Visit to Orphanage in Pune, India.

This is a photo of a room filled with 80 beautiful deaf orphans clapping. I had the honor to visit an orphanage for the deaf in Pune India. I walked in excited to meet the children. We walked in and were taken upstairs to a classroom where we were asked to sit at the head of the class. Then one by one the children started to walk in and sit on the floor facing us. More and more children kept walking in politely and started to sit in rows forming neat lines as the older ones followed the younger ones. All dressed in their matching uniforms. As they were walking in, I started to look at their individual faces and looked in their eyes to thank them for letting us be there. Then something came over me and I started to feel guilty. Guilty for sitting in front of them and watch them walk in and sit on the floor in front of us. Guilty for not being able to communicate with them; and guilty for feeling so privileged. I realized that they were born deprived of the simple things we have. Deprived of their senses that we take for granted. Deprived of parents and a family. Deprived of the shelter and the comfortable life and all it’s luxuries that we have. Deprived of all the opportunities that we have. Suddenly I could no longer hold back my tears. I did not want them to see me cry because I didn’t them to think I was feeling sorry for them or that I did not want to see them. I just simply felt guilty for them not having all the things I did. I felt like there were too many of them and that even if I help 1 or 2 of them, that there are 78 more there. And there are 100s of thousands more in the world. But then I realized that each one of them matters on their own. That even if I can help and give 1 of them the opportunity to be there, then I have made a difference in that 1 child’s life. There are so many words I want to share….but I want to end by saying that there is SO much each one of us can do. Weather it’s to donate money or our time or just our words. Find a cause. Find a reason. Find something or someone that touches your heart and give. Give to just 1 and or just a little and if we all do it, then it will all add up. Donating just $250 will provide housing, food, clothes, education and all the medical needs 1 child will need to stay at this orphanage for 1 whole year.