” We are visitors on this planet. We are here for ninety or one hundred years at the very most. During that period, we must try to do something good, something useful, with our lives. If you contribute to other people's happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life”. The 14th DALAI LAMA
That was the first thing that I saw when I arrived here. “ Here ” its MCLEOD GANJ, DHARAMSALA, INDIA. When I saw it I thought : maybe I’m here with a group of Jewish students that came to India to volunteer at the Tibetan community, maybe we thought that it’s very special and unique to do it but apparently we aren’t the only ones who thought about that idea.
So then I thought maybe those people that we came to be with and to help aren’t so different from us, if we all have the same goal and same meaning of life, we probably have the same issues that bother us, the same issues that we want to change and the same hopes in our life.
I was very surprised to realize that I was more than right.
The first time that I realized it, was at “ THE TIBET MUSEUM” that was the first time that I heard about what really happened in Tibet and actually still happening. At that museum I could see and be empathic with the pain that they have and it was very strong for me because of the feeling that there is another holocaust just like we had, that still continues this day, right now!!!
The second time that I saw that we aren’t so different was when we found the place to volunteer at. “ The Rogpa Baby Care Centre (BCC) ” – I could see that babies all over the world have the same needs and it's not important if they are Jewish babies from Israel or Tibetan babies from India, they all want to see a smile when they arrive in the morning, they all want a warm hug when their parents leave them, they all want to play with their friends , they all love the “ hashafan hakatan” song, all the babies in the world cry when their diapers are wet, they all have a runny nose, once in a while they have fights with each other and after lunch they all want to sleep. It’s true that they have different ways to do all of those things but basically we all have the same needs.
A little bit about “The Rogpa Baby Care Centre (BCC)” – they are providing free childcare, daily meals and play equipment in a fun and safe environment for 42 children under 3 years of age, 6 days a week with no cost to the parents in order to allow low-income Tibetan families, struggling with everyday challenges for their survival to go to work, become self-sufficient and independent.
At the beginning of my volunteering I felt that it might not be so important to the community and maybe I need to do more or more meaningful activity but a few days ago I bought earrings from some shop on the street and after I paid the woman, she said to me “this is a gift to you”. I asked myself how it could be that I’m in India, in every shop that I’m going they trying to give me the highest price ever and this woman want to give me a gift ?!?!?! So I told her that it’s fine and she doesn’t need to give me a gift and then she told me “ You are from Rogpa, right ? I’m Gamso’s mom and I see you hugging my baby everyday when I’m going to work. I wanted to thank you for helping with my baby and with all the babies and also to thank your sisters (she thought that maayan, merav and me are sisters)”. And then I realized that I was taking part in a meaningful way, that maybe they have other volunteers from all over the world but it’s enough for me that one baby, one Tibetan mom will remember my love for them and that will make me happy because the way that I see it, the most satisfying thing that I can do is to make the hard life that they have every single day more comforting, with less worries just because they know that beside the four teachers they have at least three girls from Israel that care a lot about their babies.
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