Brokenness...

Suffering… I am faced with it every day. A simple walk down the street is never truly simple. The complexities of human suffering are endless. I see families without homes, men lean and devoid of health, children who reach out their hands for a few rupees, women waiting in line for the next customer to abuse them…

Broken humanity. It is everywhere. We all experience it. Yet some of us have been spared the worst atrocities of human suffering while others haven’t had the choice.

Being surrounded by so much brokenness has given me a new perspective on the cross. Jesus walked a difficult dark path towards that final sacrifice – the pain he bore was more than endless lashings and insults – he took the pain of all humanity. And yet he knew it was worth it for the sake of the world. This pivotal moment of anguish culminated in the ultimate cry of pain – the pain of abandonment. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

We all know what it’s like to feel rejected or abandoned. To have someone you love leave you or hurt you is a pain that is hard to bear. The women here certainly know rejection and the pain of feeling so alone.

And Jesus knew. He knew what it was to feel abandonment. He knew what it was like to have his Father leave him. Where is God in this world of pain? He is suffering alongside each one – at the cross.

And that same cross also symbolises life - the promise of life free from suffering. “Those whom the Lord has rescued will travel home… They will be happy forever, forever free from sorrow and grief. “ (Isaiah 35:9,10).

Forever free.

Gifts of Love

Well it’s about time I wrote another blog! The novelty certainly wore off and life simply gets busy. It’s not that I don’t write. I just don’t get round to reappropriating it for here.

With my language helper and her son

Several weeks ago my friend and I travelled to Rajasthan, Agra and Delhi. This was a great time to explore other parts of India - so many new colours, designs, experiences and people – things that tickle the eyes of a designer. Several highlights stand out to me as memorable. The first day we hopped off the plane, found a bus and headed out of Jaipur city to an organic farm resort. We walked a couple of kilometres to get there and it was absolute bliss. After being in cities so long it was wonderful to enjoy blue sky, green grass, beautiful trees, stillness and quiet. I was refreshed. And then I bumped into a lady and we struck up a conversation. She had limited English and she invited us into her home. It wasn’t long before she offered chai. Sure enough she starts milking her nearby buffalos and begins preparing the milky sweet tea in front of us. It was quite surreal drinking cha with milk that couldn’t be any fresher. She then showed us her sketchbook and managed to convince me to draw a picture for her. So I chose her buffalo, which resulted in several giggles from her family.

A Rajasthani man and a boy on the walk to the farm

Lovely trees and grass!


The Rajasthani woman I bumped into

Sarah added a few birds to my buffalo

Another highlight was predictably the Taj Mahal. We saw several buildings – palaces, mosques, forts and so on. And The Taj Mahal stood out in its white dreamlike beauty. Despite it’s obviousness - I’m glad it was my favourite because it was the whole reason we chose to spend two nights in Agra.

The Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb in Delhi

Back in Kolkata we recently had Freeset’s annual picnic where the whole Freeset family fill up 4 buses and head off to a distant location for a day of just hanging out with each other. It was a great day to simply be together with the women in a context that was different to work. So many beautiful sari’s and of course they all wondered where mine was. They get into one in about 2 mins but I have attempted and it took a good 40 minutes and about 6 attempts!

Wearing sari's during a recent holiday

There is one lady at Freeset I love to sit with from time to time. She is deaf and mute yet I remember the first time it somehow put me at ease because my lack of Bengali language ability no longer mattered. It is simply smiles and gestures and expressions that are used to show care. Even with those that can hear these soundless symbols of love can be powerful.

Not long ago I was with a couple of friends walking down the street. A woman whose home was a mere awning made a gesture to signify she wanted food. This isn’t at all uncommon but one friend decided this time she would get some food. Perhaps the woman’s hope in our kindness disintegrated as we walked off to find the nearest shop. Perhaps we would just wander on and continue our day, forgetting her empty stomach and the pain of her suffering. Too often we do. But the look on her face when we returned and handed her food was priceless. It remains imprinted on my mind. She was genuinely grateful and moved to tears. It also moved us. Many times we encounter the poor asking for money or food but we can’t possibly give handouts to all. And yet with a little discernment, a mere 10 rupees can touch the desperate heart – one hungry for not only food, but love and compassion. Sometimes the simplest things can have the greatest impact.

Cha, Muri and smiles

Cha, Muri and smiles – these are some of the highlights of my day. Yes the Cha (tea) is great in itself but it is the time of day we get to sit with the ladies and share muri (puffed rice with random other things mixed in) and plenty of smiles that makes it so wonderful. I find myself being given handfuls of muri left, right and centre. People said I would lose weight in India but at this rate that won’t happen!

The daily morning and afternoon cha times are great. Yet better still are the times we have cha or a meal in the ladies homes. We are ushered onto their beds to sit while we exchange simple words and many more smiles. The people here are so humble and generous. And it can be hard at times to accept. Yet we know that just being there means so much to them. And simple phrases like “very beautiful” or “very good” go a long way…

After being here about 2 months the hardest thing is still grappling with the language. But I have bits here and there that seem to be enough to communicate at some level. And sometimes all they need is a simple smile as you pass by. One woman I have really enjoyed sitting down with at Cha is deaf and so it doesn’t even matter that I don’t know Bangla! She is a real character and never short of gestures or a cheeky grin.

On a typical day I spend most of my time in the only AC office (or the fridge box) at my computer preparing designs for custom orders and getting them prepared for printing. I also work on other various design jobs as well.

Right now it is Puja time in Kolkata. Basically it is like our Christmas, where the whole area becomes very festive. I don’t admire the gods but I certainly admire the creativity and the dedication. Sprinkled throughout the area are Pandal’s, which are temporary buildings (or in some cases ships or mountains!) that house heavily decorated idols of gods and goddesses that surround the mother goddess Durga.

So Durga Puja has just been and this weekend is another festival that include smaller idols. I expected the time to be somewhat oppressive but instead it became an opportunity for greater community. In fact last weekend the four days felt like an entire week as we got invited to go ‘pandal hopping’, eating in families homes, having fun at the carnivals and simply wandering about.

Yesterday I had the amazing privilege and opportunity to visit Serampore where William Carey spent some time. First we went to the grave and saw his plot amongst a fairly unkempt garden. We then went to the college and museum before making our way back past other interesting buildings. It was great to look upon a reminder of a man who gave his life for the cause with such courageous passion and instigated a whole new flow of men and women who sacrificially dedicated their lives.

Wearing a Sari at the Freeset Birthday Party

Everyone having a good dance at the Birthday

William Carey's grave in Serampore

Inquisitive children in Serampore (I don't think they see many white people!)

Sarah (my flatmate) on the road towards Freeset

A very typical scene - a stray dog, a crow and a pile of rubbish!

Pandel hopping in during Durga Puja

The kids that we often hang out with who live nearby

The Streets of Kolkata

Well… the words to describe Kolkata seem endless…

dirty
colourful
noisy
vibrant
painful
wonderful
crowded
quirky…

Heat that overwhelms and rain that rushes down
Rubbish and dirt and dust
The impatient honk of car horns
The constant rings of a bicycle
Stray dogs lying about
Even the odd rat scurrying by
Music blaring from the street corner
Children laughing and giggling
Layers of colourful paint peeling
The glistening of vibrant snacks for sale
Interesting alcoves and railings
Patterns and colours of Sari’s and Salwars
The odd smell of things unknown
The undeniable smell of fragrant spices

My first impressions of Kolkata were overwhelming. It was the way I expected but to think and hear about it is nothing to experiencing it in reality. Even though poverty and filth is rife, amidst the pain there is the laughter of children as they greet you passing by or the smile of a shopkeeper pleased with a new friend. Locals tend to live in very cramped and primitive situations and they do anything to survive. Some even sell their very bodies. And that is why I’m here.

Tonight I walked through Sonagacchi – the red light district of Kolkata where 10,000 women stand around at the edge of the streets waiting… Some are in tees and jeans and others in their Sari’s. Some smile at you and others don’t. Yet beneath the smiles there is undeniable pain. For most it is simply survival.

So we visited a young girl and her mother to offer a job at Freeset. The power was off so we climbed a dark maze of steps to her room on the roof using a cellphone as a torch. The room was tiny yet so very typical. Kerry and one of the Freeset Women, Menaka*, talked to them about what it meant to work at Freeset. We were offered lovely chai tea in clay pots and then we headed off back through the streets of Sonagacchi at a time when it was becoming increasingly more active. Dear Menaka held my hand to guide me and protect me. After stopping to greet a few girls we returned and I can’t help but be reminded that this is what it’s all about. Setting women free from such a despicable act of injustice and offering them love, hope and Freedom.

Freeset is such a haven. I still remember that first sight when I looked down from the balcony upon 160 women in their colourful sari’s singing and smiling. And each day it is a joy to look upon their beautiful faces and know that each individual has a story of FREEDOM.

Walking down the main street


Sarah - the Designer whose role I'm replacing


Crossing the street can be challenging!


The Street where I live

The Vibrancy of Singapore

Before I describe Kolkata I want to mention that my time in Singapore was amazing. God put me together with so many people that have the same heart for reaching across cultures. I really enjoyed developing these friendships and experiencing the vibrancy and activity of Singapore. Singaporeans love two things – food and shopping. I held off on the shopping (India is far cheaper!) but the food was memorable. Ah the good times with the daily lunch at the Hawkers Markets or the amazing spread at Deborah’s (her maid could outdo many a chef!). But aside from the great food and the amazing people, I was working on graphic design material that will help awaken people to the needs of many unreached peoples…

Friends at the WO Dinner

The office team

Last lunch at the Hawkers

Amazing feast at Deborah's (for 4 people!!)

Training in Chiang Mai

The course has finished and we have all dispersed after living and studying together for 6 weeks. I have really enjoyed it and it’s opened my mind to so many aspects of cross-cultural work that I know will help me be more effective no matter where I am. We have learnt how to understand other cultures better and communicate in a way that fits with their culture.

So much damage has been done in the past where people have gone into these countries bringing all of their cultural baggage and expecting the people to conform to their way of thinking. Instead it is important to appreciate the people and their culture for what it is, speaking the message of truth in love and respect.

Highlights from the course include crazy role-plays, interesting debates and discussions, stimulating insights, video clips, and other activities that got us thinking and laughing! We covered many subjects including world religions, animism, communication, strategy, signs and wonders, leadership and so on. Many things will continue to impact me – one thing I think of now is that we must ask not “What can I do?” but “What can be done?” It’s not about us, it’s all about the people and their needs. And together we can make a difference.

Thailand is an amazing place. The people are friendly, the food is wonderful and the atmosphere is peaceful and respectful. This is “the land of smiles” and you see it everywhere. I’ve enjoyed getting to know a few local Thai people. Prince, Koi and Joy from the university were lovely. They wanted to practice their English on me and I ended up taking a Thai lesson from them. They were very sweet and we all enjoyed laughing at each other’s language / communication troubles! The ‘coffee lady’ Koi was also very lovely and I’ll miss Vietnamese coffee at her place.

So these 6 weeks have been truly inspiring and impacting and I know that I am equipped with so much more. I have gained many new friends from all around the world who are heading off to diverse locations. And I now have a far greater understanding of what it means to share the love that saves.

Prince, Joy & Koi


With Prince & Joy

An outing with a few of my classmates and tutors



This was our tribe in a cultural communication activity!


A typical Chiang Mai scene


A Thai church service where we had to learn a song in Thai!


Graduation - receiving my certificate


All of the crew


I spent a fair bit of time taking photos!


A young elephant

Cultures, Learning, People...

Well I do have to say this week has been awesome! I have so loved meeting all kinds of new people from various backgrounds that are going onto so many different locations. And yet we are brought together here with the same purpose in mind.

4 people are from North East India so it has been great learning a few things from them. We also have people from Australia, Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, and New Zealand. Each day we have 5 hours of lectures followed by up to 5hours readings / assignments. It is quite full on during the week but I’m learning a lot. And it makes all the difference when you learn what you are passionate about it.

So far I have been learning about things such as anthropology, structures, dealing with culture shock and stress, plus all kinds of cultural tips. Because the people on the course are from all kinds of cultures the class discussions have been really interesting. The lecturers are all very experienced and brilliant in bringing the sessions to life with stimulating discussions, group debates, drawings, and even crazy roleplays!

I’ve found it very useful in preparing myself psychologically for living and working in Kolkata. Kolkata isn’t a walk in the park so it helpful to know what to expect and to talk to people who have walked similar paths before.

Apart from going out to Dinner each night, we don’t tend to leave the hotel much during the week. But if I keep on top of the readings the weekends are free! This last weekend I went for a super long walk which is crazy in this heat but felt so good. All the sitting down and white rice isn’t the best for you.

Last night we went to one of the famous markets. It was absolutely stunning – all the beautiful craftsmanship, local foods, lights and myriads of people. There were carved soaps that looked like flowers, hand-woven silks, gorgeous tribal colours, amazing smells and the sound of drums, dancers and singers. A great atmosphere really.

Night Markets