Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Prem Dan for the day

I arrived to late for orientation yesterday, so I didn't have a place to work this morning! Benedict(a) the French girl suggested that after 6am mass this morning I let the sister at breakfast know that I wanted to work. It went well, seems there are actually quite a few people who miss orientation everyday, because the sisters walk around after breakfast with little clip-boards and day passes for the newbies so that those who want to can get to work right away. I got a morning pass for Prem Dan, it was wonderful. We washed clothes almost all morning then we had a chai break and after that we started to help the sisters feed and take care of the women in their care. Most of the women are no more than 85 lbs, and deformed in some small way. Twisted appendages, short arms, useless legs, etc. I got to help feed 2 women but neither was able to eat more than 2 Table spoons worth of food, though I had a whole plate to give.

I got extremely lost trying to get back to Mother House this evening to officially register, and in the end resorted to taking help from an extortionist, buying him biscuits at the price of 52. rupees for his baby daughter. I hardly believe that he has a daughter and feel very apprehensive about his meeting me at Mother House tomorrow morning with is daughter so that I can give him formula for her. Everything that I read at orientation tells me that he is probably a bad man, who will most likely "borrow" or BUY a child for the day in the hopes that I will buy him some expensive formula and then he will be able to sell it back to another street vendor and make a profit. I will pray very hard tonight, that my ignorance will not be the cause of a child's abuse. I'm scared, and feel very guilty.

Since I was so very lost I arrived about an hour late for orientation, and by effect missed it completely. I was handed a pamphlet to read by the guide/long term volunteer, and read it through alone. When I filled out my small slip of paper on it with name, address, passport no., etc and I put down that I would be staying for 11 months. When I handed it to the volunteer he was honestly shocked! There really aren't many long term volunteers. I asked for Prem Dan but was asked to teach the toddlers in Shishu Bavin (sp?). I am intimidated by the children, and I know I would be more comfortable with the manual labor and simple love that I could do at Prem Dan, but I didn't come here to feel confident, or to be able to give simple love. I will do what they ask, and God will make me grow big enough inside to handle it.

1 comment:

DucInAltumBeth said...

Don't do it Havilah! Don't buy the formula! ;) Hang in there friend- it's all chaos, I know. :)