Hope for Street Children

Today I had an amazing day. I had the opportunity to visit El Shaddai a not for profit child welfare organization that works with street kids and orphans in Goa.
We visited the school, completely funded by this organization, and where hundreds of children flock to each day from nearby villages. Some are bused in. Here, they are given an education, a hot meal, and hope for the future.
Then we visited a shelter for street kids in Margao. This is where homeless children who live in the streets are picked up by field workers and brought to this centre to be cleaned, to be given clean clothes, and to learn basic educational skills like the alphabet and writing their names. This shelter had over 100 children there today. The minute we walked in there we were completely jumped on by these children. They wanted to shake our hands, tell us their names, show us their dancing and signing skills.
By the end of the 2 hours, they were riding on our backs, tending their arms up in the air for us to hold them, giving us hugs, and showing us their secret hand shake.

My new friend Anita from the children's shelter

After all the poverty and sadness that I have briefly witnessed during my time here in India, this experience provided me with a lasting impression of resilience and spirit. Organizations such as this one can only do so much, but yet they do so much.

In a few days I leave India. But now I leave with an understanding that within despair there is hope.

Me with the girls at the school run by El Shaddai