Introduction:
An orphanage houses children of various ages who either have no family or have lost their families in natural calamities.
The home usually has a care-taker who monitors the children of the orphanage and a few helpers to take care of the residents.
A visit to an orphanage is a life-changing experience as it is filled with emotions and sentiments. I had an opportunity to visit an orphanage as my cousin was a volunteer for a local non-governmental organization and it was the occasion of The International Day of Service.
Description of the Orphanage:
The orphanage house was situated in the outskirts of the city and was close to the national highway. It was a two-storey building with a garden out in the front and a small temple just on its east boundary. The walls of the home were old and the paint had worn off. It looked like the house was without maintenance for years together. There was a small girl who was peeking through the window on the first floor when we opened the gate.
Meeting the Children:
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When we entered the home, we were taken by surprise as there were more number of children than we had imagined. There was a common room where the children both boys and girls ranging from the ages of 3 to 21 years were seen. Some of them were indulged in watching the television, some were sipping soup from their bowls, some girls were busy playing with their dolls and others were staring at us.
We had brought with us food, blankets, drawing books, crayons, pencils etc. which we distributed amongst the children. They were ecstatic to have food from outside and were even more elated when they received the stationary from us. We segregated ourselves and went to talk individually to everyone.
My Personal Experience:
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I went over to a small girl, about 6 years of age, who was sitting at the corner of the room staring at the glass window. I introduced myself and took a seat besides her. She greeted me with a smile and gave me a toffee which she had in her bag. She told me how her parents drowned in the flood which swept away their home and everything they had.
She was with her uncle at that time who left her in the orphanage because he was unable to attend to her. She started sobbing while narrating the story and then asked me about my parents and other things. I talked with her for quite some time and then gifted her set of drawing books, story books and crayons and she promised to paint something for me.
Conclusion:
The visit to the orphanage was a fulfilling experience for me as I came back home with not only memories but also some valuable lessons. When I reached home, I ran straight to my mother and hugged her tight saying that I loved her very much and also my father. She held me tight with teary eyes.