Long ago I came in contact with the fascinating work of People’s Trust in India, which was still in its early stages. Still, I lost it somehow out of sight ... until I met on my trip in India in 2009, a Nepalese friend who asked me: ‘Do you know’ Duk von du wiengaat ‘from Holland? “I didn’t recognize the name and said,’ no , who is this guy? “” He’s from People’s Trust. “My light went on and I said ‘oh, Dirk van de Wijngaard.” The man had a message for Dirk and asked me to pass it. Back in Belgium, I immediately looked on google for People’s Trust and came on the site of PTN. In a jerk, I devoured the site with deep feelings of horror and hope. I made contact with Dirk to pass the message and talked about the question of PTN, which was looking for someone to translate the site into English.
On our trip with wife and child in southern India late 2009, early 2010 we asked Dirk van de Wijngaard if PTN had a project in the south of India near the Bangalore, that was supported by PTN and that we could visit. He showed us the first project of PTN in Kengeri and made contact with the ‘Amma’ of the project.
With a suitcase full of toys and stuffed animals, we visited the home in Kengeri. We were very warmly welcomed by ‘Amma’ (which means mother and how all the children call her). We had a pleasant lovingly conversation with Amma about her work for these children who often are picked from the street and the support they got from Uncle Dirk and PTN. The home also gives the children education by teachers in the region. Since I myself am an educator at a refuge for children in Special Education, I asked who caught the children after school. Amma said modestly, “I do, along with the children. The big worry for the smaller, like a family. “ I could not believe my ears. One person only who cares for a group of 70 children wich come from the most difficult conditions, day and night, weekends and holidays-raising! Unbelievable, if I compare this with my role as educator of children who get special education, with groups of 5 or 6 children under my care I for only two days each time ...
Tinle, our white skinned son who was nine years, was obviously the star of the day for the 70 brown skinned girls of the orphanage. After the interview the children walked around with a stuffed animal or other toys that Tinle had distributed. They were overjoyed. Some girls then gave us a tour of the home, with great pride. The living rooms were very clean and neat hygienic. We could see all corners, including the storage of food and the house of their cows, where a girl of ten years cared lovingly for the animals. Everything was so simple and practical, it made a deep impression on us. We arrived all together in the dining room of the home, where all the children were together with us and Amma. Everyone was playing with the toys. It was quite remarkable how happy and well disposed the children were. There was at no point arguing about the toys. The children were very open and appreciative of our visit. They radiated happiness and glowed with health. Something at my work in Belgium often can not be said.
Then we asked for a great group picture and the children took us along to their prayer room for a moment with some beautiful devotional songs from the 70 children’s hearts. When we had to leave they already called us Aunty and Uncle. Tinle had to swallow, and asked on the way, ‘here we come back ... hey daddy’. Back home we decided to save a euro every day for the children of the orphanage and this after one year we send via PTN. This has been done.

We look forward to our next visit to the home with Amma and the girls that have stolen our hearts.
Katrien, Tinlé and Johan