Harsh enjoying a special visit by his teacher during the lockdown. The kids can’t wait to come back to school.
As I reflect on the amazing work over recent days of the ‘Project Help India’ Team, I am humbled by the incredible privilege that it is to work alongside some incredible people as we serve the poor and needy. Our work within the slum communities of Kotdwara, opens a door for each one of us to grow and be blessed through our connection with many special people. We learn from these people, we admire them and we are enriched and inspired by their determination, persistence, patience, wisdom, smiles and the simplicity of their lives. Mother Theresa said that she truly saw the face of God in people who suffered because of poverty, and I understand what she meant by this. I have seen God’s face, and my words cannot do justice to what I’m trying to explain.
I feel like these people help me more than I help them. I am blessed, levelled, and I get a sense of perspective about life which in itself, is an incredible gift to receive. Many of my friends (and family) who have travelled with me to India feel the same way too. Knowing these people, educating their children and helping their community really is a privilege that I thank God for. As a positive, COVID-19 has drawn us together in a way that helps us to see how connected in friendship we are -despite the distance that separates us. Their story has become a large part of my story, the ‘Project help India’ story …and I invite you to be part of this too.
During this time of COVID-19, the Indian Government continues to enforce a nation-wide lockdown, perhaps for all of June (arrghh!!) . Unfortunately the virus is now spreading in the district and three people have been infected in Kotdwara. Presently we are handing out ration packs feeding 600 people a day, as well as serving breakfast to those who are forced to live in a local quarantine centre.
Anita’s children are no longer hungry
Mrs Anita (pictured above with Daisy our Director) is a widow, and she has been receiving our help daily. She is thankful beyond words that we are feeding her family, at a time when she cannot work and meet her children’s needs.
This week I heard about Tamanna (pictured above with Harsh), the Teacher’s Aide at our Disability Centre. Tamanna lives in the slum where her students live. During the lockdown she has been able to visit children, one at a time, and she has been teaching them, doing crafts, doing speaking activities, physical exercises and checking in on their wellbeing. She also teaches the students and their family members about how to be safe from COVID-19. Tamanna also spends much of her day sewing face masks for her students. What a legend! Tamanna, is a blessing, and she has her job thanks to the generosity of an Australian family, who pay for her annual wage.
Blessing creates blessing! This is community in action.
Two weeks back our team created a special opportunity for each of our Disability Centre students, giving them a goodie bag for them to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The goodie bag contained a hair oil bottle, a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, a toy, a talcum powder and some chocolates. Our Project Officer reported…
“The children were so much excited to get back to their classes, but we had to make them understand that soon we will, but not yet, open the centre for them. We have called all the students one by one to the centre so that we can distribute the gifts to them. The students came and we have handed them the goodie bags. We have instructed the students as well as their parents about the pandemic and how to keep the corona virus spread away from them.”
We wish you could have been there in person to see the joy and happiness on the children’s faces (your friendship was there in spirit!). So, to our supporters, thank you for being a blessing! You are loved and appreciated by an entire community of people. Know that during this COVID crisis, you are making a significant and important difference in the lives of some people who really are the poorest of the poor. You are literally saving people’s lives. And know too, that the blessings are coming back in your direction! Perhaps it’s us who are blessed the most.
Thank you for being a part of the ‘Project Help India’ story at this unique time in history.