Nomo Shkar! (Hindu/Christian/Buddhist Greeting)

Here is a little bit of my story so far. Hopefully over the course of the next few days I will do justice at telling theirs…

Power of Language – Bangladesh Day 1 from Joy Eggerichs on Vimeo.

The “Sweeper” Community

This is Nazma (next to me in the turquoise) and her girlfriends. Nazma is fifteen and wants to be a banker- although I’m pretty sure deep down she wants to be a singer. Either way, she’s going places. They all are.

Photo by: Esther Havens

The goal of development work (versus relief work) is to eventually leave a community project self sustained by the local people. Food for The Hungry is in the process of handing the reigns to people like the these men who were sponsored as children and now teaching the next generation. Josef (middle stripes) is the 25 year old headmaster of the school.

Photo by: Esther Havens

Morning games and faces. Hoping I didn’t scare these girls with my game-face.

Photo by: Daniel White 

Trying out my Bangla.

Photo by: Esther Havens

Looking at Mary’s wedding photos while her mother Shintali (front) talks about the culture and evolution of marriage in their community. Shintali was married at age twelve never having laid eyes on her husband before her wedding day. She said it took about a year to “feel comfortable with him” and while he is now deceased, his picture hangs in their one room home and the consensus is that he was a good man. Shintali then recounts the arrangement of Mary’s marriage and in a reserved laugh shares how she did “re-con” to make sure Sumon was a worthy man for her daughter. When Sumon checked out and finally met Mary, they were both free to say if they wanted to marry each other or not. They were both fans of each other and married at the much later age of…nineteen. When I asked how long it took Mary to feel comfortable with Sumon, she said, “not long because we had talked a lot on the phone. He cares about me very much.” Both Shintali and Mary agree that marriages are far more harmonious when the parents let the children be involved in decision making.

Photo by: Daniel White 

Eighteen year old Arjinamma and her mother. Her father is a street sweeper. Arjinamma is entering grade twelve and plans to go to University which was unthinkable for this community not so long ago. Oh, and they try to stay serious for photos, but I was having none of that.

Photo by: Daniel White 

Case in point #1

Case in point #2

Photo by: Daniel White 

“Why aren’t you married?” Lindsey Nobles and I fielding the same questions in Bangladesh that we get in the states.

Photo by: Daniel White 

Every door I entered, this would soon be the scene that followed.

Photo by: Daniel White 

Keep up with me this week as I follow these children and their story. Or consider following one special kid yourself by becoming a sponsor.

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p.s. If you want to connect with all the other bloggers (who are amazing storytellers…) check out the line up here: #FHbloggers