Spirituality & Service
The experience of a children's rights advocate at
Global PeaceWorks
by Pinaki Chakraborty, Delhi University
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more reports about this event
Pinaki
Chakraborty caring for
a special child at Amar Jyoti
|
Skeptical, anxious and curious, these three words just might
describe the feeling I had on the first day of Global PeaceWorks
2004. I had no idea of what I was up against. On one
hand I was
constantly
thinking whether I would be able to do something new and
meaningful. There was a craving to enrich myself with the help
of this
experience. I did not want to go through the days without
picking up something invaluable and priceless.
The event started and I moved with the flow. There
were people from different cultures and backgrounds coming
together
for
a cause, not defined by geo-politics, economics or political
motivations, but rather the need to do something in the field
of peace work. One does not realize how directly or indirectly
people touch lives in a special way and before we realize it,
they are gone.
I
work with children. I work with children struggling
to get by - many of whom have little chance at education or
even a decent job. These are the people, the very young
people, whom I have dedicated my efforts to serving. Nothing
makes me happier than working with them and for them, just
spending
moments
with them and sharing their lives. I am
appalled at the thought of children undergoing inhuman activities
and
doing manual labour - Labour like carrying
bricks in a brick-kiln, which does happen in India, my home
country.
At
Global PeaceWorks, we went to Amar Jyoti, a center that
works for special children who are
physically
and
mentally
challenged to do daily activities that we take for granted.
Our job was to transport thousands of bricks from
the ground to the fourth floor. Simple, but tough
work - especially since we needed to climb up four levels
of the
building with each load we carried.
There
was a realization the moment I picked up the first brick
- that day after day, every single moment, the children
who are
employed in
manual labour carry these bricks on their heads and in
their hearts. They might just keep on doing that if no action
is
taken. This is a burden, which is on the society, but the
people
might not realize that unless the weight of that one brick
is in their hand and the tired look in the child’s
face is that of their own. We need to feel their pain as
ours and
then only can all of us make a difference.
The task in front of us at Amar Jyoti looked simple enough
but was daunting the moment we started with it. We struggled
to get the job done when we were not working together, but
the moment we put our heads together and our hearts to it,
the work was done in a jiffy. There was no looking back from
this point. I was personally very tired during this whole exercise
and was at a point of giving in and giving up when Melissa
from the U.S. who was working in this together with us, made
it look so simple and effortless with her enthusiasm and the
fact
that
she is
so tough, made me get on my feet and work.
When
I saw Durga (Kathmandu, Nepal) and Sheena (New Delhi, India)
putting in more than their body would permit them, made
me
realize
the
work of the mind against
the body and I kept on working furiously. Daman (Nepal) and
Robert (Taiwan) were pushing wheel burrows full of bricks to
the fourth floor
and the feeling that I had in seeing them is indescribable.
Its something that a person needs to experience and something
that no one can ever describe to another human being.
We
are living in a world comprising different religions and
practices. I always wanted to see them under one roof and
observe
them closely and see where all of them merge to give rise to
a single strand of thought and feeling. I finally got a chance
to do all that.
The
visit to the mosque at Fatehpuri, the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara
at Connaught Place, the havan (The
havan
or fire ceremony is an ancient ritual where prayers are
offered into the fire) at Amar Jyoti and the Lotus Temple
of the
Baha'i’s
made me feel the unison of different cultures coming together
irrespective of religion and practices to accept the existence
of one God, one higher entity. We get to know more and more
about each other’s faith only by practicing that faith.
I had only heard of different religions like Judaism and that
too by their names. It was very interesting when in the morning
sessions we got to hear a lot about the religions of the present
delegates and their own faiths.
After
having spent so much time with all the people present there
I have made some friends for life.
Wonderful experiences
which I can only think of and laugh when alone. I distinctly
remember Shymaine’s (Delhi) smile that had so much
hope and happiness to share with everyone. Robai (Nairobi,
Kenya) with her
acting skills
had us
in splits. Midori (Japan) and Melissa while laughing incessantly
to Robai were also lost in their thoughts and were amazingly
sensible
when it came to the work arena. Wonchang (Korea), even
with the language barrier in place was simply amazing to
be with
and
was all
heart. Ravi (Sri Lanka) with whom I held many animated
conversations was an inspiration.
Christa
(California, U.S.A.) made me feel alive with her morning
Yoga classes; another sign of cultures crossing
barriers
and
being poignant even in the remotest of places. David (New
York, U.S.A.) with his camera kept on clicking photographs
and with
his humble
attitude
towards life made excellent company as a roommate. Brooke
(Colorado, U.S.A.) made us all realize how you can’t take a single
minute for granted when she narrated her horrifying encounter
with
the
rattlesnake. Esther (New York, U.S.A.) danced her way into
everyone’s
heart with the flamenco and matched her grace with strength
during
the brick laying exercise. Sohana (New York, U.S.A.) and
Gayatri (Gujurat) were extremely down to earth and patient
with the
workload.
Ajay
(Delhi) with all
his outward toughness was extremely humble and inspirational.
Ammu (Tamil Nadu) was extremely nice and one needs to not
worry about the hospitality when she is around. Dushleen
(Delhi)
was ever helpful
and
supportive.
Khorrum (Delhi) and Eric (New York), whats to say about the
people who made all this possible? Probably a thank you is
not sufficient
but a moment of hope and love, understanding and accepting
everyone as they are and a belief that things will be better
with the joining of hands across continents and boundaries
should make for a wonderful experience, which you made possible.
With best wishes and prayers.
God Bless you all.
Pinaki
