"Giving makes you truly happy"

Also in 2018 a group of volunteers of VIDA (VIS Foundation for India) has dedicated a good part of the summer period going to Calcutta to participate at the humanitarian mission and to serve the poorest of the poor.

My experience in Calcutta has been very rewarding; feel all the love of so many people who fill you with much more love than you can give them: they convey their gratitude and kindness to you ”, said Ana María, a volunteer from Barcelona, at the end of her days in Calcutta.
It's true, you go to give; But you come back with more than you took with you. You return with a heart that explodes with happiness and gratitude for the wonderful experience. This underline all volunteers returning from Calcutta.

The group consisted of 27 volunteers from Spain (the largest group), Italy, Mexico, France and the United States. This year there were many!
Rebeca, from Mexico, wanted to leave her testimony: “Being a volunteer in Calcutta has been without a doubt one of the strongest but comforting, difficult but satisfying, tiring but heart-healing experiences that I have ever experienced in my life. Finding Jesus in each gaze of my brothers was the most wonderful thing I experienced in India and serving others without caring about anything else is without a doubt the best experience of my life. "

“Serving others no matter what else” is what all the volunteers have done in the three centers of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa (“Shihu Bhavan”, “Prem Dan” and “Shanti Dan”), in one of the Missionaries of Charity (“Nabo Jibon”), in a center of VIDA (managed by the Missionaries of the Word) “Nirmal Niketan” and, finally, in “Mother Teresa vocational training center” (also of the Missionaries of the word); to paint some of the classrooms of the vocational school.

An immense work that wasn't so hard because it was done with love and with so much joy. Every day you had to get up early and go into the chaos of the city to get to serve in what you could, usually in simple things, but that are of great help to the missionaries who dedicate their entire lives to these poor people. , abandoned and sick.

The fruit of this dedication is happiness. As Álvaro from Seville told us: “Giving makes you truly happy. Give a laugh or lend a hand to connect with a person, who receives your energy and at the same time transmits it to you with an empathetic hug in which you even look vulnerable. It is a recommendable experience! Thank you VIDA! "

In addition to the work in the centers, one day the volunteers visited a lepers center; another day they took the children of “Nirmal Niketan” for a walk to the zoo; without forgetting the distribution of food, clothing and hygiene supplies to hundreds of people who live on the streets and in the poorest slums of Calcutta that we organize one of the mission days. In addition, finally, the solidarity projects of “Colores de Calcutta” foundation that VIDA has also supported for several years and visited.

One of the last days we were able to enjoy a festival that the disabled children and adolescents of “Nirmal Niketan” offered us and for their families. What tenderness and what emotion to see so much affection and gratitude!

We end these brief lines about the mission that VIDA has carried out from July 30 to August 15, 2018 with this testimony from Sol, one of the volunteers from Seville: “My experience in Calcutta has been intense but enriching. I would love to collaborate with this NGO in other of its many missions and projects such as “sponsor a child”. Thank you very much VIDA! "

May there continue to be people available to serve others next year and may the mission not be reduced to a few days of summer, but to a lifetime!