Background
I met Bimal Osti at a seminar, organised by European Forum of Youth in Poland after a really rewarding job shadowing opportunity in Dejavato Indonesia I had had with them just a few weeks earlier. I had already experienced my first glimpse on Asia and its wisdom of community life. In our Indonesian project we had lived in a small village, helped restore a Unesco Heritage Hindu Temple and worked in the local school. I was enchanted!
It was at this pivotal event in my life that I also met Saravana, Hannah, Prithvi who later made my stay in India so unforgettable. I was touched to be called Mother by them, to be warmly invited, to be cared for. I found this Motherly experience something really deep to comprehend as in Europe although I am a teacher and mentor to many I am mother only to my own daughters. Much had I to discover ...
In closely knit communities like the ones that I find in Asia, each woman is a mother to many and each child can be sheltered under the care of many mothers. This was the stepping stone to peep into the life of this Children's Home. But this will come later. Now about Bimal.
Having raised two girls with the support of my loving husband, I know what the demands of taking care of girls are. Clothes, toiletries and shoes are never enough, to say the least, Thus, I found it compeletely incompehensible how one family can cater for 21 small girls. What if some gets ill? What if food and clothes are not enough? What if they get into the tantrums of difficult puberty? What if they don't get on with each other? What if, what if ...
So, I started following Bimal. Out of curiosity and out of admiration. I carefully browsed through the highly informative website of the organisation. I adored the colourful pictures of the girls, I lived though their eyes the joy of their special moments. And also helped. When the terrible earthquake happened, our amazing young volunteers - People to people International The Dolphins hosted a big charity lunch and transfered 400 euro to the Nepali Chapter of PTPI, part of which supported Moonligh with toiletries, blankets, school materials and food. Luckily, all the girls were unharmed, the house was stable and the worst was over.
And then Bobby and I decided that since visiting Nepal is on top of our bucket list, it would be a wonderful opportunity to combine it with volunteering for the girls, supporting them financially and teaching English for 20 days during my holidays. Nothing could work better than this. All exceeded my expectations.
To begin with the support. I hoped I would be able to raise at least 200 euro by handmaking colourful bags from all clothes and selling them to friends trough my FB page Toni's Bags for Charity. Well, the final sum was 600 euro! A friend donated me plenty of material, so many other friends were interested in buying bags, a friend who has just come back from Nepal donated the money she had not spent there. I was so grateful for all this positive energy that was the fuel of my joy even before my arrival. With the donated money the charity bought supplies for the new school year.
So, in a nutshell, this is how we packed our bags with positive thoughts before we dived into the experience of Moonlight Children's Home.
The Real Experience
The 21 girls are brought up in excellent living conditions and in the loving ambience of a true family.
They all have really troubled background, some have lost one parent, others both, all have suffered severe neglection and malnutrition while living with relatives in remote areas with meagre sanitation or even completely abandoned in the street, but it is all .... Past!
And the children have the amazing quality to live for the Present. They thrive when surrounded with love and care. They grow up when educated in the principles of solidarity and sharing, affection to the younger and respect for the elder, They have Education as their own priorirty and all without exceptions excell at school. They take excellent care of their hygiene, help in the household, the organic farm and the poultry farm. They are curious to learn about the world, eager to be awarded the opportunity to travel and live life with self-respect and aspiration.
But above all - they are tremendously polite, kind and united with each other. In this home exists no rivalry, no grudge, no anger. And it is due to the two families who make it - Ms and Mr Juna and Ganesh Osti and Ms and Mr Kalpana and Bimal Osti. Supported by an active Protestant Christian commiunity and church.
If you look at the basics you can always find things that their European peers would grumble about - they have only one TV and are allowed to watch it twice weekly for a short time,they have no mobile gadgets, their school shoes are old and ruffled, their space is alwayes shared, new clothes are not a must but a celebration. But this coins a unique synchrony with true values that I have hardly observed anywhere else.
Are they properly fed and bred? Yes! The food is abundant, varied and none is refused a refill. The younger ones are even sublect to a special treatment as some effects of malnutrition need to be overcome with time. School? All go to a private school with all subjects in English end excellent study habits. They have four sets of uniforms which are changed and washed each day. The racks for clothes and shoes were of particular interest to me as each girl has her name written creatively and clothes and socks neatly arranged. English skills? Fluent.
How to help?
The best is financially. The charity has a separate bank accounton its website Moonlight Children's Home and all expenses are managed transparently, diligently and honestly. The best is to sponsor a child or a number of children monthly. Compared to our European standard, the sum is affordable.
By volunteering. Bobby and I did it and it was worth every second of it.
We can devote time to spend with girls and teach them valuable skills for the world outside, we can fund their entertainment, you can collect resourses in your home country and send them. But make sure that this is what they really need1
Or you can support their further education and life!
Or boost their self esteem by making the world know how brilliant they are!
I thank you with my heart if you decide to do any of these. I can always be a contact or referee or you can contact my great Moonlight family directly at their facebook page
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