In March 2008, we went to Kolkata, India to visit Murali's mother and sister, Girija. This was our 2nd trip together to India, the primary purpose for Murali was to take care of things at home. For Haruka, one of the most memorable experiences was volunteering at the Loreto Day School-Sealdah, a Catholic school that was founded by the Loreto Sisters from England. The boarding schools have 1500 students; half are tuition paying and the others are former street children. The school motto is “Our Doors Are Always Open.” At first glance the place looked totally chaotic, with kids running all over the place, but soon, it was evident that there were schedules for classes, meals, bathing, cleaning, and play. As a drop-in volunteer Hauka jumped right into teaching English to small groups of “Rainbow Children,” girls who were brought in from the streets who had not yet mainstreamed into regular classes. Haruka had flashbacks from Cornell, when she studied Human Development. How can a child learn in a classroom before basic needs like food, shelter, and safety are met?
Spending time with children like this is a powerful experience when you are seriously thinking about adoption. Fortunately, Haruka had a really positive and heartwarming experience. Most of the girls were healthy and seemed happy to have a safe haven to play like normal children. If anyone is interested in volunteering in India, we would recommend looking into this remarkable place.
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