Something for everyone to think about!

Just close your eyes for a minute...wait read this first, then try to imagine that you are 8 years old and going to school. A simple school, enjoying your studies and playing with all of your friends living the way a regular child would. Now imagine, your parents selling you off because they have no money to feed the rest of the family. They are told that your child will be taken to work and it's for their benefit if their working they can send money back to the family...Right!, and that you will receive a very generous settlement in exchange for your child. Why not you still have another five to take care of. You are struggling to put food on the table for any of them, one less will just make your life a little easier. Now this may sound like a simple decision to some people, but i'm pretty sure and hope that none of you reading this are ever put in this position. But the decision is made.

Now your child finds themselves in a compound being fed lunch with broken glass, men screaming at them, they not knowing what is going to be happening to next. That world of soccer and family and school seems so far gone and all you have is the fellow kids that you have been holed up with.

Then out of nowhere you and the other kids are put into a truck, taken from the beds that you have been sleeping in and driven for 3 days, day and night. Past countless townships and cities having no idea where you are going or why.
Eventually you arrive a destination are taken into another strange house with this group of kids that you have been with this entire time and you look to them for comfort and guidance and they are all that you have to hold onto.
This is far to common a story in India and a solution to this problem seems to be lacking a sense of urgency. We managed to come across 'for the lack of a better term' some of the lucky one's. The bastard who had taken these kids was caught and is now behind bars, the kids had been left in limbo about who takes care of these kids.

The girls were taken to the girls orphanage that we had been working in, and the boys to another orphanage close by .

So we have been taking charge in continuing with their education which they would not have otherwise. While being stuck amongst all this bureaucratic red tape.
These kids are incredible full of life and smiles, talent and strength. We have had so many wonderful moments with these kids, one of the greatest was a production of the lion king. When conducting lessons with the kids we found that they had a great love of fairytale and story books, just like any other kids. So we decided to put on a production for the school that they were now a part of. They had such an amazing time making costumes and playing their roles and showing off to a very appreciative audience in what was an amazing performance by all.

Check out the trailer at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6dNdcsZeP8

The full movie at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J4yqMToLic

GVI Kerala xox

Something for everyone to think about!