I was definitely more prepared this time. I kept reminding myself during the long journey there that I was going to meet a group of unfortunate children. There was little I could do to make their life better but that was a fact I forced myself to accept prior to the trip.
Curious eyes wondered around as we walked towards the orphanage home after alighting the bus. I wonder how they would have felt when they saw us. All I could see was unsureness. I didn't know if it was because we were a big group of almost 30 or they were just waiting for us to get started.
After leaving my bag inside, we had a small ice breaking session to get to know the kids. It was really funny to see the small kids standing up one by one and uttering their names. There was a small boy with a cute smile who was so shy that he covered his face after saying his name. And then there was this girl who was hiding below the table while the ice-breaking session was going on because she was too shy to introduce herself. Small kids.
After that, while waiting for the organizers of the trip to prepare the games they had planned, I went around to meet the kids. I must say that I fit in pretty well. To be honest, if I hadn't gone, I think the others on the trip would have been able to socialize with the kids a little more because I was only one of the 2 people who could converse in Tamil, the language that all the kids there were fluent with regardless of race.
I sat at one of the tables with some of the kids around me. I smiled. They smiled back. And then I smiled again. That continued for a few more seconds until I asked them to say their names again. I asked them one by one so that it didn't sound like a routine. Before I could go any further, it was time for the first game.
It is called "do you like your neighbour?". Honestly, it's very complicated to put the game in words as it has a few rules and definitely needs some visual insights to make it easier to understand. I was carrying a 5 year old boy on my lap all along the game. That game reminded me of times when I used to carry my little brother in my arms.
After that game, it was time for a short break. Again, it was time for me to get to know the kids better. I went around playing with the kids. I asked some of the other kids I hadn't met earlier, for their names. It didn't last for long and it was time to begin the next game.
I can't recall what the game was called but it was something like this. One person had to stand in the centre and the others had to stand in a circle around the person in the middle. Then,the person in the middle had to shoot a person in the circle. If the person in the circle didn't manage to duck down in time, he or she would be eliminated.
That game was kinda fun too. The kids kinda liked the part where we had to shoot each other. And soon, rules fell apart and the kids were shooting everyone. To me, that's the beauty of a child's mind, the ability to shrug off rules and enjoy regardless of the situation.
After that game, it was time for some refreshments. There were some snacks and cold drinks for everyone at the home. This time, I got to know the kids way better. I found out who were siblings and was finally starting to get the hang of their names.
Then, it was time for banner painting. This turned out to be the most fun game for the kids. Well, it wasn't even a game to start off with. The kids were supposed to paint their hands and put a hand print on the banner prepared by the organizers.
It started off pretty well till...................the kids infatuation with colours and water got over them. I was helping out with washing the kids hands. As the number of kids waiting to get their hands washed increased, one boy just dunked his entire hands into the bucket full of water. Then, the other kids followed. And then, instead of just having one hand print on the banner, the kids were placing hand print, washing their hands, and putting hand prints again. Some of them were washing their hands again and again just to get their hands painted again. Little children are so much fun to be with. I had a great time playing with them too.
Once the whole fiasco was over, it was again time to sit down and wait for the next activity-or that's what I thought. I was spending some quality time with the kids, chit chatting and teasing them when I realized that everyone else was just sitting down and relaxing. I asked someone from the organizing committee if there was anything else and disappointingly, she replied with a no. Immediately, a boy asked me if I was going back home soon. I had to reply with a nod.
Small children who lack attentive parental love have a tendency to appreciate the small things which bring happiness to them. Today, it was me. It was a little difficult for me when I told another boy I was going home soon and he said I can't go. Me, being the soft-hearted kind when it comes to unfortunate people, felt tears lining up my eyes when he said that. But, I held it back because I know I came prepared.
Another thing that was difficult to accept was the sad stories of these kids. What's more difficult than that was the innocence in the eyes of the kids who told their stories with almost no sad feelings at all because they never had the chance to feel that much of attachment with their parents.
There was one boy who is slightly mentally challenged. He was fine until his mother was murdered in a robbery. He became so traumatized by the incident that he was a troubled child for 4 years. Since then, his condition has improved. There was also this boy who had 2 other brothers in the same home but his sister was in another orphanage home. They only meet up during Christmas. When the eldest boy, aged 9, was telling the story, his youngest brother was saying that he wanted to see their sister.
These are the kind of stories that move my consciousness away from this materialistic world. I still remember how much I started appreciating the little things my mum did for me after that visit to the disabled children's home. But then, the feeling kinda faded off. Today, before I went back to square one, I asked myself one thing.
Why do I need someone else to tell me to appreciate the things around me? I then realized that human beings in comfort can be very ungrateful at times and I am one of them. We just constantly need someone to tell us indirectly that we have been blessed with so many things that other people can't even dream of.
Before I left, I met all my new friends one last time to say goodbye. I patted everyone on the back or head and high fived some of them so that they would remember this day as the day spent with a special friend who dropped by to cheer them up. It still strikes me hard on how unfortunate they are but at the end of the day, life is always about what we have and how we cherish them. For my new found buddies, they have something I don't have-they have each other........
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