Namaste'!

How is everything?  I hope and pray all is well!

My name is Muttu.  I am 11 years old; I live in Bombay, India, with my ma, pa, my auntie (Sita), and my two little sisters, who are named Geeta and Seema.  Geeta is six and Seema is two.

I go to school every Monday through Friday; I go from 7 a.m. until 12 noon.  I then go to help my family at home.  My ma, she is a laborer; she helps build houses.  It is long, hard, backbreaking work.  My pa, he cannot work because he has bad legs that swell up to the size of tree trunks and cause him great pain.  My auntie Sita helps watch my sisters and myself if pa's legs are are really hurting.  She takes very good care of us.

I like school very much.  At school, I am learning English, Math, History, Reading/Writing, Science, Music, and Hindi.  I am very smart; I study hard and try to bring home good grades.  I want ma and pa to be pleased with me.

My very best friend is Rajav, but I also play with Vijay, Rajan, Tusli, Niran, Nadish, and Santanu.  They are all in my class at school.

When I grow up, I would like to be a professional soccer player.  When I am not at school, doing my lessons or helping take care of Geeta and Seema, I can be found playing soccer with my friends.  I have a soccer ball, which is my most prized possession.  I got it from missionaries who visited our community; they were from America and they were very nice to us.

Well, I hate to go, but I have to help with my sisters.  Auntie Sita is going to see if she can go to the nearest doctor, to see if she can get some medicine for pa's legs.  He is in terrible pain, some of the worst he's ever been in.  I am really worried about pa.

I will write in here another day.  Until then, this is Muttu saying bye-bye!