SOME HOPE FOR INDIA

Copy of a recent email.....


Ok so as you could suspect from the last emails…I have felt a little worn down from the awfulness of so many things we see everyday. BUT this week we have seen some great things!

We got Chase all ready with his Kurta Pajama and hat for his school Independence Day Celebration. He looked like pictures of Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister. He wore a long white cotton shirt with Chinese collar and white cotton pants with a little white hat. This is considered a very traditional AND patriotic thing to wear.

When we arrived at the school it was overwhelming CUTE. EVERY child was dressed in patriotic attire. Some little boys had on military uniforms with the 1945 big round glasses. Some other little boys had on rags and carried a stick and were representing Gandhi. Almost EVERY girl had on a saree. Some girls we’re dressed as Indira Gandhi, Nehru’s daughter and also an assassinated Prime Minister of India. Some were dressed as freedom fighters with big mustaches drawn on their faces. This display beat ANY Halloween pre-school celebration I’ve ever seen.

All the classes were getting their pictures taken. We took a million of our own. They were SO CUTE. Then we headed out to the grounds to do the flag raising. Chase of course was standing right next to the Principal so they would be sure to get the school’s diversity in their photo op.

Then it hit me! As the flag was being raised and everyone was singing the melody of the national anthem in Hindi so reverently, I couldn’t hold back the tears. I think I was feeling partly proud of India for showing dignity and respect for their homeland and also SO blessed that my son could be a part of such a cultural experience that he will remember forever.

We went inside and each class did their little skit/song. There were many dances with patriotic Hindi music. The older the classes got, the more the children were saying things in the microphone representing their patriotic character. Just imagine cute little Indian faces under 5 years old dressed to the nines coming up to the microphone, talking much too loud of course saying things like “ I am Cha Cha Nehru and I love my India! I am Mahatma Gandhi and I love my India!” Then they would end their little part by throwing their right fist in the air and yelling “Jayhe” (Jaw He) This means something like salute my country, India rocks, we rule….you get the basic idea.

It was very moving and I felt SO fortunate to see with my own eyes something so AWESOME! A bright light through the muck. They’ve been a country for 60 years. I wonder what they will be in another 60. I will definitely be watching!