Posts Tagged Holy Ghost
HAPPY CHILDREN’S DAY TO YOU TOO!
Posted by Aditi in The Classroom Docs on November 17th, 2009
Anyone who’s been to Holy Ghost, Aluva will agree that our girls are total angels 
Apart from the rare occasions when they decide to be moody, they treat us with so much consideration, affection and a quiet dignity of their own, we call them our ‘Little Women’! But today we decided to celebrate Children’s day at our centre! A lil prayer, a yummy cake and gifts for the gals! Let the pictures do the talking:
It’s almost ironical when we say we teach ‘children’. Our kids in most centres, would have experienced in their childhood what most of us probably don’t in a lifetime…From despair to abandonment..hopelessness to poverty…it is not an attempt to paint a gory picture..but to simply salute each of these young survivors! Their lives may not be perfect but they still fight it out….they may have been scarred, but they have effortlessly let us into their lives! They make you smile, sometimes make you weary, can turn a rotten day into a perfect one by getting all their chat on lines right:-)…but most of all make you stop complaining/swearing/blaming the system..and start trying to make their lives better!
Here’s to cotton candy dreams, scraped knees and the yellow park slide
Here’s to every kid who’s on the MAD ride!
Happy Children’s Day!
MAD Cochin Farewell :)
Posted by Jr. in Party !!!, Volunteer Files... on March 23rd, 2009
Sunday April 22nd, Loungevity Avenue Regent..
8:00 am : Jr.is supposed to arrive.
8:10 am : Jr. arrives… And, invariably, waits…. 
8:45 am : Prez and Sanju arrive.. And after, shamelessly arriving late, they make the poor volunteers, tired from waiting do all the work..
9:30 am : The preperations are done.. And the volunteers start trickling in slowly..
I was’nt looking at my watch after that, so let’s forget the timelines for now.. As is custom, the Mad video is unrolled first.. We take a look back at one of the greatest years ever.. For Mad, as well as most volunteers.. ( I speak for myself anyhow ! )
Farewell time.. We bid adieu to some of the greatest volunteers ever !!
Eight are leaving this time around, including the legendary Holy Ghost Trio and the Diving Wierd Photographer Man(who expressly forbid me from putting these unedited version of the pics on the blog)…
But, as Jithin likes to say.. “You might leave, but MAD never leaves you..”
Time to move on to the annual tradition of the Make A Difference Youth Leader Awards… Every year, six people are nominated from within the ranks, for the potential and leadership that they highlighted during the year.. (I’m tired of uploading pics, so you’ll have to do with just a couple.. ) The first one is given to the orphanage head of the orphanage that won this years MadComps.. And the HG girls ran away with it.. (will get you next year) 
Time for the day’s entertainment.. Jonva and his fellow Jonvans take the stage.. 
Session 4 : Who the President?? Who the President??
Answer : Sanju the President !
The Handing Over – Taking Over Ceremony looked like this :
Question : What does the new Mad Cochin Core team look like??
Answer : Like this :
Wait… Where is the VP Fundraising?? Vivek !! Vivek??
Where is he?? Eating Chocolate??
Volunteer : Sanjana, where is Vivek??
Sanju : He had other engagements..
Volunteer : Oh ok…Went to play tennis, huh??
Sanju : Actually, he had only one engagement.. After all, he’s getting married only once..
(Inference for all volunteers : Yes, please go ahead and ask for treats if you see Mr. Vingman around)
Though, the BEST MOMENT of the day was the standing ovation that Sr., the outgoing President, got..
The best President and mentor any of us could’ve ever asked for…. As he’d have put it : “Great job, bro.. Good repository… ”
Ok, that was senti enough.. (sigh)
Final note :
I had a college farewell, where, inexplicably i felt a tinge of sadness… Seemed there were too many good memories that I was leaving behind… But the Mad Farewell was different.. Yes, we’re bidding this year goodbye.. But, the next year already beckons..
At Mad, the year never ends.. It just merges into the next one.. Looking forward to all that 09-10 promises to bring to all our doorsteps..
- Signing off on 08-09 and signing into 09-10
(proud to be the) Jr.
LAST DAY SPECIAL :)
Posted by Rizwana Tharola in Volunteer Files... on February 17th, 2009
On 8th Feb, when Natasha came to my class & announced that on 15th Feb,we will be winding up our MAD classes for this term.I was surprised.This past week i was thinking of preparing myself;i mean i knew what to teach,but didnt know how to prepare myself emotionally for it.
Anyway,my whole week passed with this weird feeling i can’t explain.Finally,the last day arrived.The class started with grammar doubts being cleared as their exams are starting next week.I had planned something special for them though……
I took pizza for them as they had always wanted to taste it,we had sweets,7up & i had special gifts for each of them.We were having our special feast & thats when i got a huge surprise.
PIZZA FEAST
My gals had made me a birthday card, & had got me flowers & a Munch.They sang for me.They wanted to be the first people to wish me for my birthday…..
Handmade card made 4 me by my angels
Nothing can beat this
I was really touched.One thing i know now is this year will be great for me & that i am truly blessed.
Cheers!!!!!
My angels
The kids had to leave in between for some religious custom;& so,the volunteers got together,shared 7up & reflected on the whole year,kids,& how we’re gonna miss them.
Few of the volunteers are gonna leave this year & thats going to be really sad ,i am gonna miss them.i had an amazing time with them this year;there were happy moments & yeah,moments when i even wanted to strangle some of them 
(i am sure even they wanted to the same to me)but one thing is for sure,i wouldnt want to change anything i had with these kids & volunteers.
HG Gang(v really missed febin and resmi alot)
The chipko movement
The class ended with photo session,hugs,tears & byes.
I don’t know how i am gonna spend my Sundays anymore.It was something i always looked forward to.
Even though its only a few months with no class,thinking about it really doesn’t makes me happy. I am just hoping & praying hard i will be there to teach my gals in June…
Ye Ye Ye…, i got a break…!!!
Posted by Meril in Volunteer Files... on January 28th, 2009
The life of an intern is not that interesting(must admit), after all, all u get to do is “watch and learn” and help if required.
Got my break last sunday, “I” was to take class at HG!! No one can ever imagine how excited i was., nor can anyone imagine how many times i told my mom..”i gonna teach, i dont think i know what a noun is”!!!
My friends(all of them extremely jealous of me and MAD) had to literally ask me to stop bragging abt the 1st class ( how cud i , when i was so excited!!)
I’d signed up for “bunch” activities and was stuck up all morning wid jr and his PR talk (agn, i sat clueless wondering if i was in the wrong room!) ((and it wasn bad at all, jus that i din really understand what we were doing!))
Natasha and Me left for HG by noon and we were kinda late :O :O, but thankfully, things were under control.
My kids greeted me saying ” Why are u late”?? (yes, u heard it rite, in English , though it was–> y u r late??…, )
Hearing that made me realise that it wudn be a bad day, rather an exceptionally good one actually!!!, something like ” the gut feeling”.
The class went smooth, thanx to all the “observing” i did at Febin’s class (man, she is one awesome volunteer )
The kids were kinda excited cuz i’d told them that i’d show them the movie spider man after class, which just made my kids even more enthusiastic in doin the activities. All of wanted to go first!! (maybe cuz they felt that if they waited for someone else, they’d end up losing time in the movie session!! )
I shudn be saying this, but spidey was awesome, the kids and me equally loved it (though we saw it only fro 15 mins, the rest is for this week)
That was how my first calss went, i loved it, had fun, and hope to God that my kids loved me too( but i know they love spider man better LOL )
_________________________________
THINGS I LEARNT THAT DAY!!!
1: The kids love trying to spell out words for themselves, rather than being spoon fed!!
2: I hate spelling out words, wud rather have it spoon fed to me lol
3: Mansi is embarrassed to sit on Annapoorni’s lap, even in an auto!!
4: I can squeeze into anywhere, as in ther’ll never be a “no-space for u” situation EVER in my life!!
5: Ernakulam is quite an interesting district, there are a hundred different ways to reach the same place.
6: NO matter which route i take, it’d still take me 1.5 hrs or more to reach home from Alwaye
7: A piece of chalk is not at all expensive :O
8: Telling the kids that u’d show them a movie gets them to work on their activities real fast, and they do it well.
9: The kids really really miss a volunteer when she’s on leave. (They misd Febin a lot)
10: I LAAAAV being MAD!!!
Family Reunion
Posted by Jr. in Volunteer Files... on January 8th, 2009
Funny thing happened today…
At the Holy Ghost camp a couple of weeks back, when Jithin was doing his Mad intros, he introduced me and said I taught at YMCA in passing..
I figured nobody was paying close enough attention, but apparently someone was..
At the end of the day, as I was packing up and preparing to leave, one of the girls, Kausalya, if I’m not wrong, came up, quite timidly, and asked me if I indeed did teach at YMCA.. And I said, “Yeah, why?”
She asked me if I knew Abhimanyu.. Her brother, apparently… I faintly remembered one of my Level 1 guys mentioning a little guy of the name, and telling me how impossible a prankster he was and all.. But since I don’t actually teach Level 1, I didn’t know for sure..
So I took my lap, and pulled up the YMCA Christmas celebration pics.. And there he was !! Making faces at the camera, pulling out Santa’s beard, generally running around, he was there in most of the pics..
She was so happy that she called all her friends and they all crowded around to take a closer look at his antics and tut-tut him and all..
Before I left, she asked me to tell Abhimanyu when I saw him, that I had run into his sister, and that if he didn’t behave, she would knock some manners into him when they met (not kidding)
She reminded me again the second day of the camp as well, and said “Cheta, marakkalle” before I left that night…
And I’d completely forgotten about it…
Today, as part of the New Year spirit and all, Arun, Prakash and Sumit, my Level 1 guys were doing some group activity or the other, and since I’d already finished off my class, I joined them..
I saw Abhimanyu there, and remembered…
So I told him I’d run into his sister a couple of weeks back..
And, man, was he happy..!! He jumped up and down around me for five minutes, clapping his hands, and telling his friends what had happened..
I dint tell him about the disciplining part though.. It just felt too good acting messenger between the brother and sister who apparently hadn’t seen each other in a long time..
Going to Holy Ghost this Saturday.. Have to tell Kausalya that her brother said Hi…
Volunteers Vs The Girls – HG MAD Camp – Day 2
Posted by Bindia George in Camps on January 1st, 2009
“Desi girl” dance on the second day of Holy Ghost MAD Camp
The Volunteers
The Girls
Two Days of Night !!
Posted by Jr. in Volunteer Files... on December 29th, 2008
The last two posts by Bindia spectacularly covered the camp…
But, Bindia couldn’t be there for the night sessions on the two days.. So let me do that job…
Two days of spectacular camp nights follow :
Day 1
After the close of the adventure session, the kids went inside to freshen up..
Meanwhile, the volunteers were still working hard :
Volunteers working hard !!
Once the kids had got back, it was time to restart…
First was passing the ball :
Passing the Ball
And the ensuing punishments for the unlucky ones :
Punishment
Including the incredible snake dance from one of the kids :
Snake Dance
While Harsha and Febin decide to help out a bit :
The MAD Help Force
The DJ’s of the camp pose in between their busy schedule :
DJ Supremos
Followed by a freestyle dance session, featuring, once again : ‘Desi Girl’ and ‘Mukkala Mukabala’ among others :
Freestyle Dance Session
Then it was time for a game of Dumb Charades where we found out the following things :
1. Varkey doesn’t know Tamil
2. Whoever who wrote the chits for the game didn’t know how to convert Tamil to Malayalam
3. When everybody is busy playing, there is a good chance that the photographer might forget to take pics.
Anyhow after that, it was time for dinner…. Biriyani from Dal Roti was waiting..
Day 2
While the kids are away freshening up, the girls get the tree ready :
Once the girls are back and all set for the evening, it’s time for the Attack of the Sanju Claus and her Dancing Elves:
Sanju and the Elves
And each kid gets a present from Sanju Claus :
Present time !!
Time for Renjini Haridas to put in an appearence !!
Renjini Haridas with the kids
And when nobody is watching, Sanju Claus makes a dive for the cake (and there are rumours that the belly was actually real)
Sanju goes for the cake !!
The kids also get really cool watches from Renjini…
Outside though, hectic preparations are underway.. Juztin and Varkey risk all…
Juztin and Varkey risk all..
Once the kids are outside, the camp fire is up and away…
Camp fire !!
The DJ(s) let the music rip.. And :
Dance Dance Baby !!
And the Elves carry away the honours of the competitions.. They bask in sunglass glory !!
Elves win !!
Once the fire had died down, and the kids and volunteers were done dancing, it was chow time… Biriyani from Royale was waiting…
To conclude, it was one heck of a two days…
Like Sr said : “This is the best camp we’ve done.. Till the next one of course..”
For the better part of last week I’d almost convinced myself not to attend the camp, there were so many things to do..
But I’m so glad I went.. That I was there throughout… It was fun, day in, day out.. And we did make a difference.. I swear I could see it in their faces…
Till the next camp, and all the fun then, this is Jr. signing off…
GO MAD !!
Holy Ghost Camp – Day 2
Posted by Bindia George in Camps on December 27th, 2008
Stretching and pulling; twisting and turning; bending and moving; thats how the second day of MAD camp started at the Holy Ghost today - with the continuation of the ”Art of Living” class by Mr Venkat Mani. After making “fruit salads” yesterday, today’s main theme was playing with animals.. Stretching up into the sky to imitate a giraffe.. Rotating your shoulders and jumping to imitate a peacock.. All with smiles.. By the way.. a word of wisdom.. Do you know that one cannot laugh and talk at the same time? (Info Courtsey: Mr Venkat Mani). The session was filled by the small words of advice on to how to look after ourselves.. Emphasis on the fact that “self” is the most important person in the world.. and we need to strive to improve ourselves constantly. Kids were so excited from the sessions that they promised on doing 30 minutes of these exercises everyday…
Kids expressing their joy after the class with Mr Venkat Mani
The next session which immediately followed was one on Personal Care and Grooming to help build the girls’ confidence. It started with a small game to improve communication and interactions between the team members to solve any problem. First they were asked to stand in a circle – holding each others hands.
And then Priyanka moved around holding the hand of one kid.. going around the place.. below the other kids hands.. went on & on.. until the kids were completely tangled up. And they were asked to untie the mess.. and go back to formation of circle… while still holding hands… This was repeated a second time.. and this time with eyes closed… They were some casualities here… as the kids refused to leave the hands.. and got completed crumbled up in the mesh. But then at the end of it, they realised that a smooth flow will happen only if the kids interacted with each other guiding each other through speech (as eyes were also closed.)
Entangled kids…
After the small meaningful game.. the kids sat in full attention holding on to each word Priyanka voiced.
Meanwhile the volunteers worked on solving a small technical problem with the laptop & projector – for showing a small video.
Next game – it was more of Ad-world.. Each team had to show an ad-show on the product “Shakalakha shampoo” for a smooth, long, straight, silky beautiful hair All the four team showcased their ideas in actions while enacting on the themes.. Check out one of their videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2NgZhEzpYw
<am really sorry here.. but someone need to help me on how to embed the video on the blog>.
This followed by a video on Sushmita Sen winning the Miss Universe & couple of other videos on how distorted “beauty” is now on screen.. & the ill effects of hair straightening.. Did you know Sushmita Sen could speak only hindi (no english)? And it was her perseverance & efforts which has taken her to the crown. (info courtsey: Ms Priyanka Idicula)
After the breakfast-break.. (iddi-appams and chicken curry)… the next fun-team-activity was dressing up one kid (from each team) using newspaper. The imaginations ran wild here.. while the teams battled with newspapers & cellotape and scissors…
Decking up with newspapers…
And this is how we decked her up.. With all smiles and fun…
All decked up gals… before the start of ramp walk..
The next was creating “Mummys” in the teams.. Guys/gals.. dont go into your corrupt minds.. This is pure Egyptian Mummy creation using Toilet-paper. The kids went round and round with rolls of tissues wrapping up one of the girls in their team.. head to toe with the white paper… Very less use of cellotapes.. as they took care not to tear the tissues..
Next came an interactive sessions when they had to list points down.. on what qualities they think a “Miss Universe/Miss India” should posses. They came with all kinds of answers from beautiful body and mind, selfless love, pleasant personalities etc..
The session futher progressed - asking the kids to write on the Noble Prize winners for the last 5 years.. the teams who won the World Cup.. the girls who had won the previous Miss India titles.. etc. Actually, we volunteers were feeling embarassed to realise.. that the girls at Holy Ghost were able to say more names than we could even think of… But then.. this event was not for us.. so.. no comments.. we just encouraged the kids to think and write This was then followed by asking the kids to write names of people with whom they would like to spend time with; favourite teacher etc.. This was a piece of cake for them(and for us too)..
This small activity was done to emphasize the importance of friends/mentors in our life.. Though Noble prize is a big thing.. its the people who has touched our hearts who remain in our hearts for a loooonnnnnggggg time… And it is our personal responsibility to be a good friend always.. And get into others hearts.. by our words and actions…
Goodbye love to Ms Priyanka Idicula
Next came a “Happy Birthday to you” song to Annapoorni by our sweet-hearts… It was remix version of the song.. went something like “Happy happy happy birthday…”. That was a moment i realised that i belonged to the previous generation from these beautiful angels.. I didnt even know that a remix song existed for this one
Next 2 hours was certainly a page out from “Taare Zameen Par”… Self expressions through Art.. By Ms Tessa of Thought Factory Design… The session started with a small interactive session.. on some points to help the kids express themselves better through art. First one was on “eyes”.. on how the different “eye” expression can convey the complete mood of a face.. Second was on a cartoon face.. On how small difference in the drawing changes the complete emotions.. happy.. laughter.. anger.. sad.. etc…
Kids watching “the eye” series..
The emotions of the kids (and the volunteers) – emotions related to the MAD Camp – came to life in the next hour.. with crayons & pencils & water colors and a bright big Art Book.. It was speechless experience watching the kids bring to life their feelings.. Let the pics speak for itself:
The tree and the tyres.. and herself..
Indepth into the self-expressions
Go MAD with MAD Volunteers……. Renjini Jose from “Voice of Kerala” also graced the occasion..
The Sky Walking and Monkey Gliding Exprience in canvas
This was a proud moment for MAD volunteers.. when she wrote a small write-up in ENGLISH
The jubilant kids with their at pieces of arts…. with Ms Tessa and Ms Renjini
Santa’s little Helpers.. wrapping up the presents to be given for kids during camp-fire.. Pens.. Sketch Pens.. Watch (with MAD logo).. I tried by best to get hold of one watch.. but to no avail.. It is a beauuuttiiuffuull watch… specially imported from Bangalore.
Prior to lunch, Ms Renjini Jose enthralled the girls with rocking “dailamo dailamo”.. the girls went wild with the dance and the songs..
Post lunch (noodles and chicken & chocolate ice creams – how cud i miss that one.. simply delicious); we re-started the dance sessions with Ms Radhika.. Ice breaking session was dance on newspaper.. kept on folding into halves.. until the last pair was left.. This is how it went:
Happily.. lavishly dancing on a full newspaper..
And then the paper folding starts… until it was tooo tough to even stand
This was how the winning pair won… and they were cute little darlings.. desperate to win
And then it was back to “my Desi girl.. my desi girl.. girl.. girl.. girl.. jhoomka girade.. lo mila le agar woh nazar se nazar mitade.. nachke dikhade.. sabki dhadhkan bhi kadam se kadam milade……………..who’s the hottest girl in the world.. my desi girl.. my desi girl………….”
You must have seen the volunteer dance in yesterdays blog.. Now lemme tell you how it was supposed to be… how the kids danced to the tune..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIo-FR8NIuQ
This was followed by a complete dance session.. kids putting steps.. and they certainly did make us dance to their tune.. It was energy & enthusiasm filled hour.
After a small tea-puffs break… All of us assembled for a formal “vote of thanks” by our dear coordinator Natasha & team.. Individually naming all volunteers who made a difference to this camp…… and “thank u”.. name shoutings.. cheering etc from these wonderful girls.. It was so cute to see them cheering for all of us from their hearts.. they face fully lit with the love and appreciation for the event.. That was one of heart-touching feelings i had during the camp.. What makes MAD worth all the efforts a volunteer put in.
Volunteers… during the session
The beautiful smiles lady..
Couple of group photos……
It was overall a completely filled… hectic…hecticly fun filled weekend.. 2 days of frolic fun… fun.. enjoyment.. exercises.. running around.. learning to express ourselves better.. public speaking.. confidence building.. and a whole lotta smiles… I can certainly say with guarantee that this was certainly one of the most SMILES filled days i had for a loong time… It was just an amazing experience.. just to be a part of the whole show…
I just cant seem to thank enough the efforts put in by each and every person.. On the ramps.. behind the stage.. everyone at MAD who made this a HUGGEEEE SUCCESS.. It was a HUGE success indeed.. 3 cheers (i think it shud be more) to the Holy Ghost Team..
We wound up the “thank u’s” by 5.45pm today to give ample time to the kids to refresh themselves for the gala Christmas celebrations and Camp fire.. Complete with Santa Claus, Christmas Tree and gifts..
Now you have to watch out this blog space for more details on this..
Enthazaar ke fhal meete hote hai..
So hang around..
And keep looking……..
Post Lunch Session : Dance, Dance, Baby !!
Posted by Jr. in Volunteer Files... on December 26th, 2008
The Prez realises He can’t dance…
Radhika with the kids..
On Stage :
Definitely, Pappu can’t dance…
And finally, Radhika with the kids….
:)
Adventure session next..
The Pre-Lunch Sessions
Leela Menon addresses the children :
Mr. Sooraj from Career Dot Com with his session on Public Speaking :
And, surprise, surprise, Reshmi is feeling sleepy !! (again)
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