Maggie Sister Newsletter 21/04/2008

MESSAGE’S FROM THE BOSS!

Over the years I have had the opportunity to hear Maggie Sister speak about New Hope, telling of what we do and what people’s support means.
It is a gift that Maggie has, to speak with sincerity and encouragement. Maggie Sister shares her experiences both in Australia and India to groups and service clubs and has created a greater awareness of the need for national support towards our work.
Maggie is a compelling and motivational speaker to listen to because of her ability to share with you, such passion from her heart. Over the years, when in Australia I have laughed at many of the anecdotes she tells and have sometimes shed a tear as well. I have seen Maggie sister stand up and talk at Conventions, Universities, service clubs, schools and churches. Whether its 1200 or 10 people Maggie is speaking to, she is outstanding.

So, the next time you hear of a need for a guest speaker, may I as the Director of New Hope, suggest our Maggie sister, you will be entertained I guarantee.

ELIAZAR T ROSE.

Dear Friends of New Hope India Relief Aust.Inc,

I am sincerely sorry that I have not been in touch by newsletter to you all before this. After all I came home early February! So what have I been doing? ‘Snowed under”. I was really tired after this last trip and took a while to resurface back in the West. I was invited to speak at a dinner in Ingham for Women’s International day and bogged down with paperwork. On the home front, well I just had to do some domestic’s.
I’m really fortunate in that the Board members in Perth have been fundraising from Quiz nights, to having stalls at Festivals and Fete’s, selling the Indian shirts, sarongs and other goodies from India, mainly made by our boys doing Tailoring as their vocation. Board member Bernard who has been with New Hope Aust.since 1989, is about to announce a big extravangza, you will all be the first to know what it is!

Al & I were at New Hope India for Christmas. Wow what an amazing experience, including two Nativity plays one by the kids at Kottavolsa community and then our disabled kids at Muniguda community who were not to be outdone. The elderly patients who live at the community- because of Leprosy or just abandoned, were invited, and staff brought their families. It was wonderful- including the Bollywood dance in the middle of the play! Nothing to do with the story, but you must have a bit of Bollywood if the kids are involved. To sit and watch the main dancers, one with a prosthesis leg & foot and the other with one arm amputated …throwing themselves about, and our two blind boys really belting out a beat to the music on the Bongo drums, I defy any of you to have been there and not cry & laugh at the same time.

Jhan Jhur Leprosy colony were in a party mood for the celebration of Christmas. Many Leprosy patients are Christians because years ago the Salvation Army missionaries were the only ones that would go into a Leprosy Colony and help them. They were singing and dancing with the small band that they have formed, and wanting us to join in. I couldn’t believe it when Eliazar joined in and danced as he never does that…must be Christmas!
It is an honour to hand out Love Bundles on your behalf. It is such a buzz , after lunch and all the excitement, we all find a rope bed under a tree and collapse and sleep for a couple of hours. Its one of my favorite things about Jhan Jhur Colony, because no matter what’s happening they always have a kip after lunch, suits me!

Two mentally challenged boys from Nameste House in Muniguda, came with me to Kottavolsa, first trip on a Train and they sat big eyed at all that was going on around them. Then a ride in the Jeep-WOW, they were so excited.
To witness their joy at travelling in the Jeep and stopping for a Coconut drink-are such simple things, that give them sheer delight.
Mentally challenged children make me feel so stupid many times. They live on a Planet that doesn’t get perturbed over things not worth stressing about. One kid leant over my shoulder for a while and I found the dribble mark, when I took my uniform off. I was tempted not to wash it, but to cut it out and frame it as somehow a classic example of love and happiness. Being dribbled on or pissed on by a happy special child becomes a special memory that I carry in my heart when I am back in the West. It’s a reminder to just keep supporting and sharing with you whenever I can.

ANOTHER MESSAGE FROM THE BOSS! An email I received recently.
Dear Maggie sister,
There are many reasons why people support New Hope in Australia, and I feel as you have said that the absolute bare administration cost and no travel costs plus the simple fact that we don’t constantly send appeal letters. We are so grateful to people that have started to support people in need through Sponsorship-the Aged Tribal women that get the care packs can’t believe that their lives have changed so dramatically! The care we give to orphan children is their right and our duty they are all tomorrow children.
Our ‘open door’ policy is a policy that you and I have stuck to, because it means that those that have been rejected from wherever for whatever-have a haven, a refuge and they soon see that we will not reject them, but give them hope and are welcomed into our New Hope family. Many learn skills, have eyesight restored, or get the needed medication. It is wonderful that we all are able to do these things with people’s help.

I write to ask you if you can help us with two appeals, both equally important and needed. One is to improve the Cataract surgery at Muniguda Hospital, the second is to buy cows (not Buffalo) for Kottavolsa.

We have had great success with Cataract eye surgery for the rural Tribal poverty line people of the Forest that surround Muniguda.People still come to us from this area, often walking for three or four days to receive eye care.
Our surgeon has said that we could improve the quality of restored vision if we had an APPASCAN-it measures the exact type of intra ocular lens power needed. This means that the younger people who have surgery would have a lens implant that would allow them to read, with no blurring. For the aged it means clearer vision when walking in and out of their huts, both in judging the height of the step and changing from bright light to the darker light inside their Hut.
The cost is in Indian Rupee is 130,000 which is Aus $3,700 Inc Tax and transport.
I am happy to send the copy of the quotation and the brochure of the equipment, if anybody wants it. We would really appreciate your help with this need.

The second and very different request is for helping us to make a start towards having milk cows in Kottavalsa. We have upgraded the animal shed and at last got a Chaff cutter and have a new fodder grass crop seed organised. We would like to start with just 2 cows and each cost Aus. $500. These are high yielding Jersey cross and Friesen cross. Thank you so much.

ELIAZAR T ROSE
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN
NEWHOPE RURAL LEPROSY TRUST INDIA.

Al came home from India after New Year, for work commitments while I stayed on. When it was time for me to catch a train to Chennai to get my flight home, it is usual for Eliazar to send one of the senior boys with me because I always have so much luggage to bring back and yes I guess I am getting older and not as fast or as agile as I think I am!
Eliazar decided to send a younger boy who had good English to go for the first time to help. V.Raju is 13 years old and doesn’t know me very well. I think the senior boys had impressed upon him who I was and my role with New Hope and that ‘Maggie sister doesn’t carry any case’s, and you must be careful getting her off and on the train and organize her food from the station as she is old” I bet that’s the gist of what they said!
So off we went on an overnight train to Chennai. I could see that V.Raju was a bit nervous about this; he had never been to Chennai. So I had to tell him to relax! Well he felt relaxed enough to say ‘Maggie aunty can I ask you something?” ‘Of course you can Raju’ “Aunty did you meet Gandhi?” I wondered how old I must have looked to him!! “No Raju I didn’t, I was a baby when Gandhi was famous.” That made me sit up and powder my nose!
Then he compounded it by asking me at the Indian Lodge where we were staying, with his next question. V.Raju had seen a very pretty Australian girl and turned and said to me “Aunty, can I ask another question?’ hmm I hesitated before saying yes.” Aunty were you as beautiful as that girl when you were young?”
I just laughed and said yes of course I was! “I will be seeing the senior boys when I return in November and find out was else they said!

Thank you for your continued support and your trust in us

Maggie sister.
21st April 2008.

P.S. A beautiful quote from Mother Teresa.

“I see God in every human being. When I wash the Leper’s wounds, I feel as if I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?”

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'Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people,
can change a small part of the world.'
Maggie Sister, New Hope Australia.

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