Ann and Brian went to visit our Children in Kalimpong.

This is Ann’s record of their trip.

We left the UK on the last day of October and arrived in Kalimpong on the 2nd of November. The 40-mile trip from the plains up into the hills was, as always, difficult. Landslides of boulders and soil are common at this time of the year. Some roads are completely wiped out.

How wonderful it was to meet the children. We now have 45 children at three pre-schools; Paramount, North Point and Pioneer.

They are all doing well. Their school reports show them on an equal footing with those children from advantaged homes. Being in the same uniform, they cannot be told apart. When I was in the classroom with the children, some of those who were quickest to answer questions were our BPL (Below the Poverty Line) children. They are so full of fun and laughter and loved having us with them. There is nothing quite like being a grandad and grandma to 45 children.

Great festivities had been planned for us.

Each of the schools put on performances where the children sang and danced.

They all dressed up for World Children’s Day.

The costume ideas were such fun to see. We had trees, traffic lights, an amazing blackbird and national costumes from Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, we even had a pilot with a toy aircraft on his head.

The festival lasted from 11 am to 4.30 pm, and we all went home tired and happy.

Our last festival was for all our 45 children together. Mr Lama let us use his hall and stage. Brian dressed up as Father Christmas and entered a packed hall from the back to the music of Jingle Bells. Nobody knew he was coming. Squeals of excitement and delight echoed through the hall.  The children all ran to follow him.

Ritica, our CMSLO (Child Monitor and School Liaison Officer) had packed all the presents we had taken out.

Our knitters had made jumpers, hats, mittens and teaching aids. Each child had crayons, a colouring book, a toy and sweets. A sweet gooey cake with mountains of cream was cut and they all tucked in with relish, plus local moo moos of course; a stuffed dumpling with mild chilli sauce, very yummy.

I was called to give a speech. The most poignant part was – having invited principles and teachers onto the stage, I said “We have the school, we have the teachers, we have the mums”; waving at the audience… “What is missing”? Mr Lama said God, I said he was always with us. Then the silence fell. There was no reply. “The children,” I said. “Without the children who are our future, none of us would be here today. Give a loud clap to the children.”  There you have it in a nutshell, what Room to Learn is all about – the children.