What Is My Role In This??

Only a few days have gone by since I last wrote and there is so much to talk about within my experiences.  I have been keeping a list of topics to write about and it continues to grow longer and longer with each adventure we take.  So I am sure I will be blogging about my trip for weeks to come…so be prepared!

Today I wanted to tell you about our experience to the rural areas of India.  We have heard about the rural area several times in the classroom setting and every time I heard rural, I pictured large open fields in eastern Colorado or Montana ranches/farms.  Maybe this is because within each lecture, that touched on the subject, the professor would begin to talk about farmers….so my reference was of an all American farmer. However, in actuality the rural areas of India are small villages where the indigenous or "tribal people" (an Indian reference) live.  We were able to visit two of these villages and it was a life changing experience.

The first village sat at the bottom of plateau.  It was surrounded in open fields, but not land to grow crops on.  Within the village there were 500 people, who had shared this same land with 5 generation before them. There were two types of homes made of either mud and sticks or some were concrete.  The majority of the population worked for brick makers, where they formed and carried bricks in order to earn money.  While others worked in rice fields for farmers. Workers were paid very little for this back breaking work and being a woman also meant less money.  The children were also expected to go to work with their parents and therefore would miss out and receiving any type of education. Astonishingly, the work of all the family members and stipend government agencies still left families without enough food. The village also did not have electricity or running water.  Much like the indigenous people in America, the tribal people have experience Genocide and have struggled to be honored by others in India.  

While we were there we were asked to take our shoes off and to sit in a circle with our legs crossed.  They welcomed us to their village by placing mats on the floor and having the children surround us as we learned about their history, homes, and culture.  The children who formed a circle around us were in awe of our different skin tones and they would whisper and giggle as the adult conversation took place.        We learned about the hardships this population has experienced, including police corruption, a lack of land to be self sufficient, young girls being attacked, and farmers using their labors without pay.  When it was time for us to ask questions one of us said, "ask them if they have questions for us?"  One man spoke up and asked if we had families in the USA who went to bed hungry, like his family did.  With my background in homelessness, every head in my group turned to me to answer the question, including my professor.  When put on the spot, I found it so difficult to compare the poverty the tribe was living and poverty in the United States.  What could I say to a person that would allow them to understand the difference and the deep similarities we shared as a people?  How could I explain that as I sat in their village it felt very similar to sitting in a squat under a bridge, while not harming their spirits by ignoring the pain they were feeling.  I was full of fear, but then I said, "Yes, we have people who go to sleep hungry in the United States and some sleep outside in the cold this time of year."  

As they listen to my answer being translated, a million other things ran through my mind.  Did poverty in America really compare to that of this village?  Did I answer the question without seeming as though their struggles were not worthy of comparison?  Where all these little ones sitting around me going to bed hungry?  How could I even relate to this issue, knowing I would leave this village and have lunch on the bus that drove me there?

The hardest part of this trip comes with self reflection.  What role do I play in this situation and how can I change what happens in this village in the future?  The answers are still unknown, but my heart is heavy while seeking answers.

The village visit did end with dancing. Young girls (middle school age) tried to teach us to dance.  As we gave it our best shot it was obvious the dancing was more about laughter than actually learning the steps.  After a long emotional visit it was nice to laugh together!