friends...

Back: Saji (11), Rochida (3), Rozi (17), Karli Middle: Sazda (10), two girls i don't know names of, Majida (7) Front: Sarapar (12). these are my friends, the Katun kids...all but Irak (9)

Rozi did henna for me. it says, "mushumi, rakhi (karli's bangla name) and Rozi"

i finally know their last name...Katun. and i fully believe God orchestrated our friendship with the Katun family. They live in a slum that we walk through on our way to Prem Don. Just by stopping to talk everyday, gradually we've gotten to know them more and more. at first, they'd ask us for things all the time...but now they don't...now, i think they see us as friends, and we certainly see them as friends. I always look forward to our time with the Katuns on our way to Prem Don. in fact, increasingly we spend more time there (and hour or so the past few days). They're quite patient with our Bengali language skills...so we manage. Rozi's birthday was last week, so next Wednesday we're going to take her on a picnic. i have no idea where or what we'll do - but she wanted to go on a picnic...so that's what we're gonna do...or at least try to do.

around the time of Rozi's birthday the girls had henna - so wednesday i asked Saji and Sazda who did their henna and they said Rozi did. i said, "Rozi, you know how to do henna?" and next thing i knew, my arm was being "decorated." Now, i know its not the most beautiful henna artistically speaking...but i think its the most beautiful henna possible - because of all that it represents. Rozi did my arm...and never asked me to pay at all...it was like a sister thing...she did it for her sisters...and she did it for me. and i feel like i've made this transition from "rich white girl" to "friend" and my heart is just overjoyed!

as i know the Katun family, i do have to wrestle with how my affluence and their poverty mix...what does it look like for me to be their friend, how can i love them, and give in a way that is honoring, and empowering? And...there are some hard things too...from what i can understand Rozi will be married soon, they're just trying to come up with a dowry...and that's hard (cause she's so young...and marriage isn't always the best case scenario here...in fact, often (at least in villages) it is under the guise of marriage that girls are trafficked). and...i want Rozi and her siblings to go to school, not just get married off (all the girls except Rochida work washing clothes with their mother).

also, they think Rochida has TB. they took her to a free clinic, and they did a TB test. they go for the reading tomorrow. so far, it looks good - so, hopefully she doesn't have TB...i'll keep you posted.

so...these are some of my dear friends here...who i am working on loving...and who i'm praying for...and i wanted you to meet them :)

Also...there are lots of new pictures on my Flickr site, just click the "see more of melissa's pics" link to the right