2 Nov 2008, Bihar

Our camp has been a pretty busy place in the past few days. Daily we have been distributing something or the other as some families start preparing to go back to their villages. The government has started sending people to estimate damage & loss suffered by individuals so those who are able to go back want to get back so that they can meet the officials and get what is due to them.

A few days back the temperatures suddenly dropped so we distributed blankets to all the people.

The children in the camp are as small children generally are – happy and carefree. The eclairs and candy bars that we distributed added to their joy!

Diwali was a special day – again there was a distribution of rasogullas for the children.

The lunch was special with puris and payasam and all.

New clothes were given to all the children. Some immediately went and cleaned up and changed into their new clothes.

Tarpaulin tents were distributed to all the families in the camp on the same day.

At night we burst crackers and sizzled sizzlers and sent rockets zooming into the sky – with a very excited group of children hopping all over the place.

The doctors and nurses have been busy. There has been a very heavy crowd waiting for their turn from day one. There have been so many heart touching moments when we are able to do something for the poor and suffering – in our absence their condition might have been totally different as the local health services are almost non-existent.

– Nijamrita