Saravana

Saravana is a seventeen year old boy. He has not had very consistent schooling but is extremely intelligent. He understands about 80% of what I say which is incredible because most of the really educated adults don’t comprehend as well as him. I really like working with him, in fact I am teaching him graphic design because he for many reasons is unable to finish school. One night as we were going to sleep I asked him to tell me the story of his life before coming to the home. He paused for a moment and then told me as follows. My father had a dress shop and my mother was a housewife. It was my sister my brother and I we were very happy, we lived in one small village. One day my mother fell sick so we went to TB hospital. The doctor said “do check and see if family has Aids”. First my mother the doctor says is positive, then my father he also. My sister is negative my brother also negative. Then me positive. 2005 my mother die two months my father also die. My family say you go to hostel (aka The orphanage). Like Forest Gump he just shut down. I sat there for a moment then I asked him one more question. Saravana how do you feel about it. " I sad....Why I only Aids?....." He said nothing else that night before going to sleep. Before he went to sleep I told him i love him and that I'm his family.