Have successfully completed the first week in India. Francesca and I have learned so much just in the 7 days we have been here. The life here is absolutely different, both good and bad. In the country itself the poverty and inequality is beyond obvious. Most of the children we work with are 3 to 5 years old;they laugh, get excited, dance, sing, and play. The more and more I work with them, the more I fall in love. The kids are so full of life and as sweet as can be.As I watch them however, I always think what their life must be like at home. These children are from the poorest slums of Delhi and would probably not be going to school if not for organizations like Project WHY. Their lives are more complicated then we can ever imagine.
There was one day where we visited the one of the centers that was located right in the one poorest areas of the slums. The conditions are terrifying. The images are indescribable and disturbing. My initial reaction was how could people live like this EVERYDAY? Then thought about how big this world is and how much we dont know about each other, how different one part of the world is from the other. Unless one comes to see it for themselves, they truly will not understand.. Someone can feel sympathy and pity but that empathy will always be missing.
As we visited the many centers throughout the our first week, there was a beautiful 7 year old that we had the privilege of meeting at the womens center. Her name was Meher, the most beautiful girl (from the inside and out) that I have ever met. Meher was burned at the age of six when a lantern feel on her. She had major damage to her face,hands, and brain. She needed extensive surgery and a Project WHY volunteer happen to have parents who were doctors and paid for her medical expenses. Meher at one point did not have the skin on her face, a part of her brain and the fingers now. She still has few surgeries to go through but looks healthy and ready to tackle the world. She is bright, witty, smart, beautiful, and the future Einstein of India. Her English is perfect and one day wants to be a doctor. Her energy and laughter are absolutely contagious. Meher is an inspiration to me and I can tell you I will never forget her. We will go back and see her again but I'm pretty sure that she will do great things, shes strong!
I have to say at times it is very stressful here. Things don't always go as planned and every day there is a new surprise. The freedom that I have back home is almost slim to none. What keeps me going is honestly the smiles the the children's faces. These children deserve a better life, a life as good as anyone else's.
There was one day where we visited the one of the centers that was located right in the one poorest areas of the slums. The conditions are terrifying. The images are indescribable and disturbing. My initial reaction was how could people live like this EVERYDAY? Then thought about how big this world is and how much we dont know about each other, how different one part of the world is from the other. Unless one comes to see it for themselves, they truly will not understand.. Someone can feel sympathy and pity but that empathy will always be missing.
As we visited the many centers throughout the our first week, there was a beautiful 7 year old that we had the privilege of meeting at the womens center. Her name was Meher, the most beautiful girl (from the inside and out) that I have ever met. Meher was burned at the age of six when a lantern feel on her. She had major damage to her face,hands, and brain. She needed extensive surgery and a Project WHY volunteer happen to have parents who were doctors and paid for her medical expenses. Meher at one point did not have the skin on her face, a part of her brain and the fingers now. She still has few surgeries to go through but looks healthy and ready to tackle the world. She is bright, witty, smart, beautiful, and the future Einstein of India. Her English is perfect and one day wants to be a doctor. Her energy and laughter are absolutely contagious. Meher is an inspiration to me and I can tell you I will never forget her. We will go back and see her again but I'm pretty sure that she will do great things, shes strong!
Wow, Meher's story is really powerful! It sounds like you guys have already experienced a lot in your first week. I know you are both just getting settled in and getting exposure to the various organizations but does it seem like you will be working with any of them/the kids more long-term? What kind of work/classes will you be involved with? No rush to answer these questions I'm just curious to read how things develop over the course of your blog entries. Glad to hear that things are going well so far--even if stressful at times (that's totally to be expected). Cheers!
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