Dec 152015
 

Laughter & other lessons learned from kids of Child Rescue Center Goa

First came the collective laughter that rose above the rapturing waves crashing on the pristine Gonsua Beach, Majorda in Goa. Then came a few worried yet loving screams,” Wait, don’t go too close, don’t enter the water, let me come “

But the collective laughter had the blessings of the Universe that made the pure laughter attract everybody around. It sure got my attention as I ran towards the source of the collective laughter to contribute to the chorus. If there is anything better than laughing alone  then it is to join laughter that is blessed by the Universe to spread its joys to all around it.

Strange are the ways in which Universe connects with you and make you realize how blessed you are.

Child rescue net kids playing on Goa Beach

The innocent laughter of the kids played with the waves

Goa is easily one of my favorite beach destinations in India.  I have been to various places in Goa from the Churches of Old Goa to the fabulous beaches and even spice plantations of Goa.  Every time I return with bags full of things we buy in Goa. But this time I came with some special memories.  While I have written about the Zica launch function and the bloggers who attended the Zica launch in Goa. In this post about a beach in Goa let me write about some wonderful surprises I got on the Gonsua  beach in Goa.

kids playing on goa beach Child Rescue Center El Shaddai

Who knows the joys of playing on a beach better than kids ?

I was strolling on the Gonsua beach in Goa trying to capture some pictures in the harsh afternoon sun and chatting with fellow bloggers who have arrived in Goa for the Zica Car launch by Tata Motors. As we captured some pictures of the action on the beach, I heard a collective laughter of about 10-15 kids who came running and without a blink entered the water.

I was both surprised as well as worried as some of these kids were less than 5 years old, but it seemed they were used to playing in the Goa sea as they were not venturing too deep and just enjoying in the shallow waters. As I was looking at the kids I realized there were 3 grownups also with them. 2 of them were locals a girl and a guy, but one of them was surely not from Goa.

Kids on Goa Beach

The grownups from the Child Rescue Center kept a close eye on the kids

Lifeguard goa beach kids playing

A lifeguard joined to watch the kids play in water 

I joined the group and started talking to the kids and the grownups who accompanied them.  One of the guys with the group was Melody Roy from city of Joy Kolkata, a volunteer with the Stepping Stone Child rescue center a part of the El Shaddai network that runs child rescue centers, orphanages for impoverished children throughout Goa.

Kids playing on Goa Beach

Life is a reflection on a Goa Beach

Initially Melody was not comfortable with the idea of me clicking the kids but as the kids cosyied up to talking to me and when I shared that I am a छोटा मोटा  ( chota mota ) travel blogger  ( some people say Chota cum, mota jyada ) and, it is love at first sight with the kids he allowed me to talk to and click pictures of the kids.

The kids totally oblivious to our conversation were busy enjoying dip in the waters as the other two grownups with them kept a hawks eye on the. Sagar a lifeguard on duty also joined and kept on whistling and talking to the kids to make sure they do not go into the deep waters.

 

girls playing on Goa Beach Child rescue net El Shaddai

Come don’t be scared – let us play on the beach

Little Girl playing on Goa beach

You are never alone on a beach your reflection is always with you and so are crows !

 A boy enjoys sunset on Goa Beach

Watching Sunset – This special child liked sitting alone and watched the sunset

As the waves became bigger Melody wanted the kids to come out but their collective laughter by now had collaborated with the waves and rather than competing the waves and the collective laughter was now in same team and cheering each other. Poor Melody’s voice was no match to these rambunctious kids playing with frolicking waves with not a worry. These impoverished kids, some with special needs,  most without parents,  had no idea that in-spite of all the hardships they face in life they are spreading joy all around them with their pious laughter that reminded me of the sonorous sounds made by bells (you can pick if the bells are from a temple or a church I don’t care nor did the kids).

As we were all trying to get the kids out of water, something magical happened, one of the foreigners  who was watching the kids from a distance on the beach walked upto Melody and handed him a carton of ice-cream.

The kids have not asked for the ice-cream nor did they looked hungry as they were full of energy and enjoying their fun in the water , so the gentleman must have remembered his own childhood and got ice-creams for all the kids as a gift. He did not stopped to get clicked with the kids or chat with them, just handed the ice-creams to one of the volunteers and walked back to his favorite s

Kids enjoying ice-cream on a Goa Beach

She wanted to be the first in picture I think she was the chorus leader 🙂

Now we had a big incentive that can make any kid get out of ocean.  We screamed to them and said“hey guys come out, we have ice-creams and they are melting”

Ice-cream is the most magical dessert for any kid no matter what part of world they come from. Soon the kids were out of the ocean and enjoying the ice-creams.  We chatted some more time and as I tried to know their names they all screamed together and I could not get even a single name in-spite of them screaming many time. You see kids may be able to sing in chorus with waves with their collective laughter, but kids with mouthful of ice-cream are not best of the speakers.

Volunteer El Shaddai Child Rescue Center Goa

Melody Roy and another volunteer with the Child Rescue Center and the kids on the beach

As it was getting late, we said goodbye to each other and I joined my fellow bloggers to go back to our hotel Allila Diwa for the Zica launch. But to me these kids will always stay special, in less than an hour they have shown me how to be happy, how to sing with the waves, how to enjoy an ice-cream with water dripping from your clothes. But above all I learned from them that you can be happy and spread happiness just by  your plain simple innocent laughter.


Clichéd it may sound but the Universe laughs with you when you laugh. Make a choice- laugh, spread smile, share an ice-cream and make the world a better place.


To know more about the Child Rescue Centers in Goa and to visit one of them while you are there check this image below and this link on Lonely Planet , you never know you may discover your laughter again.  I have also mapped all the Child Rescue centers operated by the El Shaddai network in Goa, in case you may want to visit one of the centers. The numbers are given in the image below the map.

Child Rescue center El Shaddai Goa contact numbers

Address and contact number of Child Rescue centers in Goa – pls click on image above for better clarity

Sunset Goa Beach kids ice cream

As the sun got ready to set in Arabian see, I clicked one more picture of the kids enjoying ice-cream

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  27 Responses to “The Kids Who Stole My Heart On A Goa Beach”

Comments (27)
  1. What an absolutely inspiring post! Just a small gesture as buying a carton of ice-cream is such a special thing to do. As the saying goes ‘Masjid badi duur hai, chalo aaj kisi bachche ko hee khush kar du’

    Loved loved loved the post! And thanks for the details at the end.

  2. These small things makes us feel how blessed we are… These impoverished children spread the charm of laughter all around. Thanks to the kind hearted man who added some more to kids happiness.

  3. Lovely post 🙂 Heart touching!

  4. This has brought me nostalgia

  5. Life’s simplest pleasures bring us the most joy!

  6. Lovely and lively photos of those children. You’re collecting such beautiful memories from your trips. Its a wonderful post.

  7. This is such a heart warming post Prasad, what a lovely perspective!
    The kids seem to enjoying their day out and you made it all the more special for them, kudos to souls like you 🙂

  8. Beautiful pictures, Prasad. Water does something to kids in general. I love their squeals of laughter whenever they get near a beach 🙂

  9. This was a lovely read…Laughter is contagious.
    Reminds us that we must not ignore the happy things of life in the run for the materialistic. These are the real perks of traveling.

  10. I think I was the only one hovering around that place and tried capturing few of the kids however I was unhappy with my shots and I left . never thought that you will have such a wonderful story to come up with . Great approach and greater idea conception . Super writing . Respect Sir

  11. Wow Prasad… while we were frolicking in the water, you went around exploring what else the beach had to offer.. a true travel blogger! I loved the captures of the kids…. it is like innocence and fun frozen in a frame 🙂 loved it…

  12. Ice Cream, thats a lovely gift to the kids. How beautifully you told about these kids, Prasad! Lovely Pics too!

  13. This is such a wonderful post! I wish I met these kids too, they look so happy! I love kids…hope they find their families soon and may God bless these young men for being so kind!
    Great post and may you be blessed too for sharing the information. 🙂
    Great to see humanity in people.

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