BAL MELA - DON BOSCO SNEHALAYA
On 14th November 2010, as is the custom every year, this year too, the children at Don Bosco snehalaya celebrated children’s day. It was the 10th Bal Mela. Besides the 90 boys residing at Snehalaya, there were many other children from different railway stations in Gujarat who had come precisely for the mela celebration. A number of children joined the celebration from some of the NGOs in the city and above all there were quite a large number of children who came in from the neighbouring basti near Snehalaya. Some of the platform boys even came in already the previous evening. Quite a few of our old boys came forward to give a helping hand in getting things ready.
The day began with a cultural programme. Right at the start the children put up a prayer dance followed by the lighting of the lamp. Fr. Nelson SDB, Parish Priest of Don Bosco Macarpura garlanded the portraits of Jawaharlal Nehru (it was Chacha Nehru’s birth anniversary), Don Bosco (Father and Founder) and The Painting of a marginalized platform youngster in whose honor we were actually having the Mela.
The Director of Don Bosco Snehalaya Fr. Steve extended a warm welcome to the Chief Guest and all the guests and children who were present for the occassion.
The Masters of Ceremony - Masters Suraj Molvi Maherban and Chand Sheikh (two Snehalaya boys) then carried the programme forward. The children put up various beautifully-orchestrated dances and a meaningful skit based on the theme of Child Rights which states: “Children are our Hope, Children are our future. Let them live and grow with dignity and respect.” The children also put up a dance on "Mother". It was indeed touching and inspsiring.
The Chief Guest for the day was Mrs.Neelam Kodnani, the chairperson of the CWC (Child Welfare Committee). In her speech she congratulated the performances of the children and felt that they would be able to achieve lots of wonderful things in their life for which they would need to study well and work hard.. The children and the guests enjoyed the programme very much.
After the programs the children, guests, volunteers and the staff all headed towards for a sumptuous lunch with a variety of delicious food on service. The food and snack were all sponsored by a kind and generous person named Janak Patel.
In the end there were varous fete games organized for the children. The different games stalls were put up on the grounds. Games coupons were distributed to all the children. They were told that the more coupons they could win the more and bigger gifts they could get at the end of the day. So the children were very excited knowing what they could get. They put in all their efforts in winning the coupons. There was a joy and happiness seen on all the children’s faces; we could see that they were lost in their own childhood days, and the joy and happiness they experienced was surely something which they could never have had while they were on the platforms of different railway stations.
At the end of the day, there was a DJ system put up for the boys so that they could dance and spend all their energy on the floor. This went on for a good hour. The children had lots of fun and masti, while the DJ man played beautiful songs.
It was indeed a memorable day for all, especially the poor children.
Hearty Congratulations to Rev. Frs. Steve and Lester for all that they are doing for the poor street children following the footsteps of their Father and Founder Don Bosco.
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