My Mind is a wanderer. When it should be silent and sleeping, it lands in old thoughts. Some pleasant and some not so pleasant.
While resting today my mind took a plunge and made me recall a beautiful conversation with a 10-year-old I met at an orphanage.
Flashback to Mumbai, July 2018. My husband and I had been wanting to volunteer and do something for the underprivileged for a long time. We had discussed this many times but we would use our busy schedules to cover up for our laziness.
We heard of ' St. Catherine of Siena School and Orphanage' from a friend. This was a school for orphans and destitutes. We decided to visit it and understand how we could volunteer there.
I remember it was a rainy day. This place was located next to Mount Mary Church in Bandra. A place I loved to frequent. But sadly never got to know of this orphanage.
It was a Sunday, around 6 in the evening as we reached the place. We crossed the church and saw an iron gate. We checked with the guard and he confirmed we were at the right place.
He let us in and we walked some distance as we reached an old looking school. We found Brother Joseph there who was the care taker and had a long chat with him.
He told us about the purpose of the school, the activities and how they were being managed. The school was serving the noble cause of providing primary education to orphans and destitute, who also resided there. Post that they had tie ups with other schools and these children would study there.
Brother Joseph was kind enough to spare almost an hour with us. He showed us the prospectus and shared about the other volunteers. Some of them had their internship there and some were like us who just wanted to do their bit in whatever free time they got.
He took us around the school. Every thing I saw made my heart bless Brother Joseph and the staff who worked there for a mediocre or no salary. The classrooms were very old but felt positive.
We told Brother Joseph that we would work out a list of topics beyond textbooks and would love to take sessions on Saturdays with these kids. He was more than happy to allow us. All he needed was a poster to be put on the information board to tell kids about what activity we had planned.
While that would have taken another 6 days to happen we asked him if we could help with something immediately. He showed us a list of essentials that were needed by the students. We told him he would buy that and come back.
As we stepped out of his cabin, we saw another family coming there with big containers. A staff member went to the residential wing and asked kids to assemble.
Some were in their rooms, some were playing. Many of them ran and stood in a straight line. They greeted Brother Joseph. Some of them greeted us and smiled too.
The family, in my assumption a man in his 50s, his wife and two adolescent kids, stood ready with the containers. Brother Joseph introduced the family to the kids and told them it was Mr. Aggarwal's birthday and he wanted to celebrate it with them. He had got some special food for all of them, made into packets which he would like to give to all of them. But before that, he reminded them to pray for his well being and wish him a Happy Birthday.
The kids started, "Happpppyyyyy Biiirrtthhhdaayyy too youuu... " In a long, sing song fashion.
It was a cheerful sight.
Then they sung, "Mayyyyy Goooodddd blllleeeesssss yoooouuu..."
This is where my first year dropped and the rest followed in an unbroken chain. I excused myself and got aside.
My husband followed me and checked what was wrong. I told him, "Look at these kids, some don't have their parents and some are destitute. They are praying to the almighty to bless this man, who probably has all that he wants in life. God needs to bless these little kids more than anyone else."
When the birthday celebrations got over, kids got back to playing and some went back to their rooms. We were ready to leave to buy the essentials that Brother Joseph had indicated. A kid walked up to me and said, "Hello Didi, aap bhi yahan padhane aaoge?"
I smiled and asked, "kya naam hai tumhara? Kuch alag karna chahoge, padhai ke sath aur kuch seekhna?"
He said, "Rohan. I dance very well."
I was happy with this conversation. Then I asked him, "Do you like it here? Where are your parents?"
He told me his parents were vendors at a red light and couldn't afford his education. So he studied and lived there. On weekend he visits them.
He was happy being there and told me that he wanted to go the big school also, the other center. But that is far off, in Vashi and he wouldn't be able to come back.
We had become friends by then. I asked him, "bataya nahi tumne, kya alag karna chahiye humein yahan?"
His reply made me sad, the sorrow in his eyes could not be missed. He said, "sab yahan apna birthday manane aate hain, khana deke jaate hain, cake kaat te hain, dance karte hain. Mera birthday koi kyun nahi manata?"
I hugged him and asked him when his birthday was. It was on 11th January as he told me. I told him that I would try and come on his birthday to celebrate with him.
This conversation left me wondering, many of us celebrate our birthdays at orphanages, old age homes. These orphans and old people bless us and be happy in our celebrations. Little that we can do for them is ask their birthdays and celebrate it with them.
A small step will give them bigger happiness. The ones who don't have a family, let us be theirs. Let us hold their hand and take them along.
There are many Rohan's out there who need one day of our life with them. Let's give it to them.
