How many of us can imagine a tragedy that has the power to change our lives completely and forever; one that takes away every shred of comfort and love that we have known, leaves us homeless, at the mercy of strangers, renames us a “Charity Child”. Sitting at the SOS village in Dhodial with the five orphan children that the AISB community sponsored last year in Pakistan after the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, we were faced with the reality of such a tragedy.
My visit to the village this summer, accompanied by an American friend, though unplanned, turned out to be the highlight of our trip. After a short introduction, we were taken around the several compact houses, all fully equipped with a kitchen and a spacious sitting room, which stand side by side. In each house lived several children of varying ages (not all victims of the earthquake) who were looked after by a “house mother”. For the most part, they seemed content. There were soft toys for the children to cuddle and several cards adorning the side shelf in the sitting room. These had been sent by their sponsor families – a tangible and essential link with the outside world that showed them that there were those who cared.
The children share a mutual love of cricket, even the girls .They watch cartoons and Urdu plays. Due to the earthquake, every available room has been utilized. Next to the residential complex is the main SOS Hermann Gmeiner Public School and just adjacent to this is The Hazara University. A vocational centre is on the premises. Here the girls are taught various crafts. Though the work is neat and very intricate, it lacks style and taste. The person in charge asked if we could send samples of work that they could replicate which would improve their chances of being able to sell their work. To give the children vacations, they go on hiking and camping trips to the northern parts of Pakistan.
Among the five sponsored children are three young brothers. The youngest is obviously over the worst, full of smiles. Tears came to our eyes when my friend raised her arms to show him what to do as she wanted to take his measurements and in response, he ran into her arms and held her tight. The older brothers, however seemed cautious and barely spoke a word. Their father is mentally handicapped and their mother had supported the family until her death in the earthquake.
We were particularly inspired by our encounter with the older girls who had been at the SOS for a long time. One of them, Bushra, especially impressed us. She is doing her MBA and has been to Tokyo on a Student Exchange Programme. She has no plans to marry but wants to stay and serve SOS. We took children books for the library and Bushra, asked us if we had any for her age. We had only one but promised to send more.
Another child sponsored is Safeena Khan, a beautiful girl who wore lots of hair clips. Though she still has two brothers and a sister, after her mother’s death, her aunt was unable financially to take them all in. Hence, Safeena was sent to the village to begin a new life. During our visit, she barely spoke and never smiled. I was told it was because the emotional scars were still raw but that time and care would help her heal.
Maria Rasheed is much livelier. Her father had died long before and her mother, having lost her house in the earthquake and faced with increased poverty, sent all except the eldest to the SOS village. It is sad to imagine the circumstances that would have forced this painful decision.
These are the children sponsored by the AISB community. SOS believes their best hopes for a successful recovery and happy future lie in being connected to caring individuals and not an institution. Of course SOS is concerned about who will take on this role after the sponsorship expires in January 2007 and asked what we could do. Thankfully, sponsors for two have already been found but others are needed for the remaining three children. Just as we were leaving, I heard the person in charge of the village turn to the director and say, “God makes ways.” Is any one willing to help? How about you, would you like to make a difference in the lives of these precious children?
