A couple of years ago I heard about a school being created in India (Mother Miracle) for very poor children, and they were looking for sponsors for kids. The girls and I checked out their website and were so touched. Gary and I decided to let our girls each pick someone to sponsor. They each chose a girl. Annabel chose Baboli. Skylar chose Sarsa.
Soon thereafter we received letters and photos from India, one for each of our girls. They were so excited and responded with their own letters, and pen pal relationships were formed. A year later Sarsa moved away, so Sky chose another girl. Then a year later she moved so Sky chose yet another girl, Sital. I also picked a girl, Nisha. Our girls consider Sital and Baboli to be their Indian big sisters. We get letters, emails, and short videos of them. We have chosen a few more children to sponsor as well, including a boy for Shawn when he is a little bit older.
We send $25 a month for each child and this covers their school uniform, books, teachers salaries, and sometimes food and medical help. In a country this poor, children routinely die due to simple infections, because their parents can't afford medicine.
Two summers ago we met the founders of the school, Patrick and Shahla. They were returning to California where they are from, to see their families and to help raise money for the school. They were such genuine, caring, heartfelt people. I loved brainstorming with them about how to grow their school, bring in more money and especially hearing stories of the lives of these poor children and how our sponsorships were truly making a difference. We were at a park, talking while my children ran around and played.
My girls came over for a snack. They asked Patrick and Shahla what the Indian children liked to do for fun, what toys they played with, etc.
"Oh they don't have any toys. They are too poor for toys," answered Shahla. My girls were dumbfounded.
When we got home after that summer trip my girls went through their closet and took close to half of their stuffed animals, saying they wanted to send them to the children at Mother Miracle. They hugged and kissed each one goodbye, calling them by name. This began a project that eventually involved people in our community and our children's school. We got over 100 stuffed animals, plus clothes, toys, books, art supplies. I wanted to have enough stuffed animals for every child in the school, plus siblings. (At that point there were 80 children enrolled, now there is over 100). I sent 2 huge boxes to India. When they arrived I was told that the Indian children screamed with delight. They are so happy and grateful that people as far away as America care so much for them.
We have since learned more about Patrick and Shahla's story. They gave up their worldly life to serve humanity. She sold her home, her car, her furniture and clothes. He left his business. They left their families. When they first got to India, they were given a building, remodeled some of it, only to have it taken away. But they never gave up. Eventually they found a new building. The word seva means "selfless service." They are true sevites. They love these kids.
One of the older girls we sponsor wants to be a doctor. I am trying to help figure out a way to help her get into college, and eventually medical school. Many of the children at this school are very bright and capable of being money earning professionals. Patrick and Shahla are trying to give them these opportunities so they can break out of the cycle of poverty, and in turn help their parents.
I never dreamed our involvement with this organization would be so rewarding. It has had a profound effect on our children as well.
Skylar's class at school did an adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sky was a narrator, along with two other classmates. They did a wonderful job. The set was beautiful. They used a wood treehouse as the stage. The kids made paper butterflies that hung from the trees. A local theater company loaned the school boxes of faux greenery and flowers, which covered every possibly area. One boy, who played Bottom, really shone. He was quite funny. I didn't know he had it in him. All of the children were actually fantastic. I love to see them all trying something new, as most of them do not do extra-cirrucular theater. The entire family went to see the show. I was so happy that Shawn was so well behaved and quiet. He didn't want it to end.
This is Sky's friend and this boy has done television commercials in Hollywood.
There was a point in time where we moved mid year and that year we decided to home school the kids. Sky was 6 1/2, and Annabel was 4. Shawn was a new baby. We hired this fantastic retired school teacher (Judy) who had started her own school. She was highly creative and a great match for our kids. We mainly had her work with Sky, but Annabel would watch sometimes. Skylar had her own schoolroom in our house. One assignment that Judy gave Sky was to make a "make believe animal."
Sometimes there are singular animals, sometimes there are mother and child. Here are some of my favorite names: 
The children's school had their annual Lei Day today. There were performances by different classrooms and also by an adult hula group. I took photographs for the yearbook. Our kids were pretty cute. They were supposed to wear aloha wear, of which we own none. The girls wore clothes with some tiny flowers. Shawn put on his jeans and superman shirt that recently got stained with paint. I didn't notice until we were in the car ready to drive off. (Mornings are hectic in our house). On the way to school Skylar and Annabel convinced him that this wasn't cool and helped him into a shirt with stripes I had grabbed. I figured it looked kind of surfer-ish.
Annabel had to read as part of her school's play. She did such a great job. She was clear, articulate and even laughed a little. A huge change since her October performance, where she was CS Lewis, and very shy. She is coming into her own.
And there were no little boys asked to wear sarongs, thank goodness for our little man! 
First we played bocce on a lawn in front of their home. The lawn area is public property. We walked out and immediately noticed these two guys walking on low tightropes. They were amazing, going about 40 feet, sleek as gazelles. We played our bocce game and at the end some of us asked to try the tightropes. The guys graciously allowed us and even coached us. One of them was a grandfather, he told us. We were inspired! They made it look so easy.
This year for Shawn's birthday we invited several of his friends from preschool. There was a very contagious illness going around his school and so many children were ill and couldn't come. But the show went on. I was hoping Shawn wouldn't notice. A few very sweet children came and we had a really nice time anyhow. I made this cake. I always let our children pick whether they want a cake or cupcakes, and what flavor cake and frosting they want. I like to make cakes myself. Shawn chose vanilla cake with chocolate frosting this year. I used cocoa powder in the frosting. I was hoping for darker brown, but no one seemed to care. I used Earth Balance sticks instead of butter and everyone loved it. I usually put fresh flowers on a cake for decoration. Shawn didn't want flowers and luckily I found these cute licorice dogs in the back of the cupboard to decorate it.
I also made our famous "dirt cake." Kids love this. We use any flavor ice cream, 1 -2 gallons (2 is better). If you can find gummy worms the kids are even happier. Put this in a flower pot, after the hole is plugged. Then put a package of chocolate cookies through a food processor and pour this mixture on the top. (We use the Newman's oreos). Put this concoction in the freezer. Remove 10 minutes before serving and send a responsible kid out to pick a flower with a sturdy stem. Stick this flower into the dirt, and serve. I always have a few kids who think I am really offering dirt. In this above photo the dirt cake is in a purple pot. You can also get tiny terracotta pots and make individual ones. I did this one year, back when I had had more time.
