NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2002

Dear Friends,

After Easter, sometime has passed and so I would like to send you the greetings from this centre and at the same share some news with you all.

News from our school

Here I would not like to write all that happened in our school during the last four months because every year I send you this type of news. From May 6^th to the 8^th we had a talent contest in our school and about 140 children took part in the various items: singing, dancing, public speaking and acting. There was great improvement in their performance compared to last year’s show and about 60 children got prizes this year. Also those who did well in the school tests received prizes. On the 9^th May there was a big lottery organized here with 2400 prizes so that the children were able to get many useful things as prizes. The school holiday began on May 10^th and on May 14^th I went to Kerala for a month’s holiday. I also made a spiritual retreat in a centre known for its spiritual power and I did experience a lot of spiritual strength after that retreat. I returned on June 15^th ready to continue my work for the poor. Our school opened on June 17^th and all the children eagerly returned to the school and some new children were also admitted to the school. All the boys and girls who study in other schools and frequent our tuition centre brought their school results to me and we gave special prizes to all those who had got good results. This year I have also distributed to all the children thousands of exercise books so that they can continue their education in the different schools they attend.

God cares

In this part of the letter I would like to share with you all some stories of people whom we have been able to help. There were several people who received assistance to repair their houses, or to recover from sickness or to send their children to school. But I would like to single out a few for whom we gave more care and attention:

Bhola Mondol was suffering from cancer of the glands and so he was not able to take food through the mouth. His wife, Bulu who has to support also her two children, came to me in her distress and I agreed to help. Every week she came to me with the bills of medicines and nutritional expenses and I was quick to pay her because she had to rush for work, that is, cleaning one or two houses. If she reached late she would be dismissed from work. With a lot of tears and sacrifices she looked after her husband till he died on April 10^th.

Pinki Murmu. In my previous letters I had written to you all about the little girl Pinki Murmu who was paralysed and also could not pass stool from her bowel through the normal way. So far we have arranged two operations for her. Later she will need two more operations and there seems to be a little improvement. The doctors said that the spinal recovery will be gradual and slow.

A lady called Baby Singha needed a heart operation for which she was going from door to door for assistance during the past one year. Finally, the operation was done in March and she is better. I got most of the money required for her that was given by friends who came forward in response to my request.

Shonkor Das and Nazir are two boys studying in the high school. They sleep in the railway station nearby and early in the morning go to push carts that carry goods to the railway station. After I came to know them, I have told them to come to our centre every day in the evening to study and I promised them some money daily for their food so that they do not have to work in the morning and evening. I have also got new clothes and paid all the expenses for their school. Now they look happy and come daily here to study. Shonkor had got the second rank in the examinations of this year.

On Saturdays about 150 children come to our centre to play, to take bath and learn something and at the end get some food to eat. They get lessons in hygiene and get also some soap and tooth paste every week. These children spend a great part of their time on the streets or railway stations and pick up paper and anything useful from the garbage and sell them. In the evening they get back to the slums or the railway stations.

At the end of this newsletter, I find it my duty to thank all of you for your continued support. I know that with God’s help and your generous support this work is going on. I remember you all daily in my prayers.

Sincerely,

Fr. Joseph Aymanathil, s.d.b

(August, 2002).

S.B. A/C. No 3296 Nitika Don Bosco

The Federal Bank, Tangra Branch

Kolkata 700 015