September Update

It’s August 14 as I sit and write, but as usual, by the time you get this letter it will be close to a month from now. Today I write from my friends’ living room, sitting on the side of a mountain at about 7000 ft elevation. I’m told there’s an amazing view of the Himalayas behind me, and a stunning view of the valley front of me. But for now, it’s all covered in a blanket of fog. Not to be cheesy, but it’s a lot like life. We know that beauty is behind and before us, but often all we can see is the murkiness that is our present. Sometimes I fight the murkiness. I rail against its existence; I try to force clarity to appear. But sometimes in the midst of the murkiness, against all odds, I find deep rest. I breathe deeply, press my roots down into what I know to be true, and I am transformed. This is my longing for today, and for this season .

I’m on a “quarterly break” from Kolkata, and while it hasn’t been 3 months since I last left Kolkata (it’s only been 6 weeks) – sometimes we take what we can get! The only way I can describe life since my return to Kolkata is a marathon sprint. A month long marathon sprint. And before me is a 2 month stretch that will be difficult for other reasons (but I’ll get to that in a bit)

Beth Waterman (my dear friend, co-worker) moved back to America at the beginning of July. She has been planning this move since February. We knew that it would be a difficult transition (Beth has been serving in the Sari Bari community for 7 years! Professionally, there were a lot of logistics that she was responsible for, and she was woven into deep relationships with the community).  We all worked hard, and prepared, we carved time out to do professional hand off of responsibilities, and we took time to sit together and prepare our hearts personally. But unsurprisingly, no matter how much you prepare, you’re never really ready for the moment of the final goodbye. As we adjust to our new normal, we do so with a “Beth-sized hole” in our midst.

In addition to this, after serving for 2 ½ years, Brooke Taylor also decided to move back to America. She moved in mid-July. In May she got engaged to her best friend, Cole, and they are excited to move toward life together. Brooke’s absence in our community is also a huge adjustment.

Sprinkle in other major events (like giving up the lease on what has been our community hub for 7 years, and an unexpected surgery for Sarah (don’t worry…she’s fine!)) and minor events (like my internet being out for a week, not sleeping well, adjusting to new responsibilities, and airport runs) and you have a month for the record books!

After we took Beth to the airport, it was as if I gave myself permission to be tired. Permission to stop. Permission to breathe. In doing so I realized how tired I was. And now, begins the work of moving forward, of putting one foot in front of the other, doing the little things to take care of myself, making up for lost sleep, re-gaining margin, and allowing my heart to feel the many transitions that have happened in the past month. 

That “covers” where I’ve been, and where I am…and now for what’s coming.

Sarah will be away from Kolkata for all of Sept and October. This means I will be the only American w/ WMF in Kolkata for a while. We have been preparing for this (asking folks we know in the city to help w/ some tasks, hiring new people, training people to take on new responsibilities). Sarah, Upendra and I have worked hard to make sure that things at Sari Bari will run smoothly. And I have been preparing for how to take care of myself personally during this season. I will connect w/ other organizations in the city for spiritual and emotionally support, and also have plans to invite myself to friends’ houses regularly (and to invite folks too). Professionally this means I’ll make more decisions, and solving more problems. We always say, “we’ll be fine as long as there isn’t a crisis” but I’m pretty sure there is always a crisis when we say that. I expect this season to be hard. I expect to be tired, and I expect to feel totally overwhelmed at some points. I also feel like we’ve prepared for it. And I expect it will be a season of growth, and new things coming to life. So I look into this season with a weird sense of excitement.  I know I am not alone. I know that the leaders at Sari Bari are capable. I know that they will be with me, no matter what happens! I also know I have the support of lots of friends outside the Sari Bari community, who are ready to “go to bat” for me at any point. That being said, please be in prayer for me and the leaders of Sari Bari (Upendra, Radha, Shila, Parul, Gita, Chaya, Rohima, Tinki, Supriya, John and Sandeep) who will take on new/extra responsibilities over the course of the next 2 months. Pray for wisdom, rest, creativity. Additionally, please pray that I will be gentle with myself, and that I will ask for help when I need it. Pray that I will have the discipline to do the little things that I know I need to do to care of myself. And while I’m asking for prayer, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to pray that there won’t be any crises in next two months. (there can always be the first time!)

 New responsibilities:

Shipping: For the short term, it is my job to oversee shipping again. Actually we’re training one of the Sari Bari women, Bidya, to be our new shipping coordinator. She is learning fast, but there are a lot of details for her to learn, and some of the job involves brand new skills for her (like learning how to use the internet and email).

Coordinating the North American Community:  This is a new long-term responsibility, and I’m excited about it! Some of this role is administrative (keeping the calendar, coordinating logistics), but what I’m most excited about it overseeing new staff. This role taps into my shepherd heart. I’m looking forward to walking with staff as they negotiate their first few years in Kolkata, and learn how to live here. We have one new staff member, Sera Han, who will be joining us in late Fall (if all goes well w/ support raising and visas!). There are 2 others who are considering joining us as well.

Medical: With Beth’s departure I am currently coordinating the medical support for the Sari Bari community. This means coordinating bi-annual physicals for all the women, and providing support in medical emergencies/hospitalizations.

Social Welfare: This deceptively short two word title encompasses all things non-business related J It means helping women get their children into school, responding to emergencies (for the women and their families), and staying in touch with the people we support who do not work at Sari Bari.

I’ll close w/ a prayer of Teresa of Avila that has been profound to me in the past few months. May it be an encouragement to you as well.

Let nothing upset you, Let nothing startle you.

All things pass: God does not change.

Patience wins all it seeks. Whoever has God lacks nothing.

God alone is enough

May you go out in joy, and be led forth in peace.

Melissa

A few special moments from the past month...

We were invited to the US Consulate's 4th of July celebration. so fancy and fun...not the average back-yard BBQ that we're used to in the States!

Me, Beth and Sarah and Beth's huge going away party. There were people from every corner of Kolkata that...government officials, ladies from the Gach, SB women, landlords...you name it. it was a great party!

remnants of a celebration at Sari Bari.

"The End of the World As We Know It" Party...the one where we said goodbye to the flat that has been our community hub for 7 years. it was a beautiful celebration, and a time to remember all the things those walls have witnessed...

Jeff and Anna Tabone came to visit in July! it was such a gift to share the ins and outs of "normal" life in Kolkata with dear friends from my other home :)