Victor arrived at Heathrow on Tuesday 28th evening and was met by his brother Danny. It was the first time he had left India and his longest flight. Everything is so new and exciting for him, from the double decker Boeing aircraft , the sight of the Dubai duty free , the meals on board.and the hundreds of passengers.
His first few days were spent acclimatising and getting used to things over here, the driving speeds, motorways, the variety of goods in the supermarkets. Danny provided rice and curries.
Victor discovered all sorts of cakes and goodies when he attended the Coffee Morning that one of our sponsors, Rosemary, had organised in Bromley, Kent. With raffles and bric a brac, selling cakes and some of Sarah’s cards.
Danny put Victor on the train for Victoria and I met him at the barrier, to begin a tour of London on an open topped bus,and the visit the Tower of London.
We found we had a 2 hour wait in Ely so took advantage of seeing the cathedral. Victor is really impressed by the age of buildings, the countryside and the quietness of the driving – no horns blasting as in India (where the horn is used as a signal to overtake!).
Nottingham was our prime destination, as that is where our benefactor Jack Chappell lives. It was Jack who provided the lion’s share of the cost of the building you all know as DMC House, where the Rainbow Children live. From that auspicious gift Brighter Future has grown into a charity with ten interrelated projects for children and adults from leprosy colonies, from railway platforms, from the poorest areas and for people infected by HIV/AIDS. From 13 children in 2004 Brighter Future now gives loving care and education to 160 children. Jack is 91 years and nine months old and has been unwell recently. He was, as the mentor of Brighter Future, the first on Victor’s list of people to thank .
Meanwhile back in India..
Mary, Victor’s wife, is holding the fort, supported by a committee of senior staff. Mary is always heavily involved in the day to day running of the Vizianagaram children’s homes as well as the Tailoring Institute activities. Victor’s son is lending a hand with the internet communications.
Danny keeps checking with me to see if I am providing Victor's daily rice! Actually Victor enjoyed his first English dinner and has partaken of a number of traditional English and Continental dishes provided by our hosts in Nottingham and Leicestershire. Katy in Staffs made curry and it is also on the menu for his Peterborough visit to the Leprosy Mission in case he is suffering from rice withdrawal symptoms.
The Shanti Nivas Site
The Pickford House Hospice is now complete and has opened its doors to Sick HIV+ patients.
The first six patients are ladies who were in the government hospital but were not allowed to stay for more than a week no matter how unwell they were. We have taken them into our Hospice.
Dr Sampat, who is our Prem Nivas doctor, is also going to be on call and make regular visits to Pickford House.
Would you help us care for a patient in our Hospice at Pickford House?
Now that we have patients in residence we are looking for someone to sponsor a month’s patient care. Food, vitamin supplements, medicines, injections when necessary, doctor,s visit fees, prescribed medicines and nursing - all for £10 a month! Chose to sponsor a patient for a period of months if you like, eg 3 months, 6 months or for a year. Share a patient with a friend or several friends? Send me an email pmanya.norris[@gmail.com]
Simon’s Sales
Simon has been having more sales in his little 4x6 front garden. There were not so many people around but he raised £102.
Simon is a new and enthusiastic supporter and has asked if he can come out to see us in India. The boys will be delighted to have a pal to play cricket with them. All of our previous volunteers have been girls.
How did we do in August?
Children sponsored 1
Donations/events in August
Simon’s mini sales £102
Deborah sold Sarah’s cards for us
£10
And so did Chris
£10
Rosemary’s Coffee morning
£468.50
East Carlton Church parishioners £25
Sue Davies £50
Birthdays in September and October
Rainbow Children
Sept. Ramu and Laxman 1.9.02, Manohar 7.9.97, Arunakumari 7.9.99, Kavitha 14.9.06, Samson 17.9.99,Jereena 19.9.99,Elisha 28.9.01,Madhuri 29.9
October Wamsi 11.10.01,Madhuri B 16.10.04,
Prem Nivas
Sept. Swathi 9.9.94
October Sunita K 3.10.05,
If you would like to send a birthday card or letter to your child
it can be either by post to:-
Brighter Future Development Trust, PO Box 18 Plot 705 Vuda Layout,Vizianagaram, 535003 Andhra Pradesh, India.
It takes about 10 days to reach India.
Or by email to
brighterfutureindia[@gmail.com]
These addresses apply to all the homes and projects.
If you would like to send a little something for a birthday, or Christmas, or for the annual outing to the seaside, it is easily done over the internet to
LloydsTSB code 30-90-28 ac 03085385.
It is also possible to send a cheque, payable to Brighter Future International Trust to me or to Danny. (The bank charges 69p for every cheque paid in).
Some children get e-cards and gather round my computer with friends to view them.!
Contacts
Danny brighterfuture[@sky.com
] 01233612598 07731191858
Manya pmanya.norris[@gmail.com] 01284719997 07505792915
After lunch with the children Sonia and Richard went to see Manya at Prem Nivas, the Home for HIV affected children, that Sonia and Richard helped to fund, through garden parties in their village. They distributed gifts ti the children. The balloons were very popular. 
Sonia and Richard meet Sanyasi's mother who works ten hours a day breaking stones in a quarry, to support her other two sons.
