Kolkata, India

Two weeks. 

Mother Teresa. 

Missionaries of Charity.

115 degree weather. 

Palak Paneer.

Mango Juice.

Kalighat. 

Kolkata, India. 

After 24+ hours of traveling, my group and I made it to Kolkata and immediately went to our hotel.

 

We started volunteering early that next morning. Each morning we would go to the Mother House and have breakfast with other volunteers from around the world. Our breakfast consisted of chai, bananas, and bread. 

We would then travel in a group to the homes that we were volunteering at. My first day, I was assigned to Shanti Dan. After that, I spent the rest of my time at Kalighat. Kalighat is also known as the House of the Dying and is the original house that Mother Teresa started. 

A bus similar to one we would take to get to Kalighat

Once at Kalighat, the volunteers would start by doing laundry (rinsing and hanging up to dry on the roof). When the laundry was finished, the men and women would split up and start working with the men and women residing at Kalighat. As a volunteer, I would interact with the women as well as help distribute medicine, give massages, and help distribute (and clean up) lunch. 

After the morning was over, our time volunteering for the day was done and we would often go to lunch with other volunteers. Our afternoons consisted of whatever we wanted to do (including rest!). Our group would then typically meet up for dinner.

South Park Street Cemetery

We went to a Jain temple one afternoon.

Litchi!

I loved the two weeks that I spent in India. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported me!

Missionaries of Charity

In anticipation of my trip to India, I thought I would share a bit of history about the Missionaries of Charity, who we will be working with while in Kolkata:

A woman named Agnes who was devoted to a life of serving God came to Kolkata to help the destitute. She opened a home for those dying in 1952. She also opened a place for children to live and receive care in 1955.

Not only did she care for the dying and the young, but she also saw a need to care for the forgotten. Lepers were ignored by society as a whole and so she sought to change the social stigma. She helped to educate the communities in Kolkata about leprosy and also founded a safe community for lepers to live and work.

In order to successfully keep these programs running, she brought in other women who were similar to her in nature.  Together, they were called the "Missionaries of Charity." There were twelve women in total.

Mother Teresa followed God's call and made a lasting impact on Kolkata, India, and the world. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to go and serve where Mother Teresa once served God.

(References: http://www.has.vcu.edu/wrs/profiles/MissionariesOfCharity.htm)

Intense love does not measure, it just gives. - Mother Teresa

T-Shirt Campagin

Hello all!

I have just relaunched my t-shirt campaign.

Each t-shirt purchased helps raise the money that I need to go to India this May.

Incase you missed the last campaign or just recently found out about it, now is the time to buy a shirt.

The campaign is only open until January 25th, so be sure to buy your shirts now while they are available.

If you do not wish to purchase a shirt but still want to help, there is a direct donation option through this website.

Here is the link to my campaign: www.booster.com/adrianstrip2

I am so thankful for everyone who has supported me through this journey.

Becoming

Sometimes, out of the blue, it hits me: I am becoming a social worker.

A social worker.

Someone with dedication and empathy.

Someone who is fascinated by how people interact. And why they interact. And who they interact with.

Someone who wants the best for everyone.

Someone who believes that everyone needs to be loved and cherished.

Someone who remembers the underdog.

Someone who is far from perfection.

And then I realize that what is really happening, is that I am beginning to put an academic/professional title (along with all of the training, learning, and mistake-making that is involved) to who I already am.

I have a lifetime of learning. Of experiences. Of challenges. Of reconciliation.

I am only just now beginning.

And I am excited.

FAQs

Here are a few of the questions that I have been asked...and the answers :)

1. Where and when are you going?

I am going to Kolkata, India May 2014.

2. What will you be doing?

I will be working with the Missionaries of Charity...I may be helping to clean or helping to take care of some of the most ill and needy people in Kolkata.

3. Why do you want to go to India?

I want to take advantage of an opportunity, which is outside of the context of my day to day life, to serve, care for, and love my fellow human beings. I also hope that this will be another confirmation of what God has called me to do.
This blog is helping to answer why I want to go to India (in much more detail and through different aspects of my life).

4. How much does the trip cost?

The trip costs $1,750.00

This is the total cost that I have to raise in order to go.

5. When is the money due?

I have to have all of my money in by the end of January 2014

6. How can I help?

The two best ways anyone can help is through prayer and through monetary assistance.

William Wilberforce: My Hero

William Wilberforce played an integral part in the fight to abolish slavery in England two hundred years ago. He dedicated much of his life to accomplish this goal and he succeeded. 

I first learned about William Wilberforce when I watched Amazing Grace. Seeing his passion expressed through a film made me want to learn more about his real life work. 

William Wilberforce was an abolitionist. He was also a follower of Christ. 

He didn't just fight to abolish slavery. He followed God's call. 

He went against the norms of society to protect his fellow human beings. 

He did none of this for himself. 

He had a passion. He had a call. He obeyed and he accomplished what he needed to. 

I do not just look up to his success in abolishing the slave trade in England. I look up to his obedience in following God. I look up to his actions that brought him to his "success." He sought community and mentors. He sought God. I look up to his love for others even when slavery was abolished. He continued to fight to reform social problems occurring within England. 

 

“God Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners”-William Wilberforce

An Incurable Fanatic: My Story

It's pretty important to understand why this trip is so important to me, so I want to tell you my story!

It all started when I watched Amazing Grace...if you don't know anything about this movie, I highly suggest watching it. (It follows the life of William Wilberforce and his fight to abolish slavery in England during the late 1700s and early 1800s.)

After watching the movie, I learned that slavery still exists today. Human trafficking, or modern day slavery, quickly became something that I wanted to learn more about. As I continued to learn more about human trafficking, I became upset and broken-hearted. How could we let our fellow human beings be exploited and hurt every single day? I certainly could not.

I quickly knew that God had placed the injustice of human trafficking on my heart for a purpose. I started acting on my passion: telling others about human trafficking, boycotting products that lack ethical standards, and buying and promoting products and campaigns that further the the fight to alleviate the prevalence of slavery.

I also quickly knew that I could never just stop at taking these actions. I had to do something more. I had to put my entire life into protecting my fellow human beings from being exploited. I am being equipped to do this right now, as I am working on getting a BSW (Bachelor's in Social Work).

My opportunity to spend two weeks in India next May will expose me to a part of the world that I have not seen. While I will not be working directly with human trafficking survivors, I will be in a country that is devastated by population problems, poverty, and slavery. I will be caring for people who are ill, malnourished, and who may even die during my stay. I hope that this experience will be yet another confirmation that I am where I need to be.

I have been so excited to plan and prepare for this trip. Please pray with me for the preparation of my fellow group members, my group leader, the Missionaries of Charity, and the people of India.

If you have any questions about my story or just want to know more, feel free to ask! I would be happy to share.

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”-William Wilberforce