PROJEKT-INDIENHILFE e.V.

April 2001

  Deutsche Übersetzung

EASTER 2001

Dear Friends,

heartfelt greetings from the school children, my co-workers, from me and every one here! I am writing this letter before Easter to wish you a very Happy Easter and also to share with you all some news.

FLOOD RELIEF

 I am very grateful to all those who have sent some contribution to me to help the people affected by flood. I have been able to sent assistance to eight centres in Bengal. My help consisted mostly of clothes, bed sheets and children’s dress and money to buy food and to rebuild houses. Later during the Christmas season I went to see the different centres and I found that people had received the help and were grateful and happy. In many centres I visited, the people showed greater fervour and generosity in preparing for Christmas so that in future they will not have floods in their village. The earthquake in Gujarat has shocked us very much. I have also sent some money to help the people affected by the earthquake.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

 In the school we had a grand Christmas celebration like every year. The Christmas tree was on 23.12.2000 at which 700 children participated. All the children received useful gifts and sweets. We gave them all a simple shawl that they can use in winter. One group of children enacted the Christmas story in the form of a simple dance drama. While I was at one of the practices of the dance drama, I noticed the girl who was playing the angel’s role had torn clothes. I asked her about her family condition and I realized that she had no father and that the family was extremely poor. The role of Joseph and Mary was played by two sisters, Priyanka and Sadhana. Both of them looked tired and unable to do their practice. When I called them to my office they told me that their father had left them three months ago and that the mother was not able to feed them. From that day on I have arranged some monthly help for the two sisters and also for the angel. After the Christmas Tree celebration Priyanka gave me a few beautiful roses made of cloth which she herself had made. I have taken a photo of the closing scene of the Christmas play and I see that each of the actors and actresses has a little story hidden behind his or her smiling face.

TEACHERS’ WELFARE SCHEME

 The teachers in my school are coming from very poor families and they are not much educated. So to improve their performance I introduced a new scheme by which they could appear for certain tests conducted by me in Mathematics and English. According to the percentage they scored they were given cash awards to which I added a donation. With this money I was able to open a bank account for each of the teachers. The teachers’ standard is improving with the help of frequent assignments I give them for which they also receive prizes. 

OUR STREET CHILDREN

 Our work for the street children is going on well. Now there are about 90 children who gather every Saturday to spend their time usefully. They enjoy games and fun and they are given a good bath and they have time to study and sing and at the end they have a good meal. Often they are also given new clothes to wear. In one year’s time I have noticed a lot of progress in them. We find that there are intelligent children among them and also talented singers and actors. We are helping them to go to different schools.

HOPE FOR A NEW LIFE

 During the past years we have been able to give hope for new life to several children and teachers. Some of them have been treated for serious illnesses. Four students who have a bad set of protruding teeth have been helped to have their teeth set beautifully and they can smile now confidently. Many children here have also got their eyes checked up and they were given glasses for their eyes. Those suffering from Tubercles are being treated by us.  There are several children in the list of T.B.C patients. Last year I had gone to see the flood affected areas and found a poor girl child only six months old, Pinki Murmu by name who was suffering from a physical deformity. Her parents told me that the child had no tract for passing stool and she was also paralyzed from the hip downwards. I arranged to bring the child to Calcutta for treatment and after the various tests were done it became clear that three operations would be required to help Pinki to be normal again. These operations are best done in the medical college in Vellore which is in South India. Now I am trying to find the means to send Pinki for the operation.

At the end of this letter, I would like to greet every one of you for Easter. Easter is a feast that promises hope for a new life. You have been all trying to bring this new life to many poor people here. In the name of all these poor people and in my own name I want to wish you all a very Happy Easter.

Sincerely,

Fr. Joseph Aymanathil, s.d.b   (Easter, 2001).