A New Way to Celebrate Deepavali

Yesterday’s trip to Ramavaram was quite fulfilling in many respects. We have been collecting clothes for quite some time with the intention of distributing them house to house, but we were never quite able to mobilize such an operation. Now that Deepavali has arrived, in addition to the torrential rains, it seemed like the right time to do this.

One thing that has been especially educational for me is understanding how important it is that we approach a community with a strong view towards their needs. Because of all the difficulties that people have been facing at Ramavaram, it was imperative that we pay attention to their immediate need for food and clothing and that we address it as soon as possible. It is something that has been difficult for me personally to handle in a way that is not at odds with our strong belief in moving the community from dependence on others towards self-sufficiency. Sometimes it is important to deal with the concerns at hand before trying to move on to bigger things. Small steps are the only way to move towards a better relationship and understanding between us and those we are trying to help.

Overall, I think it was one of the best ways that I have ever celebrated Deepavali. It is the festival of lights, after all, and what better way to bring light to our surroundings than to make a few lives slightly easier for a short while, at least?