Some Things Will Never Feel Normal

There is a new group of volunteers at Sari Bari for the next few weeks. As I walked them to the metro, we chatted about the trade and working at Sari Bari. One of them asked me if walking through the red light area ever gets easier knowing what is going in the lanes or walking past women who are working the line. I told her it never feels normal knowing what is going on behind closed doors or seeing women line the streets and lanes of the red light area. It breaks my heart and makes me want to break faces when I really think about it. I hate the men that see a woman a something that be used and abused. I hate that often times poverty determines if a woman will enter the trade. The few times I have walked through the heart of the red light area, I felt the heaviness of the area which stayed with me for the rest of the evening. It will never feel normal.

There is such a stark contract between the journey through the streets and lanes surrounding Sari Bari and inside the walls of Sari Bari. There is a sense of peace as I walk up the stairs and say hello to the women. It is a safe place for these women to find freedom and feel secure as they struggle and fight to continue the journey. It had been three years since the last time I was in Kolkata, and when I landed from a journey halfway around the world, Sarah asked me if I wanted to rest or jump right in and head to Sari Bari. It seemed like a no brainer. I went to Sari Bari and it felt as if I had only been gone a few weeks. There is a sense of hope, joy, peace and love among these women. It feels normal.

I will be spending the holidays in Kolkata which is always fun but not always easy to be away from friends and family. One way you can bless me this holiday season is by sending your Christmas photo/card to Kolkata with a fun note or word of encouragement. It will be fun to see familiar faces arrive in the mail and it will serve to make my room feel more homey. If you want to send other fun stuff (drawings from your kids, 99 cent store holiday decorations, magazines, holiday candy, coffee, coloring book masterpieces created by you, etc.) my roommate and I would not be opposed. (If you need my address click here.) I am so thankful for the loving community of people that love me well even half way around the world.