Tag Archives: Gilgal Orphanage

Day in the life of an orphan

Posted on by

Everyday between 5.30 and 6am everyone is woken up, either of their own accord or by an elder boy. Following the awakening is morning prayer which is done a little away from the orphanage under the tree on the road. There is a short bible reading by one of the older children, next is some study time in the main hall where the boys all sleep. Before breakfast all the jobs need to be completed. This includes sweeping, washing the dishes, and washing the floors, then a quick body wash and all clean and dressed for a nice breakfast. A speedy cleaning of the plate follows and they get ready for school. The youngest children have to walk across a main road and then across the main railway line and after 30mins they arrive at school. They sing the national anthem and a prayer before they commence school. Once they return from school they wash, change, play, study and then at 7.30 is a prayer meeting or reading followed by a meal, powercut, then more studying and finally at around 10pm sleep. Some of the older orphans however persist with studying until the early hours of the morning; such is the life of an Indian orphan. For most education is their only ticket to a new life.

A trip to the zoo

Posted on by

The bus speeds along the dust road towards the orphanage building leaving a dust cloud behind it. All the children with beaming faces run to get the best seat next to the diver which ends up not just being one seat but 5 seats as they squish into the front. This was a small trip we organized for 30 of the smaller children many of the older children have exams at this time of year so on the 15th we took them to the local zoo, gardens and park. Ice cream was also a highlight of the day, but for one boy who ate his ice cream and then went round on the roundabout so fast that his stomach must have been still rotating when the ice cream reappeared over the fence!

We also had a day trip to the most southern point of India this past week we took the eldest orphan with us who is 19, he had never seen the sea before so it was amazing to see him experience his first sight of the ocean. Where we were in Kanyakamuri the Indian Ocean, Arabic Ocean and Bay of Bengal all meet so it’s not a bad spot to see your first bit of sea! We then went to take a ferry ride to some historic temple…it’s always a bit disconcerting when you board a ferry and have to wear your life jacket ‘just in case’!

Work on the orphanage is progressing well the beams now connecting the pillars are now built and the store building is completed. Each pillar is now being added to with more metal. Most of the expenses are being supported by generous people from the West. Some of the materials has also been kindly sponsored by local companies who wish to help with the construction.

As it is the lead up to Christmas if the children have any families then they are visiting them now. We met one child’s mother while she was working in a supermarket and we had to promise to bring her 2 daughters next time. We obtained permission and took her two daughters, when she saw us she left the checkout and bought enough biscuits to fill a whale for them to take back. She spent some time with them and as we left there were tear streaming down her face, this lady has to work 6 days a week from 9am to 9pm to live in a women hostel and cant support her children.

One recent event was some carol singers, they had contacted the orphanage to say that they would arrive at 10am to sing to the children, finally at 1am in the morning they arrive all the children forced themselves awake to get only a few carols and a prayer before they made an exit. I sometimes wonder how the children are so awake/can function as many of the older ones study until the early hours of the morning before getting up at 5 or 6am. 3 hours sleep per night seems to be the price you pay in India for a good education and an escape from poverty.

These photos were taken at a school we recently went to.

A short trip in an Indian car…

Posted on by

The dinner wash-up

An engineer who is helping with the construction winds down the window of his small orange car and the bristles of his moustache mimics a Mexican wave as he smiles (as all true Indians do). The three workmen in the back lean forward with their red Hindu forehead spots shining away. He says ‘Sam can you come with us we have some checking up to do on a few sites’. So we travelled along the road and as it always does it seems that you must be going along the motorway at 70mph but it is probably only 25mph, there are no speed limit signs and no markings on the speed bumps and many holes in the road. Sometimes it may be that someone has taken the drain cover off for a little bit of maintenance or as a souvenir and there is no warning; it’s just left as a speed trap or sleep trap.

We arrive close to our first destination which is a school. The sign points left down a narrow road which had a steep drop into the turn there was a bit of a bump! We move slowly forward and then a bit more forward then stop… no power… Odd…we try the reverse, again no power. As I look out the window I can see that the tyre seems to have decided that it is going to go askew horizontally. It seems to have also dented the car somewhat and it was detached from the wheel turning lever things. So the rest of the way was to be on foot. We waited here until a mechanic arrived.

Swathi – One of the youngest girls waits for her meal on the steps of the orphanage.

The rest of the time has been spent helping continue building the orphanage. I have been taught how to cement and lay bricks and making sure it’s not all wonky. Also learnt how to carry bricks and get a wee bit sun burnt. The mosquitos here are a murderous bunch; they just seem to never have enough blood to satisfy them. Sometimes outside you just look up and there are swarms of the buzzing, blood sucking creatures. Last night was a teaching night, we taught them a songs like heads, shoulders, knees and toes. We are currently trying to organize a few trips of a few of the children and then a trip for everyone to a waterfall and a zoo so hopefully this will all work out.

So with an Indian smile and a slowly growing moustache I must dash; serving dinner time.

Two children pose while walking to school in their small tribal village on a trip to Ooty.