A little bit of pampering...

When we visited the Shine and Smile Salon on Thursday we had the idea of going back to have some treatments done to encourage the ladies who work there. The salon has only been open for three months and the business has not yet become established in the local community.  We had facials (Nicola and Karen) and hand spas (Michelle and Ali).  The ladies did a wonderful job and we left feeling very relaxed.

While we were in the salon the monsoon rain fell quite heavily and Sankar, our driver had to back the car up as close to the door as possible so we didn't have to wade through a foot of water!  We were then taken to Dakshinapan Shopping centre which has items for sale from the many different states in India. We bought a few items and then came back to the BMS centre.

Further reflections

Having some time today gave us the opportunity to think over our experiences in more detail.  Ali has written two further reflections on our time here in Kolkata:

Onslaught

We leave the verdant oasis

And step into the busy chaos of the Kolkata streets

Our senses are assaulted

The blare of horns

The myriad of colour

The stench of life lived under public scrutiny permeates the air

The grime of the city coats our sandalled feet

And so we walk

Along the broken and uneven pavement

Stepping past lives and livelihood

A numberless array of wares for sale

Chaotically stacked to our left and to our right

The acrid smell of rubber from tyres piled high

Footwear dangling in bright coloured pairs

The heat from chai burners radiates outwards

While the sun beats down

Our bodies slick with sweat in the humid midday air

And so we walk

Our eyes intent on our destination

Ignoring the gawps of almost every man

Our pale skin an atraction for their uncomfortable gaze

And then we arrive to another oasis of calm amid the city rush

We step into the quiet coolness of the cafe air

The fresh white painted walls

The rich dark wood furniture

The fresh, rich smell of coffee brewed

A world away from the mayhem of the city 

And we know that we are blessed by these havens of rest and sanctuary.

(c) Ali Taylor

Plastic wrapped

Beneath tarpaulins stretched across the pavements

They live

Amid the debris of discarded trash

They wash

The clear cold water poured over filthy bodies

Their clothes

Hung on roadside barriers, the bright saris blowing in the breeze

They cook

On charcoal stoves, glowing red under the black charred pots and pans

They eat

From shiny metal dishes, the concrete floor their table

The babies

Play on grubby frayed matting on the dirt beneath the trees

They sleep

Vulnerable and exposed, arms and legs akimbo or wrapped into a foetal curl

They urinate and defaecate

In gutters and on verges, seemingly oblivious to those passing by

This other city of people

Dwell on the edge

Under the shade created by the plastic awnings

They have no other choice

The life they live is not their own

Inhabiting the gutters

These are the people of the slums

And these are the people of God.

(c) Ali Taylor

A slower day

India held a national strike today so we took a slower morning. Ali and Michelle visited the missionary family who live in the flat below us on the compound. Brian and Mo Leitch have two children, Evie and Eddie. We had a coffee and a chat with them and played with the children. It was great to spend some time finding out what is like serving on the field and to learn more about the work that BMS is doing in Kolkata.

For lunch all four of us walked to the 8th Day café where we enjoyed the delicious food and then we took some time to rest in the afternoon.

A step beyond

Our final time with GNCEM today - we stayed the whole morning, helping out and playing with the children. Hopscotch proved to be very popular!

After lunch Pastor Asis took us to a project in the slums known as the SEED Society. 

S - Save

E - Entrust

E - Equip

D - Disciple

We spent some time with the children. They sang us a song and four girls performed a lovely dance. We told them a story and then did a craft with them.

While the children were completing the craft we went next door to the Womens project. While the children are in school the mothers are taught skills to enable them to set up their own businesses, or find employment.  We saw a beauticians class being taught.

Back with the children we presented a sketch and prayed with them.

On leaving the slum we were taken to a salon where some of the girls who have trained now work.

On our return to the hostel we spent some time preparing some items for a visit next week.

All in all a very busy day.  Tomorrow there is a nationwide strike so we will be spending some time with one of the BMS missionaries who lives on the compound and taking some time to get some much needed rest after the last few days.

Guess who...got a tattoo?

Out and about

This morning began with another bus ride through the busy city streets on the GNCEM bus.  We arrived at the Hatibgan school and dropped everyone off, or so we thought...one of the girls hid on board because she wanted to be with us as we travelled on to the baby care centre! We all arrived at the centre and spent the morning with the little ones, helping them wash and dress again, have breakfast and we also joined in with their lesson time.

Pastor Roy, who founded the project with his wife, came to take us to the girls and boys hostels which are located in a different district.

Both visits were lovely. We were welcomed with flowers and then we told a story.  We did a craft with the girls and then played some games. Lots of fun was had! Pastor Roy hosted us for lunch and then took us to the boys hostel. Again we were welcomed with flowers before we told a story and played some more vigorous games with them.

We returned on the bus with the babies, dropping them off with their families in the way.

We had a planning meeting this evening and prepared activities for our visits tomorrow.  We popped out to the local supermarket to get some extra sweets and supplies.

We have a final visit to the GNCEM school in the morning and then a visit to the SEED society, another school for children from the slums, in the afternoon. 

A long day

This morning we travelled about an hour and a half to Serampore College with Pastor Asis (the ministry coordinator at BMS) to see the archive and visit the library. We also were able to see the graves of the Carey, Marshman and Ward families.

After lunch and a rest we were taken by Anu to the local Baptist hostel where we met the girls who lived there. We sang together before playing some games and the girls then enjoyed having glitter tattoos.

We were shown round some of the compound and are beginning to realise just how big the needs are here.  Please lift up the girls and the staff at the hostel in your prayers.