Annamma (name changed to protect privacy) is a frail, 85 year widow, on palliative care, due to multiple ailments. She has three sons and three daughters; elder son passed away over 10 years back, in a gruesome accident. The other two are casual labourers, egging out a living by rubber tapping. Augstin, the younger son, with whom Annamma stays, goes out for tapping at 5 am, toiling till evening making rubber sheets, earning a pittance at the end of it. His three children are in 7^th, 6^th and 2^nd standard at a nearby school. 

Annamma’s two daughters are nuns serving in a congregation which runs 17 orphanages across the world, including in Africa and India. They look after mentally challenged orphans, many of whom are also physically challenged and fully bedridden. Because of financial constraints, they do not, as a policy, employ outside caregivers. All care is given by the nuns themselves, 24×7. Having been associated with them for over 15 years, my heart goes out to these nuns for their unwavering dedication to these deprived Children of Lesser Gods.

During one of my frequent visits to the orphanages, I heard of the miserable condition that the mother of these two nuns is living in. I thought it prudent to check it out and travelled by bus for four hours and thereafter trekked uphill half an hour to reach their ramshackle hut. What I saw shook my conscience. 

Here was the mother of two nuns doing utmost service to the suffering humanity, cuddled on a wet bed and room, due to constant leakage of the roof, due to monsoon rains. The family had no money to repair/ replace the tarpaulin of the leaking roof and other minimum work to make it livable. A cursory discussion with knowledgeable persons revealed it would take approx Rs 5 lac to make the house in a decent state, without constant leakage of the roof.

Humanity at large, particularly the neighbourhood, had every reason to hang its head in shame. But most villagers being in the deprived category, had little means to look after such a neighbour. 

I therefore appeal to the good Samaritans of this World, who have the heart, to contribute their might to ensure that this pious old lady has a decent ending, for the contribution she has made to make this world a better place to live for the mentally and physically challenged. Your contributions may kindly be sent directly to the bank account, details as under.

Name: Augstin Varghese 
SBI Acct # 32892797238 – IFSC code: SBIN0006459

Veteran Brigadier Josekutty Kurian, Indian Army Veteran Mob # +91 9619498282