Everyone Needs Love

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

The monsoon rains were in fine form last night, chucking it down all night. Waking up this morning for yoga, it was as if it hardly rained at all. As a result, we enjoyed a rain free day today. 

So happy to go to yoga this morning. I needed to stretch it out, and the room was slightly emptier with girls sleeping in. 

After a quick run to the ATM across the street (we are all spending more on souvenirs/gifts than we thought), we boarded the bus for the day trip to one of Sangam’s community partners. Traffic was terrible, and the heat and motion lulled many of us to sleep. 

We spent the day at Maher, an organization that looks after abandoned children, disadvantaged and abused women, pregnant unwed women, traumatized or mentally compromised men and women, and the elderly. They have 46 projects with buildings and hundreds of support groups. Right now they have almost 1,000 children that they care for. 

Sister Lucy started this work over twenty years ago. A woman had come to her, asking for help; she was married and seven months pregnant. Her husband said he would kill her that night to take a new wife. Sister Lucy told the woman she couldn’t help her that day, but she should come back tomorrow. That night, the husband poured gasoline over the woman and her child and burned them alive. Since then, Sister Lucy has debited her life to helping those in need. She has a room full of awards that show how much good she and Maher do. 

To paraphrase a man who works for them and who was brought there with his mom when he was six, Here they get food, shelter, and love - most places don’t offer love. Many are traumatized when they come, whether through hunger, homelessness, or violence. Meditation and yoga help the people relax so they can share their story. When they share, they have more space to learn and take on new things.

High school girls welcomed us with a few songs, including a welcome sung to the tune of “happy birthday.” They showed us around and then served us a delicious lunch. Afterwards, they brought us to their shop where they make all their items. After hearing all about their good work, 48 girls and women bought as much as they could. I went Christmas shopping again (just as I did yesterday). These girls and women work hard and have so much hope. A few of the children are studying in colleges in the US, Germany,and the Netherlands. It’s amazingly powerful. 

Please check out www.maherashram.org and support the work they do. 

We are back at Sangam now, the music is playing, and the girls are having a pool party. I’m off to an hour long massage, Which is perfect after long bus rides today. 

The Sari and Punjabi tailors dropped off our altered pieces, and we will all wear them tomorrow, I think. The girls are talking about wearing the saris at the Taj Majal, but I think it will be way too hot. Only one of our girls bought a cotton Saree, while the rest of us bought the fancier, heavier ones. It may be a Punjabi day through...

The girls are feeling a bit tired and low on money, so they opted to stay in tonight instead of going out for dinner. Tomorrow is our last full day at Sangam. We have been here a week already!