How we all can help

The Balikagram is a home for the (healthy) daughters of leprosy patients from around the country. They maybe of different castes and religions - but they all live together as one family in the Balikagram.

A few of them have now grown up to be pursuing nursing and such other vocations. Financial help from willing donors is very much needed for these. Especially since they are girls, it is very important for them to have a relatively secure education and vocation as they move out of the Balikagram and move in completely into the society in India. It is the hope and prayer of everyone at the Balikagram that every one of these children leaving the Balikagram have a secure and fruitful life and are able to use their God given talents for the benefit of the society.

Donations are much needed in cash and kind for the daily sustenance of the Balikagram. The Balikagram runs on the good will and voluntary donations of good people like you. Most of the donors are Indians either from different parts of the country, or those settled abroad. The Balikagram, like all the other mission centers of the Church, is very prompt in acknowledging the receipt to the donors and maintaining audited report every year of the accounts. The sisters told me stories of how miraculously the Lord has been providing for their needs in the Balikagram through very unexpected and unusual ways.

Visitors who could spare time and come to live at the Balikagram for a few days could have a life changing experience - getting to know the children and helping out in the daily chores. Volunteers are needed to help out with different activities in the life of the Balikagram and are most welcome always. 

Missing Mar Osthathios

On the wall

I visited the Balikagram in the January of 2013. It was almost a year since the passing away of beloved Osthathios Thirumeni. But Osthathios Thirumeni was everywhere. In the talks of the sisters, in the discussion with achen, I could even see HG in the eyes of the little ones who would perhaps never know what great gratitude they owe to this beloved father of blessed memory, who by his divine vision, shaped a mission for an entire Church to follow, which gave hope to many hundreds of children like them all around the country.

Philip Rambachen, the saintly disciple of Mar Osthathios had been lovingly guiding the mission centers, like the Balikagram. But with Rambachen also becoming sick lately, there was a fear written all over the faces of the staff at the Balikagram that I could see. Will the support extended to the mission centers cease after the time of these stalwarts of faith? What will happen to the Balikagram after these Fathers?


The saintly disciple Philip Rambachen

When I related this fear to HG Geevarghese Mar Coorilose of Mumbai later when I met HG, Thirumeni who is also a co-President of the Balikagram, understood the sentiment, given that these towering personalities were the ones whose activities had borne fruits in the form of the mission centers, but was convinced that the mission work started by them, would never lose its focus, that these would continue to flourish and achieve new levels of witnessing for Christ and service to the society, in the coming years. I felt relieved at the conviction shared by the Metropolitan.

Met Fr. T.U. Thomas after such a long time!

TU Thomas achen was my vicar during my days in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. This unassuming, simple and very approachable and resourceful achen had been part of my spiritual growth, during my days in college, as I was ordained as an acolyte, as I learned to use the censer. Achen used to be the Vashi Aramana manager then. I remember those days when we would together work on the Aramana Library, cataloging the books there, would go together on house visits, would go on collection drives, for charity work, for carols - unforgettable days of growing up in the Vashi Church.

So meeting TU Thomas achen after all these years was definitely one high point of my visit to the Balikagram last January. It was so nice to meet him again. And he looked just the same like I remembered him from almost 2 decades ago. He was now a managing committee member of the Balikagram and also the vicar of a nearby parish.

Achen had kindly sent a vehicle to pick me up from the Dehu Road railway station. I met achen at one of the parishioners' home. Then we went to the Balikagram to meet the children just as they were preparing for bed. After that we went to the guest house where I was to stay and achen and I spoke late into the night - about memories from Vashi and about many other things. Achen met me the next day in the office and it was a joy to be in his company all through my visit at the Balikagram.

A glimpse of the republic day and back to Mumbai

At the Balikagram getting ready for school





going to school

I was there at the Balikagram on the morning of January 26th. The children were getting ready for going to school for the republic day functions. They had prepared some program to present during the functions and they first practiced those in the Balikagram before walking out in line to the school located in the same campus. Brought back memories of my own school days, the flag hoistings, the patriotic singing and republic day celebrations from my past.


Before Republic Day at school

TU Thomas achen had asked me to stay for the function, but I had to be in Mumbai by lunch for an appointment, and hence I had to bid them goodbye. The sisters had prepared a hearty breakfast for me. I had my fill, thanked them, signed the vistors' book and then bid them goodbye. Achen had arranged for the driver to drop me till the bus stop.

At the bus stop, I waited for a bus to Mumbai, but found a better option in a sharing jeep. It was a fantastic journey in the jeep back to Mumbai, a journey that took just about 2 hours through the newly built express highway. (A journey from Pune to Mumbai would take double that time in the old days). I was back in Mumbai after a very memorable, eventful and truly wonderful week. It was my first such week ever in life where I visited 4 of our mission centers, one seminary and met some children of God and a few truly dedicated and committed individuals working in the Lord's vineyard. I thanked God for the opportunity!



The loving sisters as caretakers

Kunjammachi

When I first entered the Balikagram I was greeted by an elderly sister who was lovingly called Kunjammachi by everyone there. She was well into her eighties but was probably one of the most active persons in the Balikagram. As the kids sang for me on the first night, she was there enjoying and giving instructions to the kids. I met her again the next day when she was leading the morning prayers. She told me a many stories about the life of miracles in the Balikagram, as well as about the other mission centers like the one in Kalahandi, Orissa where she related a touching incident when Mar Osthathios had visited the place and seen the starvation and poverty of the people first hand and having seen how difficult it is to get anyone from the Church to come and live there, gave instruction to the priest there - "Whatever happens, you are never to forsake these people here and leave"


Sister Elsa

Sister Christina

Also I met Sister Elsa, who it turned out, belonged to the same home parish as me in Kodumon and our families knew each other. She and Sister Christina along with the manager Sister Elizabeth who was in Kerala at the time, were the ones who had taught the children the beautiful Malayalam songs which they sing so much better than born Malayalees! Sister Elsa was a lively and bubbly person always up with a joke or a witty statement and she had many incidents of God's providence in the Balikagram to share with. I was blessed to spend some time with these people of God after the morning prayers that day.

The children at the Balikagram

Around 50 girls from different states in India, irrespective of their castes and religions, stay together at the Balikagram. Most of them are daughters of leprosy patients while a few of them are actual orphans. Most of them go back to meet their parents at the end of the school year and return after the vacations for the new school year.

 The children get their basic education in the English medium school which we have there in the complex, which is one of the best in the area. Their needs are taken care of in the Balikagram. But being a girl, especially in a society like India, it is not right to send them off once they are of age without equipping them with a way to make a living and fend for themselves once outside. That is a great struggle and worry in the minds of the sisters and staff in the Balikagram. I was told that one or two of the girls is now staying outside in a hostel studying for her nursing. One is studying for BCA and another for TTC. Each of the girls, the sisters wish, will find a suitable vocation for themselves by the time they leave the Balikagram. That is their daily prayer, that is their fervent hope.

The Balikagram in Pune

dining hall building

As one enters through the main gate of the Balikagram, one experiences a heavenly serenity. The main building houses the visitor's area, the newly built dining hall, kitchen and storage area, the chapel and the living areas for the sisters and the children.

main building

There is an adjacent building that serves as a guest house, where there are 3-4 rooms, a hall and a small chapel area. This is where I had spent the night when I was there.

We have a St.George English medium school in the complex which serves over 800 students, which is one of the best schools in the Dehu road area, providing quality education at a nominal fee. It is here that the inmates of the Balikagram get their education as well.

chapel

Besides there is a new building coming up which can serve as additional office space, library for the school.

The Balikagram also has a 2 acre farm land which is used for cultivation of vegetables and other crops that is used in the home. We have a diary farm with a cattleshed which serves as home for 5 cows and the milk helps sustain the needs of the Balikagram. A gobber gas plant (bio gas plant) serves part of the cooking needs of the Balikagram.



new office complex for school under construction

visitor's lounge

dining area



Main gate as one leaves the Balikagram

Another prayer with the little ones

little children in prayer

I then came down from the chapel to the ground floor to meet the little ones, who are woken up a little later, and they gathered in the hallway there for their little prayer, which I had the blessing to attend to. They were the chirpy little bunch, talking among themselves and having fun but when called for prayer, they prayed in one voice.

V for Victory!

After the prayer, they gathered around and greeted me. I got their attention, especially with a camera in hand and they posed gleefully for several clicks, before the sister whisked them away for their morning chores.

I then was served a cup of tea by my gracious hosts and I got the opportunity to talk with Fr. T.U. Thomas who had arrived by then. Thomas achen took me to his office room and showed me the older pictures of the kids and of previous visitors to the Balikagram.

The early morning prayer

chapel

TU Thomas achen took me to the room I was to stay for the night. We spent some time talking about the old days in Vashi. It was nice to recall those days when I was growing up.

I bid goodbye to achen and retired to my room. Had to get up early to keep the promise of attending the morning prayer.


The next morning I was up and ready by around 5:40 am. Reached the Balikagram building which was a 2 minute walk from where I was. I had to knock a couple times on the gate for one of the sisters to let me in. When I went in and up to the chapel, I saw that the girls were already up and well into the morning prayer.



Morning prayer

I watched them and together with them and the sisters participated in the prayers. Again I was amazed by the way these children participated in the Malayalam even though it was not their native tongue.


I then spoke to the sisters for some time, who spoke about the amazing ways that God had been guiding the Balikagram each day. One particular story of a non Christian lady helping them with resources for the daily sustenance of the home, was striking and amazing, as much for God's providence as for the wonderful relationship this little group of sisters had been able to establish with the wider community in Pune.


Reading the Bible

How beautifully they sing Malayalam!

They broke into a song. What beautiful voices! How well they sing! and that too - in Malayalam. And not a single one is a Malayalee! yet their singing will put many Malayalees to shame! (Forgive my amateur videography.) 

 

 

And then in English too!

 

First glimpses of the little ones

I reached the Balikagram late in the night. I was with Fr. T.U. Thomas who knew me since our times in Vashi from more than  a decade ago. Since it was late, I did not want to disturb the girls and told achen I will meet them in the morning.

But achen was kind enough to call the sisters to see if I can meet them that night. And what followed was more than what I had expected:



Balikagram children

The kids had finished their dinner and were already in the bedrooms. But when called, all of them came back to the dining hall. I saw the first glimpses of the cheerful, chirpy little ones as they walked enthusiastically into the hall. The youngest looked like perhaps 3, while the oldest in the Balikagram is in college I was told. (They were about 50 children there.) The younger ones were the ones who came to meet me that night. They were in their playful moods, teasing one another, talking animatedly, till the sister there called them to attention.
Then everyone was silent and listening to what was up.

I was introduced by one of the sisters as someone who came to meet them. I had my camera with me and was busy clicking away.  I think they liked that I spoke to them in Hindi, something which the staff there did well, but they had their Mallu touch to the Hindi, so they sounded different :) They greeted me in


one voice, then sang a couple of beautiful songs in Malayalam. I asked them what time they get up for prayer. "5:30 am" they shouted back. I told them I will make every effort to join them the next day. Then we said goodbye.

I met a mother and daughter who had migrated to Australia who were visiting the Balikagram. The daughter had come to stay at the Balikagram for a few days after her studies when she got some time to spare. "What a nice way to spend your time, and get to know some of God's great miracles firsthand" I thought. Wish more people spend their time this way.