During this Lenten Season, I was reminded to fast and to give up something. However, in Kolkata, it is a bit difficult to fast unless you want to faint in this heat from not having enough food and water. What I realized is that it is not about fasting and giving up a habit such as drinking coffee during this 40 days of Lent, but rather what sacrifices and services we do for others and how we go about doing the work for others (for our friends and families and for strangers), with humility and with great love. After all, He said that what we do for the least of His people, we also do it for Him and what we not do for the least of His people, we also not do for Him.

I found out yesterday that one of the children (Mamtash) we placed in the school did not return after going home for a visit. This week, I will try to find her family and see what happened. The slum around the Ghandi Center is slowly being destroyed due to “progress” in building constructions and those living in the streets are told to go elsewhere and their homes are destroyed.

The photos show some of their homes and living conditions. The women and girls do their bathroom needs and bathing using a bucket of water early in the morning when few people are up and around. They go and find used charcoals from the day before shifting through the spent ashes from restaurants nearby to use for cooking. The photos only give a small glimpse into their lives.

On this Easter (Holy week), I wish everyone peace and love in your hearts and in your lives.

What an amazing three days since Sunday. I went and visited the children we had been sponsoring and I am so thrilled to see how well they are doing and how happy they are in their new home at Asha Arundonoy for the girls and at Asha Neer for the boys. The home is managed by seven sisters and they are so loving and nuturing. I got to spend half a day meeting the children and chatting with the nuns. It is such a comforting feeling knowing they will be well cared by the sisters. For the boys, the brothers take good care of the children and teach them skills and proper manners. All children receive their academic by attending private schooling outside the facilities and vocational learning at the facilities. I have never seen children more happy at any time in my entire life than at the homes here at Don Bosco.

Today, I went into the slum near the Ghandi Center and spoke with a few families living on the streets. I think I will be sponsoring two of the girls, maybe three that I met. I spoke with their families about the opportunity to attend school and they were excited at possibly going. However, they don’t want to attend boarding school because it would mean not being with their families. I was very touched to see how much they show love for each other and not wanting to be separated.

I spoke with Sister Mercy Maria about other schools to send the children and she recommended Saint George School. It is a free private school that operates on donations. So as I was speaking with the families and the three girls, I am thinking I will register the girls into Saint George. The girls are amazingly kind, beautiful, and loving. They work really hard at the Ghandi Center and are the most well mannered and polite kids I have met. And though it will not be a boarding school they will attend, my instinct tells me they will do well if they are given a chance.

The first 3 photos are the boy’s home at Asha Neer. The next 5 photos are of the girl’s home at Asha Arundonoy.

In the slum, they earn a living by straightening used nails (1 rupee for 1 kg nails), making belts (1.5 rupee per belt) and other clothing accessories at similar wages, and sorting plastics and botttles (1-2 rupees per kg).

I am completely exhausted trying to teach these children. As you can see, the classroom is not very big and we don’t really have any desks. A few benches are all we have. The classrooms measured about 3×3 square meters each. We have 3 classrooms (cubicles) next to each other. Currently, we have about 44 children ranging from 4-7 years old. In the photos, some of the children were working on a drawing/coloring assignment using the school supplies that were donated. The other photo shows the children, some wearing their new clothes that were also donated by generous people.

These kids can’t go to public schools because there are no public schools here for them to attend. What we teach them is quite inadequate for what they really need to be able to have a chance to someday get a good enough job. Most of the time we are only providing them with basic meals and the comfort of love and safety within the center. Any academic they receive is very basic and will never be enough to do them much good. For the few kids that we will sponsor, hopefully they will take full advantage and stay off the streets completely. I don’t think I will be sad one bit if they don’t ever look back once they have gotten themselves off the streets and into a better life.

Honestly, I don’t know how much good I am doing here for these children. All I know is that I cannot just do nothing.

Today, I visited Father George Myppan at Ashalayam, Don Bosco and he allowed me to take some photos of the boys at play. These boys were at one time homeless, living on the streets of Kolkata. They were rough street kids, either begging or sorting through trash and often getting into trouble on the streets. But because they were given an opportunity, they are now respectful young boys working towards a better future.

In the photo above is Fr. Myppan with one of the boys at Ashalayam. Sunday is a rest day so the children are given free time to play soccer and crickets. In the last photo is a young boy who is fairly new to Ashalayam. He is in 4th grade, quite shy, but he is well-mannered due to the nurturing environment.

Father Myppan has arranged for me to meet with the five children we have already sponsored next Sunday. To date, they are doing well and next week, I will have a chance to see first hand how they are coping with life off the streets and away from their families. I just hope they will continue to take full advantage of the opportunity they are given.

Please, continue to help these children however you can through prayers and kindness.

After a long 40+ hour flight and eating strange food in China, I arrived in Kolkata at mid-night on March 9th. Before I left China, I had my last cup of coffee from Starbucks in Kunming, China. This morning I went to Mother’s House and dropped off the suitcases of clothes and quilts. Amazingly, China Eastern Airline allowed everything through even though the suitcases weigh over the limit. On Monday, will go through the clothes and sort out the clothes for the kids at the Ghandi Center. The rest of the clothes will be given to kids at other centers here in Kolkata. I was able to also bring most of the school supplies so it will be great to have something when I go teach these kids besides a piece of chalk.

Tomorrow I leave for Kolkata and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who have helped in one form or another. I was able to pack all the donated clothes and school supplies so that will be a great gift for those we are trying to help. To date, we were able to raise $3646.28 thanks to all those who helped with their generosity. We will be able to sponsor at least two children with that amount for the next five years so that is wonderful. I am hoping to perhaps sponsor up to seven or eight children on this trip with God’s blessing and help. And, of course, I will keep everyone updated as to how life is for these children and families living in Kolkata.

Again, thank you with all my heart felt gratitude.