Little Boy Lost

When I woke up this morning my mind immediately turned to yesterday’s news of a missing boy in Lalor, Victoria. It was reported that a three-year-old boy, of Indian appearance had gone missing from a home in David Street, where he was holidaying with his family from India.

As soon as I hear these stories my mind instantly and uncontrollably returns to the day my son was taken from my home over 10 years ago. There’s no words that can explain the sheer terror that consumes a mothers body when their child is missing. I remember sitting on a plane in such shock that my body shook uncontrollably, my heart raced yet I felt no blood through my veins – just a feeling of pain, so intense, so indescribable that it stays with you forever.

I was fortunate to get my child back, not unscathed but alive. Unfortunately, not so for the parents of tiny Gurshan Singh.

Imagine coming from India for three months, to a country like Australia. A country so fortunate and abundant, known for its friendly people and generous heart. Imagine coming for three months and then having your child murdered.

In my brief exchanges on Twitter this morning I’ve heard theories. Is it another Indian hate crime? Were his parents involved? What about the family they were staying with? Why didn’t anyone see anything? And my favourite “It seems very suspicious to me”.

Well of course it’s suspicious – a child is dead. Whether the child is Australian, Indian, African or Asian is irrelevant – another child has been taken before they even had the opportunity to experience life.

In my mind there is nothing more precious than a childhood. Not everyone gets to experience the perfect, happy childhood that others do, but nonetheless a childhood is sacred. When a child’s life is taken, and there have been far too many in Australia already this year, it truly and deeply breaks my heart.

I know that this news could quite easily render me completely useless for the rest of today. I’ve seen some interesting and scary reactions to this story already, and no doubt there will be more as the facts come to light. So I’m going to do what I would urge all of you to do, who are shocked or saddened by this news. Harness that energy and use it to do something good.

If it’s true that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, let’s use our sorrow/anger/shock/disbelief to do something that can save another child. We can’t bring Gurshan Singh back, but every one of us can do something to help another child have a childhood.

Project 18 has come so far in a short time. We have managed to raise a small but considerable portion of our budget to launch the full project we have planned for Sumatra. Most of the remaining funds will be raised by two very large events that are currently being planned for early next year. We have decided, however, that we almost have the funds to be able to establish a small orphanage which will give us the opportunity to save 10 -12 orphaned children from a life of homelessness, starvation and abuse living on the streets of Indonesia.

We currently only require another $10,000 to be able to fund this first life-saving step, so I will be focusing all my sadness today into raising that money so that we can do something positive and give a child a childhood.

Please consider making a purchase from the Project 18 shop today, to help us raise those funds. Or visit the website to see how else you may be able to help.

Blessings Gurshan Singh, may your heart now be happy and your soul be strong.