When I went back to join the rest of the group they were all listening to Ailoka (sorry if I misspelled this, but Paul has dubbed her the Queen of India). She has been and IS a major force behind these shelters and the activism against slavery. She is over 70 years old and one would have never guessed that! Amazing woman! She comes from a well off family so she has connections and was able to be educated in England and she has used this to better the conditions of so many girls. She has had a family that supported her independence (something not usually felt in India by woman) and she has (from what I gather) a just as passionate/supportive/and understanding husband.
She told us one story of a 14 year old that was sold to the red light district. This girl refused to be a victim and stashed what money she could in her mattress. These girls are usually required to service up to 50 men a day! She was caught and beaten so severely that she couldn't move for 3 days. She persevered and just found a different place to stash her money. Once she felt she had enough she bribed one of the guards and got away. She is now happily married due to Ailoka :D Ailoka is know to rescue girls right off the streets when she is out and about doing stuff, not looking for these girls but she will say "you're coming with me" and just take them to a shelter.
We had lunch and just listed to Ailoka. There is a bus stop that just was erected next to the other shelter, Child Care Home and Ailoka is going to get it taken down and we all believe this will be done. Bus drivers will usually work with traffickers in that if they see a young girl traveling alone they will call a trafficker and give them a heads up and the girl will get picked up. That is just ONE of the concerns when it comes to that bus stop.
After lunch I did about 2 more batches of soap before we left at 4.
The girls are so happy and affectionate, it's hard to even believe that they have dealt with and seen some horrible things. At one point a girl was playing with my hair as I sat there watching the girls dance, she was rubbing my neck and shoulder. They seem to have a desire for some sort of physical contact and have no qualms about reaching out to just be connected with you. It's a beautiful thing considering here in the U.S. we all have our personal bubble. The Philippines were like this also. I would go out with Belle (our maid...great person) and we would walk with our arms linked and even hold hands. It's a nice thing of these cultures. Too bad if you do that with friends in the U.S. you get labeled or looked at weird. We so need to get over that! People are happier when there is that interaction, it relieves stress and WHO doesn't need that?!
I think tomorrow we are going to start a vegetable garden for the girls.
It feels as if we've been here longer than we have. I think it's because I'm just soaking in all that I can and with the heat.... it wears one out.
For dinner we went out to a nice restaurant that had a mix of foods: Indian or Chinese (Chinese is very popular here). I got to ride in an auto rickshaw! There is a few different types of rickshaws: foot powered, bicycle, and auto (motorcycle). It was fun and I know we get close to other cars when we are in taxi's but in the rickshaw....WOW! I could easily loose a limb if I stuck something out!
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