A murderously wet afternoon

We ventured out just after a rain shower this afternoon with our new apartment friend, Edward to show him where the 8th Day café is.

We had a great afternoon enjoying some treats for afternoon tea and playing Cluedo.

While we were enjoying our time at the café it began to rain...a lot! And there was thunder and lightening too! Michelle was well prepared with her poncho and Ali had a rain jacket, but everyone else had c ome just as they were...

We had a bit of a wet walk home, dodging the deeper puddles as best we could. We got a lot of strange looks and one Indian couple fell about laughing at the very wet English people out in the rain! Let's just say by the time we got back to the hostel most of Michelle was dry, but Ali had to wring her trousers out and as for Nicola and Karen...well...to say they were drenched is probably an understatement!!!

Still, at least we can say we've had a real experience of the Indian monsoon weather!

Morning worship

At the invitation of Pastor Asis, we joined the Bengali congregation at his church, Coolinga Baptist, this morning for their service at 8am.  Coolinga was the first Bengali church founded in Kolkata in 1821.

The service was in Bengali, but we were able to recognise some familiar tunes of the songs that were sung, even if we didn't understand the words.  Nicola, Michelle and Ali sang ' Be still for the presence of the Lord' together before Pastor Asis acted as translator, first for Ali to give a testimony and then for Karen as she preached. We shared together with communion and then, once the service was over we visited the Deaf fellowship that meets in the building next door.  It was great to be able to communicate with them a little.  They use Indian Sign Language, but Ali was able use a little of the British Sign Language she knows to introduce the team as they use the same finger spelling alphabet.

It was lovely to experience worhsip in a different culture.

Not so reflective...more protective!

Plastic wrapped #2

It rained today - quite heavily...so Michelle wore her poncho...

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.