Today Dibyendu and I made our way up AJC Road near the Sealdah Railroad station to a wonderful school named the Loreto Day School Sealdah.

 

This is a great all girl school on the other side of the city of Kolkata from where I am staying. The school is just up the street from Mother Teresa’s Mother House. Because the Sealdah railroad is very close by, this end of AJC Bose Road is a very busy place with people walking and a very high volume of traffic.

I have visited this school many many times over the years and the school staff in the office knows me very well.

 

I was drawn to this school long ago by a Principal named Sister Cyril..She was the Sister in charge for what seems like a thousand years. She loved the regular school students of the school but she also started a program long ago for children that she called Rainbows..

 

Rainbow children are very poor children most with no homes and little education. They come and go like Rainbows. Sister Cyril opened the doors of her school to the Rainbow children to be sure they were safe , given food and shelter along with basic schooling.

 

In short Sister Cyril made sure the Loreto School was home for many very poor children as well as a top notch school for her regular school students.

 

Sister Cyril was an Irish Sister and worked for over 50 years helping the children of Kolkata. She could be very strict to be sure her school was one of the best in Kolkata. She always wanted the BEST for everyone.

 

I was very sad to learn a few years ago Sister Cyril retired and last year she had passed away.

 

On this year’s visit I met with a new Principal of the school Sister Baishakhi Mondal. We talked about some of the programs at the regular school and the rainbow children that still continues today. When my visit came to an end with Sister Mondal I gave her an Angels newsletter to read and I thanked her for a nice talk today.

 

When I walked out of the office after saying goodbye to everyone I met Dibyendu in the school yard talking to some of the students..

 

I was taking a photo of him with the students when a young girl came up to me with a friend and said I know you. I said to myself no way does this little girl know me. It’s been 5 years since I have been to Kolkata.Then the little girl said it to me again ! Uncle I really know you. I asked her how do you know me ? She said my older Brother goes to Don Bosco and he has a photo of you in our house from a few years ago. I was shocked !

 

After Dibyendu and I took a few photos we said goodbye to everyone as the little girl and her friend waved to us as we exited the school to the street on AJC Bose Road again.

 

It was another nice visit for everyone and I thought about that little girl all the way home.

Ray O