Red Letter Day! The Orphanage Opening: message from the Chair

November 4^th was indeed a red letter day. I was very proud, as Chair of Darjeeling Children’s Trust, to represent all those people who have supported the orphanage at the official opening ceremony of phase 1 of the orphanage redevelopment project. It was a day to celebrate the achievement of one part of a vision, that of providing safe and secure accommodation for the children of the Kripasaran Buddhist Mission.

 

The new orphanage looks resplendent in its new coat of paint

Five years ago we sat with Pema Bhante and heard of that vision, his vision. Achieving it seemed like an impossible hill to climb – but we had perhaps under-estimated how much can be achieved by people working together. This desire to help the children has brought together a project team of individuals from Darjeeling, Delhi and the UK and supporters around the world with a common purpose, that of fulfilling the vision. DCT is a willing and supportive partner in this process.

 

I had huge pleasure on behalf of Darjeeling Children’s Trust in simultaneously cutting the first ribbon together with Pema Bhante and helping declare the new boys’ dormitories open. Trustees Major Pasang Wangdi and Hugh Heron together with Treasurer Robert Adams also cut ribbons to help declare various rooms open and the event was attended by Mr. Tiwan Dilock, elected Member of the Local Assembly, as guest of honour. He commended the quality of the buildings which have been achieved on a tight budget. Speeches were made and the new buildings were explored.
 

Pema Bhante addressing the crowd

The opening delegation

Attendees enjoying the occasion 

We are aware that there is work still to do. Only part of the vision has been achieved and we must now turn our attention to providing the same standard of accommodation for the girls who continue to live in dark and cramped buildings. They were generous in their excitement on behalf of the boys but are nonetheless looking forward with some excitement and anticipation to the time when they too will have light airy bedrooms with room to play and run around.

 

Future residents watching from the one of the old buildings

Some of the orphanage girls looking forward to it being their turn!

The fixtures, fittings and furniture are now in place

 

An amazing day of song and dance

We gain so many things by taking part in song and dance.

Taking part helps us to learn to work together and be part of a wider community; it trains our memories as we learn words and dance routines; it helps us to develop and mature intellectually and emotionally as we experience the feelings that others have captured in the words they have written or routines they have designed and it gives us insight into our own and others’ cultural heritage.

 

It does not matter that we may not completely understand the words in each others’ songs or that we usually dance to different rhythms and beats. However diverse our beginnings, the sounds of the words and music we hear have the powerful but simple capacity to bring us together. Different countries, diverse beginnings, but one world.

Above all, singing and dancing can give us joy. When so many individual lives are hard and there are so many troubles world wide, the sense of well being that we gain from song and dance is enormous.

Joy cannot be under-rated.
 
On November 2^nd Darjeeling Children’s Trust held its own joyful occasion. Children and young people from the 14 schools which the Trust supports in one way or another, all the sponsored children and 25 young people from the Kripasaran Orphanages came together to celebrate in song and dance.

The hall at Southfield College was at capacity – and more – and support was both vocal and hugely enthusiastic. It was a wonderful occasion. Below are some pictures of the event, which show the colour, vibrancy and variety of the day.