Our time in Calcutta is quickly winding down. We went to Flury’s again for breakfast, and then trekked successfully via metro to Freeset, another amazing organization that is helping women gain “freedom” at many levels from one of the largest red light districts of Calcutta. I was excited to see Kerry and Annie who started this organization years ago, moving their young family from New Zealand to the red light district of Calcutta. It was great to see some of the same women who were there 2 years ago and continue to work at Freeset, and not back in the sex trade. It is always such a pleasure to meet these beautiful women who have experienced or are working towards full “freedom” and seeing the joy in their faces. Mina, one of the ladies I had met upon the last visit, a beautiful woman who was one of the first women to come and work for Freeset years ago, someone who has grown to be a leader of this organization - a true inspiration to all, and as Kerry and Annie shared - is the visionary driving Freeset -- I had the privilege of seeing her at the office again. She sternly looked Grace, Rob, and I straight in the eyes telling us to share about Freeset and the work they are doing. The economy has hit them as well, as there are less buyers of their bags and tshirts. Less purchasers means less work needs to be done, and therefore less work for the women to do, and less income for them. They've had to decrease hours that the women work, close shop on certain days since no work was coming in. Pray that business would come. Share Freeset with others you know. If you need to order tshirts or bags and such, especially for groups or conferences, please consider Freeset. Mina has set the goal - freedom for 10,000 girls from the red light district of Calcutta. She is the visionary. We need to help her and Freeset achieve that.
Riding the metro back was quite an exciting time. Poor Rob was surrounded, up close and personal with several other Indian men, with his face stuck a centimeter or two from a man's armpit. I couldn't stop laughing. Sorry Rob... sometimes all you can do is laugh. :)
Then, poor Rob got stuck waiting for Grace and I as we got our eyebrows threaded. The sign outside said "Ladies Only". Poor Rob.
No comments:
Post a Comment