Ok...I realize I have sucked at blogging as of late. Its not that I haven't WANTED to blog, it's just that I've been busy (traveling to Thailand, teaching, etc.) and (to be completely honest) I haven't been compelled to blog about anything. Don't get me wrong, things are amazing here as they always are--the kids are amazing, I love teaching in the school...it's just that it hasn't been anything worthy of an entire blog post. But today was a different story. Today is up there as one of my favorite days at Rising Star ever.
One of the biggest holidays in India is Diwali (the Festival of Lights). Diwali is an Hindu holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Diwali (or Deepavalli as it is also called) translates to "row of lamps" and even though it is a Hindu holiday, it is celebrated by all Indian people no matter what religion they are. Diwali is considered a family day where it is customary to wear new clothes, share 'sweets', and light off fireworks. It is a huge celebration that the kids had been talking about since the minute they got back to school from their fall holiday.
We currently have about 10 volunteers at Rising Star right now and we were given the job of making Diwali a fun day for the kids. When the kids got back from break last Thursday, most of them were very sad that they would not be able to spend Diwali with their family (it's basically the equivalent of having to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas away from home). Because the kids were really sad about this, we wanted to make Diwali a fun, exciting day for them. From the get-go the day got off to a great start. While we were setting up in the dining hall for Christmas ornament making (for the kids to send to their sponsors), I wandered over to the hostel to check on the kids. As soon as I rounded the corner from the path to the hostel, there was an infectious exuberance emanating from all the children. They were all dressed in their very nicest, new clothes, Tamil music was playing out over the playground from a boombox, and all the kids were playing, dancing and having a great time. I was bombarded with kids coming to shake my hand and wish me a 'Happy Diwali' and their excited little faces made me smile from ear-to-ear. It was fantastic. After playtime we did our Christmas ornaments activity with the kids and they had tons of fun decorating their picture frames for their sponsors. Things got a little crazy when the torrential downpour started (we are in monsoon season now) and when Lola the lamb wandered into the dining hall and tried to eat the finished ornaments but overall it was a good afternoon.
The fireworks display that night basically went like this: all the kids lined up outside in front of the hostel (still in their nicest clothes) and the male staff set-off tons of fireworks (including some big ones that definitely are not legal for household use in America). This sounds like a pretty simple affair but a few different things really hit home for me and I spent the night basking in the glow of fireworks, family, and love. One thing that really struck me was the kindness of the people that work at Rising Star. On a day that is supposed to be spent with family, Vikram, Vel, Mark, and Mani (various members of the staff at RSO) took the time when they should have been home lighting fireworks with their own families to come to campus and put on a fireworks show for the kids. So many of the kids have either lost their fathers or have abusive fathers, and it was so touching to see the male staff (who really don't have any obligation to the kids) happily sacrificing their time to take on the fatherly roll that so many of these kids are lacking. It is such a beautiful thing to witness true beauty and selflessness in other people. As I stood thinking about this, with one arm around Usha and Sagayamary's little hand held tight by the other, listening to the kids clap and "ooo" and "ahh" over the fireworks, I couldn't help but feel so unbelievably happy. I imagine it was a little like the Grinch felt when his heart grew three times its size--I felt like my heart was growing and expanding with love right there on the spot. It was magical to say the least.
After the fireworks show, the kids were given sparklers to light and wave. Another great moment in the night was when Abi (a first standard girl) started walking by me with her sparkler. The kids were following a path around the sandpit with their lit sparklers and I was standing on the sides commenting on their sparklers as they passed. As I commented on Abi's sparkler, she stopped, extended her hand and said very softly, "Happy Diwali Kenady ma'am." I told her Happy Diwali in return and she went on her way, but that one short exchange, again, brought so much joy to my heart I could barely believe it.
It is because of the beautiful people at Rising Star here in India that my first Diwali was one I will never forget. :)
Vanakkam
One of the biggest holidays in India is Diwali (the Festival of Lights). Diwali is an Hindu holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Diwali (or Deepavalli as it is also called) translates to "row of lamps" and even though it is a Hindu holiday, it is celebrated by all Indian people no matter what religion they are. Diwali is considered a family day where it is customary to wear new clothes, share 'sweets', and light off fireworks. It is a huge celebration that the kids had been talking about since the minute they got back to school from their fall holiday.
We currently have about 10 volunteers at Rising Star right now and we were given the job of making Diwali a fun day for the kids. When the kids got back from break last Thursday, most of them were very sad that they would not be able to spend Diwali with their family (it's basically the equivalent of having to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas away from home). Because the kids were really sad about this, we wanted to make Diwali a fun, exciting day for them. From the get-go the day got off to a great start. While we were setting up in the dining hall for Christmas ornament making (for the kids to send to their sponsors), I wandered over to the hostel to check on the kids. As soon as I rounded the corner from the path to the hostel, there was an infectious exuberance emanating from all the children. They were all dressed in their very nicest, new clothes, Tamil music was playing out over the playground from a boombox, and all the kids were playing, dancing and having a great time. I was bombarded with kids coming to shake my hand and wish me a 'Happy Diwali' and their excited little faces made me smile from ear-to-ear. It was fantastic. After playtime we did our Christmas ornaments activity with the kids and they had tons of fun decorating their picture frames for their sponsors. Things got a little crazy when the torrential downpour started (we are in monsoon season now) and when Lola the lamb wandered into the dining hall and tried to eat the finished ornaments but overall it was a good afternoon.
The fireworks display that night basically went like this: all the kids lined up outside in front of the hostel (still in their nicest clothes) and the male staff set-off tons of fireworks (including some big ones that definitely are not legal for household use in America). This sounds like a pretty simple affair but a few different things really hit home for me and I spent the night basking in the glow of fireworks, family, and love. One thing that really struck me was the kindness of the people that work at Rising Star. On a day that is supposed to be spent with family, Vikram, Vel, Mark, and Mani (various members of the staff at RSO) took the time when they should have been home lighting fireworks with their own families to come to campus and put on a fireworks show for the kids. So many of the kids have either lost their fathers or have abusive fathers, and it was so touching to see the male staff (who really don't have any obligation to the kids) happily sacrificing their time to take on the fatherly roll that so many of these kids are lacking. It is such a beautiful thing to witness true beauty and selflessness in other people. As I stood thinking about this, with one arm around Usha and Sagayamary's little hand held tight by the other, listening to the kids clap and "ooo" and "ahh" over the fireworks, I couldn't help but feel so unbelievably happy. I imagine it was a little like the Grinch felt when his heart grew three times its size--I felt like my heart was growing and expanding with love right there on the spot. It was magical to say the least.
After the fireworks show, the kids were given sparklers to light and wave. Another great moment in the night was when Abi (a first standard girl) started walking by me with her sparkler. The kids were following a path around the sandpit with their lit sparklers and I was standing on the sides commenting on their sparklers as they passed. As I commented on Abi's sparkler, she stopped, extended her hand and said very softly, "Happy Diwali Kenady ma'am." I told her Happy Diwali in return and she went on her way, but that one short exchange, again, brought so much joy to my heart I could barely believe it.
The firework table aka the greatness we were about to feast our eyes on.
I didn't get any pictures of the bigger fireworks in the sky, but these ones were fun too. *Note all the amazing help we had pulling this off for the kiddos.
No matter how old you are, fireworks are great.
So fun and pretty.
The captivated audience all dressed to impress.
The kids with their sparklers
Anne (the current dance master) and I with our sparklers--I LOVE SPARKLERS!
With Sagayam and Priya--all the girls looked absolutely BEAUTIFUL in their Diwali outfits!
Just three best friends strikin a pose--nbd
The volunteers and staff--I am truly in the company of some amazing people. :)
It is because of the beautiful people at Rising Star here in India that my first Diwali was one I will never forget. :)
Vanakkam
