This is the 3rd scheduled stop on the Taleigao MOP site. The red van pulled up at the Taleigao children’s park on Friday 1st Feb, 2012.
Why? 
This site has its own organic movement patterns. The Library space was a venue during the wet months and some children made it a point to come and they still do. We have a small batchof readers who now spend their evenings reading at the library. That is wonderful ad positive, but the group is small.
To propagate the library experience we pursued and encouraged the Communidade to officially let us use Casa de Povo, a building that held romantic notions of heritage, beauty and semi open space for us. It was and is shocking to be reminded that spaces become symbols based on engagement. The casa de Povo is not a safe space in the eyes of the local community, it is a space that is not associated with learning and creativity and it took deep reserves of energy to keep children coming there and motivated.
So we moved again. The part is not new to MOP. It is where we began in 2011 for our pilot project and it is alive and safe and well.
The red van pulled up and magically helping hands emerged to carry boxes, mats and the stationery. How naturally children are drawn to participation and how often we forget that. I am always humbled by how richer a program can grow if we remember that children participating in it can be active important resource.
We set up, we browsed, we attracted a nice diverse group in age and background and a calm feeling of being in a good space doing the right thing took over.
After that it was all easy peasy. Our book choice was spot on! Go team bookworm:-)
Our pre story and post story discussions were rich and meaningful and then in celebration of it all, Krystal shared elephant cuts outs that were decorated with care and attention.
Heartwarming moments:
1. When a 7th std girl held off her kabbadi coaching until she finished crafting. She went and spoke to the coach that she needed a few more inutes. He understood. Praise!
2. When I was talking in Konkani to a child who is being raised to only speak English and the child told me ‘I do not understand English’ with all the flavour of a Konkani speaker. Why do we negate what is our own to become what we think we should be?
3. When leaving we took enough of grains of sand between my toes and slippers to remind me of the joy of our work and how little grains do add up in the end.
Taleigao MOP will now be at the Park, every Friday until we move again!
