MY DEAR ALOK....

He is fifteen, tall, has a flair for Maths and loves to read. He is studying in Std. VIII.  Alok finds delight in being alone and has very few friends. Plays volley ball, basket ball as he chooses. He feels very uncomfortable with rules and regulations. Seems to be allergic to instructions. Feels uncomfortable with rules and regulations.  If not permitted to enter a room he uses his own ‘keys’ – stone! “ I asked for the key. I had to enter the room! What do you expect me to do?”

There are moments when he prays loud at prayer assemblies though he does not manifest a taste for things spiritual. “ I don’t believe in prayers!” We don’t force him either.

Recently he got into a fight with his companions, ran to the police station when he was punched and complained of harassment by hiS companions.  Soon he was back. Remained sullen for a few days until he was called and listened to!

Alok has no home! He knows that he is from Andhra Pradesh. Ran away from home and landed in Kerala. He was just 8 years old! Kept in a Govt, home and was repatriated to his ‘ home’. Soon he escaped and found himself here!  In fact, this is his second coming !

Alok is dear to me. I do like him a lot. He teaches me to be patient, understanding, unconditional and forgiving. As a teen he has his ups and downs, mood swings, highs and lows, good days and bad days. I am sure he will turn around and be a great guy : “ I want to become rich and famous”, he told me.  He has to shed his selfishness and be healed of his  ‘allergies’! I am sure he will make it big in life!

SHYAM

 They call him Shyam which is not his real name. He is  past 17 yrs and hails from the neigbouring state of Tamil Nadu.  His father left them while he was a toddler. He has no memories of him. His mother committed suicide spending a few years begging with the boy. Life was cruel! He recalls the days when they used to beg in the streets! Shyam was brought to us by a kind-hearted man through the Child Welfare Committee. The scars of the past are clearly visible in his behavior. He is a victim of mood swings. Resents being corrected, had difficulty in facing authority. Becomes sullen for days.  Refusing a request is taken as a big let-down in his life.Shyam is good at Judo , is a member of our band troupe and ‘chenda’ brigade!Shyam needs lots of loving attention, recognition, appreciation and affirmation. All of us need these. Don’t we?

The Country Singer

He was just 8 yrs old when he ran away from home! His father was a drunk, was brutal, a womanizer and a dirty bully! Arun’s older brother was born with just two stumps in the place of his arms! His oldest brother was a vagabond! Almost everything went wrong in the family making it impossible for the little ones to survive!

Arun spent more than a year begging and singing for his survival before he was rescued by CHILDLINE and placed under our care. The rough days he had to endure have made him tough in his dealings! He is not refined, tells lies and is quite unpredictable in his reactions.

His ‘ singing days’ have equipped him with a few folk songs which he renders with gusto! He loves to sing and dance. Arun is clever and can do well in his studies with a little more application.

Arun loves his mother and wants to take good care of her. With love and determination everything forebodes well for him. He will do well in life with a little more of loving follow-up. The little but bright flame of love in his heart has to be kept alive! 

RAMSEN – The Circus Boy

Ramsen was brought to us 12 years ago when he was 4 years old with his three siblings – one brother and two sisters. The sisters were accepted by Nuns and the two boys joined us. Ramsen is the youngest. The children ran away for their parents one night while they were asleep. It was easy to do so as they were on the roadside sleeping under the dark skies!

The family belonged to a nomadic group that performs roadside circus. This was their only source of income. The children had to starve since they made only enough money to buy hooch for the parents! The kids had planned their escapade days in advance knowing nothing of the future! The risk was worth it since they could no longer take the cruel beatings and thrashings!

It is 12 years now and they have no clue about their parents whereabouts. They don’t care either.

Ramsen is writing his Board exams now ( March 2012). He is good at heart and works hard. He may not clear the exams though we hope he does! There are not very many options open before him. We will find the best for him. He deserves it! He will do well in life with his simple, amiable and loving ways!

BIBLIN

Biblin seems to be in a world of his own! With his gullibility he gets into trouble after trouble. His not so great an IQ , slow grasping power and simplicity make him an easy prey to the cunning hawks among his companions. Biblin does any kind of work. However studying is not his cup of tea.

Biblin’s father was murdered when he was about six years old. This tragedy drove his mother mad and now she is in a convent doing odd jobs. With no home of his own Biblin’s future is bleak if we abandon him to his fate.

He is not sure of clearing the Board Exams! We need to work out some ways of rehabilitating him. The Lord will show the way. We won’t let him down!

PRATHY – A GIRL OF HOPE FROM A DOG’S KENNEL

“ I am so happy to be here. I go to school and feel loved by my friends, by the Sisters and Fathers. I have a family today. I feel free and proud ! ….”

As she spoke Prathy's face shone with a radiant smile. She is 16 years old and she joined VALSALYA BHAVAN ( our home for girls)   when she was just nine. I  call her Prathy which is an abbreviation for ‘ prathyasha,  meaning HOPE.

Prathy was  rescuded from child labour and unlawful confinement by our staff and produced before the city magistrate and handed over to us for her care and protection. It was in 2004.

Prathy is a leader today among her companions. She is diligent in her studies. She is compassionate, cheerful, sensitive, responsible and it is a sheer joy to be with her.

Prathy was sold by her mother when she was an infant for a petty sum of Rs. 100.00 ( $2.25 ) after her father abandoned them soon after she was born. Prathy was sold again when she was about five years old  for a higher price to another family where she was forced to do lots of hard work, physically abused and locked up in a dog’s kennel when her employers left for work. The rest can only be imagined!

Prathy is with us for the past seven years and we feel proud to be able to help her grow up to be someone who will make a difference in the life of others. I am sure she will be an asset wherever she is. She is a child of promise, of hope!

We have started the construction of a home for girls after wandering for 14 years! Our dream of offering girls like Prathy a decent home is becoming a reality. You are invited to be part of this noble venture.

KARMA, OUR GOLD MEDALIST

He beat his social odds to become a champ!

Karma  is his real name. He hails from the state of Assam. Was forced to leave home six years ago due to the bestial  cruelty he endured at home from his father who was brutal in every sense of the word. That was in 2005. Today this boy who still has horrible memories of those dark days is our champion.

Karma won the gold medal at the recently concluded state level  judo competition for juniors. He was in the local news and his school gave him a grand reception. We share his glory too as he is our boy!  His first in the state takes him now to the national championship. Karma is a boy with great talents.

This is not his first. He has been to the nationals earlier too. He is an artist, plays the key-board, is good at boxing, is great in the play ground, is our official ‘hair dresser’ and above all he is much loved and admired by his companions.

What makes me proud of Karma is his humility and sense to gratitude to God. He loves to pray  and is focused in life. His aim is to be a physician so that he can serve the poor. “ My mother used to tell me that I should be a doctor!” I am sure Karma will achieve his life’s ambition and  will serve God in His brothers and sisters,  especially the poor!”