"Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them."-Mother Teresa
As we stepped off the plane onto the charcoal grey tarmac, visions of Dante's Inferno raced through my head and I began to wonder how I could have traveled over 8000 miles to what I would later affectionately refer to as the Devil's Armpit. The heat was nearly unbearable-120 degrees plus humidity-and a vile stench hung heavily in the air. Decrepit buildings stood ominously at every corner and trash and human waste lined the streets. I certainly wasn't in America anymore!
Kolkata, India is a metropolis which boasts a population of more than 15 million. Nearly 2 million of these people live in complete poverty: no home, no food, little clothing, and no one to care for them. Human dignity is an afterthought in India. Only Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity are willing to go out into the slums to pick up the homeless off the streets and care for them.
Our FOCUS Missions group had the extraordinary opportunity to work with these Missionaries of Charity at Prem Dan, a home for the dying. Daily work at Prem Dan included shaving, feeding, and bathing the patients and, despite the conditions, we were able to lift up the dignity of the men and women at the home. I became good friends with several of the patients at the home including Jailip, the son of a railroad engineer, and Suresh, a 20 year old man who had lost his leg in a train accident. These men who had no physical assets and lived in complete discomfort, still had a sense of peace and hope. Though they had nothing, they still had more joy than most people who enjoy superfluous comforts. A great lesson was to be gained from these men and women: Happiness is not found in everyday comforts and more 'stuff.' Rather, happiness is found in simplicity, namely God, who is the ultimate simple being.
Looking back on the trip I realize that I came to India to somehow influence the people there by my service, but ended up instead being influenced by the way they live their lives. I took away lessons of humility, thankfulness, and genuine love from the Devil's Armpit. Now, as a FOCUS Missionary, I try to live my life in the spirit of the Indian people every day.
-Jake Mach
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