Siblings Reunite
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 02:21AM 
Nisha and Madan Rana- brother and sister (in case you couldn't tell)
A few months back I came to know about Small Nisha's, little brother, 7 year old Madan. It's common for siblings to be separated after the death of parents. I've known about him for a few months but with Juntara's passing and all of the travel I was doing with the application for Do Something, I decided it was safe to keep him where he was until I could be sure that his transition to come and live here could be as smooth as possible. He was also undergoing treatment for tuberculosis and I needed to be sure it was clear out of his system so that it would be safe to have him here with the other children. I checked in on him often, but still, knowing that one of my children's only known relatives was sleeping under another roof was constantly in the back of my mind. In a way I guess I didn't feel like our family was complete without him.
On a quiet day, just before the brother sister holiday a few weeks ago, I woke up and knew it was time. I'll never forget the day that Nisha and I went to go pick him up (he's been staying/working in a hotel near the bus station, paperwork already cleared) and it was like the easiest most simple moment in the existence of siblings and man kind.
"Are you ready to come and live with us?" I asked.
He didn't blink or take a breath or hesitate for even a milisecond. "Yes," he answered almost before I had finished my sentence.
"When do you want to come?"
"Can I come today?" he asked.
And he came, just like that, in his bright blue t-shirt and torn pants hanging off his hips with not a single possession to his name.
And Nisha held his hand and we walked over to the scooter on the side of the busy bus station and a tear rolled down my cheek. We took him home.
He fit so perfectly in with the rest of the children so instantly that it was almost as though he'd been here all along and maybe that's why it's taken me so long to write this little entry talking about his arrival... because it felt so right. Like nothing had ever changed. Everything is as it should be with him here.
Welcome Madan.
To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We live outside the touch of time.
Clara Ortega
Reader Comments (12)
Look how cute he is, too -- like a little full-sized man, if that makes sense. And now there are 27? How great that you could reunite them!
The resemblance is amazing. It's so wonderful you were able to bring them together.
What a gift to be able to reunite these siblings! I am constantly inspired by your compassion, Maggie. These children are so blessed to have you looking out for their interests.
Fabulous! What a blessing a sibling is.
"are you ready to come live with us?" - I love it! Compassion is that simple. This boys life has been changed by that simple question. His future has just grown in possibilities 100-fold!
how awesome it must be to have the opportunity to help a child in Madan's situation. Just amazing.--you just made my day with that blog! :)
-Sean
"And Nisha held his hand and we walked over to the scooter on the side of the busy bus station and a tear rolled down my cheek." And how about a flood rolled down MY cheek! You are an amazing person!!!
Love,
Melissa
Maggie, every now and then one of your posts rips my heart out....this is one of them! I'm so glad it was time to bring them together.
Beautiful children whose faces express the joy of the wonderful story you told here-thank you Maggie!
We all know you, Maggie, were called to be the Mother of "20 something" children and you are doing an incredible job of it! We know it is a labor of LOVE and we join you in it daily through your postings.
I, however, am also dumbstruck by your writing. You have an incredibly beautiful gift that enables you to communicate the moments you live through, to those of us thousands of miles away, in such a powerful way that we all cry when we read your stories. God, your Parents, your Sisters, and your Teachers have blessed you with that gift. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Love!
Uncle Ed
wow! that was beautiful! congrats to everyone in KVCH! and good luck on everything!
this story makes me wish i could fly over for a sleepover. we could snuggle up with the kiddies and eat chocolate until someone inevitably gets sick, hurt, or in trouble and then we tuck them into bed with kisses and giggles.
This quote:
"To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We live outside the touch of time."
Clara Ortega
Maggie, I love it. It illuminates your blog about these amazing brothers!!!! I'm passing it on to my girlfriend and sister and loved ones. Your blogs, your efforts -- you....you are making ripples around the world...this week you are touching the hearts of 26 4th graders...exciting....
...and your Uncle Ed is right on about your mad writing skills!!