was just that. I'm so blessed :)
What a busy time I'm having but loving every minute we have left. 2 weeks today until I go home!!
Off to Darjeeling tomorrow!!
The fun never stops.....
p.s. 'Don't call me luv' ♥
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