For well over a decade the Tacoma Rescue Mission has supported a sister Mission in Bangalore, India. Now we have sent one of our very own, Lynette Grubbs from our Development Dept., to serve at the India Mission. She is helping them focus their mission statement and services to better serve the poor of Bangalore. While she is there she is also visiting Calcutta Mercy Hospital, a ministry which my twin brother Dean Curry serves on the board and supports through his church. Here is an update from Lynette’s travel journal: I am sitting in a room with four other people and we are waiting to be taken to see a clinic. We visited a different clinic yesterday and left the hospital at 5 AM this morning to see a feeding program that has gone on for 30 years. The food truck delivers big washtubs of food to six different village areas where local people despense the food to people who line up for it. The truck then retraces its route and picks up the empty tubs. All my batteries were confiscated in the Delhi airport, so I have no photos at this point. Have not been to any stores – have been nonstop participating in what is going on Have met lots of other volunteers including a very young couple (late 20s) from Seattle. The weather is nice -high of about 80. I get cold when they taqke us somewhere in a van because they turn the air conditioning on high. I have not gone out alone – they have schedules for us and all our time is full. I have a short time right now to write before I go out again. They are going to take me to see some of Mother Theresa’s works. I had visited her orphanage in New Delhi in 1981, but she started here in Calcutta. I do not intend to go to the house of the dead and dyi ng.. But maybe some of the other places. This ministy partners with hers (and has for many years.) We have only been to and driven through poverty stricken areas. I know there are rich places, but we have not seen them yet, and we have spent hours and hours driving to various projects. As far as things that have changed since 1981 when I was in India before, I haven’t noticed much, but then, I haven’t been here long yet, either. By the way, this place (Caclutta Mercy Hospital) is in a predominantly Muslim area, but has had no problems. (Even though it is known to be Christian.) Although Muslims are a minority in India, they have increased significantly in Calcutta because millions have immigrated here from Bangaladesh. Most of thses people live in slum areas, but they have more than if they had remained in Bangaladesh. Love to all! Lynette
