A gift from the gifted

It was in the last week of July, 2014, we received an email from someone expressing his desire to visit the Hope House.  After exchanging few mails and phone calls, a 20 year old young Indian descent American exchange student visited the Hope House.

 When we met Ishan Sahu for the first time, he looked much younger but sounded more mature than his age.  In our first session of interaction itself we found that he is a gifted individual because he was admitted to the University of Minnesota, USA at the age of 15 and he built his own computer for his car.  As our interactions grew, he found a need that he could help us with – building computers for our girls to use.

He interacted with the girls freely and they fondly called him “Ishan Anna” (big brother) and they would exchange emails.  Ishan would give them small assignments and some were very enthusiastic to complete them.  Ishan visited the girls often and talked to them about academics.  He even talked to them about ‘Fibonacci Sequence’ and ‘Parabola’ concept.

To build the computers, he needed money so he built his own fundraising site at www.youcaring.com and asked his friends back home to help him raise 300 dollars.  He raised 225 dollars and ordered the parts.  Ishan told us that he had written 40 hours worth of computer code to make these computers work and then he brought them over to install.  What took us all by surprise was the size of the computer – each computer is the size of a palm.  He tested and oriented the girls on how to use them.  On the last day, he also brought his other friends to meet the Hope House girls.

Girls couldn’t be happier about this gift because they all love computers and they have adequate number of them now.  Ishan gave the girls a small lecture on ‘Google Drive’ and gave them an assignment (presentation) to do on Google Drive and share it.  He gave all the participants a gift with the winner getting a unique gift – One US dollar bill.

Realizing the valuable gift that they have received, girls wanted to do something very special to Ishan as well.  They decided to give a “Certificate of Appreciation” which was given for the first time at the Hope House.  It is only our hope that this certificate would be of some help in his career as he pursues greater interests in the future.  

After Ishan left, he wrote a humbling letter [Click here to read it] to the girls which according to them brought them to tears.  

Ishan, thank you so much for your tender heart to give and you have certainly proved that it is not the materials that matter but it’s the heart that matters.   

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