The Children Return To RSO!

Monday was a an exciting, long, and difficult day! It was fun to see all the children arrive with their families after a long four-week break! Some of the children were excited to be back and had no problem saying goodbye to their family. Then there were a few..mostly the kindergarten children who had a hard time saying good bye to their family. It was sad to see:( You could tell the parents were trying so hard to be strong for their children as they walked away to board the bus to go home to their colonies. A few of the younger ones would try to run after the bus..it was so sad..but there was nothing I could do. They didn't want me they wanted their parents. It was really hard to comfort them. One ten-year-old boy arrived two days late because his home is in New Delhi and it took him 3 days on a train to get here. I was watching him as his parents checked him into the school to meet with the counselor and then said goodbye to their brave little boy. He waved goodbye and then walked around the corner to where I was and started crying saying Amma, which means mother. He kept on crying and would only say Amma Amma. Again, I couldn't do anything but walk with him as he cried. A few hours later he was doing a puzzle in the office and Cole decided to ask him if he wanted to play Legos with him. They played Legos for a while but Cole said the boy kept looking up at the family pictures on our fridge and would start to cry a little..it was hard! I learned later that day the whole story of Arun who was six years old when he came to Rising Star. At that time Rising Star only had 27 spots available to fill and they were already full with over a hundred children on the waiting list! Apparently the word spread quickly that there was a school for children of the leprosy affected. The parents brought their children from all over India and Arun's parents brought him all the way from New Delhi (a three-day journey)! He and his father arrived the second day of registration and they were told that there was no room in the inn and that Arun would be placed on the waiting list. The father, disappointed and tired, left to take the three-day journey home. The next day Becky Douglas (founder of Rising Star) was in a leper colony close by and saw this small boy, Arun curled up, crying by a tree. She asked the people of the colony where his family was and they explained to her that his father went back to New Delhi to beg for money so he could return and get Arun. He only had enough money to bring himself back..so the Father didn't know what else to do but leave Arun in a colony until he came back with enough money to get Arun. The people in the colony didn't have enough for their families so they just let Arun sit there for a day and a night! That was when Becky decided to make room for one more little boy at Rising Star:) Becky took Arun and held him she said for days..he was so scared and only six years old. I can't imagine being six-years old and left alone outside in the street at night to fend for myself without knowing when my father would return!

Two of Boston and Olivia's close friends had a hard time saying goodbye to their family too..so I sat and talked with them for awhile about how their parents love them and why they are bringing them to RSO. We talked about the opportunities they have here to learn English, and the importance working hard in school so they can one day help their families later by getting good jobs and earning a enough money to help support them. We talked about the wonderful things they have here like a play ground, good food to eat, a bed to sleep on, and people that love them. Shortly after our talk, the girls were out playing and having a good time. I think they understand that being here is a blessing but it's still not easy leaving their families. I have heard so many of these children's stories and can not believe the strength they have to be positive and hard working! The opportunity the kids have here is so wonderful and will change their lives for better in so many ways. One girl told me that over the break her sister had to go to the hospital because she tried to drink poison because she did not want to go home to her husband. These children all have amazing stories! I see some sad things but the happy things definitely out-weigh the hard things. For example right now their are little kindergarten girls coloring at my kitchen table and laughing:) It is so cute to hear them speak Tamil to each other and then giggle. I have a hard time not letting these girls come in to color when they say Auntie please paper to color and then they color me a picture and write I love you Sarah on the paper. They spell my name Sera...so cute!

I was speaking with one of the fathers of the large Patel family when he was here at RSO and asked him about his family. He told me when he was young living in India his parents sent him to a similar school so he could have opportunities that he normally would not have. He said it was really hard but it was good and it helped him to become a successful businessman. He told me about the many sacrifices his parents made for him here in India and also to make it to America and become citizens of the US. I know that the kids here at RSO will do great things and will be the future leaders of India.

These pictures are of Arun playing soccer. Arun is the boy who came from Delhi and was having a hard time leaving his parents today. He is doing great now and had fun playing soccer with all his friends..including Cole.






Oak's friends:)