I was there

I was there,first i felt afraid then i was a King,a very happy king "
I was there today, to the shelter for orphan
I have been giving support like money and clothes
But then I said I would visit this place to see am I doing any good
I knew that orphanage are parted into two sections one for males harboring 25 kids
The other part for females also the same number
I was curious we never had shelter for orphans only through the last years
We are a rich country you know so we never needed these places
So I was determined to see...to know what’s going on, who is there
Kids who suddenly lost father and mother and left homeless
Kids who have families but they can not afford to pay for their foods and clothing so they put them there
Or families with many kids but very little to offer they force their children brutally to leave home. So they end here
I reached there, I bought lots of food for 25 creatures, chocolates and the kind kids no more than 6 years old would like to have
I reached there. I was stunned. The building was O.k. went inside the corridor looked horrible...it was like prison
I came to a room where there were lots of shouts and crying...they saw suddenly everything was quiet
I said hello. They looked at me. Not a whisper...ten one child no more than 4 years began to cry...he was frightened
They told me he was always like that when he sees strangers...
And I went along to the kitchen with a lady... I had lots of work to do
I had to arrange everything...to ensure everyone received a full meal...the lady kept watching me...she seems stunned
She thought I was crazy. Leaving my work and come here and act like a cook for 25 mouths...
I did not care for her...I was so busy it’s not easy to prepare a meal for 25 mouths...
Each now and then I would see some small faces stealing a look at me from the open door...
Snickering and laughing. I did not mind...I was busy preparing food for 25 mouths
Then I suddenly turned around and saw the doorway full with small creatures in tattered clothes
Looking strangely at me...but strange they were at peace they even smiled at me...I could almost see joy on these faces
I was overwhelmed; I could not take my eyes from them. I forgot everything about my cooking...
We stayed there for a while each looking at the other. So many I saw them...
I said anybody hungry...they all nodded that they are starving...I turned my face to the window so they don’t see my face
For at that time...my face was a mess...I did not want them to see me...I was afraid of them...
I thought I would also give them courage and hope of a better tomorrow. But I was wrong
They gave me a lesson about courage. As if telling me...who cares about hunger...we can stay like that for days
I could not turn my eyes to face them. For a while I thought they were all my kids. I was shivering now
Very embarrassed, then I turned to them. My eyes to the ground...I gathered all my courage, and called for them
Come each sit here and eat, they came running, all of a sudden I was surrounded by small creatures...they were so happy
I felt at that time happiness I never in my life knew before, God...how lovely is life...oh God thank you for bringing me here
oh I have the honor to bring so much joy... I was a king...I swear that’s how I felt...I was a king...a very happy king

Author's Note

his was written in haste

Reviews

[R J Askew]

A wonderful piece of writing as it is a piece of life rendered into words. There is none of our western winging and self-obsession here, no intellecual toying with words and metaphysical sallies into fantasies. What we have is a humbling experience, an act of charity which is moving. But there is an even more moving part, being the way you capture your own, far stronger sense of the moment's drama -- again that word, drama. We sense the fear of the children. We suspect why they are afraid and what the might have suffered. There is the dumbfounded astonishment of the woman. Maybe we are a bit like her. Not quite believing what we see, in this case read. But of course is is true. And the turning away... It is as if some emotional grenade goes off, slowly, in you, as you are seeing the pain of your own country in those little faces, each one of which has stories behind it. The orphanage is a concentration of stories. And then the understandable sadness is followed by an extraordinary elatiton. 'Here we are, things are not so bad, we are alive, let's get on with it. Let us make the best of this.' And you do. We manufacture dreams and distractions and shallow happinesses in the West, but you found a very real and deep human happiness in those moments. What a joke that there has to be such pain all round before we get to such moments though. Life the great joker. With death standing on. One can almost imagine them asking each other, 'What shall we do next?'

[Susan S.]

It feels like you write in a language you don't know. Possibly you've run this through a translator to get it to English? Whatever, the piece was hard to read; I'll assume you were going for poetry but you should label it that.

[bluessadmood]

Thank you so much ,what a lovely review,really appreciated,so glad you liked this,made me so happy,ha ha

[A.A.Romanczuk]

Oh...this was beyond beauty...I saw through Your soul..how good it is..what You did was noteworthy...beyond wonderful...it is amazing how we each learn and teach each other...You showed them that there is such a thing as kindness in the world..they showed courage and patience :)
This is one of my favorites of Your work...

[Tony]

If we all keep working toward having an attitude like this Author, we will Transcend what has befallen us.
There is a lot to be said for a man who would rather see a light of hope shining in a child's eyes than to cower in comfort in a place where this light does not shine.

[Gandré]

I agree with Helena: What a heartfelt sensitive beautiful story. You were confronted with such a misery, such an injustice.... you were not able to keep distance from your feeling, they owerwhelmed you. Thsi is my new favorite piece of yours. (added to favorites!) Bravo, great in its own truth, great in this special type of your writing with relatively short words and sentences, it was almost like reading an article and yet it witnessed genocide, need, crime and strength of a folk. Great writing!

___________________
Hello Moayad, sorry that I review your work later than you did.
Thanks also for reviewing "Shipwreck" and your very personal,
emphatetic opinion about it.
Best wishes.

[Barbara Walker]

Moayad, I had a little time on my sister's computer; so I visit my friend's page and my heart is in my throat. All your feelings came through so strongly in this, I have tears in my eyes. People need to see how others are suffering, while we have so much! Just kids...it is heart-breaking. I am so glad that they got to be with you! Barbara (eyepoetress)

[Janice]

A beautiful story in truth of it all. Yes, indeed we are the lucky ones! I loved the ending especially. How but such poor helpless children, so hungry, so vulnerable, take us through an immediate journey through their pain; to that place were we find God in our souls . To feel like a king, but not to proud to step down from your throne and wait on those that worship you kindness. I truly enjoyed this story, and for a minute I felt like a queen as I read it. You made me feel like I was there right beside you watching it all take place before me . Glorious!

[Wicahpi]

how tragic and yet so rewarding at the same time.
I, like Helen below me, loved that last line. Truly giving
this piece ..... gosh, I don't even know the right word.
"Profoundness" maybe? What a lovely act of kindness,
generosity and human love for children of the lost.

[Angel Baby]

This is so beautiful, found it a pleasure to read, will be putting it in my favorites. Thanks, for sharing.P.W.

[JohnL]

I am humbled. There is no comment I can make upon this. I have worked in orphanages (in Hong Kong in 1956/7) when the refugees were flooding in from China. I know the haunted eyes, the clinging hands, the need of children for love. It haunts me still.
JohnL (John)