Day Two - Women's Co-op & More

Today I awoke at 6:40 a.m. and felt good and refreshed. I had a bath in a tub, which is a real treat here. There is no hot water but it doesn't matter because the cold feels so good. I filled the tub with about 2 inches and just laid in it. Breakfast was an egg, a banana and some challah(bread), oh and sweet tea.

We had decided that I would go with 3 of the girls to the International School (the I.S) and set up a table to sell the things that the women make in the Co-Op. Mom, you were right, the co-op is at the school in Dhaka as well as in India. We spent the day and sold 3,250 takas worth of stuff. It takes 67 takas to make 1 dollar. The most exciting part for me was the ride home in a scooter. Imagine 4 of us, 3 bags of stuff crammed into the back of a 3 wheeled scooter with a metal and plastic floor walls and ceiling with no doors. The busses were so close to us that we had to squish to keep our knees in so as not to touch them. I laughed all the way home and it made the girls laugh.

Dhaka is amazing. I think the thing that strikes me is the smell. It is a combination of sewage, exhaust, heat, and something that I cannot name. I will likely smell of it when I come home.

The school is wonderful, busy, struggling but so much more. I am told that they employ almost 80 people between the 2 schools and the camp. I think that may be a wonderful spinoff of such a wonderful endeavour of Sandra, our founder.

The children live here, all are orphans. We have many special needs kids and all need in some way. The goal here is to get them off the street, give them basic needs and education and to try to help them find work or perhaps marriage. There are not many jobs here for women. I asked a lot of questions today to find that women sew, make things to sell, sometimes have other jobs or get married. If they are not married, it is very difficult. So we try to educate them and teach them some skill that will help them to live.

Kristen, the current volunteer has spent the last 3 months putting together a Spa so that the girls could learn some new and valuable skills. She wrote and received a grant to make it happen. It is very exciting for the girls right now. I will send photos.

Again, know that I am well. I am having a hard time trying to imagine how I can possibly help. I send my love to all. I am finding it difficult to put this into words so forgive me if my writing is scattered.