Write up by Toybanker - Dr.Kothawala
Let me tell you a touching incident I faced when Toybankers gave me some toys which were to be distributed among the poor kids attending our NGOs and the slum clinics.
There was a two and half year old fair and fragile girl with burning fever, cough, and running nose and watery eyes. I put my hand into the bag of toys and pulled out a small stuffed teddy bear and held it in front of her. This little girl’s eyes brimmed with pleasure and she skipped two steps forward to take it but immediately jumped a step back saying “Naayega” , again came forward with a tiny clenched fist raised towards the teddy bear and again withdraw her hands and stepped back quoting “Naayega.... Naayega......”
Thinking that the brown teddy bear was dull and drab, I put my hand into the bag of toys and got out a bright yellow tweety bird, with blue eyes and a grinning beak. Unbelievable joy leaps into the girls eyes, and she again jumped forth excitedly but once again reluctantly stepped backwards clenching her fist tighter and chanting “Naayega..... Naayega.......” This went on and on, back and forth.
Puzzled I asked her mother, “What is she saying? Does she not want the toy???” The mother gave a resigned sigh and patiently explained, “ She is saying ‘nahi aayega’, that means cannot be bought by giving a one Rupee coin, which she had clenched in her little fist. “
When I hugged her and gave her the toy, I don’t know whose eyes were redder and wetter, hers or mine? Whose eyes would have opened wetter, hers or mine? Her’s with joy and mine with wonder, and amazement that a two year old child must have faced umpteen rejections when she must have approached small shanty shacks for knick-knacks – a sweet, a biscuit, a balloon, a plastic whistle, marble.......only to be impatiently and rudely brushed away with a ‘Nahi aayega’ (not available with a one Rupee precious coin that she has)
I thank Toybankers unanimously for the joy they bring to these little ones.
These toys may be rejected by someone who got something bigger or did not like it or had outgrown them. But thanks to both the kids and their families, and the toybankers who helped the toys go to the yearning children to whom it will bring a whole new world and immense joy and fulfillment.
Dr. D. S. Kothawala
PATH
There was a two and half year old fair and fragile girl with burning fever, cough, and running nose and watery eyes. I put my hand into the bag of toys and pulled out a small stuffed teddy bear and held it in front of her. This little girl’s eyes brimmed with pleasure and she skipped two steps forward to take it but immediately jumped a step back saying “Naayega” , again came forward with a tiny clenched fist raised towards the teddy bear and again withdraw her hands and stepped back quoting “Naayega.... Naayega......”
Thinking that the brown teddy bear was dull and drab, I put my hand into the bag of toys and got out a bright yellow tweety bird, with blue eyes and a grinning beak. Unbelievable joy leaps into the girls eyes, and she again jumped forth excitedly but once again reluctantly stepped backwards clenching her fist tighter and chanting “Naayega..... Naayega.......” This went on and on, back and forth.
Puzzled I asked her mother, “What is she saying? Does she not want the toy???” The mother gave a resigned sigh and patiently explained, “ She is saying ‘nahi aayega’, that means cannot be bought by giving a one Rupee coin, which she had clenched in her little fist. “
When I hugged her and gave her the toy, I don’t know whose eyes were redder and wetter, hers or mine? Whose eyes would have opened wetter, hers or mine? Her’s with joy and mine with wonder, and amazement that a two year old child must have faced umpteen rejections when she must have approached small shanty shacks for knick-knacks – a sweet, a biscuit, a balloon, a plastic whistle, marble.......only to be impatiently and rudely brushed away with a ‘Nahi aayega’ (not available with a one Rupee precious coin that she has)
I thank Toybankers unanimously for the joy they bring to these little ones.
These toys may be rejected by someone who got something bigger or did not like it or had outgrown them. But thanks to both the kids and their families, and the toybankers who helped the toys go to the yearning children to whom it will bring a whole new world and immense joy and fulfillment.
Dr. D. S. Kothawala
PATH
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