Awake
Sorry it has taken so long for me to write again. Writing is not my forte, as I mention above this blog, so getting the initiative to do it always takes a bit of encouraging for me… from myself lol.
Anyway, a lot has happened since my journey here.
So much that this blog is Day 1 only of the tour, for one because there's so much to write about, number two because I haven't slept more than four hours at once since arriving and find it hard to put a sentence together sometimes, let alone an entire blog.
So I arrived safely... obviously.I found my way to the hotel in Delhi. It was super beautiful and just what you need after 16 hours of flying and 22 of travel. The first morning I was lucky enough to have slept well and made my way to breakfast and three participants came up recognizing me from Facebook (see it is beneficial for all you non-believers ;) I ended up tagging along with them for the day as we travelled around Delhi. First we tried to visit Ghandi’s home where he spent the last 144 days of his life and it happens to also be where he was assassinated. It, in true Indian fashion, was closed Mondays. I had visited last time I was here, but was still disappointed as I feel like this time, with all the work and path I have been on in the past two years, I would have appreciated it more. Even though we couldn’t go in, it was ironically quiet and peaceful right outside the gates, and for those of you who have been to Delhi know, quiet and peaceful are not two words people ever really use to describe this place. Positive outcome though… it was the only way I knew which day I arrived when people asked, and the only way I have been able to keep track of the days this whole time J
We ended up visiting two markets, having a nice lunch getting to know one another, and then visiting the site where Ghandi was cremated. It was pretty beautiful, but the best part was the four musicians who sing twice daily, every single day, at the site. Once we got back to the hotel we moved to a new one and met up with most of the group who were also arriving from various pre-trips or the airport. Seane was there and gave us a nice hug to greet us, which felt super since hugs aren’t the touch you normally get in India… rather more like ‘throwing elbows’ here.
There is no concept of personal space here, lining up for anything doesn’t exist, and being a conservative society public touch and affection are not really appropriate, so hugs are nice. I think these aspect of this country are hard on some, but I remember from last time and really feel much more accepting and open to fully embracing every custom this culture has to offer, although I have not nor will not be wearing a sari… bindi’s, mehendi (henna), and anything else the young girls we are working with seem to be all good, but wearing a sari is something I am not even going to attempt at this stage. I like my ‘western’ clothes, especially with all the activities we are doing.
One of the big reasons I wanted to do this challenge and took it on was to ‘get my hands dirty’ and that they are! Everything about this trip is kinda dark and dirty (except for our beautiful, not at all quiet or peaceful, hotel).
Our first day consisted of visiting Apne Aap (www.apneaap.org) , an advocacy and prevention organization who work tirelessly to change laws and change attitudes. The woman who founded the org is incredible, strong, dedicated, and so passionate about putting an end to trafficking and selling of women from India it was so amazing to listen to her speak. We talked a lot about supply and demand. How if there was no demand, this would not be an industry, but not only is demand increasing, so is the demand for younger and younger girls. The average age for trafficking and selling of girls starts at about 6-8 years old. They are no longer ‘useful’ to brothel owners at around the age of 30-35. So what Aapne App does is tries to go in to the districts and educate the prostitutes on how to save money so thatwhen they are no longer making the pimps money instead of being thrown onto the streets they have a savings. They also do so much more in terms of prevention. We saw one of the prevention initiative sites, going to a small, fairly poor area of Delhi, where Apne Aap has a ‘safe’ house built, which serves to educate young girls and teens who are at risk for trafficking. It was one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life, and a straight dive in to my uncomfort zone. I am not really drawn to young children, nor do I want to bare children, so being around about 100 of them, who were so excited and eager, was a lot for me. It was still really special though. It felt like by the end of the visit the whole neighborhood was on the roof singing and dancing with us.
The money we have raised for Apne Aap is going to fund more of these safe houses and other projects they need support with. They are still very grass-roots, being around only 10 years in the heart of India’s brothels, but have made huge dents in them in that time. The founder was telling us that one of the areas they had educate houses, met with the prostitutes, and supported their kids in education, them in savings, went from 15 to 1, and another went from 80 I think to something like 8. This is a huge victory and showing that what they are doing is very effective, where their concerns now lies is in the fact that there is still demand, ever increasing, so brothel owners/pimps/ etc. just open them elsewhere. So they are constantly at work establishing trust and trying hard to get back in to them, as now owners/pimps are catching on to what is happening. So they are now very much focused on the advocacy and law changing.
Since the rape happened here in India, and the violence towards the women of India in particular has become international news, law makers here are starting to listen. They appealed to the org’s, etc. in the country to come to them with proposals on laws that deal with violence against women. Apne Aap filed four, all on human trafficking, which focused specifically on higher charges for the ‘john’s, higher fines for pimps/brothel owners (especially those selling underage girls), and for there to be a definition of sex trafficking. They have been fighting for the sex trafficking definition here for years, without success, but ironically she has been able to change the policy within the UN and US.
This being the Bare Witness Tour, we are encouraged to witness what really comes up for us along this journey, rather than come in like ‘gawkers’ and leave. This is a time for us to only get stronger in our leadership but truly confronting our own shadows, projections, expectations, triggers, as well as joy, happiness, inner child, and really all aspects of our selves. Not only does this empower us, but also for me has reinforces that no matter how much ‘work’ you do… the shadow is lurking.
I try hard to teach what I practice and I noticed that when I was really uncomfortable around the kids dancing that discomfort dissolved quite quickly, as I instantly went to ‘your inhibitions inhibit you’ and knew I would not only be robbing this child of her much deserved play time with us, but would also be robbing it of myself. I never get to just dance and play (note to self here ;) It instantly changed the moment for me, and the rest of the experience. Eyes and heart open… as OTM says.
The most impactful moment though of the whole day was listening to the founder talk about her journey along the path to where she is now, and that even with constant challenges, setbacks, and battling an entire social system, she continues to show up every day, in body, mind, and heart. She has made mistakes, witnessed other foundations around her do the same, but she made it clear that she only continues to get stronger from it and evolve… becoming more effective and sustainable.
There really is nothing more inspiring than being around someone so whole-heartedly passionate about what they are doing, who is living out what they are meant to be doing here in this body in this time. I feel really blessed to have been in her presence even for such a brief time.
*Btw, Apne Aap’s policies were tentatively passed by the Indian government. Resistance is highest about the ‘john’s’ bill because very strong opposition from a very profitable marketing company who received funds from the Bill Gates Foundation (over $500 million in total) who sank the money into a condom campaign thinking this is where it would be most effective, since India is quickly becoming the most infected country in the world with AIDS. This marketing company thought where better to work this campaign than brothels. One of their ad’s read ‘Don’t worry about her age, think about the condom’. It is fairly unlikely the bill will pass.
First published Feb22,2013
Anyway, a lot has happened since my journey here.
So much that this blog is Day 1 only of the tour, for one because there's so much to write about, number two because I haven't slept more than four hours at once since arriving and find it hard to put a sentence together sometimes, let alone an entire blog.
So I arrived safely... obviously.I found my way to the hotel in Delhi. It was super beautiful and just what you need after 16 hours of flying and 22 of travel. The first morning I was lucky enough to have slept well and made my way to breakfast and three participants came up recognizing me from Facebook (see it is beneficial for all you non-believers ;) I ended up tagging along with them for the day as we travelled around Delhi. First we tried to visit Ghandi’s home where he spent the last 144 days of his life and it happens to also be where he was assassinated. It, in true Indian fashion, was closed Mondays. I had visited last time I was here, but was still disappointed as I feel like this time, with all the work and path I have been on in the past two years, I would have appreciated it more. Even though we couldn’t go in, it was ironically quiet and peaceful right outside the gates, and for those of you who have been to Delhi know, quiet and peaceful are not two words people ever really use to describe this place. Positive outcome though… it was the only way I knew which day I arrived when people asked, and the only way I have been able to keep track of the days this whole time J
We ended up visiting two markets, having a nice lunch getting to know one another, and then visiting the site where Ghandi was cremated. It was pretty beautiful, but the best part was the four musicians who sing twice daily, every single day, at the site. Once we got back to the hotel we moved to a new one and met up with most of the group who were also arriving from various pre-trips or the airport. Seane was there and gave us a nice hug to greet us, which felt super since hugs aren’t the touch you normally get in India… rather more like ‘throwing elbows’ here.
There is no concept of personal space here, lining up for anything doesn’t exist, and being a conservative society public touch and affection are not really appropriate, so hugs are nice. I think these aspect of this country are hard on some, but I remember from last time and really feel much more accepting and open to fully embracing every custom this culture has to offer, although I have not nor will not be wearing a sari… bindi’s, mehendi (henna), and anything else the young girls we are working with seem to be all good, but wearing a sari is something I am not even going to attempt at this stage. I like my ‘western’ clothes, especially with all the activities we are doing.
One of the big reasons I wanted to do this challenge and took it on was to ‘get my hands dirty’ and that they are! Everything about this trip is kinda dark and dirty (except for our beautiful, not at all quiet or peaceful, hotel).
Our first day consisted of visiting Apne Aap (www.apneaap.org) , an advocacy and prevention organization who work tirelessly to change laws and change attitudes. The woman who founded the org is incredible, strong, dedicated, and so passionate about putting an end to trafficking and selling of women from India it was so amazing to listen to her speak. We talked a lot about supply and demand. How if there was no demand, this would not be an industry, but not only is demand increasing, so is the demand for younger and younger girls. The average age for trafficking and selling of girls starts at about 6-8 years old. They are no longer ‘useful’ to brothel owners at around the age of 30-35. So what Aapne App does is tries to go in to the districts and educate the prostitutes on how to save money so thatwhen they are no longer making the pimps money instead of being thrown onto the streets they have a savings. They also do so much more in terms of prevention. We saw one of the prevention initiative sites, going to a small, fairly poor area of Delhi, where Apne Aap has a ‘safe’ house built, which serves to educate young girls and teens who are at risk for trafficking. It was one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life, and a straight dive in to my uncomfort zone. I am not really drawn to young children, nor do I want to bare children, so being around about 100 of them, who were so excited and eager, was a lot for me. It was still really special though. It felt like by the end of the visit the whole neighborhood was on the roof singing and dancing with us.
The money we have raised for Apne Aap is going to fund more of these safe houses and other projects they need support with. They are still very grass-roots, being around only 10 years in the heart of India’s brothels, but have made huge dents in them in that time. The founder was telling us that one of the areas they had educate houses, met with the prostitutes, and supported their kids in education, them in savings, went from 15 to 1, and another went from 80 I think to something like 8. This is a huge victory and showing that what they are doing is very effective, where their concerns now lies is in the fact that there is still demand, ever increasing, so brothel owners/pimps/ etc. just open them elsewhere. So they are constantly at work establishing trust and trying hard to get back in to them, as now owners/pimps are catching on to what is happening. So they are now very much focused on the advocacy and law changing.
Since the rape happened here in India, and the violence towards the women of India in particular has become international news, law makers here are starting to listen. They appealed to the org’s, etc. in the country to come to them with proposals on laws that deal with violence against women. Apne Aap filed four, all on human trafficking, which focused specifically on higher charges for the ‘john’s, higher fines for pimps/brothel owners (especially those selling underage girls), and for there to be a definition of sex trafficking. They have been fighting for the sex trafficking definition here for years, without success, but ironically she has been able to change the policy within the UN and US.
This being the Bare Witness Tour, we are encouraged to witness what really comes up for us along this journey, rather than come in like ‘gawkers’ and leave. This is a time for us to only get stronger in our leadership but truly confronting our own shadows, projections, expectations, triggers, as well as joy, happiness, inner child, and really all aspects of our selves. Not only does this empower us, but also for me has reinforces that no matter how much ‘work’ you do… the shadow is lurking.
I try hard to teach what I practice and I noticed that when I was really uncomfortable around the kids dancing that discomfort dissolved quite quickly, as I instantly went to ‘your inhibitions inhibit you’ and knew I would not only be robbing this child of her much deserved play time with us, but would also be robbing it of myself. I never get to just dance and play (note to self here ;) It instantly changed the moment for me, and the rest of the experience. Eyes and heart open… as OTM says.
The most impactful moment though of the whole day was listening to the founder talk about her journey along the path to where she is now, and that even with constant challenges, setbacks, and battling an entire social system, she continues to show up every day, in body, mind, and heart. She has made mistakes, witnessed other foundations around her do the same, but she made it clear that she only continues to get stronger from it and evolve… becoming more effective and sustainable.
There really is nothing more inspiring than being around someone so whole-heartedly passionate about what they are doing, who is living out what they are meant to be doing here in this body in this time. I feel really blessed to have been in her presence even for such a brief time.
*Btw, Apne Aap’s policies were tentatively passed by the Indian government. Resistance is highest about the ‘john’s’ bill because very strong opposition from a very profitable marketing company who received funds from the Bill Gates Foundation (over $500 million in total) who sank the money into a condom campaign thinking this is where it would be most effective, since India is quickly becoming the most infected country in the world with AIDS. This marketing company thought where better to work this campaign than brothels. One of their ad’s read ‘Don’t worry about her age, think about the condom’. It is fairly unlikely the bill will pass.
First published Feb22,2013
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