Over this past spring break, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Chemencherry, India in order to visit the physically and cognitively challenged children at the Monfort Community Development Society (MCDS).
Under the guidance of Joshua’s Heart and the Junior Advisory Board, my need for social advocacy and to make a change in the world today for the lives of those underprivileged was lit under a flame. At MCDS, we were set to help develop a school for those that were physically and cognitively challenged.
As seen in the pictures below, after giving a brief speech, where I introduced myself, talked about the premise of Joshua’s Heart and what we do, and what the reason I came to do today in my native language of Tamil, the kids and I went through a number of activities. This includes watching them do some incredible acts of yoga and some really cute demonstrations of dance and singing as well as one of them talking at the times’ tables at an age that I was not able to.
This project that I conducted was taken under the wing by the therapists and instructors of the school who explained to me the goal that they are trying to accomplish as well as the machines they use in order to help alleviate the problems going on physically with the children. They are located in an area called a “slum”, in which the government built houses to help to house those that were affected by the tsunamis.
There are many locations of the Monfort Community Development Society in these areas but the one area we attended is the main section. Four years ago we visited this same area in order to help develop this society and when we came back this spring break, we came to give them lunch, and sweets and spend the day with them. We provided them with food and helped to sustain their food for the day.
This project and visit were one of the most humbling and nurturing experiences of my life as they helped to expand my youth advocacy goals, my work within Joshua’s Heart and the Health Occupants Students Association, and to help my goal of making a change in society. These kids do not have a lot, but the help that we can provide them is something that I am very passionate about and willing to work hard for.
