Trash to Tomatoes

One unique aspect about Kolkata is that one of their municipal dumping grounds is run by a group of “rag pickers.” They pick through and separate inorganic trash from organic. The inorganic waste gets piled up in a “landhill” and the organic waste is made into compost! At first they were just planting little gardens outside the dumping ground, but the community has grown so large that they plant fields of crops to sell at village markets. It’s a pretty amazing set-up! We heard this dumping ground is a model for other urban areas of India.

At the end of the day, we stopped by the Missionaries of Charity Mother House, the home of Mother Theresa! She spent most of her life and died in this house and has a small tomb. Lots of people from all over the world were there bringing their sick babies and elderly. The sisters were gracious and gentle. I felt shivers down my spine when we saw the room where Mother Theresa passed. It had the tiniest twin bed, a small wooden desk, a crucifix and an alarm clock. On one of the walls was a sticker or sign that read “Love is my Vocation.” The house felt like there was a definite presence there. Hard to explain. A warm, welcoming presence. I didn’t know her house was in Kolkata. It was a nice surprise.