Mitraniketan, Kerala a special place

Mitraniketan is just wonderful!! There are over 500 children here from surrounding villages...it is just such an interesting way to care for children living in poverty circumstances. On the one hand it seems contrary to my instinct of wanting children to be in their families, but this is really different...Mitraniketan is a big family. The two co-directors are amazing elders who have been doing this work for over 50 years...Viswanathan and Sethu have been stretching their arms, hearts and resources to build such a caring and compassionate environment, everyone flourishes, everyone matters, everyone contributes.

Yesterday I met with 50 women from a local women's co-operative. These women are saving 10 rupees a week in the local "project bank" and after 6 months, they can begin taking small micro-loans for specific household needs or projects. When they pay it back, they can take out a new loan. There are numerous cottage industries, candle making, incense stick making, batik designs, jam making, and others projects that both students and village women can learn how to do and they also make money doing them.

During my time with the women, I taught them to do "listening partnerships" where each women got to tell her story to another woman - being listened to for 5 minutes without interruption. Then they traded and the woman who spoke got to listen for 5 minutes. The women enjoyed this chance to share, and could notice how hard it is just to begin to speak up and expect to be heard. For many, this was a difficult exercise, and the women leaders were very excited about the idea as a way to encourage the women to speak, and not have the expectation that they have to speak in front of a group. The primary women's group coordinator was very energetic and fun to speak with. I love being with mothers anywhere in the world.

I shared with them that my mother had died just a month ago, and about how my mom was a leader and very energetic in her pursuit of programs to help improve the conditions of people in the world....and I shared that mommy was an inspiration to me and many others. It was a very satisfying afternoon.

The biggest learning I feel is how to be in the midst of many contradictions all at once. Poverty is all around and so is wealth. Thoughtful treatment of others exists next to ignoring the plight of the person in front of you. The front of a home can be neatly swept and the ground have a beautiful mandala design made of chalk or white sand, and just to the side or going under the front porch can be a pile of garbage or raw sewage.

This time being here I have more capacity to be with these contradictions around me, and also to be with those within me. You at home are all in my heart here.

Today we leave the peace of Mitraniketin and head by train up to Madurai.