An Assault on all Senses

Kolkata is a city that assaults each of the five senses. Upon landing at the Kolkata airport, the air was thick with pollution and the buildings were visually decaying. The air was hot and humid as I walked through the jet way to the newly built airport. The immigration area was fully of noise and chaos as people from all over the world joined the line to gain entry into the city. A sea of Indian faces greeted me as I made my way through customs and found Sarah's familiar face among the crowds. The taxi ride to my new home reminded me of the blaring noise of horns and people. The air was saturated with the smell of street food and the aroma of spices. It was a true assault on the senses, but it felt like I was home. 

One pleasant surprise was running into a familiar face on my flight from LAX to Dubai. It was a treat to sit and talk about our fears of our upcoming journeys to hard places. It was great share the fear of the unknown, but the goodness and provision of God up to this point. When we arrived in Dubai, we sat and chatted over lattes before his plane departed. It was truly a gift to have a friend along the way. 

I arrived safe and sound on Tuesday morning local time after about 30 hours of travel. I forced myself to hit the ground running. The route to Sari Bari was pleasantly familiar as I passed kids yelling and playing. I walked up the stairs to Sari Bari just as devotion time was ending and the women started on their work. I loved seeing familiar faces and the meted reactions of surprise and joy. Some of the women immediately recognized my face and gave me hugs and began asking questions in Bengali while other women took a little longer to recognize me. I loved every exhausting moment of that first day when I powered through travel and exhaustion to begin my time in a crazy, chaotic city that I love. 

It has been a wonderful few days getting to know my roommate and relearning how to navigate the city. Today is a holiday so it is a day to rest and readjust. I am looking forward to unpacking (yes I have been here 2 full days and not unpacked), drinking coffee and watching movies. I am so grateful for your prayers as embark on journey of serving the women of Sari Bari. 

Being Sent Out

Last Sunday, I was commissioned by Grace Church of Glendora to be sent out. It was a really cool time where the congregation heard about what I will be doing, and I was able to share things they can pray for as I join the Sari Bari community in Kolkata. I shared in the three English services as well as the Spanish service. I was blown away by the way the entire church came alongside me to pray and encourage me as I step out in faith. In a way, I know physically I am the only one going to India, but I will be accompanied in spirit by all of those who are praying for me.

Last night, my friend Karen and I had a joint birthday party which served as a going away party as well. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who showed up just to share a few moments with me before I leave. My worlds collided as my friends from high school, college, camp and church all came together to eat, laugh and hang out. I felt honored and blessed to have so many people show up to send me off well. I appreciate every single prayer, hug, tear and laugh. I feel truly loved and ready to follow God to Kolkata.

People have asked for a mailing address in Kolkata. Here it is:

sari bari private limited
attn: Natalie Cook
9b Imam Box Lane
Kolkata 700006
INDIA

Expectantly Waiting

At the beginning of the year, I didn't know what this year would bring or where God was leading me. I first read the phrase "expectantly waiting" during a quiet retreat in Kolkata. I decided this phrase would be my anthem this year. I would seek God in all decisions and say yes to all the paths He asked me to go down along the way. I wanted to sit with open hands so I would not miss little blessings like coffee with a friend who lives down the street or visiting a friend in London. Often times, waiting periods seem tedious almost as if God forgot to continue leading our paths. I love this phrase because it implies we know God will show up and show up in big ways. I am expecting God to do some amazing things during my time in Kolkata and I hope I have the eyes to see God work.

Expectantly waiting. These two words sum up all of the thoughts and emotions running through my mind. I leave in 6 days. I move from one community to another. I go from working with middle class high school students to women who cling to hope of a better life outside the trade. I am stocking up on coffee because it is a treat in Kolkata. Peanut butter and nutella are neatly packed along side my Forest Home mugs. Packing is a process of choosing things that are necessary and things that feel like home. It is a process of filling a suitcase, weighing the suitcase and reshuffling everything I packed so far. It is a process that can't be put off too long but I am avoiding for as long as possible. On Sunday, everything will be packed, I will go to the airport and I will leave. I still sit with open hands to remain open to how God will work over the next week and throughout my time in India. Expectantly waiting. 

Many people have asked how they can pray or how they can help as I leave this week. I ask for your prayers as I prepare to say many goodbye over the new few days. I ask for prayers for the Sari Bari community I will be joining. I ask for your prayers for strength as I work among broken people in a very dark part of the world. I also ask for prayers for financial support. I am so grateful for the may people who have already supported me and I know God will provide each step of the way. If you are interested in supporting me financially, go to grace-church.com and click online giving, select "team India" from the drop down menu to ensure the money will go into my account. 

I continue expectantly waiting as I prepare to leave. 

An Eventful Week

The last week has been filled with the awesome, wonderful news of my visa application being approved and the awful, terrible news of a friend passing away. There have been encouraging conversations of genuine excitement for my upcoming journey along with hours of conversation with my best friend as we process through our friend's death. It has been an emotionally exhausting week, but I know this is preparation for my time in Kolkata where crisis is a normal part of daily life. I am grateful to have people who love me through the tough stuff.

This weekend I spent time in Tucson visiting a church that was on my team at camp this summer. It was a gift to visit a group of people who spoke words of truth and encouragement. During their week at camp this summer, they prayed for my journey and were genuinely excited for me to pursue God's leading in my life. I love how camp connects people who love God and encourage others to passionately pursue Him. A few weeks ago, I visited a church in San Diego and it was this youth pastor that spoke truth at camp and encouraged me to go where my heart was which at this point in Kolkata. It was good to sit and share how his words helped push me towards returning to a place I love. I am so grateful for the community camp has provided and new friends who encourage and point me towards the cross. My time visiting churches is refreshing, life-giving and a gift as I prepare for departure.

I leave in less than two weeks! Pieces are starting to fall into place. I am starting to say my goodbyes. I am getting my fill of In-N-Out, good Mexican food, donuts and lattes. I am taking time to sit with friends sharing hopes and fears of my journey to India. I am thankful for those who ask questions and are willing to listen. I am looking forward to sharing stories along the way.

I am almost half way to my financial support goal. If you would like to partner with my financially click here and select "Team India" from the drop down menu. All donations are tax deductible. 

Taking time to Celebrate

One thing I love about Sari Bari is celebrating freedom birthdays. It is a time set aside to celebrate the anniversary of their first steps on the path to freedom. It is a break from work to recognize the women that have chosen to continue on the difficult path of freedom. It is a time to recognize they are not on that path alone. This taught me the importance of taking time to celebrate the people around us. Often times, I forget to take time to celebrate simple things like birthdays or new jobs because other things come up. We live in a culture of busyness where we go from one place to the next without really thinking because we live life on auto pilot. I notice this in my own life when I hesitate to RSVP to a party because I think something better or more important will come up.

This weekend I had the privilege to celebrate a friend's birthday the entire weekend. Friday night was a celebration with friends we worked with at camp. Saturday night was friends we grew up with at church. Sunday night was new friends from church. Each night brought fun and excitement. I love people watching which is even more fun around a table of people who know and love each other. I loved watching faces light up as another friend showed up to join the celebration. There was lots of laughter as we remembered the craziness of camp. There was joy in friends sharing new opportunities they have been giving. There was encouragement given as people shared the struggles of ministry or the uncertainty that accompanies graduation. Celebrations bring people together not only to acknowledge one person but in order to reconnect to community.

I am looking forward to celebrating many freedom birthdays as well as Christmas with the Sari Bari ladies. There will be a lot of dancing, more food than my stomach can hold and so much laughter. These are the sweet moments I look forward to as I prepare my heart to go back to Kolkata. I look forward to sharing these moments with you though my blog. Please continue to pray for me as my departure date approaches and there is so much to get done. Also if you would like to partner with me financially, click here and select "Team India" from the drop down menu. All donations are tax deductible.

One Month and a Growing To Do List

If all goes according to plan, I will board a plane bound for Kolkata 1 month from today. I have a ticket book. My visa is being processed. I am starting a packing list. I am heading back to a place and people I love. I cherish conversations with friends over coffee or a meal as they ask how I am feeling as the departure date approaches. I get to share sweet memories of tea time with the ladies at Sari Bari. I share the memories of laughter and mini dance parties as the women complete beautiful products that carry their name as a sign of hope. Along with the good memories, I share the bad memories of being viewed as an object for men to touch and grab as I travel through the city. I share how my heart breaks for the thousands of women stuck in the sex trade. I share the memories of the faces I pass on the streets just hoping someone will acknowledge their humanity.

God has given me the gift of a community that loves me well. I am so grateful for friends who are willing to sit and ask the hard questions. Many times, they just sit and listen. They listen to my excitement and my fears. Sometimes, we just sit in silence and it is in the silence that they allow me to process. They carve time out of their busy schedules to be present. Being present shows that I am valued, loved, important. I am choosing to go and be present at Sari Bari. I pray for the women. I pray for the ministry being done. I pray for the people who devote their life to serving in Kolkata. There is something special about getting to see first hand what God is doing instead of reading it in a blog or an email. I want to see first hand the way God is working and moving in these broken areas. I am choosing to walk through an open door.

As I take a step out in faith, I am asking you to join me. Kolkata is a hard city to do life in as a single female so the first way to partner with me is through prayer. I ask for prayer as I continue planning and preparing my heart to return to Sari Bari. I ask for prayer for my family as they prepare to send me off. I ask for prayer for the community I will be joining in Kolkata and the ladies at Sari Bari. The second way you can partner with me is financially. I will be raising financial support for my time in Kolkata so I will be able to wholly give my energy and effort to Sari Bari. After months of praying about returning to Kolkata, God has opened doors to return in 4 short weeks. I ask you to pray and consider partnering with me financial if you are able. The total cost of my time in Kolkata is about $6000 which includes airfare and living expenses. If you would like to partner with me financially, you can donate online by clicking here and selecting "Team India" from the drop down menu.

I thank you for your prayers and support as I follow God's leading in this next season of life. Feel free to send me an email if you would like to grab coffee and chat.  

The Path that Leads to Kolkata

I love that God has allowed travel to be a huge part of my story. Friends often ask where my next trip will take me or when I am leaving again. A year ago, I was dreaming and preparing for life in Lima and then things changed. This left me broken and confused. It took me a few months to realize that God had a different plan for my life this year. I was able to lead a small group of high school girls and continue serving in the youth group. I was able to visit my brothers and see my nephew take his first steps. I was able to work another summer at camp and serve alongside some amazing people while serving churches. I learned to find joy in the little things. I learned a posture of openhandedness where I didn't cling to plans that I made and instead held my hands open for whatever came my way.

I have been praying about returning to Kolkata for several months and God has opened doors for me to return. I will be working with Sari Bari which provides employment for women exploited by the sex trade or are vulnerable to sex trafficking. I worked with Sari Bari in 2011 and fell in love with the women that found freedom with Sari Bari. Kolkata is a city filled with chaos, but among the chaos, Sari Bari is filled with peace and hope. (Read more about Sari Bari here.)

I am excited to embark on this journey that started three years ago and be able to invest in women that I already love. I will be able to use my gifts and talents to teach conversational English to the managers as well as helping with administrative for the business. I am hoping to leave October 19 which is less than 6 weeks away. I would appreciate your prayers as I apply for my visa and begin preparing to serve among the women at Sari Bari.

I will be raising support for my time in Kolkata. I have committed to spending six months which means I need around $6000 to cover airfare, visa, living expenses while in Kolkata. I have partnered with Grace Church of Glendora to raise support so if you would like to partner with me financially please send checks (DO NOT WRITE MY NAME ON THE CHECK) to:

Grace Church Glendora

C/O Team India

1515 S. Glendora Ave. 

Glendora, CA 91740

Please include a slip of paper with "Natalie Cook Kolkata, India" to ensure it is allocated to my support account. If you have any questions about my trip or would like to hear more, feel free to shoot me an email at nataliecook15@gmail.com.