Mother Teresa's Home for the Destitute and Dying

My volunteer placement while in India is at Mother Teresa's Home for the Destitute and Dying (MTHDD). I work there everyday from 8:00 - 12:00, and I am the only volunteer that works by myself and for four hours. The other volunteers work with another volunteer, and they work two hours a day, in teaching placements, either with children or grown women.

MTHDD is nothing like I thought it would be. I had envisioned a hospital type setting in the slums of New Delhi, filled with very sick patients. Instead, the home is in an area that was once a rural village, but is now part of the outskirts of New Delhi. It's not the best area, but it is nothing like the slums that I have been to while being here. It is situated behind a gate in beautiful grounds, that has a garden and a very nice play area for the residents. (Actually, they are called inmates, but I just can't call them that.) The building looks like a convent, with two wards, one for the men and one for the women (120 residents total). It's very open and airy, and each ward has a huge courtyard surrounded by open hallways where they hang out during the day. So far, I have only worked in the women's ward.

The residents are all mentally disabled and some of them are also physically disabled. Their mental status ranges from quite high functioning to barely functioning. There are women that live there who I believe are orphans and along with one or two sisters, and the high-functioning residents, do all the work. And boy do they work!

When I get there at 8:00, they are busy washing the floors and it is quite a process. I help with one part of it, and in the heat and humidity, after about 10 minutes I am dripping and aching. After that, washing gets done and I now know how to wash "Indian style." We wash by hand and the sister steps in the big tin bucket and mashes the laundry like she's making wine. We have to rinse the laundry three times in three different buckets, and there is certain way we have to do it. Next the laundry gets hung on the terrace and for a short person, it's somewhat difficult to fling the laundry over the wires.

While this is going on, the residents sit in the hallways, waiting for their medication and their mid-morning snack. If I'm not doing the washing, I play with them, cut their nails, massage their hands with lotion, or just sit with them. Around 10:00 or so, a "professional physical therapist" does exercises with them, and I help some of the patients with the movements. They also play musical chairs which they love to do.

I get served tea between 10:00 - 11:00, and I have to take it, along with a 15 minute rest. Trust me, I look forward to it everyday. After tea, lunch is served to the residents and I help feed those who can't feed themselves. The food looks really good and they get ample portions. After lunch, they get some more medication and then it's nap time for them, and time for me to leave.

I would love to take pictures of the residents and the place, but I need to ask permission. I did take a few, which I've inserted, but they don't show much. I'm beginning to get quite attached to a lot of the residents and even the one who lurks behind me all the time and is know for biting, is growing on me. I love how, despite not having anything, they still mange to dress up with the clothing donated to them. What I really find fascinating, is how they take care of each other. It's quite something to see on a daily basis. There is also a pecking order, and some get picked on constantly. I am called "Didi", which means sister or sometimes they call me "Auntie."

The pictures are as follows:

• Front of the home where I get dropped off
• My tea and biscuits
• The room where I take my tea and have a rest
• The front gate