One month down in Calcutta. It is crazy to think we have 26 days
before we will leave this place that has become such a part of my daily life.
At this point I can not imagine what it will be like to not be on the noisy,
crazy crowded, dangerous Calcutta streets. So, for this blog post, I will be
recapping this month with the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Good:
Every Wednesday night is our week-iversary. We spend time
together doing fun silly things like playing BS with cards, having dance
parties, or watching Tangled
Picked up some new vocabulary words: sick, foul, and strugs
Learned that Mumbai and Bombay are the same place…
Learned that toe pinches are awkwardly satisfying to give, not
receive
The Bad:
Sweating profusely everyday becomes normal
With no mirror we never know what our hair or faces looks like;
thus our young boys are able to kindly point out the flaws
Sleeping on the floor allows ants to crawl all over you and
feast on your body
Bats fly in the window, get devoured by the fan, and die wrapped
up in your mosquito net
Roaches are the size of a regular bar of soap
The Ugly:
Hindu temples occupy almost every corner and idols are present everywhere we go; there is such poverty from Christ
The financial poverty can not even be put into words. As we
drive by bridges whole families have set up “camp” underneath them and this is
where they live.
We have seen elderly women begging while holding a child that
does not belong to them. In Calcutta it is not uncommon for beggars to “rent” a
baby to beg with during the day.
It is not uncommon in the Hindu culture for human sacrifices to
be given. Orphaned children and those in extreme poverty are the most common
victims as Hindu families befriend them in order to sacrifice them.
All in all this month has had numerous highs and lows. Sometimes
while I am enjoying the good and laughing at the bad I feel guilty because I
know about the ugly. The Lord has shown me that guilt is not a character trait
He wants for me. The blessings He has given us are not intended to make us
guilty but are intended to be used wisely.
My Challenge this week: Look at the blessings the Lord has
provided you and, considering the ugly parts of the world, evaluate whether or
not they are being used wisely. This will look different for every person so,
do not evaluate yourself based on the actions of others but truly seek God and
ask Him what that would look like for you.
