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India, 1945 & 2007Doug MacDougald — Stratford, ON My father, Walter, was stationed in India with the RCAF during WW II. He still has pictures of the beautiful children congregating around him and his crew. It left a lasting impression that resonated when he heard a travelling volunteer tell about Sleeping Children Around the World many years ago. He and my mother, Marian, have been supporters of SCAW ever since. In fact, my parents have designated India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka as the primary recipient areas of their donations and my siblings, children, grandchildren and I have been receiving bedkit photos for about twenty years.
Reconciling the inequities of our life to the Indian children to whom we distributed bedkits is a question that will have to wait until I have some time to reflect — if it can be answered at all. As difficult a life as the parents have — shanty/slum living, less than $1/day, long physical labour — many exhibit the same concern and responsibility and dreams, I expect, for their children, that I feel for my children. My heart overflows for these people trapped in the cycle of poverty.
One of the most poignant stories I heard was from Jyoti Patkar from the Makta Poakalap School for orphaned girls. She had thirty girls at a distribution and when discussing the needs of her children, as needy as they were, she urged us to continue distributing in some of the more rural areas because those children needed the assistance even more. What generosity of spirit. What caring. I was humbled. Some children were apprehensive, cautious, afraid and shy while others showed excitement, laughter and were happy to play — even with strange people that could only communicate by smiles, touch and caring. By the time they had received their bedkit there was often happy and comfortable bedlam with us. This has been a unique and humbling experience, and today as we are heading home the problems in my “real life” are not as significant as four weeks ago. To be able to continue the support of SCAW that my parents started in our family is special. To represent the donors and SCAW with these children is an honour, and the pictures of the children say it to all — thank you. |
Therefore, it seemed serendipitous and especially meaningful for my parents and me when I was offered the opportunity to go to India as a first time travelling volunteer. I must admit my emotions on this trip have been conflicted as a parent and grandparent thinking of my kids and grandchildren as I interacted with many parents and families waiting anxiously for their child to receive an eagerly awaited — and needed — bedkit. The impact a $30 donation has on these families and children is something that intellectually I knew before I came, but until I saw the children I didn’t emotionally know it.
Any advantage and, it may be as simple as a donated bedkit, may help some break out of that cycle. What I found striking here was that as little as these children have, there are big smiles, excited play and happiness in simple things that is a testament to the buoyancy of the human spirit.