29th
January 2013, Tuesday
Little did we know that a
small experience would leave such a huge impact on each one of us, as
individuals, as human beings..!
What is an orphanage? Why are these children here? Where are their
parents….? I wondered how deprived this kids were because
they didn't have parents to love them and take care of them. Some of them very
unlucky because their parents had died but many of them were unlucky because
their parents left them on doorsteps of the orphanage.
Many
children are abandoned because child is born out of unmarried couple and social
taboo makes mother abandon the child. While some are simply abandoned because
child which is born is girl!!!!!!.. While some leave their child because they
cannot afford it. Sad…
Before
the day to visit orphanage it was announced in college to get whatever things
that can be donated to orphanage children of age 3-14 yrs. To the surprise it
was great response from all the students of TIMSCDR, now it was turn to
segregate each things in to separate bag. With the help of sir and madam,
students separated items as well removed few items which were in no condition
to use. Later they also packed the gift to be taken from college and arrange
for the snacks and muffins to be taken to the orphanage.
15
students along with 7 faculties were all to gather up before 2 pm to get on to
bus which would take us for visit to the orphanage “ABUDANT LIFE MINISTRIES” run by Mr. Sundar Raj just near Roman Catholic
Church, Goreagaon (west) behind Goregaon Bus Depot. By 2:30 pm we loaded the
bus and were on our way. We crossed our landmark Roman Catholic Church and
realized that we have missed our turn to be taken. We all students didn’t know
where we were going, but we were making excellent time in the bus. Sir got down
and took the right information of the way to reach, after few more turns and
wandered down a few more roads we reach an industrial estate like building.
There we all got down; each one took bags to be carried to the orphanage.
Behind the industrial estate building were narrow and bumpy road which lead to
our destination each one of us looking forward to inspire small kids who have
no family or no guiding hand to look after.
Eventually
at 4:05 pm we arrived at the orphanage and time given to us was 4 to 6 pm. As
soon as kids saw us, they greeted us very lovingly.
Their principal madam told us that there were 40 students of age group 3-14
years who live and study there. It is a privately funded
organization and they mostly take care of 3-14 years children.
I
hate to admit it, but I always felt I was strong with my heart but being in
between small children my heart broke almost immediately. I don’t know what to
say to them, I don’t know how to treat them, I don’t know what to do with them.
These kids had more difficulties than I can imagine. I stood there for a moment,
not knowing what to do.
To
break the ice soon sir and mam asked each one of them to introduction
themselves with performing whatever talent they can perform and initially
distributing them their favorite biscuit. To our surprise we enjoyed 5-6 performance
and each one were spellbound performance to see.
By this time, everyone in the room was hungry to the core. Then we distributed snacks and muffins to each of them. One important detail
which could not be missed was the way the kids prayed before commencing their
snacks was a prayer. The kids displayed that there is no Hindu or Muslim or
Christian among them. Each one of them is a human being and has a right to live
and let live. The people who fight in the names of religions should definitely
learn the virtue of secularism from these kids. We, the TIMSCDR students were impressed, how
many of us do we pray before our lunch? As the snacks finished, the few of
girls took the broom and immediately cleaned the place. With
food in the tummy and too lazy for more masti, now
kids were free to move about and most requested us to perform dance. With
little tipping on toss by all of us with these innocents everyone
settled for playing an antakshari game with them. All of them
enjoyed singing various numbers from bollywood and now it was the feeling that
we were one with them.
Every
kid seemed thrilled to sing song and have our company by their bright smiles of
their faces. We spent time with kids, as we were silently praising and thanking
God in our hearts, knowing what they are deprived of - parents, family,
relatives - and how we all are blessed but so often took them for granted.
Next
was the entertainment activity in which the Kevin, Akshay and Swati sung
motivational songs like “itni shakti hame dena”, “hum honge kamyab”, ”tu mera
hero” which gave a smile on the faces of
the children. The children are all disciplined throughout the enjoyment time.
With
all fun and frolic done, faculty of TIMSCDR distributed gift to each one which
had sketch book, long note book and various other useful item for each kid. Faculty
member asked each kid to get their names written on the book they had got so in
mix match of gift they can recognize their own book.
Later
there was an interactive session between the TIMSCDR students and the children
regarding their aims, their problems, their basic amenities and prospects. The
two hours we could stay went by quickly and we finally had to say our goodbyes.
As we were about to live, we all had a good photo session with the children. It was very painful to leave the kids after spending
such a memorable time with them. The members left the orphanage with a heavy
heart but with lots of positive energy and a promise to visit the kids again.
With so many mixed emotions lingering in our minds, we bid
goodbye to all of them and returned back. The visit to the orphanage was a much
learning experience for all of us. We realized that although they had all the
facilities that a normal child gets - i.e. - a good room, good school, good
food, etc , still something was missing from their life - YES - their parents .
The real meaning of that word 'parent' became quite clear in our minds - the
meaning of that word which we take quite lightly. How important are they in our
life. We also realized that these children are not aliens. They are the same as
we are. But unfortunately, some uneven circumstances named them 'orphans ' and
brought them in the orphanage.
And when we came out of the orphanage, a few of us had broad
smiles on our faces while a few had shed a silent tear, and the entire group of
MCA students of TIMSCDR, who had entered the orphanage with the intention of
earning extra points in their respective events and activity, earned something
much more valuable which would indeed stay with them forever..!
Life
can be unfair at times but trust like this, people like Mr. Sundar Raj makes me
believe in goodness of life, who have helped
these children to lead a good life and enhance their personality to become an independent,
responsible and a good citizen in the future. God bless them. I suppose
it isn’t much for us to visit these kids for a few hours once a year, but I
hope it is a little glimmer of something special for children who have so
little. For me who has so much, I will treasure what they gave me.
Overall
it was a big learning experience. The visit to the orphanage not only showed the youth
members the ugly truth about life, it also gave them something to look within
themselves, that they were blessed in their present circumstances. Life is not the same for all. So the TIMSCDR will
look forward to bring a massive change in the outlook and thinking of the
youth. We, the TIMSCDR student have pledged to do it so and we will continue to
serve the nation till the rest of our lives.
