October 20th- Meet Lata - Bangladesh

October 20, 2012

After meeting the first group of children yesterday, we continued driving again for about three hours to another site where children will be sponsored.  In fact, the FIRST sponsored child (one!) in Bangladesh lives in this village, so we were very excited to meet her, and to participate in the second distribution of benefits to Lata.  This village also sits in a very isolated rural area, also amidst rice fields and other agricultural concerns.  As we rounded the narrow dirt road into the main part of the settlement, the path was lined with children and adults, waiting to see these strangers.  Again, stares and serious whispering were prevalent.  I wondered what thoughts were going through their heads as we disembarked from the van. 

The sun was just about down, so we walked through the maze of homes first, arriving at Lata’s home where the whole village quietly and attentively observed the committee sharing the program benefits with her, including rice, nutritionally fortified biscuits, and dal (a yellow split pea – staple in the diet), school bag, soap, etc.  The father painstakingly signed the benefit forms, indicating that the child had received the benefits.  The villagers were especially excited to have Lata try on the new school dress provided – and she happily did so.  That was when her smile really came to life.  Young children in this area do not wear a prescribed uniform, but girls must have a tunic (dress) with pants underneath.  Lata was very happy with her dress – and so were the villagers.  She is six.

We made our way to a covered area with some lighting to conduct the interviews.  Again, the children were reticent and unsure of themselves, not only because of the presence of we foreigners and the whole experience of interacting with us, but also because the entire village gathered to observe.  As we had done with the first group, we asked detailed questions about their health and did a visual check of their teeth.  A number need dental treatment as soon as we can find sponsors.  Many of them need to be treated for worms, and the committee decided to make this a semi-annual occurrence for all children in the program.

Again, we shared the salvation bracelets with all who were present – children, parents, friends, relatives, villagers, etc.

Eddye Davis, sponsor of several children in Africa through COP (hailing from Seattle, Washington), helped me interview (as she has done throughout the trip), and was so encouraging to the children.  They could not help but warm to her smile and obvious love for them.

This long day ended late in the evening as we fell into bed, tired, but satisfied knowing that help for these children is just around the corner.