Christmas Eve Rest day

Namaste everyone
Today we are resting after a pretty intense day of working at our various Mother Teresa homes. Our day starts with the walk from our hotel to the Mother Teresa House where we attend Mass with the Sisters. They are so dedicated and their singing is music to our ears. They are ever so reverent and humble. It is just amazing being in their presence,(in their white with blue stripe attire)
after Mass we go downstairs and have breakfast of chai tea (which is delicious) a banana and a piece of bread. All the volunteers gather there and it has been a good time for our students to mix and mingle with people from all around the globe. A few addresses have been exchanged. It is good to see our group networking.
After breakfast we all head off in our various groups and catch buses which take us to the Mission of charity Houses that we work at.
Again, the bus ride to our destination continues to intrigue me just as everything else does. The constant buzz of traffic, people, it never seems to let up.
A typical day at Prem Dan which is home to the physically and mentally disabled men and women starts with washing. I was spent some time treading washing in a huge tin tub, a bit like stomping grapes and then helping the ladies hand rub before being passed along what I would describe as a conveyer-belt type system to the first concrete tub, rinsed again and passed along to the next and then after 4 rinses, the clothes are rung out and put into tin pales and carried all the way up the stairs to the roof-top where a group of patients are waiting to hang out the washing. Blankets are the worst to wash- they are heavy and harder to ring out. My hands have never felt so soft from washing. Many clothes are just laid out on the roof as well as lines.
after washing there is cleaning, this can be wiping flat metal beds down with disinfectant and then plastisic matresses, before beds are made up. The bed coverings are very basic but the sisters are very clean.
By this time it is usually morning tea and all the volunteers gather outside under a pergola where chai is available and these protein biscuits (one is equivalent to 2 and a half eggs)Incidentally these are provided by the Dutch Army - something Mother Teresa arranged and there was some concern the supply of these would dry up after her death, but we are told it has continued on. A great source of protein for the patients.
Lunch arrives soon after this and we then help feed patients and help clean up the dishes. In the womens section there are 2 ladies who have had spinal compression operations as a result of TB. Unfortunately for them it has been complicated and rehabilitation will be difficult; one of the ladies is paraylised from the waist down. One of the things we have been able to do for this 32 yr old mother of 4 has been muscle tone exercises, shown to us by a voulunteer Italian doctor. Not only do we exercise but we have been getting both these women up on their feet and assisting them to take steps with the aid of a walker. A very slow but rewarding process. We also get around the ward when we can and give some of the ladies a massage just to give them some form of loving and relaxing comfort to their long day. There are many sad sights and our compassion and loving hands gives some small relief. That in itself is a hopeful and rewarding thought.
Usually after this we all head back to the Mother House by bus again or tuktuk and from the Mother House we head back to the hotel.

Yesterday we arrived back to find no water to any of the rooms in our hotel. For health and safety reasons Marty organised another hotel which fortunately for us is just next door. Our rooms are more luxuriant and everyone has demonstrated their ability show patience, flexiblity and resiliance extremely well. In fact they like the change and the televisions in the rooms have proved popular. some of the boys have watched a couple of movies and the Discovery channel. Aparently there are over 80n channels.
The address for our hotel is: 11/1 DR.M. Ishaque Road (Kyd Street, Kolkata - 700 016
Phone: 9133-22178487 Mobile 9831621481/9831439585 Fax 91-33-2240 5623

Last night we attended the Chistmas Paigent which was performed for the Carmelite Sisters, at their monestry. This was very special and the volunteers in the play were from many countries, but it was pleasing to see our group involved. Caleb was the Angel Gabriel, John, Graeme & Ollie were the 3 shepherds, Lizzie was a gorgeous angel, Grace performed a stunning dance and Charlotte and Hamish were on props and lighting. The choir also consisted of some of our group, Margaret-Mary, Georgina and Ainsley. The Sisters enjoyed the performance and Mother of the Carmelites spoke after, expressing her thankfulness and gratitude. She also wished us warm greetings.

Tomorrow is Christmas day and so far we have only seen the odd santa hat, a few decorations here and there. It seems so strange being here, knowing that there is probably so much Christmas festivity going on at home. It will be a 5 am start for us tomorrow, with Mass, breakfast at the Mother Teresa House and then work as usual. We will finish around 1 - 2 pm and head back to the hotel where we will start getting ready for our own Christmas celebration. So far most of us have bought some kind of Indian attire to wear tomorrow. There are some glamourous sarees and pashminas and the boys have all kinds of Indian tops to wear. We are all heading off the hotel around the road and Santa (yeehaa) is going to be there. We are all excited and no-one so far seems too perturbed they are missing out on their NZ Christmas. In fact there is definately an element of great anticipation and wonder.
the gifts we have bought each other will be opened with joy I'm sure.
We are all in good spirits and I am pleased NO ONE is sick. There seems to be some let up in sore tums and bums for the meantime anyway.
Merry Christmas Everyone and God bless. Namaste