SpeakOut#18 - Spending time with Children with no Inhibitions! Part 2

And like we said, we came to M. G. M. Bethany Shanti Bhavan the next day!

Again, the children overwhelmed us by taking us into their home. All of us wondered how we could spend time with the children, whether it would be helping them out with some activity or playing games with them. What we found there however was a cultural program all prepared already by the children there and all we were asked to do is to sit and watch and be among them as they performed.

At that moment, I realised we call them 'differently abled'. It is not because their skills or abilities are a level lesser than anyone else's but because they have much different talents and skills from a normal person.

There were singers like nightingales among them! There were dancers who moved to the rhythm of music so beautifully where if we had tried we would have looked like crazy ducks dancing to the sight of water! There were state level volleyball and throwball players amongst them! We just couldn't cover their list of talents. They were great!

We talked to them and discussed about ourselves and they were so keen in making more friends. After executing the befriending task, they took us around their school showing different places where they are taught, what they do and can do. While most of us say do or learn what you have an interest for yet we learn the most usual and boring of things which is basically stuff that is taught from a syllabus at school. However, they were taught according to their skills and talents which they had and those which they could improve.

 We had a play time where we played throwball with them and they won ;) and also other games! It felt so good spending time doing the most innocent of things, playing like a child. It brought us back a gift we had felt long back and lost in the course of time.

While leaving, the children there were confused learning that we planned to leave at the end of the day. They concluded by their innocence that 'ofcourse they have to go home but they would be back here the next day, wouldn't they?'. None of us had the mind to break their heart so we said we would be back soon. Yet, the brightest and smallest of them all, Appu knew what was happening and she left us with her face swelling up due to the rush of feelings but she came back to see us again. When our bus started moving, she did shout a couple of times and when tears filled her again, she left running away.

Ofcourse, we knew this would happen from the way she was with us and binded with us from her visit at college. Yes, Appu was the star among the representatives who came to visit us the previous day. A couple of us left the bus and went back to the school with a huge pack of chocolates and found her at a corner sitting and not wanting to talk. The sisters called her and told to see who had come but she wouldnt wanna see anyone again who would  leave them so soon. But then when we called, she recognised the voices and came back bursting with a huge smile and we gave her the chocolates and told her to share it with her friends at school till the next time we returned. Her face was gleaming and it was a sweetening touch to a hard goodbye until next time.

And I would like to repeat again,

We met kids with no inhibitions; knowing only to love and share! Many moments of wonder, joy and care! Children with many talents who weren't afraid to show it! Giving away what they have to one another which made the world around them look so fair! 

God bless them :)

SpeakOut#17 - Spending time with Children with no Inhibitions! Part 1

Last year at June, my friends and I from college shared a very touching experience in life when we went to spend time with diffrently abled children at the M. G. M. Bethany Shanti Bhavan, Kadamankulam, a place near Mallapally, Pathanamthitta, Kerala. 

M. G. M. Bethany Shanti Bhavan, Kadamankulam

It was part of a Community Outreach Intiative we took from our department at college as our first activity for the year. The thought of doing a good deed and using our time for such an activity itself inspired us to search around for a place which could show students different ways of life. And so we found out M. G. M. Bethany Shanti Bhavan.

Like usual work done around, we collected contributions from well wishers and students and provided the children  with study materials at the School run by the Shanti Bhavan according to their needs. Something we that we learnt at the school was that there is much more value and good done by spending time with the children and being a part of their life than just providing books and pencils. This was also voiced out by Sister Mercilette, the In charge of the Bhavan who we were in touch with; when she came to visit us at college after receiving our invite.

These kids do not need sympathy from you. What they need is your empathy. They are no different from us being God's children. We are all talented in different ways. - Sister Mercilette

Sister Mercilette had a surprise for us when she came to see us first at college. She brought her representatives along from the School. Five cheerful and bubbly students :) They befriended us so fast when we thought we would have to approach them and make the attempt first. These kids were so cheerful that it was a burst of smiles and happiness everywhere at the department that day! After welcoming them to our college, we promised them we would go and meet the rest of the children at their School the next day and made the trip as said.

We met kids with no inhibitions; knowing only to love and share! Many moments of wonder, joy and care! Individuals with many talents who werent afraid to show it!