Tr. Jacinta Furtado (ABE Reporter)
Santa’s Care-a-van, this year’s Yeh-lo Santa programme, was held on Sunday, 13th January, 2019 at St. Andrew’s High School, Bandra for the children of Bal Bhavan, an orphanage in Andheri West. The Student Council of St. Andrew’s High School set out early morning to escort the children from their home in Andheri to their destination in Bandra.
Parents of the School’s Helping Hands group and members of the Women’s Cell of St. Andrew’s Parish warmly welcomed the girls and stayed with them through the day taking care of all their needs. The children had a nourishing breakfast at the College canteen after which they assembled on the newly-turfed terrace which was inaugurated on the feast of St. Andrew last year. The girls shed their initial inhibitions as they danced to some Hollywood and Bollywood music.
The children then proceeded to the turf ground where the Student Council, under the guidance of Sir Vinod Tarawade, had organised tele-games. The grounds resounded with the girls’ gleeful voices as every one of them in their colourful outfits ran animatedly from one game to another. The morning seemed to pass rather quickly but the girls built up a good appetite and enjoyed the delicious buffet laid out.
The children were in a sombre mood as they sang a ‘Thank You’ song at the end of the programme, little realising that their day out had not yet ended. There were squeals of delight when they were surprised with tickets to the Hindi movie, Simmba – a movie they thoroughly enjoyed. Each child was also happy to receive a take-away – a little backpack filled with goodies for them to enjoy once home.
It was a day that the Student Council would treasure too. As they escorted the children back to Andheri, they were filled with compassion and empathy for the less fortunate in society. It evoked in them a desire to do more – to help make the world a little less cold.
