A day at Elliot's Beach-Besant Nagar

Date: 28.08.2015

Everyday my prayer when I step out home would be, Lord, help me meet people with whom I can share something of your love. 

When I started my bike I never thought I would land in Elliot's Beach. My plan was to sit in a library and do my work undisturbed. But I ended up in the beach. 

As I was sitting on the foreshore , I was approached by two little children selling stickers. They asked me to get one. I asked them to sit with me for a while.

A girl, studying 8th std with two elder sister, father being a drunkard and mother a flower seller said she sells these on weekends and holidays. 

A boy, relative of the girl, fatherless, said the same. When I asked them what do they need. They said they need a school bag. "Akka, My school bag is torn. I had to sell these stickers to get one for me". 

I got stickers and got them ice creams as well. When they left, person who sold ice cream asked me why do i need to be bothered about these children? Why not was my question. He said, they do not go to schools. Too many people and ngos have approached these kids and parents yet they failed. All they need is money and some food. They even take away things from the visitors of the beach. 

I am sure its not the fault of the kids. It is the necessity of the parents for the wanting of money. 

I started talking to other children as well. few said they do not go to school. As I was talking I came to know that both their parents drink. These children earn and give their parents. They enjoy getting money,food and what not from the visitors who feel pity with these children. I also heard that the girl children are being abused for money. The girls in their teens and adolescents do it as their way of income. 

There were women who carry babies and beg for living. I really wonder what made them to do it. 

I happened to meet a old woman. she was begging. And when I was talking to a ladyseller. She said, "Akka, this old lady came to me yesterday and said she had got only rs.300 with a great disappointment. I sell these eatables and I don't even earn that". That old lady is a owner of a lorry and two houses. But she never wants to stay in her own house or live happily with the earning she gets from renting lorry. Who is rich here? A beggar? 

Life teaches so many lessons. Are we encouraging people to beg? Are we encouraging/teaching the street kids that education is not very important by giving them the money they want. How is it possible to restore these kids? To intervene with their parents? I approached an ngo and I still don't find an answer.

So many questions are running through my head. Wish someday I will be able to work for these children. Not just to provide them the education but to teach what life is about and to empower them as a giver and not as a receiver for life time. 

Aren't we blessed?

Each day is a new experience! There are days when I am happy; days, I speak nonstop; days,that actually make me feel sad,there are days where i laugh non stop, make others laugh, should i call them days of joy!!! yea..
I have also seen days that make me feel frustrated, days that make me feel weird, days that make me feel low!! Yea.. Each of us feel different every other day! Each day i meet different kinds of people.

Yesterday was a day i ended up in tears.

I met a family during field visit. Husband , wife and a daughter. He was in his 50's and weighs
30 kgs!!! Not able to walk few meters. His wife was also sick. Their daughter who is 22 years old, is suffering from stomach pain. The whole family looked weak and there was no source of income.  I was shocked. whom do they blame about? Their health? their situation? The whole family was in tears when i asked them what do they do for living? They said that they get rice from one of their relative. But what about other expenses?? They don't even have money to go to the hospital; or people who would take them to the hospital.  Aren't we blessed!! We complain about the food we eat? we complain about our health- tho' its just an head ache or a normal cough? we complain about our dress,we complain about our earnings, we complain that we do not have time for entertainment.. wen i saw that family with nothing in that house- just few vessels and some rice- I was broken.We take things for granted. There are people who has just an handful of food that they get every day and still they survive with it. Thanking God for what i have today.

Prayer

A Prayerless life cannot be God guided life. One never understands the power of prayer until they pray.Its not just knocking a door, its a personal experience or intimate relationship with God.Everything we ask through prayer are not received nor answered. Anything according to His will is answered through prayer. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.(ps 37.23) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. romans 12.2
Its time to pray. Its time to surrender yourself unto God. He speaks to you and through you. All you have to do is to open your ears to listen to His voice.