After waking, driving, and riding through the hectic streets of Pune, I have begun to recognize aspects of life that I could not even imagine in my small home town. One of the most striking parts of this trip has been the sights we have seen on our drives and walks across the city. Just by admiring the scenery of this city, you can easily recognize the wealth disparity that exists not only in this country, but also within our entire world. The tallest building in Pune, Trump Towers, stands tall and looks directly down on the slums that sit across the road. Just seeing this sight put into perspective how the impoverished people of our world are so easily overlooked and ignored by those who have the potential to share their not only their wealth, but their love and compassion. But the most influential part of this trip so far has been the wide variety of people we have met. One of the most amazing of these people was Sister Aruna who has created a home to welcome families, children, and elderly people in need of a place to stay. We had the pleasure of getting to chat with her and in the little time I heard her speak I was amazed on how much faith she had in God and how committed she was to leading a life of service. When she was asked about how she funds her home, she simply responded that she knows that God is gracious and will support them along their journey as He has for the last several decades. Her unwavering faithfulness and the compassion she showed for all those who entered her home was inspiring and made me really think about the kind of life that I really want to be living,  where all my value is not put in money, but in serving the people in my community and doing something that brings me pleasure and inner peace. Finally, I can never stop loving how friendly everyone we meet is here. All the people we have encountered in JDV are nothing but kind and welcoming to us and include us in all their activities and daily routines like masses, meals, and pickup basketball games. The other day we were introduced to a youth group of young college students from a local parish. They instantly welcomed us into their space and got us all very involed in their activities and routines, as if we were part of their group. We ended the night with them giving us rides on their mopeds to one of their favourte spots to eat where they ordered us Pav Bajji and sugar cane juice as we shared conversation and laughed. It felt great to be so welcomed and involed with the people we meet and I hope to show that kind of love for all those I meet as well. There is so much more I could say about my experiences thusfar, but there is much too much to say to put into words. Overall, this trip has opened up my eyes and has truly inspired me to evaluate the way I live my life and how I treat others and look at the world. I look forward to the experiences and knowledge I will gain in the days to come.
-Samraj Kalkat