January 2007

Hi there.

I am Fr. Shaju osfs from Brisson Bala Bhavan. Wishing you all a blessed New Year.

First of all let me congratulate, appreciate and thank all the readers of ‘Licht’ for your generous Christmas gift. Our children in Brisson Bala Bhavan are deeply grateful to you all and are indebted to you all. I told them about your generous gift and they told me that they would pray for each one of you. In the name of all the ‘Brissonites’, let me give you all a BIIIIIIG hug of thanks.

Let me update you on our little boys at Brisson Bala Bhavan!

The boys completed their exams on the 23rd of December and they had mixed feelings about going home; some were looking forward to go home, others did not want to go home and for some others wanted to go home for a day or two and come back to the hostel.

Most of the parents came on the 23rd to take their kids home. Some kept coming back to give a hug to the teacher, then to Sanny aunty, some even shed some tears before they went home, seeing that Sanny (the helper) began also to shed tears!!!! It was all nice watching.

The children returned on the first evening. They all looked good and happy. Interestingly most of them were excited about going back to school the next day. I had a meeting with the parents. They were all very appreciative of the hostel. Some of them said they had some times difficulty in understanding their kids because they spoke English! However they said they are very proud of their kids and of Brisson Bala Bhavan because otherwise their kids would not have received such an opportunity.

When their parents began to leave the hostel, the kids again began to shed tears. I guess it was nice for them to be with their parents and therefore it was difficult to part! However it was not the case for two kids. They were ill-treated at home by their drunken fathers. They looked shocked when they came back. However we had enough time to spend with them to get them recuperated.

Now the hostel looks jovial. There is enough life and noise there and life is back again in Brisson Bala Bhavan.

Brisson Bala Bhavan is getting ready for a second phase. The present structure is good enough only for the present 12 kids. We are planning to admit another 8 kids in the coming academic year. Therefore we are building a new block with a study hall, dining hall and few bathrooms. Therefore in the coming months there will be more noise, people and life in and around Brisson Bala Bhavan.

That’s all for now.
Feel free to contact me any time at brissonbalabhavan@rediffmail.com
Visit also: http://www.osfs-asia.net/samarpanaram/brissonbala.html

Once again thank you very much dear readers of ‘Licht’ and friends of Brisson Bala Bhavan for all your generous support

Fr. Shaju
(Director)