We went to a neighborhood, way, way outside the city to work with street children. It took over an hour on two buses to get out to the facility. The work was really interesting. We were to bathe, feed and play with these kids who came once a week to get what would likely be their only bath and full meal of the week.
I was really drawn to be a part of this special Sunday crew because I love working with kids. I had a hard time deciding my placement--as some of you may remember. Ultimately, I went with the hospice care type work, which I have loved. But I have been craving smiling little kiddos.
Oh man. The kids. They were crazy. Really, completely, utterly off the walls. They kept them at the gate until we all had our work assignments and knew what to do. We didn't know what to expect. We could see little hands squeezing through to bars on the gate waving at us. The gates flung open and in poured a crowd of some 30 kids--none older then 10, some not even walking.
Madness. Oh geeeeez.
They all wanted to be picked up. They all wanted to swung around. They all were caked in dirt and covered in lice. It clearly wasn't going to be one of my quiet mornings at Prem Dan I was use to.
The kids were generally sweet and happy. Likely, the kids were generally hardened and mean--to be expected of little guys who've had to fend for themselves their whole lives. Instead of playing soccer and giving piggy back rides like one might imagine, I spent most of the morning riping apart little boys who were punching each other, getting my hair pulled by little 7 year olds, having my shins kicked by 4 year olds and taking a stick away from a 5 year old after he made a vulgar gesture near his crotch with said stick. It was one hell of a morning.
I had lots of flashbacks to my work last spring in Belize at the orphanage. It's funny work... kids are kids all over the world, and for that reason when you can get a hug or a smile out of one of them the whole day is worth it. But, you have to understand that working with these kids is an uphill battle. I felt sort of useless and frustrated all day. I could tell I was certainly not an authority figure to theses kids. They knew the routine: foreigners showed up Sunday, give out baths, biscuits and lunch, leave and a new batch of foreigners arrives the next week. They didn't have to listen to us. I wish these kids had more structure to their lives. Structure is good for kids. what we did today was only a glimmer of structure. Maybe there will be more of a permanent placement through the MC's to work with the kids in the future.
All in all, any day were I get to hold little adorable babies is a good day.
I did find myself really missing my little ladies at Prem Dan though. I think that's a good sign. They feel like my Kolkata home.
Fun facts:
I have been shat on twice now. Both times by birds (thank god). This is either 14 years good luck or 7 years double good luck. Any thoughts?
Also, the MIA Seattle girls finally showed up at Prem Dan. One of the girls was really stoked on my short hair. She asked me to chop off all of hers. So, I did.
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