Dear all!
It is time again to wish you all a blessed Christmas and much peace, health, love and happiness in the New Year. All the staff in the USA, Germany and India and also our women, who experience a humane existence in the Om Shanthi Home through your kind donations, share in these good wishes and my deep gratitude to you. Thank you also for remaining loyal to our widows despite so many requests for donations resulting from the current misery in the world.
What has happened here in India this year? There are three new women with us in Om Shanthi: Pomadevi, 80 years old, Pownambal, about 80 years old and Vasantha, 85 years old. They have all been abandoned by their families and are very grateful to receive care, a bed and food from us. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for insisting that the daily afternoon tea break with tea and snacks should not be sacrificed to cost-cutting measures. From April 1st onwards, all of our 29 women were once again given tea and cookies after their afternoon nap.
Our dear Nagaboshnam passed away on March 17 at the age of 86. When it was time, she asked Manoharan to come to her quickly as she was on her “journey to heaven”. She thanked Manoharan for the happiest time of her life with us, leaned her head on his shoulder and breathed her last. (Nagaboshnam’s life story is attached) Every farewell and every new arrival of a woman is a “family event” – and correspondingly touching.
The construction of our computer classroom for the children of the widows and our village, which we started in our August newsletter, has progressed rapidly thanks to your generous and kind donations. The inauguration is expected to take place in January 2025. Photos will follow when I am in India (from 8.1.25).
A very big thank you to Parvatha in Rochester, who made a large donation towards this classroom and the digital equipment with the closing event of her Indian dance school. Many thanks also to Till Habel-Thomé, who for the 3rd time has dedicated the donations for his wonderful flute concerts to our widows’ project. Many thanks also to the lovely Kappmeyer family, who handed out roasted almonds and mulled wine in their garden in return for donations. At this point, many thanks to all the donors who have already become multipliers for our women without us knowing about it.
Thank you dear Regula in Switzerland at this point, who last year brought a large package of rupees, the result of your concerts, with which we were then able to pay for Parvathi’s intensive treatment immediately.
At the beginning of December, there was as much rain in Tiruvannamalai in two days as there usually is in a year. A landslide in Arunachala buried a house with seven people and some streets were knee-deep in water. Here, too, we were able to help 30 affected families with your donations by providing them with food and new sleeping mats.
We have now noticed with great joy that awareness of widows is slowly changing. Previously they were rejected, “bad” women who brought misfortune to their families and should be avoided, but now the parents of a village school have collected money so that 100 pupils with their teachers and drinks, cookies and fruit could celebrate the Festival of Lights in our home. For five hours they ate, danced, sang, laughed and talked. Each woman also received a new sari for the festival.
This is a happy miracle and can be attributed to the good work of Manoharan, his team and your donations. The awareness of our women towards our cats has also changed: They are now allowed to be present at meals and are fed…..So the love is spreading and I hope it comes right back into your hearts.
Thank you very much for all your kind support, which we urgently need in the new year!
On behalf of all of us
Your Anna in Germany and Paulette in the USA