Oh not the kind you're thinking of. No capes or superpowers, though there were a lot of Orna's (scarves) and being able to walk through the bosti's (slums) of Dhaka in the blistering heat and humidity without keeling over dead is most certainly a super power.
I'm trying something different. I THINK this link will take you to a facebook picture album.
No, today I walked in rubber boots with heroes bent on helping as many people as they can. I apologize because I can't remember all their names, but I know who started it and I am privileged to call her my friend.
Her name is Sadia and she is also the one who spearheaded the Jaipur Foot Initiative that I wrote about previously.She was there today along with two of her lovely cousins. I would love Sadia even more if she didn't somehow manage to look perfectly cool and collected in even the most dire conditions! There is a reason I stay behind the camera. Most Americans just don't sweat that attractively!
It's Ramadan now for Muslims the world over and that means a month of fasting for the devout. Each Day they fast all day and at sunset they break the fast with a meal of very specific foods. This is called Iftar.
Ramadan is a time for those who have, to pay special care for those who haven't.
Sadia and her family have donated and collected contributions to provide thousands of meals to the poor of Dhaka. Today we delivered 170 Iftar packages.
I have been in homes in the bosti before. I thought I had seen everything, but today I saw a new level of poverty that left me on the verge of tears. The tiny metal shanty homes were half the size of those I have seen previously. Did I mention metal? In this heat?? In a very small spot of real estate along the river, you will find 1200 homes crammed close together. The closest thing they have to an address is a handwritten number above each door.
I didn't think I could be shocked any more and yet I was, but what surprised me the most was that I still encountered the same beautiful glistening smiles and friendliness. The same welcoming attitude of the residents of the Shahjadpur bosti. The children were even poorer, but they still laughed and played.
Even the volunteers, though sweltering in the heat, were cheerful and a pleasure to be with.
It's borshakal here, or rainy season and yesterday some of the homes stood nearly knee deep in water. Today we only encountered the left over mud, hence the rubber boots, though from the smell I'm not sure how much was mud and how much...well...wasn't.
Another super hero is Daniel. He's an American who lives here in Bangladesh. His hero costume seems to be khaki shorts and a tee shirt and his 6'6' frame and commanding presence ensures that he will be listened to when he speaks. He has established multiple schools here and tirelessly spends his days seeing to the needs of anyone he can help. He was there today as were several of the teachers from the schools that he runs. I recognized people from both Shine school and Iqra, whose opening I recently covered for Thrive.
What really amazed me was the willingness to not just throw money at a situation. These were hand delivered to the families. Thousands of them. Now that takes a super hero.
The details don't really matter. I apologize if I got any of them wrong. What does matter is that I spent an incredible afternoon with incredible people and we got to do something great for people who can't do it themselves.
Happy Ramadan everyone!
https://www.facebook.com/leni.hester/media_set?set=a.10206929287731870.1073741845.1268439103&type=3&uploaded=79
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