Morning Star's
Visitors
Who
Came
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Some came from afar to
make a difference and Share with the children their Love and Joy
from
'5th January 2006 Onwards'
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January 5th, 2006, was a special day for the challenged
children as they had all the time to spend with some visitors; Carmen
(daCosta) Battigelli and Massimo daCosta (Italy), Godfrey Cabral (Australia)
and Ozzie Martin (Bangalore) who has a well known son, Gerry Martin
(Snake expert) of National Geographic or Discovery fame. I really think
both sides, the visitors as well as the children enjoyed each others company.
They sang songs and just soaked in the time and the love and joy. I am
sure that the visitors were impressed by the way Morning Star was run
and congratulated John and Joy for their efforts. It was a pity that they
could not meet the school going children as they came back from school about
an hour later and the visitors had to get back to town!
I am sure that
they will visit Morning Star on their next visit, and will surely keep
in touch on email. These visitors were former residents of Bangalore
from Austin Town, Serpentine Street and Residency Road (Italian Guest
House), Richmond Town, coming back after 40 years, trying to catch up
with their school day buddies and memories, and at the same time had set
aside a priority 'quality session' with the children of Morning Star.
February 5th , 2006 , Another
special day for Morning Star children, they had visitors from overseas.
Mark Kuhn and his colleagues Bill Strevker and Jerry Vogt, along with
their local Office Manager, Shanker, paid a visit to the children. Mark
had come earlier and visited the orphanage a few months, ago. He
was greatly impressed with the work done by John and Joy and has
left for his country with a promise to try and get some more people involved
in supporting Morning Star. The children were really ecstatic with this
visit, and I kept far from them after the joyful experience of Christmas
Day when the poor camera I was using was jolted out of my hand by the buoyant
children, and ever since it has become a little cranky, but it still works,
God Bless Reubin and Kodak!!
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February 26th, 2006 , A visit to Morning Star with
Rajiv Chandrabhanu, and Maisy by his Maruti Gypsy. This being a rare visit
as Maisy cannot travel on my bike the distance, hence Rajiv
brought his jeep. We spent time with John who was holding the fort as Joy
was on a trip up north of India. This was also a time to console John over
the loss of one of the challenged children Krishna, so the visit was a bit
subdued of any excitement.
28th May 2006: The Carvalho Family's visit to Morning Star
:
Ann and Ian
and their children Jason and Justin have been keen to visit Morning Star
for quite a while. The occasion came when Maisy wanted to visit before going
on her holiday to Australia so this trip was arranged. Then there were some
clothes to be delivered that were given by Ann's friend, and that too was
considered an incentive. The children have not visited a place like this
and to see for themselves how the challenged children are made comfortable.
The children also had a time to mix with all kinds of boys and play ruff
and tuff. Justin and Jason could see some of the animals and birds that the
Morning Star children have as friends and therapy factors. At the end of
the day, or should I say afternoon when the dust had settled on the field,
we all set off back home, with a new experience.
Cheers,
Ronnie
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A visit to Morning Star : 2nd July 2006.
It was a few weeks since I had visited Morning Star , and I also had to deliver
some lovely hardy shoes for the children so kindly left by Michele Broadbent
from the UK. Being a cloudy day, with threatening clouds, I made sure that
I was well prepared for any downpour. I arrived at the orphanage after a
pleasant cool ride, and notices some changes that John and Joy had made.
They always try to make life for the children better, and filled with quality.
This time I found that the pathway was graveled so that even if it rained,
the slushy mud is not carried into the house and the children would not slip.
I also me this time a young couple (Allison
and Matt
) from the US now settled down in Australia. Allison was with the News Media
and Matt is on a Software assignment to Bangalore for a few weeks.
Today, the usual software gang had not turned up to teach the children and
play football with the kids, anyhow they went ahead with the 'world cup'
game in full gusto. I was hoping that someone would contribute a
'World Cup' football with the logos, etc., for the children, (we are
not able to get these in India), they would really enjoy the ball. Francis
and Murali were the cheering spectators, not being able to play themselves.
After that Murali decided to entertain a new kitten. It was a light tan one,
the black kitten which I saw on an earlier trip apparently died from a snake
bite.
Some of the children (those who were not inclined to be jostled) were
engrossed in making
plasticine figurettes and a few of the finished
artworks
were displayed on the doors by the artists
, watched by Francis a challenged child, who
expresses his joy.
Still a group of the the less enthu kids were in the library doing some
drawing and sharpening their skills.
The garden had sprouted a fruit filled pomegranate tree, and there was also
the area filled with granite pillars and wire trusses, prepared for a new
vegetable section. The water tanks were painted up, but the water is still not enough, and a "borewell" is to be dug. If you are willing to contribute to this 'Project' click here to see the details of required finances.
I did do a circle and Kannan the Professor, and Dan the 'Michael Jackson'
impersonator caught up with me. Rex, kept a watchful eye on the flock!
Earlier 'Professor' Kannan had read to the rest of his group (Joy told me
Kannan's secret, if he looks at the pictures, then he knows which side up
to hold the newspaper, if there are no pictures, then it's anyside up!), bringing
them up to date with the latest 'world cup' and other news!.
Two more of the children were being sent for ITI training, and to be absorbed
into the industry. Shanker the artist was put into an art school. It is to
be seen whether he is inclined to return to Morning Star to help them take
up any Corporate contract for a mural, sometimes youngsters get carried away.
Cheers Ronnie
