Apologies for not writing recently! I have been on one of my forays to north India to visit colleagues from my days working to prevent deformity in leprosy patients. Unfortunately I managed to choose some unseasonable weather with temperatures down to 6 degrees. My daughter informed me that Bury St Edmunds had 1degree but I reminded her that where I am staying there is no heating, no glass in some windows and hot water comes by sticking an electric coil in a bucket. Bare feet on stone floors is the rule as a form of respect and outside doors are forever being left open as the kitchen is outside .
The poor people suffer terribly from the cold. Yesterday morning I heard a lady walking along the street calling out like the vegetable sellers do. She was begging for a blanket and clothes for her children. The Bihar government are providing wood for bonfires around the town so that people may warm themselves.Last night I saw a TV appeal for blankets for the people in Delhi who sleep anywhere they can find to lay their bodies all year round. Schools in the fog covered north, the whole of the Ganges valley, are closed for children up to 8th year (14/15 yrs) and the exam year children can start at 10.30am while the cold continues - their normal winter start is between 7 and 8 am.It really make me appreciate my central heating and all mod con at home.
Andhra Pradesh is basking in 29 degrees at the moment so don't worry about he Brighter Future children!
The Children's Christmas party was a great success.
There were a few adjustments to the time-table and the whole event went more smoothly this year.The children were given their presents earlier in the day , distributed by various guests, including yours truly.
After the warm up of hymn singing led by Pastor Elisha the special guests took their places on the stage and the opening prayers and bible readings followed. Guests made speeches and the long awaited presentation of gifts to the children took place.
This year only the boys has new hostel uniform shirts, the girls had dresses of various designs and colours and wore them for their dances
The main meal of the day was at lunchtime and included chicken two rice dishes, chutneys, sweets and fruit.
After a small break during which the older boys rearranged the chairs under the shamiana shade the cutting of the Christmas cake took place, followed by skits and sketches and a tub of ice cream for everybody.
The evening was devoted to dances set to Christian songs. These dances had been practiced for the last month. Children download songs to pen drives or to phones from where they are reproduced through the hired sound system at the party. The senior girls from DMC House compere the whole event and I must say they did it very well.
.Groups of children, boys as well as girls, from each of the homes vie with one another to produce the best dance arrangements.
The stage was flood lit with disco lights and the whole party area as well as other areas of the campus were strung with fairy lights.The VTC boys who learn about plumbing and electrics were instrumental in setting all the lights under the overall supervision of their teacher, Srinu.
As the evening drew to a close with the candlelit singing of Silent Night the children had
another meal and the stage was made available for dancing to film music. Anyone could volunteer and the first on the stage was Jhancy of Prem Nivas - the first time she had done anything as a solo!
The sound system, catering equipment and awnings had to be dismantled and rented chairs etc had to be packed up.Tthe Prem Nivas children had two taxis to take them home, the Visianagaram children and staff were ferried to their homes by a fleet of Brighter Future vehicles.
I got to Victor's town house by about 11 and he came back around midnight. The next morning, Christmas eve, I was kindly driven to the airport by China Rao at 5.45am.
The poor people suffer terribly from the cold. Yesterday morning I heard a lady walking along the street calling out like the vegetable sellers do. She was begging for a blanket and clothes for her children. The Bihar government are providing wood for bonfires around the town so that people may warm themselves.Last night I saw a TV appeal for blankets for the people in Delhi who sleep anywhere they can find to lay their bodies all year round. Schools in the fog covered north, the whole of the Ganges valley, are closed for children up to 8th year (14/15 yrs) and the exam year children can start at 10.30am while the cold continues - their normal winter start is between 7 and 8 am.It really make me appreciate my central heating and all mod con at home.
Andhra Pradesh is basking in 29 degrees at the moment so don't worry about he Brighter Future children!
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| Some of the cards the Prem Nivas children made to thank local donors of meals, sweeets, biscuits and other things |
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| Cutting the \Christmas cake |
After the warm up of hymn singing led by Pastor Elisha the special guests took their places on the stage and the opening prayers and bible readings followed. Guests made speeches and the long awaited presentation of gifts to the children took place.
This year only the boys has new hostel uniform shirts, the girls had dresses of various designs and colours and wore them for their dances
The main meal of the day was at lunchtime and included chicken two rice dishes, chutneys, sweets and fruit.
After a small break during which the older boys rearranged the chairs under the shamiana shade the cutting of the Christmas cake took place, followed by skits and sketches and a tub of ice cream for everybody.
The evening was devoted to dances set to Christian songs. These dances had been practiced for the last month. Children download songs to pen drives or to phones from where they are reproduced through the hired sound system at the party. The senior girls from DMC House compere the whole event and I must say they did it very well.
The stage was flood lit with disco lights and the whole party area as well as other areas of the campus were strung with fairy lights.The VTC boys who learn about plumbing and electrics were instrumental in setting all the lights under the overall supervision of their teacher, Srinu.
As the evening drew to a close with the candlelit singing of Silent Night the children had
another meal and the stage was made available for dancing to film music. Anyone could volunteer and the first on the stage was Jhancy of Prem Nivas - the first time she had done anything as a solo!
The sound system, catering equipment and awnings had to be dismantled and rented chairs etc had to be packed up.Tthe Prem Nivas children had two taxis to take them home, the Visianagaram children and staff were ferried to their homes by a fleet of Brighter Future vehicles.
I got to Victor's town house by about 11 and he came back around midnight. The next morning, Christmas eve, I was kindly driven to the airport by China Rao at 5.45am.
