Some background

I just thought I would explain a little about the Ranaghat YMCA.
World Vision started a program to sponsor girls that live on the streets of Calcutta. They bring them to the YMCA where they will have a safe place to live, food to eat and a good education. Visiting Calcutta allows us to see how theses girls lives were before they came to the Y. Children and families are literally living on the streets, sleeping, bathing, and cooking. Some may have a small form of shelter. I have had a young girl hanging off my arm begging me for money, it is really sad to see and hard because we can not do something for all of them. But at the same time I am so happy that the girls at the Y got the opportunity for a better life. Hopefully more programs will turn up, to help even more children.

One thing we are all having a hard time getting used to is the trash system! There really isn't one. Trash here is just thrown into a pile and maybe once a week it them gets burned. I have had a hard time just throwing trash on the ground. In the market if you get a sweet or a candy, the wrapper just goes right on the ground. There are no trash cans to be seen! We have a few buckets at the Y but the trash then gets dumped into a pile and then burned.

The girls have not seen too much gymnastics so sometimes I will show them some moves. They love it! I have taught some of them cartwheels and bridges, and a few can even do back bends now!