A day enlivened by the smiles it gifted - "Gift a Smile 19.1"
As related by Rtr. Kavishka Gunaratne
“Making a person smile can change the world. If not the entire world, their world.”
What all children deserve is safety, love and possibility. But not every child in this world is fortunate enough to have a home to call their own or parents to receive love and care from on a daily basis. Hoping for a toy as and when they please or looking forward to a trip to the beach on a weekend is not routine for them. Feeling a sense of dejection and being frustrated by the notion of being betrayed by society for the state in which they are in is common in such children. Therefore, it is crucial that proper care is taken of such innocent souls and that they are reminded that they are just as special and valued as any child ought to be, as often as possible.
In hopes of brightening up at least a single day in their lives to the best of our abilities, ‘Gift a Smile 19.1’ was organized with the participation of thirty children from Vajira Sri Children’s Development Center, Pitakotte on the 4th of August.
The day started off with a visit to the Planetarium where the audience was entertained to a show of the story of Charles Darwin as well as insight on outer space and the night sky. The kids were amused by the display put on show for them on the dome shaped screen. Our next stop was at Viharamahadevi Park where the kids were provided with lunch. After a few songs and photos at the park, the tour continued. The National Museum was next on the agenda and the children seemed to thoroughly enjoy the exhibits put on display. The kids made it a point to ask questions on things they saw that sparked their interest and seemed thoroughly inquisitive and enthusiastic throughout the entire museum tour. Finally, we resumed our journey and arrived at Mt. Lavinia beach close to sundown. The kids were thrilled at the sight of the sea and quick at dipping their feet in the water. The cries of delight that filled the air as waves came crashing at them certainly brought a smile to the faces of everyone around. After a round of volleyball at the beach, the kids were treated to drinks, snacks and gifts by our Rotaractors. Drenched in water from head to toe and with sand covering their clothes, the kids then returned back to the bus with hearts heavy yet bright smiles on their faces to start the trip back to the place they called home.
“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
