Bananas for Breakfast

After a three hour bus ride from training camp to the airport in Georgia, a small layover in Newark, NJ, a fifteen hour flight from the states to Mumbai, a twelve-hour layover at the airport there, and one more short airplaine ride, we finally made it to Goa. Our first day I hardly remember anything. The jetlag had some of us (including myself) sleeping upright on the bus... and if you know anything about bus rides in India, this is no simple feat. Most of the time they jam as many people as could possibly fit, WAY beyond the comfort level we are used to, and they BLAST Hindi music. It is a bumpy, sticky, sweaty, twisty-turny adventure, every single time!
But everything here is taking a little bit of getting used to. The food is spicy, the smells are strange, and the language makes things really fun to try to figure out. Yesterday, when I was much more awake, we had our first day of ministry in the slums helping teach school and a health class for women. We also spent time doing house visits. The women were so excited to invite us into their homes. I tried to put myself in their position, lving in conditions like that, and I could honestly not even imagine it. There were rats in the ceiling (GIANT rats), dirt floors, ten people living in one room, and everything was dark and smelly. But the women are not dispirited by any means.
My favorite part of the day was when we did Mahandi (or Henna) with the women in our little classroom. Preyma, the woman who did the mahandi for me was extremely nervous because, even though she was thirty, she had never done it before. Some of the girls were very skilled and quick, and she was afraid she would mess up. After much encouragement from me, she began to try. Her hand was shaking and I could tell it was difficult for her. But she got better as she kept going, and by the end, both my hands were beauitufully decorated with this ancient Indian art. I told her, "acha hai!" which means, "good!" and is one of the only words I know in Hindi and I could tell she was pleased.
Later, during the health class, she had her two children with her. She made me show my hands to them and I gladly did. She was so proud! I loved being a part of empowering her to do something she thought she was incapable of, and seeing her so joyful showing it off.
Today is only our third day in Goa, so I know many more stories are to come! I'll keep you posted :)