Month Two

I have been in Kolkata for two months. Some days it seems like I arrived two days ago and other times it seems like I have been here for two years. In the past month, I have started teaching English to a few of the ladies in leadership, packed products for shipments, celebrated Thanksgiving, attended the Sari Bari Christmas party, bought Christmas gifts, received cards, letters, boxes from home, been grabbed by men, slipped on street sludge, watched mice run through our apartment, and drank lots of coffee, hot chocolate and apple cider. (If you are interested in replenishing our stash of hot drinks or American candy, feel free to send them here.)

Kolkata is a city that requires a fight. On the ten minute walk to the office, I see women working the line. I am started at by the men on the street and occasionally grabbed. I play frogger with the cars, bikes, trams, trucks and busses who refuse to share the road. I have to carefully place every step to avoid the feces and trash in the gutters. Most days I choose to be blissfully unaware of the chaos around me by putting in my headphones and walking with my head down. I am hyper aware of people around me. I can tell when someone is following me and hope they will turn another way or I can slip into a crowd to loose them. 

Kolkata is also a city full of beauty. The women I work with are beautiful and love each other so well. It was so much fun to see them dressed in their fancy clothes for the Christmas party. It is beautiful to see the women choose freedom. I have been welcomed into a beautiful community of freedom fighters. We lament the hard things in working with women leaving the trade. We celebrate victories big and small. The women work hard and we work hard alongside them. We get to see their stories and pass bits and pieces along to you. 

I am looking forward to the next four months. I am expectantly waiting for Jesus to transform the red light areas of this city. I am excited to celebrate another Christmas in this crazy, chaotic city. I will be excited to return to hot, running water, readily available toilet paper and washing machines. 

Also, if you want to know more about Sari Bari the 2014 Annual Report has just been released. It clearly paints the beautiful picture of freedom for these women.