Morning, day 2, and we're already trying to blag extra coffee from the YWCA staff to support our early starts. Yesterday is still sitting hard and cold in my stomach, and when Carolyn tells us we're to spend today at another rescued girls project-- this time much further out in the Mumbai slums-- I'm relieved I'm not the only one who doesn't think she's up to it.
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Our first real day on project, with the amazing team at Save The Children (no, not that one). The project we worked with was called Save Our Sisters, a group of teachers who cared for girls rescued from their traffickers, teaching them skills so they might get a proper job and never be tempted to go back. It all felt pretty intimidating and all I could tell myself in preparation was to remember that word: sisters, and to look for what we had in common, not the differences. And to smile, and love them.
As our day drew to a close, we finally met with reps from some of the teams we would be working with throughout our time in Mumbai. Many of them were from Oasis India (I'll write a lot more about them and their amazing work when I write up my Bangalore journal) including one woman we were introduced to called Didi.
This is her story. To get to the church that first day we had to take a heady jaunt across town on the infamous Mumbai railway system. I remember mentioning that fact to my mum before I left, and getting a horrified face in return. It was totally justified.
At the end of our three-hour stint at the Bollywood Church, they welcomed us to some much needed refreshment in the form of delicious Indian coffee (the beginning of my tempestuous love/hate relationship with the stuff) and vegetable samosas. Thought you might like some recipes to make your own!
My roommate had a rogue bag of Haribo stashed in her luggage, which we rationed out like water that first evening... I've probably never been so grateful for gelatin.
FINALLY. I'm going. Flight to Heathrow, flight to Mumbai, LOTS OF SLEEP: that's how the next 48 hours is going to pan out. Apparently I'll have wifi in Mumbai for a bit, so I might have a chance to update this, but I kind of doubt it. I'll be handwriting all my blog updates though, and posting them here once I get back, hopefully with photos and other stuff more interesting than my ramblings. Best way to follow me in the meantime is probably Twitter: @chrissirvine.
See you on the other side guys! An excerpt from the 'Stop the Traffik' book: the story of a young girl rescued by Oasis India, one of the projects I'll be working with in Bangalore. I guess it'll become too close to home very soon.
"A petite young girl with a shy but endearing smile, Roshni, twenty, is extremely hard-working and has mastered the skill of Aari work, which is a type of embroidery using colourful beads, threads and sequins. A few years ago, her life was completely different. On being promised employment, Roshni agreed to come to Mumbai in India from her hometown in Andrha Pradesh-- but was horrified to find herself in a brothel. It was then that she realised that her relative, whom she trusted, had in fact deceived her and sold her into the flesh trade. Roshni was still an under-age girl. When the police conducted a raid at the brothel, Roshni was rescued and sent to a home which provided care for girls until the edge of eighteen. She was tested HIV positive. On turning 18, Roshni was sent to Purnata Bhavan (a residential care project of Oasis India, www.oasisindia.org), where she participated in the literacy programmes offered and learnt to read and write. She also became so skilled at Aari work that she is now able to teach others. Roshni would soon be doing an advanced course in Aari work before she could start working." Don't feel it. Now that all the messy mess of personal life/ work life/ moving 300 miles back home/ starting a new job is over, turns out we have 5 weeks to go and I'm getting scared.
Almost there with practical preparations and stuff, but mentally, spiritually... I'm not totally sure where I am, and I'm starting to be pretty worried that when I get out there it's all going to be too much. So I guess, prayers are really welcome. As are good thoughts and any kind of encouragement. I want to go. I'm excited about it. But I know I'm not the strongest person around, I haven't been that well recently and I've not been great at dealing with stress... Oh hai self-doubt. Great to see you. |