26th January 2011, a holiday lazing in the couch making no effort to
start the day. Then rings the alarm along with the to do list. Forcing
the hand towards the alarm and checking the list, jumps out to the
floor with a sense of urgency rush to the washroom and get ready in a
hurry. The mobile start to ring continuously, this was not the usual
day for Stella and Siju, disconnects the mobile and rush towards the
car.
The drive began as usual with a small prayer by Stella and heads
towards Good Shepard Convent – “Respect for Life” near Residency Road.
On the way calls Sister Annunciata, in a very apologetically low voice
assuring Sister that the delay is regretted and the team of Spoorthi
would be there in few minutes and all the required arrangements have
been done.
It was a bright sunny morning, the weather as though the day was
perfect for the kids to be in ground for the games and fun. Kids!
yes….lots of them
On reaching the Centre of Respect for Life, the sight was so
marvelous. There were few volunteers Lilly Miss, Padma aunty and
Jennifer, along with a group of immaculate looking kids having fun
with the games arranged for them by the Centre of Respect for Life. It
was so joyful and relaxing to see these little ones enjoying their
national holiday without any nostradamical thought of their tomorrow’s
worry of going back to the usual day to day work and hectic schedule
back in the school.
Lost was not the word to describe the sight, our age chilled down to
the December temperature of Bangalore. … Soon Jyothi, Siju and Stella
got talking to the children and the jubiliant mood soon caught on to
them. Sister shared with us that the children were shown a kannada
movie before we could arrive, which dealt with women empowerment.
Sister briefed us about the organisation and their objective of
providing the basic nessecities for the less privileged. They deal
with various issues including abortion, child rights, women
empowerment and generally a bridge between the affluent and the
deprived lot. She mentioned of her visit to Tumkur on one such
actibity and how the BJP called bandh had forced her to stay longer at
that place.
Everyday becomes so important for people who are making difference in
others lives!
Back to back came Dileep, Sushma, Sherry and Rathi along with the
gastronomical stuff and loads of gifts to add on the surprise and joy
in the Kids. These kids were bubbling with tremendous energy and had
no thoughts of the day has come to half way mark.
The whole happening was relished silently by Sister. The team greeted
Sister and poured out their ‘wow’ moment with her. She in her holistic
voice said, the Centre of Respect for Life has few kids been taken
care by them and all required needs are been fulfilled, so she got
these bubbly kids from a slum near Koramangala. The team was
wonderstruck to hear the reality. As the conversation was on, the
needle in the clock struck to the hungry time zone, the kids were all
assembled for a feast which was arranged by Sherry and Rathi.
The feasting was done and the kids were back into their funtush mood
to continue the day and there was no sign of taking a break, giving
the competition to this attitude of the children was the team of
Respect for Life along with Sister. All the Spoortians were
electrified seeing the energy in the air and kicked off the singing
and dancing competition…competition??? Yeah had to give the activity a
name…there was no competition, as the music was played the kids were
kids, a little bit a starting trouble and then the silence was broken
and the noise had overtaken the decibels of the music played in the
background for the so called competition which took a transition to
party time.
The fun was on and slowly came the end to this rocking day and the
Spoortians distributed the surprise gifts for all the bubbling kids.
The kids were assembled together for the end of day, as it was a
national holiday the kids with all their heart sung out the National
Anthem with full enthusiasm. It was a very pleasant sight to see these
lovely ones singing out the Anthem with immaculate heart, no
differences was sighted, all the kids were different but that was not
what the Spoorthians sighted. It was a picture perfect finish. The
Spoorthians were ending their day along with the miraculous team of
Respect for Life.
The Spoorthians were heading back, but had loads of experience which
was enriching. It was clear in every Spoorthians mind that this, ones
upon a time “Garden City” which has got transformed to a Scam and
Concrete City still had rays of hope which has been nurtured by teams
like “Respect for Life”
-------- Siju K V
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