Sunday

Sunday afternoon. Sandeep and I sitting on the grass under our majestic tamarind tree enjoying the breeze. Vishal, Suvarna, Ram, Pia and Chethana, our grade 8 and 9 kids, lively discussing about who purchased which car and exchanging their touch phones to play various games. We were all waiting for a bus of kids that was on the way to our school with Sai Krishna, our Telugu teacher.

I was trying to imagine how the children in the bus feel. Are they excited to go somewhere in our big fancy bus? What is it that brings joy to an orphan? Our life under the tree seemed so different all of a sudden and so privileged from the small world of orphans in the bus. I was thinking, it is not the super duper cars or touch phones that make our children so privileged. It is the fact, that they have caring parents that guide them the best way they can in their life.  Parents who want nothing but the best for their kids. Parents, who are there to hug when it hurts, scold when required, draw borders when needed and most importantly, parents who love them every step of the way.   

I can only imagine how it is to be an orphan – that too in an orphanage that doesn’t do adoptions. I could imagine dreaming that someday someone will adopt me as a child…but I guess these little souls don’t even have that to look forward to.

“The bus is here!” I cried in an excitement. I wanted this few hours to be special for kids. I know I can’t connect to them instantly. I know I can’t give them what they need.  I know all that! I just what them to have fun. I just want them to be kids – like any other.  I might have been a bit too eager instructing our students: ”Smile, wave, go welcome them! Be excited! Make it special!” But no one rolled their eyes. They just did it.

Boy, when our visitors saw our playground they darted towards it like I imagine American Indians to have charged towards a battle for their freedom. Just as enthusiastic and just as loud. 39 pairs of little feet climbing, swinging, running, crawling, jumping…like a little cluster of overexcited kids. We really didn’t need to have any program ready because the kids were just enjoying our space, our tree, our tree house and our jungle gym.

But we did have a program. The older children went to our computer lab where Suvarna, Pia and Chethana tought them basics of MS Word and MS Paint.  Ram and Vishal on the other hand were in charge of the sports showing kids football tricks. After kids had plenty of physical activity we treated them with snacks kindly organized by our admin department. After happy stomachs settled down it was time to bid good bye yet again. Quick group photo and our students presented the orphans with a football ball purchased by the money left from the cupcake sale.

Group photo at the end

Vishal and Ram presenting a football ball to the manager of Care&Love orphanage

A lovely afternoon spent hosting orphans…yet another little imprint left in our student’s hearts ensuring they will become responsible and sharing citizens of this world. Last but not least, I sincerely appreciate our school for making all this possible by giving us a bus and providing snacks - to me it just proves we are a school with a heart.