Update on the relief work 

Shabnam’s family was one of those who lost their possessions in the landslide in Malad East. Shabnam’s parents run a small business by stitching clothes. They lost their sewing machine in the landslide. We decided to give them money to buy a new machine which they did.

This morning they proudly showed us their new machine and the daughter expressed her desire to study. She has begun a course in computers ( I would like very much to give her a second hand desktop). Today Shabnam wrote me a message which I have reproduced here along with photographs of her family and the sewing machine. 

We continue to reach out to the families who have lost much. Yesterday  I was joined by Lenny Soares and Sylvia Fernandes.  I’m chatting with these families to understand their needs in the days to come. We are in the process of collating the list of school books that the children need and which were lost in the flood.

We are also looking to help the young men get jobs. We put one young man who worked in a hotel with Annabelle Rodrigues who was my professor in catering college and now continues to serve as the head of department in Don Bosco’s catering college in Kurla. Thank you Annabelle. 

Many of the young men here, worked as food delivery boys( and need jobs ). We came across one young man who has done his pharmacy and is looking for a job. Most of these people continue to be homeless as they await the governments decision to give them a home . 

Bro Paolo continues to care for the injured as he changes their dressings on a daily basis. 

In the days to come we will help the community set up a community kitchen where a simple meal of rice and dal can be prepared each day for all the residents. The people have decided to cook these meals themselves and care for each other. We will provide them with food material. Each time we visit these people we are received with warmth and love. They constantly thank us for what we do. We however would not be able to do what we do had it not been for YOUR love and concern.

This is not an appeal for aid in any form as we are still in the process of distributing what you have generously given us. 

#PottyPadre