On this morning everyone is learning. Four are in the dining room studying for final examinations at their school next week. Three of the children with disabilities are upstairs in a classroom with three teachers, one a special educator.. Gordon, our new English teacher is in our big room working with five other girls, one who is multiply handicapped with CP, but who follows all that goes on, and loves education. She is with a helper who is learning. Another girl in this group is severely dyslexic. For the girls with dyslexia and with CP, I am producing Widgit papers so they can keep up, and indicate thoughts. I’m printing up sheets with words like happy, sad, school, computer, no speech, no walk… I’m also trying to finish the website, just managed to finish writing a short bio… We are an orphanage and school operating in 900 sq.ft. on ground floor and then a classroom on 1st and on 2nd floor, each about 250 sq.ft. All furniture is on wheels.
One day I hope we will have a bigger place, with a ramp from floor to floor, and accessible to all.
I’m the hold up on the website as I’m pulled in so many directions, but in my mind the immediate needs have to come first… like writing up Widgit pages. My BIG dream would be to have an expert with Widgit come and work with us for a while. Anyone feel like coming for Kolkata? You are needed!
A Regular Morning
28 Oct 2011 2 Comments
Oct 31, 2011 @ 03:17:40
I would love – it’s not a polite escape – to come to Kolkata and help the children myself, but being self-centred as many of us are, but may I offer financial support to employ a local expert to manage the web site !
I will not embarrass you by comparing you with Mother Teresa but I would say you much more than that accolade. Mother Teresa was working for the Son of the God backed up by substantial resources and manpower. As far as I know, you only have bloody-mindedness and goodwill !
Love and best wishes from London
Oct 31, 2011 @ 19:44:34
Arun, thank you so much. Yes, I’m stubborn, and I have lots of goodwill. That makes for an interesting life! The major obstacles are not financial, but getting the people to do the work, and to take me seriously in the process. It’s very hard for me when people try to tell me that what I want is not really what I want. I hire people and they do what they want, not what I want. It’s not misunderstanding. I understand perfectly, but I disagree. Much of my life is like this in Kolkata. I’ll email about some more thoughts on your offer. This blog desperately need to be categorized.