Education! Something that should never be taken for granted. These little kids will be SO much better off in India now that they are getting an education and learning English. It's crazy to think that pretty much all of them already have a better education than their parents, and they are still in Elementary school. The parents with Leprosy were unable to obtain an education because of their disease. I am just so glad that this school takes these kids out of that scene and gives them such an amazing opportunity. They are off the streets, away from begging, and able to set goals and figure a way to accomplish them. I am so happy for these kids and thankful that they were born to this family. I have so much respect for each of them. This past Saturday, when we were in Delhi, it was parents day! We sent off our vans to go and pick up their parents and bring them to the school. The kids got to spend most of the day with their parents, show them what they've been doing, and just play. Just be normal little boys and girls. I wish I was able to see them interact with them. It is just such a sacrifice for both the parents and the children. The parents love their kids so much and to some of them- that is all they have. Their kids are the only thing in the world who doesn't look at them differently, and loves them unconditionally. Their kids are what helps them do the things they are unable to do on their own. Sending them off can't be easy for them. At playtime yesterday I asked Ruthish to show me all of his good friends. We walked around and he pointed them out to me, introducing me to most of them. He was telling me about his good friend- David I think. The kids get to go home for a month in April, and Davids dad came to get him. Ruthish told me that David and his dad got in a motorcycling accident on his was home, and his dad hurt his leg really bad. So David, who is 9, had to take care of his dad for 3 months. He didn't come back to school until this past Saturday, on parents day. Its just so different here and the responsibility these kids have. These kids all eat their meals, then immediately go wash their own dish. They rotate kids who are in charge of laundry, mopping the floors, cleaning up trash, hauling mangoes, and so many more things that you just wouldn't the average American kid doing. It is just crazy to me to step out of the world that I have known my entire life, and live a whole different one for 3 weeks. It is such an awesome thing to step pout of my comfort zone and do things that I would never usually do. I want to continue, even when I'm home, to push myself out of my comfort zone. I think that is when you realize the most about yourself.
So I leave this Saturday night! Crazy. Time here has gone by so fast, yet I feel like I have been here for forever. It's true- the days feel like weeks but the weeks feel like days. I am going to be so sad to leave all of these kids and the relationships that I have built with them. Its so amazing how from the moment we showed up, these kids loved us. They had no idea who we were as people, our flaws, our weaknesses- they didn't care. They loved us. They have taught me so much about loving everyone. Life is too short to not be open and to be closed off. I have learned more than I can even express from these kids, and I hope whoever reads these will have learned a little bit from them too.
I don't know if anyone is interested, but Rising Star Outreach has a program where you can sponsor a kid. It's actually a really awesome thing. You are assigned a child who needs a sponsor (or you can pick your own) and you donate 30 dollars a month under their name. You can write them letters, send pictures, and have a little pen pal in India. Your money goes towards paying for their schooling here at Rising Star, as well as a college fund for after they graduate. These kids are getting such an amazing education, and some of them, who don't have the money, will end up going back home to the colony once they leave this school. The fund that they build up will help them go to school, get a job, get a place to stay, and hopefully help out their parents as well. I think it's such a cool thing and so worth the money. I know all of the kids love it. They all know their sponsors names and if you ask them who is their sponsor they will tell you and sometimes go grab pictures and letters from their bag to show you. I'm not here to promote or anything but if anyone is interested let me know or just look at the Rising Star Outreach website. If I had the money, I would sponsor every single one of these kids.
Play time with the kids we played with chalk! It's amazing to me how the simple things intrigue these kids so much. How chalk, and bikes, and a ball get these kids so excited and entertained for hours. They don't need any play stations and gameboys to keep them busy. Life is so simple out here. I love it. I'm excited to simplify. So sad at playtime today.. Ruthish asked when do I go back to America.. I told him this Saturday, and he looked down and got all quiet. He looked at me and said he is going to be sad and he's going to miss me. Oh man, it was so hard to hold back the tears. He told me he would write me and I promised I would write him too. I just hate seeing any of these kids hurt. Breaks my heart. Leaving them is going to be so hard.
So I leave this Saturday night! Crazy. Time here has gone by so fast, yet I feel like I have been here for forever. It's true- the days feel like weeks but the weeks feel like days. I am going to be so sad to leave all of these kids and the relationships that I have built with them. Its so amazing how from the moment we showed up, these kids loved us. They had no idea who we were as people, our flaws, our weaknesses- they didn't care. They loved us. They have taught me so much about loving everyone. Life is too short to not be open and to be closed off. I have learned more than I can even express from these kids, and I hope whoever reads these will have learned a little bit from them too.
I don't know if anyone is interested, but Rising Star Outreach has a program where you can sponsor a kid. It's actually a really awesome thing. You are assigned a child who needs a sponsor (or you can pick your own) and you donate 30 dollars a month under their name. You can write them letters, send pictures, and have a little pen pal in India. Your money goes towards paying for their schooling here at Rising Star, as well as a college fund for after they graduate. These kids are getting such an amazing education, and some of them, who don't have the money, will end up going back home to the colony once they leave this school. The fund that they build up will help them go to school, get a job, get a place to stay, and hopefully help out their parents as well. I think it's such a cool thing and so worth the money. I know all of the kids love it. They all know their sponsors names and if you ask them who is their sponsor they will tell you and sometimes go grab pictures and letters from their bag to show you. I'm not here to promote or anything but if anyone is interested let me know or just look at the Rising Star Outreach website. If I had the money, I would sponsor every single one of these kids.
Play time with the kids we played with chalk! It's amazing to me how the simple things intrigue these kids so much. How chalk, and bikes, and a ball get these kids so excited and entertained for hours. They don't need any play stations and gameboys to keep them busy. Life is so simple out here. I love it. I'm excited to simplify. So sad at playtime today.. Ruthish asked when do I go back to America.. I told him this Saturday, and he looked down and got all quiet. He looked at me and said he is going to be sad and he's going to miss me. Oh man, it was so hard to hold back the tears. He told me he would write me and I promised I would write him too. I just hate seeing any of these kids hurt. Breaks my heart. Leaving them is going to be so hard.
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| maryambi is a beauty |
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| she got a new dress! so cute |
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