Having received all the
details and photos from our Delhi team,
I am so happy that the moment has finally come when I
can share with you the experience of Blanket
Distribution on Nov 8th,
9th and
15th.
This year indeed marks a
milestone in the ACT(s) of selfless service, which we
hope will continue growing exponentially, not only in India,
but across the globe. Initial contact has already been
established with like minded people in Kenya and Peru -
let us see where the flow of divine grace will take
Ammu's smiling face (and all that it represents) next...
Blanket Distribution in Gurgaon on Nov 15th was
especially interesting – so many new volunteers came on
board through nothing less than a divine
intervention and everything was conducted in a
heartfelt, as well as super-organized, way. Our
dear Shaju and Bindu shared with us that they were not
sure whether the children volunteers would really get up
that early on a cold Sunday morning in order to come for
Blanket Distribution. However, there they were, 6am
sharp, daring the winter with their cute innocent smiles
and enthusiasm. Around 200 blankets were quickly put in
order and off they all went to Patudi Chowk slum in the
Gurgaon area.
This year Ammucare team was also blessed with the
help from a teacher from Gurgaon - Mr. Mukesh Dagar, who
added his valuable contribution in organizing this Seva.
Furthermore, ACT team also received the support
from the local police who offered their assistance in
controlling the crowd, which, considering its size and
eagerness of people to receive their blankets, would
have otherwise been hard to manage. With their help, ACT
team was able to streamline the process – all the
recipients of blankets were assembled beside the police
station at Gurgaon Pataudi Chowk and, after verifying
their ration card, every family member was given one
blanket each.
As always, priority was given to the helpless –
elderly, children, and mothers with children.
Shaju and Bindu said that no matter how many times
one goes into a slum to conduct this Seva, it is
heart-breaking and appalling to see the conditions in
which the slum dwellers live, especially the children.
One is always left with a feeling - we could do much
more...
The ACT children volunteers were exceptionally
sweet in the way in which they assumed their roles as
blanket distributors and ACT representatives. I observed
each photo with great interest and wished SO MUCH I
could have been there to see this in person! On one
photo, one of our youngest volunteers is handing over
the blanket to a girl of the same age, but strikingly
different life conditions. However, their eye to
eye/heart to heart connection is visible on the photo,
and I KNOW that Ammu's presence was there, and that her
joy knew no bounds.
Whether their clothes are shanty or
decent, whether their hair is neat and clean, or messy
and dusty, one can't but conclude that all children are
so ADORABLE! Some of the photos are shooting
straight into the heart like arrows (please see the
amazing photos, courtesy of Dana).
Aside from helping the helpless, this is what one of the
main goals of this year's Ammucare Blanket Distribution
truly was – to inculcate the values of Seva and
unconditional love in the hearts of young children, to
allow their natural, unpolluted loving expression to
reach beyond the barriers of social status (or any other
man-made barrier), to inspire them to embrace and truly
feel the heart of humanity and thus ACT as one family…
Deeply touched and sincerely
grateful, I would hereby like to thank the following
young students who were in the forefront of this year's
Blanket Distribution:
Ms. Eikam Singh (Class 2)
Ms. Aparna Mangalam (Class 7)
Ms. Himanshi Rawat (Class 11)
Ms. Karishma Jaiswal (Class 11)
Ms. Bhavya Sachdeva (Class 12)
Ms. Michiko Narimatsu (Class12)
Mr. Narveer Yadav (Just finished his Btech)
