After a nice breakfast with the Sisters of 4 eggs , oatmeal bananas, whipped potatoes and toast . I again say to the Sisters in a kind way I know that you have eliminated one egg from my breakfast but it’s all way too much. One egg is great with a little of my oatmeal. The Sisters look at me and smile and say ok Mr Ray .

 

I am now off with Sister Anna Mary to visit Dinesh again at the Hamirpur High School for Boys. The school is very close to where I am staying and is right on the other side of the Sacred Heart Cathedral right in front of the boys playing field. So Sister Anna Mary and I just walked over carrying everything with us that we bought yesterday at the Ruby Sports shop.

 

When we arrive at the courtyard of the school every single boy in the school is there to welcome me, all in their school uniforms. Father Raj Kumar Minz who is in charge of the school introduces me to the boys , 352 of them and they give me a big round of applause.

 

I told all the boys that before I say a few words to all of you I’d like to call my friend and your classmate Dinesh up to the front of everyone to be next to me. The kids all clap their hands and Dinesh makes his way with his big stick to the front of his classmates to stand with me. When he gets next to me I give him a hug and shake his hand.

 

I tell the students that I have come to Rourkela from America to visit my friend Dinesh and all his classmates at this school.

 

I have been to Rourkela many times and I have seen all the boys playing in the playing field. When Dinesh came to your school this past year and the Sisters told me how well he was doing and how much he liked the school and how nice everyone was to him , it made me very proud.

 

I told the boys that school is not forever so learn all you can every single day. HAVE FUN BUT LEARN !

 

I said that I see all you boys playing in the playing field every single day running all over the place. Now that Dinesh has become a part of your school and now I too have become a part of your school.

 

As I just said , I have learned a lot about all of you and your school from the Sisters. And I am very very proud of all of you…..

 

From this point forward every single time I visit Rourkela I will bring you some sports equipment to play with.

 

Today, I have with me cricket bats, balls and pins along with footballs as you call it (soccer balls) and other items to play with in the playing field. My hopes are that you enjoy all of it and have a great time with everything.

 

It is an Honor for me to visit all of you today at your school and also to be with my friend Dinesh.

 

God Bless all of you…

 

After that talk that was translated to everyone the boys could not get enough of me to shake my hand.

 

It was a wonderful visit with everyone..

 

Later that afternoon it was time to meet more children with Sister Anna Mary at another school close by named Saint Joseph Secondary school for girls.This is a school that I call big blue because the children are older and the uniform of the school is a pretty color blue.

 

This is an all girls school with around 400 students. The children are all lined up in the school yard waiting to see me. Once I walk around the corner of the building and the children see me and they start clapping and singing welcome songs to me. Principal Sister Rosalia gave me a warm welcome on the school stage and asked me to say a few words to the students.

 

When I looked off the stage to see everyone there were many more students here than my last visit 5 years ago. The entire school yard was packed with students.

 

I spoke to the students for a few minutes telling them to always try to be the best …Not second best but the very best. I said that I have known many of you for a long time. I do not want you to be just good in life , I want you to be GREAT in life, wherever life takes you,

 

Some of you may become Doctors or Nurses others maybe Teachers and many of you will become Mothers…I want you to become the Best of the Best to make me and your teachers proud. The only way you can do that is to study hard and go to school every day.

 

Today because your school is so very special to me I have brought you some badminton sets and paddle ball sets that all of you like to play at school with your friends. There is a time to play and there is a time to study. A smart person knows the difference.

 

God Bless all of you, have fun at school but study hard.

 

The kids were very happy and everyone came to me to say hello or shake my hand before they all left school for the day as it’s now late afternoon.

When everyone was gone I asked to see the John Barrett computer room in the school . Sister Rosalia took me to the room and unlocked the door for me to go inside the room.

 

All the computers were covered up as school had ended for the day. The room looked great….Sister Rosalia and another Sister took the John Barrett plaque off the wall where it hangs to show it to me. I said a quick prayer for John as I walked out the classroom door that Sister Rosalia locked behind all of us…

 

It’s been a very interesting day with most of the sports items distributed to 2 schools with many happy children.

 

Thank You for all your help to make this possible.

 

Ray O