This might change your life- cause mine did.

I left Swayambhu yesterday around 9:30 a.m. (just in time for my tofu dal bhaat, my FAVE!) and headed to Thamel for my weekly stay in civilization. Yesterday morning before I left, I took the children for their morning walk around the Temple. Anil and Dawa were being a little naughty and trying to push my buttons. They would lighly jog up ahead, make me worry, look back to see my experssion- and when they saw it was of disapproval (these kids are MY responsibility and what would I do if something happened to them??), they quickly returned to our single line. Oh- is this what raising kids is going to be like, Mommy??

Srijana (7 years old and has the body of a American 3 year old- so tiny) wanted to hold my hand the whole time. That is my girl right there. She has really started to open up and her personality has really begun to blossom. When she first came to the Home, she was extremely quiet and shy and so was her brother, Raju. Over the last 6 weeks I have seen such a transition. She is starting conversations, learning the English alphabet, and initiating singing songs (Ohm, Shanti, Ohm!!! -google it-). Her small village spoke their own dialect, so I think she was extra reserved when she first came a couple months ago. I can see her continue to develop and become into her own little person- very satisfying for me because she was actually one of my projects. I wasn't playing favorites, I don't think, I could just sense that she was one of the children that needed me the most. I feel accomplished.

Side note: Sita (my sister) teaches the children that could not register for school in time during the day. For the past couple of weeks, Sita has been buying the children little things- like biscuits, gum, small cars, tikkas etc. She will bring them things from home as well. Sita does not make a lot of money. Believe me, I live with her, I know what her resources are. In fact, Sita has not even been paid by Dai yet and she has been working for him for 6 weeks. Who knows? When I asked her about that, she explained that she understands the Dai has to feed the children and when he gets donor money, he will pay her. I thought about this for a little while. Is Sita doing these nice things because we (volunteers) bring the children weekly products like medicine, pencils, notebooks, etc from our supply room at the VSN office? I quickly retracted that thought (and even felt guilty) when she told me why she feels compelled:
"To me, these children are like my own brothers and sisters, same like Dibya. They have no mothers and fathers. Who will bring them these things? Who will bring them small things that bring big smiles? It makes me feel good to do nice things for them. I cannot do much hard work because of my disbility, but if I can do these small things and make them happy, then I have achieved my goal."
Her response definitely got me thinking about a lot of things in life. Maybe it will for you, too.

The other day I asked Kamal if he wanted to go 'mati' (up)? I have noticed that Kamal, Anjanna and Manisha cannot participate in morning walk (but it is just very difficult to bring their unstable wheelchairs outside to the rough terrain around the temple). When the children go upstairs on the terrace and run around, all those three children can do is hear their footsteps. I do not even want to know what their brains are doing and hearts are feeling. When I asked Kamal to go up, his smile got 10 times brighter and he paused the normal 2-3 seconds before answering (as if to formulate the words from his brain to his mouth) and excitedly belted "Yeah!". I carried him like a young child with his body facing mine and his chin resting on my shoulder. He gave me 6 kisses on the cheek before we reached the top (I started giving him kisses on the cheek when I first got to the home, and he responded with such a genuine affection, I make it a daily habit now). When we got to the terrace, some of the kids yelled DIDI!! and motioned me to bring Kamal to them. They were so excited to see their brother participating with their daily regimen of playing on the terrace. I rested Kamal on my lap so we could avoid him possibly falling on the hard concrete (very little body control). I heard Kamal say "Ama" and with his crinkled upper limb, stuck in elbow flexion, he pointed to my left. I saw Ama looking and smiling up at us and remembered what she once told me about Kamal. (Translated by Sita):
"Do nice things for Kamal- make him better- give him strength and confidence to walk- And God will look after you for the rest of your life"
Ama really loves Kamal- he is such a special little man- and her words have just plain STUCK.

Kamal had a smile from ear to ear. Eventually, Anjanna made it up compliments of Dawa. She is much smaller and easier to carry. Dawa rested her on the balcony (it is very wide) and she started pointing and screaming with big smiles everything she never had the opportunity to see. From the terrace, you can see the road I walk on and never considered to be special. I walk on it every single day. I mean, its just a road. This road is full of people, taxis, monkeys, dirt, cement drop-offs, and is the same type of road you see all over KTM. I never looked at this road like Anjanna and Kamal did that day. To these kids it was more than a road- it was a land they considered unknown- a special land that if they could walk by themselves that they could explore and be considered "normal". I will never forget the expressions on their faces that early evening. Anjanna would point and tap me on the shoulder every little thing she saw, like I had never seen it before. But when she did this, I saw a different side of the road. I saw a different part of life. It really brought some depth to my frame of mind. Kamal would whisper into my ear everything he noticed about the road that I suddenly noticed as well. (A kite, the peacock that lives next door, a woman wearing a saari with sparkles, a baby monkey hanging on for dear life to its mother). I think we will go mati every day now until I leave.

I spent my morning at a restaurant called OR2K. www.or2k.com
My new favorite place in Thamel. And if you are planning a trip here, you must come in for its fresh mint lemon tea and fruit salad.

I keep thinking about how these kids have changed my life. I am a better person because of them.

Hope you liked my story.

Love,
J