On Tuesday I went to Saint George to inquire and to register children from the slum around the Gandhi Center to the school. The director provided the information and said for the children to come with their parents on Saturday to fill out their applications. If they get accepted, we will provide the children with tuition, book fee, and uniform.

When I came back to the slum to find the three children I wanted to send to Saint George, others started to follow us. I proceeded to fill out paperwork for the three children and before I realized, I had filled out twelve applications.

Saint George only has 50 openings for this year and they are expecting close to 1000 applications. It will be a miracle if all twelve of our children will be accepted.

The tuition fee for Saint George is 300 Rupees ($5) per month and it includes breakfast and lunch. These children will be happy to receive any support anyone wishes to make.

Here are photos of our twelve children. Pray that they may all be accepted to Saint George.

I spent the day yesterday buying school supplies and some clothes for the children. I wanted for them to look nice for their first day at Don Bosco. This morning I went to pick them up at the Gandhi Center around 9 in the morning. As it is typical the children and mothers were not ready, but we had plenty of time. Two Sisters from Missionaries of Charity accompanied me and the children to provide support and to learn about the Don Bosco’s facility.

When the children were ready, we decided to take them there by bus and not try to be fancy using a taxi or the Missionaries of Charity’s car. Since it is our goal and philosophy to maintain simplicity as much as possible, it was appropriate to not waste money on fancy and unnecessary things.

When all the paperwork and interview were completed the mothers were elated, rejoiced, relieved, and began crying with joy that it finally happened; that their children are getting a chance to start new lives.

I am so thankful that we are able to bring the children in. There are still many obstacles to overcome for the other children, but I feel we will somehow get them all enrolled.

The two children that we brought to Don Bosco today are Sarfaraz and Shahin. Sarfraraz is 7 years old and is a very smart child who I believe will go very far academically. Shahin is 9 years old and works very hard. She is also a smart child and with guidance from the Sisters and teachers will have a chance to do well and have a better future. At least they will have the next 10 years off the streets…I hope for a lot more for them. Thank you for continuing to support the children and to help provide them the opportunities for better lives.

I have arranged with the Sisters to bring the children to Don Bosco next week. Father Myppan has said he will accept all the children so that is good. I hope the Sisters will bring enough cars for 17 children, otherwise it will be like taking a public bus where they pack people in like cattle..

This morning, I went to teach the children in the slum around the Gandhi Center. In the photo, the children are working on an art activity. Amazingly, we did a silent activity at the end of the day and the children remained silent for almost 5 minutes while we play a soft acoustic melody on the guitar.

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).

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.