If we don’t give them a good education

“Not needed and really needed” – That’s sounds a bit Indian English I know. My trip to India was short and I thought that with all of the work achieved and the way New Hope functions now, there wasn’t much need for me as a volunteer. I ran this by Eliazar and we talked about. It’s important that Board member make short visits to New Hope, but as volunteers doing work, there is limited scope. It kind of fulfills the original concept of Indians working for Indians. What Eliazar appreciated is that we are able as Board members to be frank about how we see things. I think that Bernard found the same thing.
I really love going back to New Hope and seeing all the kids that are sponsored in Australia. We have an afternoon of photos being taken and I have a talk with each child.
They got ‘wind’ of it that I was going to be doing the photos on Sunday afternoon. They all rushed about finding their best outfits, and making sure the little ones were spruced up as well. Then out comes the bucket of water and cloths and powder and combs…what for you may ask? For grooming! The older girls take charge of this and each kid, has a cloth dragged over their face, hair combed and then a good handful of ‘Ponds Powder’

They want the Ponds powder because it makes them look whiter!! Trouble is they just look like they have had their heads in a flour bag! So then I ask them to wipe most of it off. In photo’s Indians do not smile, so getting the kids to smile and look happy is my goal. It’s a great afternoon as I can see how much they have grown, and talk to them and hear what they love to do and what they want to do after school. They are all serious about their future and have very firm ideas. Nurses or doctors or motor mechanic are the three favorites.

Nothing is impossible for our children to dream of and it becoming a reality. We have 4 girls doing nursing. All grew up at New Hope. The girl’s background can be: parents live in a Leprosy colony, or they have been found homeless or orphaned. Look at them now.

When the new school is finished, our children will leave us with a good education which enables them to fulfill their dreams and make them a reality. Education is the most important gift we can give our children because India is changing so fast. If we don’t give them a good education and opportunities for further studies, then we have failed in our duty.