Daaya!

This weekend started off with promises of gala-times! We had planned a girls night out including clubbing, swimming, diet of all the nonsense/ pleasure food, movies and even some outings! Even before Friday dawned, clubbing was vetoed out. But the other plans were on. After a looong day’s work (Friday is rumored to be the longest day at work!!!) we all got together at my girl-friend’s house. Armed with my swimming gear and an overnight bag, I danced my way to her house that was well stocked with booze and movies.

We were about to go grab some snacks, when my friend’s phone rang. She volunteers for “Daaya”; an South-Asian organization who helps women that are in an abusing relationships. The Daaya organizers requested her help for a 29 year old woman from Hyderabad who had been abandoned in a motel by her husband. Accompanying her was their 4 month old son oblivious to all the tension between his parents.

Her husband had taken the trouble to wait till her green-card expired before serving her divorce papers which also included a restraining order that applied to him and all his relatives. She had about 20 dollars, clothes and some diapers with her. This 29 year old is an MBA graduate who married this man within a week of meeting him. Tolerated (probably gave back a lot too) his mistreatment went to India with her one month baby and came back in a couple of months in an attempt to save her marriage. Result: Abandoned in a roadside motel suite with little money and some food.

We re-arranged our schedule and drove to meet her and offered her help. The baby still requires vaccination and we are in the process of getting that done. Her immediate concern is getting her green card reissued and then finding means of supporting herself and her baby. We are collecting any money we can to help her but are waiting till she decides if she wants to stay here or go back to India. After meeting us, she found some solace and is gaining some strength and direction for beating her current predicament.

Today I find myself with a new class of paradigm:

Life is hard for most of us and is almost never fair.

If you have people who love you... you are the luckiest person alive.

What does not kill... indeed makes you stronger!

All of us were horrified to see her.... and helping that women made us better people. She needs to know that decency ...humanity even, do exist. It is going to be a looong struggle for her and we hope we can make it a tinsy bit easier.