On this post I would like to share two moments that touched me on our
first and second day's volunteering in the slums of Kalwa, North
Mumbai.
Moment 1: After assisting in the preparation of food for a mid-day meal for about 50 children, GPM volunteers began to distribute the food to children aged 4-10 who were attending classes run in the slums. Leora, one of the volunteers had just placed a ladle full of rice, vegetables and dahl into a 5 yr old girls' lunch box. The girl then closed the lunch box and placed it behind her while all the other children began eating. Sigalith, our coordinator asked the girl why she wasn't eating and the girl replied that she was taking the rice back to her parents and siblings so that they could eat.
Moment 2: An older mentally challenged girl began to cry when the teachers asked the children to sit down just before the food was being distributed. After the teacher asked the girl why she was crying, she replied that she felt very bad that she was eating while her mother and sister back home didn't have any food (father had past away).
These moments were deeply emotional ones for me. Here were a small 5 year old girl, and a mentally challenged girl with heightened emotions --both obviously hungry -- who could only think of their family members who were also hungry. These and other bitter-sweet moments reassure me of the importance of our cause and the love that exists in the most trying of places.
Moment 1: After assisting in the preparation of food for a mid-day meal for about 50 children, GPM volunteers began to distribute the food to children aged 4-10 who were attending classes run in the slums. Leora, one of the volunteers had just placed a ladle full of rice, vegetables and dahl into a 5 yr old girls' lunch box. The girl then closed the lunch box and placed it behind her while all the other children began eating. Sigalith, our coordinator asked the girl why she wasn't eating and the girl replied that she was taking the rice back to her parents and siblings so that they could eat.
Moment 2: An older mentally challenged girl began to cry when the teachers asked the children to sit down just before the food was being distributed. After the teacher asked the girl why she was crying, she replied that she felt very bad that she was eating while her mother and sister back home didn't have any food (father had past away).
These moments were deeply emotional ones for me. Here were a small 5 year old girl, and a mentally challenged girl with heightened emotions --both obviously hungry -- who could only think of their family members who were also hungry. These and other bitter-sweet moments reassure me of the importance of our cause and the love that exists in the most trying of places.
Jacob, you are doing an amazing thing!!! Keep writing, i can't wait to hear more.
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