Due to malnutrition the almost 4-year old Mercy is too small and too thin for her age. However, need has taught her to assert herself with charm and tricks. But when it comes to taking a bath her tricks won’t work and so she tries to look even smaller – the little children’s enthusiasm for cleanliness still is limited. Mercy was the first child we welcomed in 2011.
Phase 46: January to March 2011  For the first time in the history of the children’s village three girls celebrated their “Big Girl Party” together. There are various rituals in Hindu and Buddhist tradition to celebrate the first menstruation. For example, after the washing rituals on a day set by the astrologers a girl gets new clothes and her first gold jewelry. The picture shows the other “big girls” from Lucky House welcoming Kokila, Samantika and Warunia as “young women”.
 Pinki is happy that her sister Suramiya finally is a “big girl” too. It has taken an unusually long time, but now the 16-year old can celebrate the “Big Girl Party” as well. Suramiya enjoys the attention and the gifts she receives. But from today on her life will change.
 On January 15th the Hindu New Year begins. What will it bring? 2011 lies ahead – just as shadowy and undefined as the Hindu temple which is covered by incense smoke during the New Year ceremonies. In fact it is quite good that we don’t know what the future might bring, because it forces us to concentrate only on here and now.
 Share the joy when great achievements have been made. Michael Kreitmeir drove 15 hours to get to the West coast to participate in the opening of the new children’s home “Angel’s Home” and express his solidarity and appreciation. Only those who are working for children here in Sri Lanka can understand how long and difficult the way is until you are able to celebrate such an opening. Little Smile wishes the Angel’s Home all the best and many people who love and take care for children.
 No one is born a master and a three wheeler normally does not tip over. While the first part of this affirmation is always true there are exceptions to the second, especially at the first driving lesson of our young child minders in the children’s village. Laksha tried to take the bend at full throttle, and thus after only 5 minutes the impossible happened – the three-wheeler tipped over. Arno, the German driving instructor took flight.
 It is 9 years since Shrima came to us as a war orphan. Today the young woman looks after the 8 to 11-year old boys in Honest House and gives them the love and care she herself has received here before. She also shows them Little Smile’s way of living, a way without hate or lies, a way without fear and violence.
 It’s a typical Sunday morning. Someone is ringing the bell at the entrance gate and
suddenly normality is gone. Well anyway, normality only exists on paper here at the children’s village Maha Gedara. For more than a month the government didn’t know what to do with the street kids. They had been fetched away from the street only to be locked away afterwards. When finally Michael Kreitmeir was asked for help he offered to accommodate some of the homeless children. And thus, a few days later, on a Sunday morning in March, a new life started for them.  It’s a typical Sunday morning. Someone is ringing the bell at the entrance gate and
suddenly normality is gone. Well anyway, normality only exists on paper here at the children’s village Maha Gedara. For more than a month the government didn’t know what to do with the street kids. They had been fetched away from the street only to be locked away afterwards. When finally Michael Kreitmeir was asked for help he offered to accommodate some of the homeless children. And thus, a few days later, on a Sunday morning in March, a new life started for them.  The company AVO from Belm is a reliable partner for the farms of Little Smile
Organic. A big order of maces confronted Shiran Silva and his team with a rather difficult task, because every single mace has to be controlled and sorted by hand. For the first time we brought all spices to our own farm in Dikkapitia and thus we brought work and hope for many people – especially widows and abandoned women and children – in the area. |