Fr Anthony Gaspar on Mission Sunday

by popadmin | Oct 18, 2020 | Parish Life

Mission Appeal to the Prince of Peace Catholic Church Community, Taylor, SC, USA to support ANANDA HEALTH CARE OUT REACH PROGRAM:

There are about 7 Care Centres of Children with Special needs run by the religious order nuns and brothers of the roman catholic diocese of Sivagangai, Tamilnadu, India. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sivagangai is located at southeast corner of Bay of Bengal, 30 miles east of Madurai city, Tamil Nadu, India. It was established on July 25, 1987. The motto of our diocese is “Marching towards the Kingdom of God on the footsteps of our patron saint John De Britto”. He was a Portuguese missionary, who was beheaded on our soil at Oriyur in 1693 and died a martyr. Yes, we reap what he had sown; the ultimate love for God among the poor people. John De britto was a real wisdom from above “first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits”.

Mainly to support and attend to the Health care of these special need kids and other health- wise vulnerable kids we thought of establishing a health care outreach program: ANANDA health care outreach program. This health care outreach program is named after our patron saint St. John De Britto, : in Tamil version of his Name “ Anandar” a man with great Joy. I am blessed to be one of the brains behind establishing this outreach program serving the kids. I am actively involved in this mission though miles away from home: my education in research medicine as a research doctor finds its greater fulfilment in participating this mission. We support these kids materially with daily living aids; like bathing, carrying, child care, dispenser aids etc., special communication boards and speaking devices. We invite our local catholic families to visit these kids and spend time with them. We do plan to provide professional training to the volunteers who have heart to nurse these kids though the course fee is a lot.

Our big worry is “how we ultimately bring this number down”. Disability is both a cause and consequence of poverty”. There is increasing evidence to suggest that being poor dramatically increases the likelihood of being born with impairment. This is not surprising as people living in poverty have limited access to basic health care, have insufficient and/or unhealthy food, poor sanitation facilities, and an increased risk and likelihood of living and working in hazardous conditions; just imagine how bad it is now, the pandemic situation. We try to address these through health care awareness programs; more affordable to meet the health need with what is available.

We invite you all to participate supporting and encouraging us in this mission. Extreme poverty anywhere is a threat to human security everywhere, and “if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward”, says the Lord.  Our little contribution with generous heart provides a greater hope those who desperately looking for especially those special need kids who cannot ask us anything but deserve our attention and care. As a cup of water can quench the thirsty of a poor, may our little contribution matters these kids care.

Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.
Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me.