At last Kolkata AT posts another blog entry!

 I can only apologise for the lack of blog in such a long time. But I guess that means we have a lot to tell you about!!

We have now been here for 6 weeks and looooving it. We are fully involved in our programmes, spending most of our time teaching at Hatibagan mobile school for the local street children. There is about 50-60 children whos ages range from 4-14, and they are absolutely beautiful children, dirty clothes and covered in cuts and bruises but amazingly bright eyes and gorgeous smiles, you can't help but pick them up and give them a cuddle!

Harriet, Naomi and Josh teaching the youngest class. There are 3 classes going on in one classroom! 

Some of the beautiful children.

We spend 3 mornings there, and 2 days a week at Freeset ( http://freesetglobal.com/ ), which we also get a lot of enjoyment out of, and really feel like we have accomplished something by the end of the day! Its tiring but very rewarding. 

Ellen, Naomi, Harriet and Josh working hard!

Other organisations we volunteer at are Little sisters of the poor, which is an old peoples home where we serve them food one evening a week and they love to chat and have us there. We also go to Entally girls hostel one evening a week and play with the girls there. It is a great place for them to practice their English and us to practice our Bengali! 

We have been out and bought the traditional Indian Salwar Kamiz's, these we wear to school and to chuch on a Sunday. Josh is yet to get his male version but that will be happening nearer Christmas and photos will be up!! 

We have also taken part in Diwali, watching from the rooftoop all the craziness of everything going on below, whilst playing with sparklers that we bought from the market earlier that day. People go all out at this time of year, all the lights are so beautiful. 

Harriet, Josh, Ellen and Naomi with our sparklers!

We also celebrated bonfire night! A lot of people here have never celebrated this before so it was fun to invite everyone from the guesthouse and have some food and drink together. The staff here made a beautiful fire and, we made a guy faukes with a face of fireworks!! It was interesting to say the least. 

Naomi, Josh, Ellen, our supervisor Anu and Harriet chilling with guy faukes.

A couple of weeks ago we took the children from the school to the zoo, they were all given beautiful little school uniforms to wear and there was so much excitement in the air. It was totally crazy, as soon as we got through the front gates the children just ran EVERYWHERE! But we managed to just about keep them under control, and they had a wonderful time. 

In the first few weeks we were here we went to Charis fellowship which takes place in the suburbs of Kolkata, and there was an Indian lady there who was in a lot of pain from her back. She had to wear a brace and couldn't move well without being very uncomfortable. The girls layed hands on her and we all prayed for healing. We heard back last week that she no longer has to wear her brace and can move around without any problems! Praise the Lord!!

We have spent a lot of time as a team, not just out and about getting used to the maddness of and learning our way around Kolkata, but also studying the bible and praying together. We have really bonded well and continue to grow stronger. 

So no Delhi belly as yet, but last week (all week) Harriet was bed bound with a fever and aching joints. She is feeling a lot better now, but prayer for continued good health for the whole team would be much appreciated. Prayer that we continue to stay focused on God throughout our time here, and that as time goes on we manage to get involved with more work out here. We also ask for prayer as it grows closer to Christmas, and homesickness is bound to be hitting us all, that we don't get too down and that we enjoy the amazing opportunity we have to spend it in such a beautiful country.

Thank you all for your continued support. We really enjoyed reading your comments on our last post so continue to comment as and when you want. We always love to hear from you. 

Eshor ashirbaad korben (God bless you)

Josh, Harriet, Naomi and Ellen xx

Kolkata action team.