A day to remember through my son's eyes!!

( If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody. A chinese proverb )

I had earlier thought of sharing my experience of one of my best days ever in my life but reading the experience of my son from his blog was precious. Cant write better than what he did. It was a great decision for me and my wife to skip the New Year celebrations which we earlier planned to go to Mayajaal ( An entertainment park & resort) in Chennai and spend a nice amount for the whole night. We have always had a special new year celebration with the best food, best entertainment for children but thanks to my colleague Jeba who had once briefed me about an Orphanage for the mentally challenged.


After I discussed with my wife, we decided to do something for our children as they need to also see how people suffer, know their pain and also have a small view on the troubled lives of people who are deprived with so many normal things that we have an easy access.

On 31st December 2010, We selected Rehoboth, an orphanage for the mentally challenged people. Rehoboth is a Public Charitable Trust in Chennai, India. Rehoboth was founded with a desire to help the partially-abled to gain economic and social independence, besides living life to its fullness with a sense of belonging, in a secure environment. At present, Rehoboth shelters more than 160 mentally challenged adults most of whom are picked up from the streets. Many of our residents are picked up with severe injuries and infections requiring immediate medical intervention. Most of them being women had also been vulnerable to abuse and exploitation when found wandering in the streets.


His experience in his own words are as under;

"
Visit to an orphanage.

Yesterday, I went to an orphanage. It was far away from our house but we managed to go there. My father's colleague was there to guide us. I went there with my brother, father, mother and my father's colleague. We first planned to go for a picnic or a trip but we decided not to waste money for going out but we can use the same money for the people who doesn't has anything, not even any home, not even food and some with not even parents.

We reached and stopped near a Marry-Brown shop on the highway of Porur in the city of Chennai, India. The colleague brought some sweets and chocolates for the people inside the orphanage. She said us to come back of her. We agreed and went back of her. She took us inside a very narrow road which didn't even had a proper road. Everything was like a very old village. There we parked our car front of a huge truck. There was one more a very narrow road but cant drive over there, only walking. The name of the orphanage was Rehoboth public Charitable trust. We went a little ahead and saw a gate. The gate was locked from inside. The colleague called someone and an old lady came to open the door. She opened the door and we headed front.

When we went front, everything was stinking from inside. There we saw mentally challenged people and orphans. Some of them were kids and some of them were old people. Some children's parents were mentally challenged but the children were too fine. There we also saw a school for children who were orphans and as well as the children whose parents were mentally challenged and mentally retired. There was also a room in which some people were locked because they were violent and can harm anyone. I felt so bad for them. Then a lady came and she lead us to the office room of the orphanage.

The office room was quiet smaller. There was a lady inside. She said us to please have a seat. We sat down. The lady said us that she was a volunteer in the orphanage. She told us she was living in Dubai but she had to come back to India as she lost her husband and the only son who was earlier staying with her moved out to some foreign country. After coming here she wanted to do something to pass her time and she joined this trust as a volunteer. My father explained me the meaning of volunteer. It meant someone who works for the social cause and does not get paid for anything.

They told us we can sponsor the food by giving money for their breakfast, lunch or the dinner. My father agreed and gave money for a day's lunch. They also told us that they can give the people food when we are present but my father said no and said them only to give them the food because we all will be busy most of the time. After this my mother insisted to take a round of the orphanage. The volunteer over there agreed and then called the owner of this trust. The owner came and sat over there. He asked the name of my father and asked where does he work. My father said him everything. He also asked me and my brother that in which school were we studying. We said them. Then my father's colleague asked the owner that can we distribute the chocolates and the sweets. The owner agreed but he said us that its time for the lunch of the people.

We went to distribute the chocolates and the sweets. There a lady came. The owner said that this lady's name is Sheena and she will lead you. He also said that he will meet us while we are going. He said this and went. First we headed to the room of the people who were mentally challenged and mentally retired. Over there the lady who was leading us said that we have to remove the wrappers of the chocolates and give them or else they will eat it just like that. Then we gave them the chocolates after removing the wrappers. Mrs. Sheena said us that we have to remove more seven chocolates' wrappers for the people who are violent. Then we removed more seven wrappers and went near the window of the room in which the violent people were kept. I and my brother gave the chocolates to the violent people.

There was one lady around 15 or 16 years of age who came near my father's colleague and said something in Tamil. After she said this, my father's colleague got emotional and started crying. We didn't knew what she said to her. Then after the lady went we asked my father's colleague what she said. The colleague told us that the lady her "Can you take me home?" and there she started crying. My father's colleague is so emotional about these things.

Then we gave chocolates to some of the staff members. Over there we saw some kids whose parents were mentally retire and mentally challenged and the kids who were orphans. We also gave them the chocolates.
After this we had to leave because it was 4.00 PM and it was too late for our lunch. Then there were some chocolates remaining and that we gave to the owner and said him to please try to distribute it. When my father said this, the owner said its okay, he also said that- Little Drops Make An Ocean. Then we left the trust.

How lucky we are, we have everything and we just cry for something we want and then get it. "

Such a nice experience he wrote and I could not think of anything else than to copy paste his blog.