The Slums

I seem to have somehow lost the blog post about settling in so I'll just move on.
I made my first visit to the slums last week after school which was about 5:30PM, so it was already getting dark. The staff member took me and we visited a couple of the homes whose children we had in tow. We walked from the center to the slum which I will refer to as the village. As you might expect, everything was muddy. All the paths were mud with some bricks and rocks thrown down in the low places. It had rained the night before, so there were also puddles to avoid.
The houses are made of mud and straw supported by bamboo poles. The roofs are also supported by poles with tiles, straw, metal, whatever thrown on the top. When the rains are heavy and continuous as they are during June, July, and August, many of the houses get washed out or damaged heavily.
There is no electricity or water although there are a couple of taps which serve the village providing water for washing. Unfortunately, this water is not good for drinking, but they drink it anyway. The school at the center is trying to get the villagers to boil the water for drinking.
On this visit, I didn't go into any of the homes because it was so dark. Also, some of the parents were not yet home from their work.
The women of the village were very friendly and had no problem with me taking their pictures. I'll try to send some along when I learn how to do this stuff.
Of course, we collected children as we went through the village and by the time we were ready to leave, I had no more fingers for holding.
The next day, we went again, this time in the daylight. The children were all gathered to gether on a mat outside having their school. These kids don't go to the government school which requires a uniform and supplies, so some organization brings school to them. There are all ages here, and not all the children of the village are here. Some of them are working as day laborers or domestic helpers. They have little chalkboards to write on and that is about it. There are two, maybe four teachers running this little school.
When the children come to the school at the center, they are scrubbed, their hair is combed, and they are in uniforms provided by the diocese. They have bookbags and supplies. They also have shoes and socks although these items have suffered a bit now missing buckles and straps.
They come regardless of the weather, and they come smiling.
Other children come from a couple of villages farther away, and the diocese picks them up in jeep and returns them home afterward.
I visited these two villages on a Saturday morning. These villages seemed a little more upscale if that can be said about a slum. The streets were cleaner and things seemed tidier. Again, Bunti and I collected children who would do almost anything to get their picture taken.
This time I did get to go inside the home which was open on the backside facing a courtyard of sorts. There were little stools for sitting on and that was about it. I didn't want to just sit and stare so I can't give a good report about the actual furnishings. There seemed to be a good sized table which I think must have served as a bed for everyone. They use coal chips that they make from clay and dry in the sun for fuel. They are black like charcoal.
I have been on this computer way too long. Even though it is a holiday today, there are still some office staff around and they are now wandering into this office, so I think I should let them have their computer back.
Everyone here has been welcoming and friendly. They want to do everything for you. That's been a hard one for me, as you might imagine.
Church has been an experience which will require more than a couple of sentences ,so I'll save that one for another time.
Be patient with this blog as this blogger learns the technique.
Remember, you can always respond by e-mail.
Blessings,
Lynn

Namaskar!
After a year of applying, discernment, and training, I am finally here, in Durgapur, India.
I arrived on Wednesday, Sept 5th at 8:00 AM after flying for three days and two nights with stopovers in London, Gatwick and Dubai. All the flights were at night, but that did not mean sleeping for me. The longest one, from Charlotte to Gatwick, found me on an aisle seat which means no sleeping. On the next one, I had a window seat, but an unhappy camper howled all night. One last chance for a nap seemed pretty promising on the flight from Dubai to Calcutta. I had a window seat, in fact, I had both seats as this flight was not full. As I was settling in for my nap, the message came on that breakfast would be served soon. Breakfast! At 3:00 AM! The last time I ate breakfast at that crazy hour of the morning was after my senior high-school prom. So much for a nap.
Needless to say, I arrived a bit travel weary, but that didn't stop any of the things happening in Durgapur.
Wednesday happened to be "Thank you Teachers' Day" all over India, so there were programs taking place in all the schools throughout the country, including the school for the children who live in the slums in Durgapur. After lunch and a short rest, I headed to the program still in my three days of traveling clothes - Phew! The children had planned the program, choreographed the dances and the recitations. The children presented me with some flowers and a pen.
Later in the evening, the bishop told me that we and the staff from St Michael's School would be meeting to go over my schedule, etc. I thought we were going to meet at the center, but when I went to the meeting spot, there was the bishop with the car and driver. I still had not changed clothes, but I did at least wash my face. We ended up at a very nice restaurant in Durgapur and spent a pleasant evening not talking about my schedule and duties.
I am now paying more attention to what may include a surprise of some sort.
Also on Wednesday, I got to see my flat.
My flat is on the third floor of a family dwelling. They think it is on the second floor, but I went up three flights of stairs, so I'm saying it's on the third which is also the top floor.
It is in a neighborhood within easy walking distance of the school and the Diocesean Center.
It has four rooms and two bathrooms. It has just been refurbished with new paint and I think from the debris, new tile. Two rooms open up onto balconies. Every room, except the kitchen, has a ceiling fan. My dining area is a bright pink with an olive green border at the top. The bedrooms are blue, sort of like Carolina Blue but a bit brighter. The kitchen is a nice yellow with lots of storage and counter space. This flat is pretty upscale, I think.
On Thursday, a staff member from the school took me shopping for furniture and the necessities. The center provided two beds for me, so I have a guest room. Let me know when you're coming.
Durgapur has a big department store called the Big Bazaar. I bought lots of stuff there, but then we went to the market to shop for furniture.
The market is quite interesting. The stalls are very makeshift and the walkways between the shops are dirt/mud. Watch out for cow dung!
We found the furniture shop and I spent 12,000 rupees. That's hard to get used to-thousands of rupees. I kept asking for the dollar amount. In dollars, it was about $300.00. That's not too bad for a sofa, two chairs, dining room table with four chairs, and a bedside table. I still need to buy a fridge. That happens today. Setting up housekeeping requires a lot of stuff, but this kind of shopping is fun.
The nice thing about this market is it is within easy walking distance, but if I want to ride, there are lots of rickshaw drivers around. That is a bike pulling a cart with a covering. A rickshaw van, on the other hand, is used mainly for goods. My table and chairs were delivered in this manner. My fridge was also delivered in this way. The drivers or pedal-ers are all sizes and all ages. I keep trying to steal a look at their legs to check out their muscles, but they wear long skirts, actually a wrap , so I can't get a good look.
This is a lot to read at one sitting, so I will close for now. Next I will tell you about the slums where the children who attend the school live.
Peace,
Lynn