I'm feeling so much better now! Although Calcutta was determined to keep me bedridden, the highlight was definitely visiting the patients being taken care of by Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity. I went back a second time to visit and spend some time with the handicapped children and mentally ill women being housed on the wards. Many of these people were found on the streets of Calcutta, either brought in by concerned citizens or by the police. I was touched by how friendly and happy they were - the children touching my face and beaming happily at the sight of a new visitor. It is a miracle when you see people with so very little looking so content. It was heart-breaking to visit the mentally ill women - their heads were shaved to prevent lice and other parasites; this somehow stripped them of their individuality and femininity. And then I felt GUILTY for feeling sorry for them - they need compassion and friendship, not pity.

    One of the sisters who I met was a lovely young woman from Canberra Australia, and she began telling me how she was just recovering from two horrible bouts of malaria (quite common in Calcutta). She nearly died, but was somehow rushed to the hospital just in time to get the chloroquine. Another nun told me how she was bedridden with jaundice (no doubt a Hepatitis A infection) for a month.

    "Don't you get vaccinated?" I squeaked.

    The sisters exchanged looks of surprise. They explained to me that it would be very expensive to vaccinate the nuns.

    Suddenly, I felt sick with guilt. There I was, on HOLIDAY in India, having received malaria pills and a hep A vaccine before I left - and here were brave selfless women who were constantly helping other people, and they're not even afforded my "backpackers" preventive care!

    There must be a way to vaccinate these sisters! I wonder how expensive it really is. When you think about it, one of them being in bed for a month is a huge deal - they all work so hard and save so many destitute people...I'm going to look into this when I get home. These women are some of society's most humble protectors. It seems unjust not to do everything possible to protect them...

~Hope