The Universal Energy of Kids

This past week our training team visited a local NGO (Non-Government funded Organization) named Narendra Nele--local care centers/orphanages for boys and girls here in Bangalore. Established in August 2000, these centers provide food, shelter, health supervision, and formal education to children whose former ‘"home" was the streets of Bangalore. Target teams spend time with local NGOs to connect with their children, learn about their services, and better understand how they support the community.

The site we visited this week was a center exclusively for boys between the ages of 5-13. Needless to say, the boys were delighted to see us--we had come to spend the afternoon playing games with them, show movies, and give gifts to the shelter on behalf of Target. When we first arrived, the 40+ boys were sitting neatly in rows being very attentive and quiet... but that soon changed. With our excitement of the day's events in mind and their eagerness to begin, the troops were up and running within minutes. We all looked at each other and thought, "Here we go" ...and go we did!

The day was amazing--constant stream of movement, shouts, yelling, laughing, screams, shouts, and explosive energy running everywhere. All of that energy made us all feel like 6 year-olds again! The activities of the day consisted of games like "Dog and Bone", where a "dog" from each of two teams attempts to steal the "bone" from a central spot when their number is called (a very high-spirited game involving timing, speed, and lots of encouragement from your doghouse!) - and other games. Then, after much anticipation, the big "finale"--a balloon popping contest. Have you ever tied a balloon to your leg and tried to keep other people from popping it? Total chaos--all of the boys running around trying to pop each others' balloons--just the way the boys liked it.

Finally, we all took some down time to watch Tom & Jerry cartoons (much to the relief of the Target team members!) and the day concluded with our team giving out school bags, paper and pencil kits, toys, and books on behalf of Target. Our team also donated CDs, movies, clothes, stationery, and toys to help replenish their supply--a great opportunity to not only give these gifts, but to give of our time and energy as well. We all left the center exhausted from the experience, but energized. These little souls had stirred-up some powerful energies within all of us and had reminded us of the universal energy of kids--a memorable experience, indeed.