A Bed to Die In

Believe it or not, I started to write a story with that title after visiting here for the 1st time. I had read several stories about how people would abandon the hillsides and farm land and come to Delhi, hoping to find a better chance to survive, but living on the streets. I thought they came thinking the lure of the city would solve all their problems. I've experienced now that's not the case, they really do come, to live in the streets, to survive. Another person died last night when my brother was transferring him from a government hospital to his hospital, St. Stephen's, from health complications because of the weather, and another this afternoon. The Times of India reported this morning that 10 have died since December 30th. The honest number, they won't publish is at about twice that many. I've been in conversation with Mercy Corp in Portland to learn how to get my hands on a large quantity of space blankets and I appreciate the guidance I got from them. They advised to stay away from space blankets because they are highly flammable, which I didn't know and I do know that even tho these people had a space blanket, they would cuddle around any fire that provided warmth. So now I'm trying to source sleeping pads of some type to insulate the people from the cold ground. I've not resolved anything yet but, because of right-intentions, something positive will happen. My studies improved tremendously this morning when ALL my books for my thesis project arrived today - 5 weeks after I sent them! The whole trip was beginning to resemble a farce because I had only one book to report on. I taught my English class this morning to 4 students. I enjoy them and I think the feeling is mutual. As I was teaching them I had the option to introduce the word 'opinion' & 'respect'. I helped them understand opinion and then I asked each of them their opinion of Indira and Mohatmas Gandhi. They all sparkled as they answered the question. Then respect. Asking for their understanding, they said they must always do what adults told them to do - they must respect them. In a society where the Dalit's, these children, are treated horribly by some adults, and because 3 of the students were girls which places them so far down the ladder of humanity, they don't have a rung to hang on.