Kallua and Suresh

LHM

On the very first day of Ashalayam’s existence, as the 14 children were brought from the station, by Brother Isaac Joshua and Brother Lalu Mondol and me, we asked them to wash their legs and sit down to play some indoor games, like Snake and Ladder or Ludo, which would require no skill or brain work. They were happy and all enjoyed them. Some took a round of the premises. When I noticed that the youngest, Kallua was falling asleep, I told them all to have a change and start singing with Brother Isaac. He put a plastic bucket upside down and started beating the tabla on it. He got the rhythm so well, that in a few minutes they were all singing “I am a Disco Dancer.” That was the hit of the day. Although many were singing with gusto, many were feeling drowsy. (My plan was to make them go to bed as late as possible, so they would sleep quickly and without interruption.) So I asked them to stop singing and I said, “Let us plan our future, shall we come here every day, what time, what shall we do, classes, training, or …” Before I could finish, Suresh, quite an open character and very exuberant, asked, “When is our prayer?” I was taken unawares. I did not expect that question from a street-boy. “Oh well, there will be two things missing here. Meals and prayer”, I said. Supplying them meals to attract them was a very low means I thought. “But won’t you pray …?”, Suresh continued. “Yes, in fact, you will hear us as you go to bed now. Please do not disturb us, try to sleep silently.” (Even as the boys go to bed, we the staff recite the rosary within sight and hearing of the boys.) Then suddenly, I was inspired to take this chance of their proposal. “Okay, well, instead of a prayer, let u do something else. All of you sit down nicely (Squatting), put your hands on your knees and close your eye. Close your eyes everybody.” Many closed, but then opened their eyes to see how many had not closed their eyes. Etc. But all were silent and serious. I closed my own eyes and said, slowly, distinctly, “Let us now imagine that we are in the presence of God, who knows and see our innermost thoughts and actions. Today, from morning till now, what have you done? Have you killed some one? Have you hit or wounded someone? Have you stolen anything from anyone? Have you told lies or been dishonest in anything? Have you disobeyed your parents, elders, supervisors? Have you taken the goods of others? Have you borrowed and not given back? I narrated all these questions and then gave them time to think seriously, still with their eyes closed. After one minute, which is quite a long period, I told them to open their eyes and I opened mine. Silently and seriously, I looked at each one of them. I could see that some had a shadow on their face, slightly sad, upset, thoughtful, still … in a word, sorry for what they had done and realized now.



So I continued. If you and your brothers here on earth are hitting and biting each other, don’t you think that our heavenly father will be sorry for this situation? He who created you and him? How long can we go on like this? Should we not make a change? When? Why not today itself? Let us promise to each other and to God that we will not fight and kill each other, we will not steal and lie, we shall not smoke and die, but learn a trade and lean an honorable and honest life … Okay? Isn’t this as good as a prayer? We shall do like this from time to time, instead of a prayer. Then I allowed all of them to sleep. I did not have sufficient blankets as I had not expected so many on the first day itself. Then I suggested that four or five of them could share one blanket. “Togetherness is happiness.” In fact, they expressed the hope that they would grow up like one family.