The little things we do...

During the months of November and December 2011, Whispering Hope set out to do a variety of little things to make the smiles go around.  Staple rations were given out to a couple of families, school fees were paid for a few students, children were sent to the movies with their parents, loads of chocolates were given out to the young and old alike, new clothes - saris, trousers and shirts for the adults, pensions to the ladies on our list were given out. 

A lavish breakfast was given to the poor members of the Vincent de Paul Society of St. Joseph's Church, Vepery.  Each of these also received a little gift bag with biscuits, chocolates and a little money for the way.  Special thanks go out to Joseph Sagayaraj and Deborah Thomson for giving us this opportunity to serve the poor.
We look forward to receiving plenty so that we can give out much much more and make that smile a mile long!!

A wish for a Bible

It was a glorious moment when a maid working at my office asked me for a Bible.  The very thought that someone needed a Bible was exhilirating.  Through a friend, I managed to lay hands on a couple of Telugu bibles and gave her one.  She was so thrilled that she could have her own Bible to read when attending the prayer service on Sundays.  This gave me the momentum to go forward and get some more Bibles, New Testaments and distribute them amidst the needy.

Maybe we could take this one step further and our Hindu and Muslim sponsors could contribute some copies of the Bhagwad Gita and the Holy Koran. 

Everyone needs something to believe in and what better way to start than to possess the Holy Book.  Not only does this enhance our faith and trust in God, but also gives us the graces we need to lead a better life.

Santa's heart is heavy!

Yes, my dears, Santa's heart is very heavy as our call for toys went unheard and unanswered!  Despite mails being sent out, not a soul came forward with used toys.  This was a big disappointment for Whispering Hope.  But then, we still would like to carry on and if anybody, somebody has some toys which are not being used any more, please do let us know and we will make arrangements to collect the same.

Santa needs some help!

Looks like Santa needs some help this year and is looking for used toys in good condition for little boys and girls (babies to 10 year olds). At Christmas time, any goodies for the children will be very welcome. We were thinking of filling up some bags with these toys and goodies and distributing them during the Christmas week. Someone out there needs your help - please do be generous in giving.

Taking it slow....

Was I kidding when I said I would take it slow this year? Looks like it just cant happen and over the last few months, steps were taken to ease the misery of some poor folk and their families. Second hand furniture (cot, mattress, pillows, tables and chairs), a gas stove and a washing machine were given away to enhance their lives. Staple rations were given to 7 families thus providing them with good food for atleast a month; new saris were given to a few ladies; school fees for the next term were paid for a couple of students; we even pitched in some money to help a friend in need who was undergoing chemotherapy. Our reaching out just never ends.... and with God's grace we are able to help where its required.

The above was made possible only with the timely assistance from our sponsors - Ashley & Helen Bakes from Sydney, Philomena Harding and Florence Barnes from the UK, Rebecca, Yvette, Pam and Ashraf from Melbourne, and Anita Mawdsley from Chennai. Thank you, dears, and may God bless you abundantly for your generosity.

Whazzup??!!

Whispering Hope has decided to take it a bit slow this Christmas time and try not to go overboard with its programs. Think of it as a much needed rest and a time for planning future events in a meaningful way. Exciting food hampers are being planned for selected families and being Christmas, some gifts for the kiddos. Wish us luck! You can send in your gift for the kids or add to our hampers making it more attractive! Let the spirit of giving engulf you during this festive time.

We did it!!

Whispering Hope got into the role of the Easter Bunny and was kept busy throughout the South Indian summer. School fees were rustled up and the children that we have been sponsoring over the past few years continue with their studies. Not the best of destinations for a holiday, especially in the summer, but Guntur saw a couple of mothers and their young children come for a much needed break from their routines in Chennai. The train ride from Chennai to Guntur was thoroughly enjoyed by the kids and it was an interesting change. Staple food rations were distributed to a few families, new clothes given out to the ladies that we meet from time to time, pocket money given to the older ladies, and to top this all, Sagar - one of our proteges - was presented with a brand new cycle.

We would like to thank our sponsors for their kind contributions towards the above programs : Kudzai Chinhengo from Zimbabwe, Devrim Tuncay from Turkey, Helen and Ashley Bakes from Sydney, Pam and Ashraf from Melbourne, Biju Damodaran from Muscat, Balu and our annonymous angel from Mumbai, Anita and Kevin Mawdsley from Chennai. Thanks Guys - you were wonderful!!