Bus Stop

While this woman was waiting for her bus we snapped a few photos. She was a willing subject which we found to be the case with most people we encountered.

Traditional

Taxis and Saris are familiar colorful sights in Mumbai.

Sports Field

Just below the flight path of the international airport boys play soccer in the wet sand.

Safety First

Painting caution stripes on a busy street. Cars just drove around them while they worked on the center divider.

Gateway of India

Built by the British during their colonization of Mumbai. In 1948 the last British troops exited this gateway as India gained her independence.

Juhu Beach Sunset

Juhu Beach is a popular destination for Mumbai evenings.

Rear View

He was the most helpful and talkative of all of our rickshaw drivers. He even showed us photos of his family.

Family Photos

A rickshaw driver is proud of his family...especially his son. It is common for formal portraits to be done with a straight face.

Outlook

Local men take a moment to contemplate their lives.

Wedding Decorations

Weddings are quite festive in India. We were invited to one by some new friends, but unfortunately couldn't attend. However, we did pass by a reception venue as they were setting up.

Future Biker

This little guy can't wait to grow up and drive his own scooter or motor bike-both popular modes of transportation in Mumbai due to their ability to maneuver in tight spaces.

Juhu Beach Door

This shade of blue is a popular paint color in Mumbai

Walking home

This hallway is a typical path for Mumbai residents on their way to their flats.

Palm & Moon

Mumbai has a tropical climate. The coolest month is December which averages a high of 86

Indian Bougainvillea

Many types of tropical vegetation can be found in Mumbai which sits on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

Florist

A great example of the array of colors found in Mumbai.

Hindu Shrine

Throughout the city are small shrines to Hindu gods like this one in a local business. 68% of Mumbai residents are Hindu.

Haji Ali Dargah Mosque

Twenty to forty thousand worshipers make the trek out to this mosque each day. During some high tides the path is impassable. Islam is the second largest religion in Mumbai (19%)

Security

Although we had a language barrier between us this security guard daily greeted me with a smile and a handshake. He displays the warm Indian hospitality that made our stay in Mumbai so pleasant.

Yoga Class

These women invited me to take photos. After beginning their class with a prayer to the sun god they started their exercises.

Unsure

His dad wanted his photo taken, but this boy wasn't sure what he thought of the photographer with the big camera.

Burden

A hard worker carries a heavy load to Crawford Market.

Puppy Face

A street pup longing to be loved.

Sweeping Movement

This is an atypical broom. All others that we saw were much shorter and used by women who squatted or kneeled. The women who cleaned were from the lowest class and did the work that is beneath others. However there is a new movement among Christian churches to engage the highest status citizens with the love of Jesus so that they will then extend it down to all other citizens so a class barrier to love would no longer exist in the future.

School Commute

These young school boys are the future of India. If their lives are changed by love they can in turn love others.

Great Potential

These youngsters from the slum have great possibilities ahead of them. They might not yet realize that life can be hard.

Devil Horns

This boy's mother purchased these horns "just for fun" from a vendor at Juhu Beach. However, there is a very real evil happening in Mumbai...

Barbed Wire

Signifying the bondage that tens of thousands of girls and women face in Mumbai as victims of continual human trafficking.

Curses

This woman slowly walked down the street in Crawford Market and chanted words that seemed to be curses. Regardless of what she was really saying, the dark feel of this photo represents a particular evil that is happening in Mumbai.

Peace Officer

Human Trafficking and Prostitution is illegal in Mumbai, but laws haven't stopped it yet.

Captive

This is the Red Light Area of Mumbai. We weren't permitted to take photos once we got closer to the brothels.

Stairway to Hell

A staircase near the Red Light Area. A dark set of decrepit stairs like this leads to the rooms where the girls and women are enslaved...sometimes 7-10 per tiny room.

Tunnel

A dark, narrow hallway similar to this (minus the light at the end of the tunnel) leads to the tiny rooms where the victims are abused. The environment is dark--physically and spiritually.

Broken & Chained

With no means of escape the girls who are trafficked eventually become broken and submissive to their captors.

Unlocked

There is hope of freedom.

Victorious

These are the hands of women who have been freed. No longer enslaved they can experience love and joy.

Made Free

Rebecca is the psuedonym of one of the artisans (former victims who now are employees) for Aruna Project. Each bag represents the new life of the woman who produced it.

Bright Future

A view of the naturally lit production unit of the Aruna Project where the artisans sew bags and find hope.

Feet of Freedom

These feet are ready for the future.

Measuring Up

An artisans shoes are off as she prefers to sew barefoot. She now has the freedom to decide on small decisions and large

Progress

Ruksana's hands at work.

Together

An artisan uses a scrap of red fabric to bundle a set of finished bags

Above

An artisan reaches for a pin atop her sewing machine.

Bobbin

Small steps on the way to a finished product

Trim

Not wanting their products to be purchased simply because of sympathy these artisans strive for top quality.