The Little Prince who stole our Heart

We landed in the beautiful God's Own Country - Kerala, on Saturday in July 2011. As per the well laid out schedule for our vacation, first on our agenda was to meet Prince, a little five year old from the SOS Village in the small town of Trichur. SOS Village established in 1983 by some kind souls, is a home for approximately 200 orphaned children of all ages. Let me re-emphasize....it is not an orphanage in the conventional outlook, it is a HOME for those children in the literal sense.

The "SOS Village" true to its name is a village which accommodates around 15 to 20 individual houses. Each house is a Home to 15 orphaned children ranging from a tender age of 5 to 16 years. Each Home has an Amma (Mother) who has dedicated her life to mothering these children. She takes care of them, cooks with them, teaches them to keep a clean home, screams at them, laughs with them as they all lovingly call out to their Amma.

Sunday morning as we chose to visit the Home, assured that it being a weekend all the children would be at home; we were over-whelmed with excitement to meet our little Prince for the first time. Prince as is his birth right name, is the little boy we had chosen to sponsor under a sponsorship programme by the SOS Village. It was love at first sight before even seeing him in person.

This was our first visit to the Haven, and as we drove into the compound encompassing the village, what struck was that there was no Name board on the front gate as is displayed in most of the charity run institutions. This, the Management revealed is because "SOS Village" was a Home not an orphanage and no home holds a board. What a thoughtful perception, I would say.

True to its name, it was indeed a village with lots of homes; children playing outside their homes, chatting, laughing, a typical village sight. Suddenly our attention is caught by this little boy, shyly walking towards us with a finger in his mouth and head down. Yes....that was Prince, one glimpse of his photo sent to us, the reason we were there. I scooped him up, trying to make baby conversation but all I got in return was a toothless smile. He then held on to our hands awakening a sense of intense bond, guiding us to his home where his other brothers and sisters (not by birth) were waiting with their Amma to greet us. Some shy and peaking from behind the doors, some eager to talk and share their talents, Prince was the youngest of them all. Excitement, laughter and happiness all around as they open their gifts and snack on the pastries.

A couple of hours well spent chatting, giggling, singing, dancing with these angels it was time to bid goodbye and without the slightest warning I felt my heart go heavy and my eyes tearing up as I waved from the moving car to that little soul who stole our heart. Secretly when I had asked this little Prince if he wanted to go with us, he ran to his Amma clinging on to her saree and said "I wont go without Amma", I left with a lesson learnt "Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs, the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones that would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what." SOS village was the epitome of Blended families; woven together by choice, strengthened together by love, each one so unique.