Ekatva

It is truly amazing to notice the difference in my mental state if I am not on a ridiculous month of residency. I finished the ICU on Thursday and I have been able to do SO much. Life had definitely been put on hold and I am thankful to live it fully again.

This past weekend was the Ekatva Oneness Show in Chicago. Raj and I have been trying to help out as much as our schedules allow it and it has been an awesome experience. A little background info...This past summer in Inspire, we met the kids of Ekatva during the trip. All the people in Inspire paired up with a kid and went to their homes in the slums of Amdhabad (I always spell it wrong so apologies in advance). I stayed with Dipmala and Raj stayed with Dharma ji. They lived in Shankar Bhavan and once we got there we found out that the government of Gujrat was kicking them out of their homes. It was crazy to think that these people that had been living their for years could get kicked out so easily. They were being offered places to move to but from what we learned along the way it seemed to be 1) very expensive 2) completely away from the lives that they had created for themselves. Despite the chaos that existed in these people's lives, they welcomed us with such warmth and love. The resilience of these kids and families is incredible. I know I left feeling infuriated at a system that values malls over people's livelihoods/existence, feeling a little powerless to the system, and knowing that my way of existence is connected to the injustices that exist.

At the time we were there, they were talking about doing a tour across the United States. Flash forward to now...they are here and it is actually happening. The first show was yesterday and it was phenomenal! Raj and I got involved in helping coordinate the logistics of them coming and helping spread the word. The Manav Sadhna family (the organization that has brought these kids here and works with the slum community in Amdhabad) is huge in Chicago. It is always a struggle to get involved with things outside of residency due to time constraints, but we both showed up when we could. I will say there was so much more that I could have done but that being said I feel blessed to be a part of the family. We got to meet so many new faces and with each meeting, there was a little bit more of a connection. Everyone had their own personal link to these kids and the energy was just so great. It was a reminder on the Manav Sadhna spirit and that we all have the potential to connect to any human being around us...it is just a matter of taking the time to do so. Seeing the kids again was a treat.

I've struggled a bit when describing what exactly I have been "promoting." I didn't want to label these kids as slum kids but part of the what catches people's attentions is that they are coming from the slums. We asked the kids what was happening in Shankar Bhavan and two of the kids homes were torn down. I want people to share this incredible experience that these kids have created and I truly believe in the message of oneness and love but I always wonder where will it all lead to? These kids are seeing "America" but will return to their own realities. Their families will still continue to live in the slums and what does that mean? I think the fact that the Manav Sadhna team is continuing to keep them grounded in their daily routines and connecting them to various organizations here is going to help them see the various realities of America as well. In the end I think I've realized that these kids internal experience has changed and will continue to change by being part of this group. They will be inspired and inspire those around them and the ripple effect will lead to unexpected connections. All the people that hear their stories will be affected and in turn carry their own message. It will inspire us to fight against the disparities that exist here and across the world. And if I get to be a part of that...I am thankful for the experience. I have been touched by these kids and hope that you guys will be too. They are still touring all over and need your support..please continue to help spread the word and come see their show. 

Some pictures of the show from yesterday...didn't take many