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NEWS UPDATE - online No 14 Winter 2003
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Caring for the most needy
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Sponsors
"Best experience of our lives" |
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A letter from our director in India
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7
year old Ravi – a particularly needy child (see below)
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Caring for the most Needy
by Alison Davis, Chair
of Enable
Readers of previous News Updates
will be familiar with the many positive things being achieved at
our centres for disabled children in Andhra Pradesh, south india.
Since Enable was set up in 1995 we have been able to provide
medical care, including surgical operations, for ever-growing
numbers of children. They get the chance to go to school, and many
are now progressing to college and university. Their lives are
transformed. It has been drawn to my attention that in reporting
the positive things being done at our centres, we were omitting to
show the desperate poverty and difficult situations of the
children. It was suggested that Enable’s supporters should be
informed about this in order to appreciate better the
life-transforming difference they are making. In this issue,
therefore, I will focus on the most needy
Two
brothers: Ravi and Sreenu
All the children call me “Mummy Alison” and I love each one of them.
The most vulnerable, however, always make a particular impression. On my
last visit to the centres, this year, I met for the first time two boys,
Ravi, aged 7, and Sreenu, 12. They are brothers and they “stole my
heart.” Both Sreenu and Ravi are very disabled, both physically and
mentally. Like many of the children, they come from unimaginably poor
villages. Their parents have to work from dawn to dusk to provide the
basic necessities. Caring properly for one very disabled child – let
alone two – is impossible for them.
.The
joyful character of Ravi and Sreenu shines through in every instant.
Whenever I saw them, they would rush over to me – though “rushing”,
for them, meant a painfully slow crawl. Their knees are scarred from years
of having to move by crawling. They cannot stand upright. But Ravi would
always lift himself onto his knees, and support himself against my
wheelchair, so that he could get close to me and give a hug.
Though
they are not intellectually bright, when it comes to caring they are
teachers not pupils. Ravi dribbles, and I was struck by Sreenu’s gentle
concern to wipe his brother’s mouth so that he would look his best
before the photo (below) was taken.
The
nature of Ravi’s and Sreenu’s disabilities is unclear. Local doctors
are unsure how best to help them. The love and care that is provided for
them through Enable is, however, an immeasurable contribution to their
well-being. And, in January, we are arranging for a consultant
paediatrician, from the UK, to see them and all the children. They deserve
the best chance we can give to them. Hundreds of children in
desperate need On my next visit to India, I look forward to meeting
Ravi, Sreenu and all the other children again. We know too that there are
hundreds more children like Ravi and Sreenu, who desperately need Enable’s
care. This knowledge motivates me to continue doing everything possible to
develop Enable’s work. During the past year it has been very
difficult to raise the funds required to support all the 347 children
under Enable’s care. To transform the children’s lives from
desperation to hope we continue to rely on the kindness and generosity of
sponsors and donors. Thank you so much for the incalculable gift of hope
you are providing for so many children. Alison Davis
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The
best Experience of our Lives
By Matt and Sharon Laker
 
Matt
and Sharon Laker, from Swindon,
went with their
10-year-old son Sam to
visit their two sponsored children in October 2003. It was the first
time they  had been to India. Here is their account of “the
best
experience of our lives."
Streets
filled with exhaust fumes, a massing procession of vehicles
of all ages and types, horns blowing, a family of four on a
moped with infants bobbing on their mother’s lap between
lorries. Everywhere people selling, laughing, queuing;
sleeping on pavements, in doorways, on benches, underneath
porches, just feet away from weaving traffic. Chennai
(formerly called Madras) in India greets us with its
powerful embrace. Look beneath the poverty and grime of
these first images of this ancient culture, twisted into an
image of 21st century urbanization, and it quickly becomes
apparent that India is very aware of its past, its values,
its wonderful approach to life. Do not be fooled by the eye;
the building that is India may appear shabby, but it is set
in beautiful gardens and built on strong foundations, as are
its children.
A
mass of smiling faces
We stayed at
the Ongole home for disabled girls, constructed and
supported by Enable. These children pull your heart out. We
did not know such wonderful human beings could exist. So
where do we begin? Perhaps with the mass of smiling faces
that hovered in the large reception hall and spilled down
the light airy corridors and up the beautiful staircase. It
is indeed an environment that all of us sponsors surely feel
so privileged to pay a part in contributing to.
We wave and the small hands flutter like butterflies. Faces of smiling
children given the green light come forward with eyes wide with delight;
eager to show their special handshake and making you feel part of their
gang. They say, “My name is Padu” or whatever. We repeat it back to
them, then they laugh and say, “Yes uncle, yes auntie.” Then a
concerned look by a few who say, “Come, come.” Three or four lead you
through the parting crowd to see some girls with severe leg disabilities.
They move by sliding in a sitting position along the floor using just
their arms. Later we saw one girl descend and climb the school bus stairs
with agility, a skill born out of necessity, for all the children are
striving to be in control of their own lives
Privilege
of a sponsor
One
of those grouped on the floor took a special interest in teaching me the
numbers used in their language, Telugu. She taught with such persistence
and sadness in her eyes when I failed that I soon realized that, with her
tender concern and intelligent, natural teaching abilities, she was a
superior being. What a privilege for the sponsor to be involved in this
child’s life
Meeting
our two special children
Later
Fr Gali Arulraj, the Director of the Centres, took us to the local beach.
Soon the shyness began to fade. “Nas” (short for Narsimhulu) chased my
wife Sharon with a dead fish with hoots of laughter from everyone
including Parisuddam. Yes, we were warming to each other so much that on
the last day of our visit tears between “Nas” and Sam, our son, flowed
freely as they hung up the cricket bat for the last time. Yes, despite
disabilities, cricket is played! Parisuddam and her friend gave us two
intricately crafted baskets they had made and Parisuddam’s mum shook our
hands warmly before we left At
the boys’ centre the children entertained us with cultural dance,
singing and music. We danced and laughed together again with the treatment
and hospitality fit for ambassadors. Many blind children are here. They
sleep on th e ground floor on mats (chapa) like all children, whilst the
handicapped sleep on the 2nd floor. They too have the Indian
characteristic of contentment and well-being despite their humble life
styles. Never afraid to show their feelings – they don’t have an
attitude that “it’s not cool” to show emotions – they are far more
mature in basic human qualities than we could have imagined. Indeed, after
the spectacular performance at the “Alison Davis Home” for girls, when
we were asked to sum up the visit, it was their tremendous open nature
that made me say simple: “This has been the best experience of our
lives. Thank you all so much The
hard part has been coming home, and how do we feel? Well, I have a book
called “Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee” but for us the title now reads
“Bury my Heart at Ongole in India.” Because that is what has happened.
See you soon India |
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A
letter from our director in India
Many
staff and carers contribute to the work being done for disabled children
in India. The driving force behind them is our dedicated Director, Fr Gali
Arulraj. He has been presented with an award from the Minister of Andhra
Pradesh state for the pioneering work he is doing for disabled children at
Enable’s centres. We congratulate him for this award and thank him for
his tireless work.
Dear
Friends of Enable,
Loving greetings from Fr Gali Arulraj, writing from the
boys’ centre in Ongole.Last year, when I wrote a letter for the News
Update, I expressed my concern for the many disabled children in remote
villages who need special love and care. Thanks to your generous support
our “Outreach Programme” to children in the villages in now in place.
We hope it will continue to develop more, but we are already caring for an
increasing number of children. We are also caring for blind children in 
temporary accommodation at our centre in Ongole. I hope we will be able,
one day, to construct a purpose-built centre and school for blind
children. For me, it is a privilege to help all our disabled children
Thank
you for your love and concern
Each year some children leave our centres to
go on to college. Others are now working. At one time such hopes for them
were a dream. Now they are a reality. And each year we want to help more
and more disabled children desperately in need of care. We would be unable
to achieve all we are doing without your help. On behalf of all the
children I extend my special loving thanks to Alison and Colin, and all
Enable’s sponsors and supporters. With my deep thanks, and loving wishes
for Christmas and the New Year 2004.
Fr Gali Arulraj
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The
News Update is produced twice a year, in June and December.
If you would like to be notified by e-mail when the next
Update is on-line please let us know, by sending a short note to mail@enable-india.org.uk.
To receive a paper version (black and white only) send an
e-mail or contact:
Colin
Harte
General
Secretary
Enable
(Working in India)
35 Stileham Bank
Milborne
St Andrew
Blandford
Forum
Dorset
DT11 0LE
Tel/Fax:
(01258) 837546 |
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