Team Members
Rev Carol Burstow, Thelma Lynch,
Wales
Margeret Buick, Bridie Laverty,
N Ireland
Rita Varey, Betty Price, Kizzy Price,Amy Syed,
England
Melanie Price
We arranged to go back out to Andrapedesh in
India,12 months ago, as we had been out last January, to assess the
needs of the 33 children in the orphanage. The 33 children
range from the ages of 2 years old, to 15. My team were so happy to see
the children were well looked after.
We wanted to see the newly built orphans home in
Bhuttiprolu. We had been financing it, literally, brick, by brick. Id
been in communication with Giribabu Neela for the last 3 years, and we
decided that a new building was absolutely vital for these 33 children, if
they were to survive, in this area. There are a lot of
children still living below the poverty line, and adding added burdens
on the poor extended families of the Tsunami victims.
They are all true Tsunami orphans, and on this
trip we actually went down the Krishna River, on to the Bay of
Bengal, to the Island, where the children's parents, had been swept away
by the Tsunami.
The building it self was more then we ever
expected. It was big, and the building had 7 rooms. Giribabu, had put
inside toilets in the rooms. There were 2 big bedrooms, so the
boys and girls ,can sleep in separate rooms. They still sleep on
mats on the floor, but this is normal in Andrapedesh. Every
one had to move in last August, as the old rented house collapsed, due
to the cyclone, that came up from The Bay of Bengal.
The building hasn't got any windows and
doors as yet, but we are working on it for this year. The weather was
hot, and the rains won t come until August, by which time we hope
we will have completed the hanging of the 8 doors, and the fitting of
the 12 windows.
The children them selves, have achieved good
marks at school, and 7 of them got Diplomas. They live a very,happy
and stable lives. Giribabu Neela, and his wife Jerusha, and their son
John, look after the children as their very own. The children are shown
much love, and all seemed very happy and healthy, and well balanced.
Team members, sung to them, and we told them stories, and did sketches,
that made them laugh. We are very happy about the results of our work,
over these 12 months. The herd of water buffalo, is coming along, and
one of them is pregnant, so breeding will bring more buffalo, which in
turn, will make the orphanage, self sufficent.
A Ray Of Hope , sent us a lot of education
supplies, and they were very much welcomed. We took, clothes, babies
bottles and blankets. All will be used over and over again.
We looked at a parcel of land opposite the home.
It is very suitable for the children to have a playground, and
recreational space. The building is built in a very tight space, and
hence the children have to stay in, or play out on the road.
The ladies of our team were presented with
garlands of flowers, as the children thanked us for their new secure, waterproof,
home. We officially opened the home, with a wonderful celebration. We
sat on the floor, and ate together, that was so precious to us all.and
we assessed the building for further work and maintenance.
The Sunflower Trust,has been set up in
India. Giribabu Neela and his wife are so dedicated to the work,
and at the young age of 32 have sacrificed their lives to look
after these precious little ones.,
We have been able to secure a teacher, who
will teach the children after school hours, so they will learn English,
and have extra tuition. We are in the process of marrying the home up
with a school from Lancashire to unite children so they can understand
each others cultures. On this trip we have definitely, fulfilled
all our dreams for these children, further more we have made their
dreams come true as well.
This work is not just about the children, or
building homes for the orphans, but its about sharing what we have, and
showing that we really do care, when disasters occur in places that
we have never heard of. In 12 months we have given hope to Giribabau
and his extended family of children, and also we have connected 5
Countries. India, and England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and
Hungary
We will continue to support this project, until it
is fully completed. Purpose, Destiny, and Satisfaction, is written
over all our faces, here and in India, so we can say with confidence,
Mission exceedingly accomplished.
Thank you for all the support
Melanie Price
