It was decided that someone with proper medical knowledge be asked to explain the AIDS issue, so a nurse was approached to conduct the seminar. Material and presentations were prepared to simplify the issue for the children, and to make it as easy to understand as possible. 

The nurse using the presentations explained the issue simply and factually, giving the children a fair idea of the disease and how it was spread. The children were surprised that such a disease existed, and were quite shocked at its effects. The program made them aware that in 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children. They were encouraged to tell others about what they had learned, especially their families. 

The children had little red ribbons pinned on their clothes lit candles at the end of the program. They observed one minutes silence in memory of those who had died because of the HIV virus. 

The children were still at school so we spent some time talking with the caretakers. The new buildings were coming up slowly. Concrete blocks had been laid for the walls, and beams were set in place for a slab that was to be the roof.

The children were thrilled to see us, and literally charged down the road towards us. They had plenty of stories to tell about their new toys and about each other.

The girls were in good health and doing quite well at school too. They hadn’t lost their penchant for teasing each other either.

The boys looked slightly thin and seemed to be going through a growth spurt, but it was practically impossible to keep them in one place. If they were not at school, they were playing never ending games of cricket in the hot sun.

The new toys were still being passed around and shared amongst themselves and they all seemed quite satisfied!

Here is a first person account of the delivery of the gifts:

we were very nervous during the entire journey to the north western province which was some 130 km to the orphanage through security check points but luckily none of them stopped us and asked us to unwrap all the gifts.

i wished you were all here just to witness the happy faces of them kids, it cannot be described, but we managed to capture some of it on video. oh how their faces shone!…..

It was the most beautiful sight one will ever witness. i did not unwrap a single gift at office. this, i thought i’d do in the presence of all the kids, caretakers and pastor.

when i stepped down, it was like i was surrounded by big and small butterflies — kisses, hugs and more kisses.looking at the happy faces of each and every child, filled our hearts with joy and moments of peace – - kids who were withdrawn, opened up and even touched my hand….

we had loads of fun and games, loud laughter, smiley faces — faces that could not stop smiling, but the memory of the funniest words of a little girl, will always bring a smile to my face. she said, in sinhalese, “sister, i got a frog, now tell me, how can i sleep with a frog?”. the boys were overjoyed with their remote control toys… there was one boy who helped the others figure out how to make it work. i myself was surprised to see some of these toys. the boys had the time of their lives, making the remote-controlled toys dance in the sand… what a sight!

we conducted a small singing program too and taught them the chorus, “there is peace like a river”, and “i am happy today”. Two other child volunteers, played the guitar for them – - these kids are fast learners. they love to learn these little choruses…

they send their love and THANK YOUs to all the kids in Swampscott’s the organizers. they prayed for all of you by name – - they wanted me to say this to you, “tell the brothers and all the kids and all those who helped this happen that we love them more than they love us.

Judging by all the happy faces, it was well worth all the effort.

There was no impromptu football games at the Girls’ Home but there was a photo shoot. The younger girls get terribly excited whenever they see a camera, and so they all ran out and started demanding that we take pictures of them with their toys. After every photograph they would rush me and grab my hand, trying to see themselves in the camera screen. They eventually let me rest when I ran out of camera memory. We left them with promises that we would take more of their pictures the next time we visited.

The rains have ensured that the well is full this time, so they don’t lack in water. But the construction of the new building has halted due to lack of funds. That puts a damper on both homes, as they can’t accommodate new children for now.

Hopefully a solution to this will present itself.

I then invited a Church Group to join us one Sunday to play and sing with the children. They agreed gladly, and thirty people from the ages of 6 to 60 arrived at the Aroma Homes on the 18th of November interact with the children.

After hiring a bus, the Church Group traveled to the homes, arriving at 11.00 am. The children initially looked wary of the newcomers, but we gathered them into the hall and after introducing ourselves started with a few songs that they knew. There were two boys whom we brought along who accompanied us on the guitar. The younger children joined in the singing with gusto, while the older ones gradually warmed up. The children sang such songs that they knew, such as ‘ I am Happy Today’ and ‘Building up the Temple’ while the Church also taught them songs like ‘Give Me Oil in My Lamp’, which they picked up quite fast.

After the initial ice was broken through the songs the children were divided into 3 age groups with members of the Church Group with each set of children. The smaller children aged 4 to 10 years played games such as ‘Duck, Goose’ while the older ones played more involved games.

There was an amazing amount of energy in the children, and the Church Group were hard put to keep up with them! The children made no distinction between their friends and the Church Group and tagged the visitors with as much strength as they used on their mates. The games went on for an hour despite the noon sun. It took some effort to halt the play and send the children for their lunch break, but after some cajoling it was managed. While waiting for the children’s lunch preparations to be completed, one of the Church members related a short story to the kids on the importance of being united.

 After lunch was over, the Church Group conducted a crafts session for the children, dividing them into four groups. The smallest group (4 and 5 years of age) made teddy bears by tying ribbons around squares of sponge, and painting faces on. The children from 5 years to 10 years of age stuffed plastic bags with saw dust and tied off the ends to make it look like a face. Then with the help of paints and ribbons, they made it looks like the face of a stuffed toy. The older kids (up to the age of 15) had saucers given to them which they blackened over a candle flame. With a twig they then drew pictures through the soot and poured varnish over it to seal the picture. The oldest kids (16 years old and over) had squares of glass given to them as well as glass paint. They painted scenes on the glass, and their names, and whatever design caught their fancy.

Their involvement was evident as it was hard to get them to come back to the hall to close up the program.

 Once the children gathered back in the hall, a church member asked them some questions on their ideas of peace, and they responded by saying that to them, peace meant unity, and you can gain nothing by fighting. A few songs were sung and the program concluded with a prayer from a Church member. While the children were still seated, the members distributed an apple and two chocolates each to all the children, leaving more chocolates to be distributed later.

A girl from the Aroma Homes then went up and thanked us for coming and prayed for the people who came. The Church Group left, feeling tired but quite happy after spending time with the children. 

Most of the boys have been gaining weight and a marked improvement in their health is observed. A few of the boys have problems with depression, and counseling session takes place every week. The completion of the new building for the boys has been delayed as well due to the  rains.

The girls are seen to be in good spirits and good health as well, but their building constructions have been delayed as well due to the rains.

All in all, the Homes are showing improvement, but the new buildings need to come up as soon as possible. The caretakers have come to know that some families who are in extreme poverty tend to sell their children. It is our hope that the children make it to the Homes before they run the risk of being sold.

As of 2005, there were only 255 officially recognized homes for children in the records of Sri Lanka’s National Child Protection Agency, hough dozens if not hundreds of other facilities exist to meet the needs of children. These homes offer hope to only a fraction of children left homeless nd vulnerable. Extended families provide the security, such as it is, for the vast majority of homeless children, and the streets swallow the rest.

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The Pastor was desperately trying to build a new structure to house the current boys in more comfort and to accommodate new children. There have been issues with financing and the structure is coming up very slowly. He gets the bricks and wood work done on the premises itself to keep things as cheap as possible. I looked through the material set aside and hope that he will be able to resume building quickly.

By that time, the older boys were arriving from school, and they each greeted us with Jeshu Pihitai (May Jesus Bless you). We left them to their lunch and headed off to the Girls’ Home

The girls were done with their lunch by the time we arrived, but we found out that it was not a fresh meal, but rather left-overs. Someone had called the Home previously and promised to provide food for all the girls for their mid-day meal, but when the time came no one arrived with food. The girls ended up eating last night’s left-overs. It was quite a mean trick to play on orphaned children. Despite the disappointment the girls seemed quite lively. They sang a song for us and pulled 2 of the staff into their games while we chatted with the care-givers.

Before we left, the care-givers and the girls gathered together and prayed for us all. It was quite moving. On the way out, several of the girls wanted their pictures taken with members of the staff, and that event finished off the free space on the digital camera and I promised to take more pictures of them next time.

A little girl called Madhushani approached us before we left and gave us a little package. During the earliest visits to the home, a nurse had accompanied the staff, and Madhushani wanted us to give this ‘Sister’ a little toy of hers as a gift, and to ask her to come again. We promised to pass on the message. We left the girls to their games and headed back to Colombo, with that feeling of peace we get whenever we visit the children.