It is better to build children than to repair adults.
Anon
|
|
Houses...again...
Believe it or not, it all happened again. The timing was atrocious with monsoon already started. The government came in and broke down our families houses without warning. Their belongings...and themselves were left out in the rain.
To the amazement of the volunteers, the children were not phased. They greeted them every day, with the same huge smiles and energy as ever. The children can teach us something about life as we are teaching them. We need to appreciate each day more, and they need to at least plan a little for the future.
Jayenti’s family escaped this hardship because they continue to be determined to change their life and rent a proper place. Reshma’s also.
|
|
|
Classroom Hunt
|
|
The construction in the school really put a monkey wrench into everything.
Our classroom was not available. We expected everyone at the school to help accommodate us, but that is exactly what didn’t happen.
Pallavi wasted time going here and going there trying to find a place to teach the children—monsoon had started so outside wasn’t even an option.
At the government offices, the only option that they gave was for us to use a room in a school 20 minutes away. Obviously this was not an option for us. How would the children get there day in and day out in the rain.
What we couldn’t understand is that we had already PAID for the classroom! People didn’t seem to care—that still didn’t seem to give us any rights.
|
|
Pallavi continued to work hard to find a solution. After 3 or 4 meetings with a second organization, a solution was finally found. The organization rents a classroom in the bottom floor of our same school, but their room was not being renovated. It took
a lot of convincing, but finally the president of the organization allowed us to use the room.
The room is only about 75 square feet and we only had an hour of teaching a day— not at all ideal. Beggars can’t be choosers though.. We were just SOOO thankful to finally have a place.
|
|
|
A Good Story Turns Ugly
|
|
While I was in Canada, the father of the children in Ghandinagar (Laxmi, Santosh, and Kiran) took advantage and went to the home and removed them. He brought the boys back to Mumbai ,and back to begging. They were taken away from their education, real accommodation, 3 daily meals, medical attention and so much more...to return to their old life.
Laxmi on the other hand was sold. Sounds funny to us—but in India that is just sometimes what happens. The father got $1000 in the ‘transaction’ and I am sure within weeks— if not days—drank it away.
The children have not made any contact with me—they are likely scared at my reaction. They know where I live, if they need me.
They had three good years and the basics of an education. If nothing else, they will break the cycle and want to give their children an education because they know what it is like.
|
|
|
|
|
