It’s Up To All Of Us – A Guest Blog by Jadon Garrett-Elman

Two years ago I had the chance to visit India. I was with my Dad and my Aunt and Uncle as part of a team supporting projects in a part of the country. We were in the Odissa region of India.

We stayed in a city called Visakhapatnam for a time. While there we met some young people and adults who were working to operate a day care program or children living in what they call “tenements” outside the city.
It was a bit overwhelming to visit the day program . There were so many children. They all wanted to take selfies with me. They were all laughing and playing. It seemed like chaos but I guess it wasn’t.

I did notice that the buildings around me were crumbling. At least they looked like that. There were no windows in them. It did not seem like there was much electricity. The people from India we were with were providing fresh fruit and snacks for children who came around. I knew that this food was important.

I would not say I felt sorry for the people I met. I would say that I thought about how different my life was in Canada. Here was me with food in Canada and here they were with food that might only last for a few days.

Anyway when we got home my Dad told me that the way he thinks of things is that we can not pretend we did not see and experience what we did in India. What we decide to do about what we saw and heard is our decision to make.

I was not sure what I would do. When I heard that during Covid food was harder to get in the tenements I was in I decided to make a Go – Fund Me page to raise money for food to give out. I did not know if it would help much but I knew that $1,000 Canadian could buy lots of food in India. I thought that even if it is just a small thing at least I could acknowledge my friends in India and what they are going through.

I was afraid to do something. I’m not sure what I was afraid of. I guess I was afraid of standing out. I don’t like attention. It makes me anxious.
I was also afraid no one would contribute. But people did. I am surprised that they did. I know that money does not come easily.
I dont think it makes you a good person to do something to help others. I think there are many good people who don’t support others.

I think now though that if you do decide to support others it’s not that hard to do. Just do it.