A special Diwali at the Firs Orphanage

Diwali, the festival of lights, gifts, and togetherness, kindled a special celebration for more than three dozen children at the Firs Orphanage near Char Dukaan. Several Woodstock students from Middle and High School took two separate CARE trips on Diwali Day (September, October 17th) to interact, play, and eat with the little ones.

The Orphanage, which is located around the Chakkar area, is connected with the Assemblies of God (North India), and has played host to several Woodstock CARE trips over the past few years. The children, mostly between the ages of four to 22, either have no parents or have one or both parents unable to look after them.

On Diwali morning, a group of around ten Middle School students went up to the orphanage to play games with the children, and they also taught the children how to make friendship bands. Later that afternoon, High School CARE organized a trip to the orphanage where nearly two dozen students played with the children and several of the girls learnt the recipe for 'Aloo Parathas' which they cooked for the children as a special dinner.

In the evening, the children from the orphanage walked down with the High School students to Ridgewood, where they joined the rest of the Woodstock family for a Diwali fireworks show. The fireworks illuminated the night, capping off an unforgettable Diwali not just for the children from Firs but also the Woodstock students who had the chance to interact and learn from them.