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A short history of Master Shubumn Naik
Master Shubumn Naik was born on July 11, 2005 and
was admitted to the Balgram on July 1, 2004.
Crusaders for Jesus with Mary is an association
which evangelizes and conducts prayer meetings in the renewal movement
all over Goa and also in the neighbouring States. The members of this
association Mr. Dominic and his wife Dolly used to conduct such prayer
meetings in the red light area at Baina-Vasco where they met Parvati
Naik, mother of Shubumn who was pregnant and in a desperate condition
because her husband Mahesh Naik was sick and dying of AIDS. From then
onwards this association used to support this family. Parvati delivered
a baby girl and both the mother and the little baby were detected HIV
positive. The father who then, in the final stages of AIDS abandoned the
family and his whereabouts are not known. The mother of Shubumn was
finding it difficult to manage her son and requested the above
association to arrange to get him in a boarding school. Mr. Dominic and
his wife tried a couple of schools but failed to get an admission. But
God was with Shubumn and hence Mr. Dominic, through the influence of Fr.
Freddy Rodrigues of Pilar-Goa met Fr. Alfred Almeida and were able to
secure a place for Shubumn in the Balgram. In the meantime, he was
checked and found negative for the HIV virus.
Soon after the admission of her son, Parvati was
stranded on the road along with her daughter as the Goa government
demolished all the homes in the red light area. Having no other
alternative shelter, she had to return to her parental home in the state
of Karnataka after about 20 years, to her parents who had sold her at
the age of nine (9) to prostitution.
A Short History of Oswald D’mello
Oswald was admitted in Konseivanv Balgram in June
2005. He comes from Loulutim, a village in Salcete Taluka. He was born
on May 14, 1998.
His family consists of his parents and 3 younger
sisters. His fathers job is an unstable one, for which he earns very
little. His mother works as a housemaid whenever called upon, to do
household jobs. It is very difficult for the parents to cope with the
financial demands of all four children. Oswalds mother approached Laura
Monteiro, the nurse in the Balgram with this problem. Her case was
considered and she was recommended to the Institute, hoping that her son
could get a sound environment and good education.
A Short History of Elvis Perry Fernandes
Elvis Perry Fernandes,
born March 5, 1994, is the son of Paul and Natalie Fernandes. His father
abandoned his mother and him. He is very poor. His mother is a diabetic
patient. Because of finacial problems, he couldn’t go to school and he
used to walk along the road during the day, he felt very bad that he
couldn’t go to school. His village leader admitted him in the Balgram on
June 5, 2002 and placed him in the 2nd standard. Now Elvis is
in the 5th standard and he says “I feel very happy that I got a good
opportunity to stay and study in Balgram. I will become a good boy and I
will look after my mummy. I am very thankful to Fr.Peter, sisters and
mothers who are taking care of me”. However, Elvis at the moment is
quite sad to learn that his granny has recently passed on November 28th,
2005.
A Short History of
Aloshya Fernandes
Aloshya was placed for adoption as a baby in the
Missionaries of Charity. She was then given up for adoption to Anthony
P. Fernandes and Maria Alexandria Fernandes in Pomburpa, Bardez – Goa in
1997. Aloshya, a very happy, healthy and active child was devastated
when her adoptive parents fell into hard times and had to return her
back to the Missionaries of Charity in September 2003. Since Aloshya was
an avid student, the sisters at Missionaries of Charity decided to
appeal to the Balgram for her admission, so that she could study and
grow as other children. The request was granted soon thereafter and
Aloshya is doing well in studies as well as finally has a normal
childhood.
A Day in the Life of a
Balgramite:
5:30am -mother awakes, washes, dresses,
and prepares tea
5:45am -mother wakes children, gets
them to wash, dress and drink tea
6:30am -mass
7:15am -breakfast (bread, jam and
fruit)
7:50am -off to school for the children, mother cleans up
after breakfast and does her household duties such as dusting, sweeping,
mopping, laundry, clean rice, water the garden and general upkeep of the
cottage.
10:15am -tea time, children may or may not come back to the
cottage for a snack during their recess time.
10:30am -recess over for the children, cottage helper arrives
to help the mother with anything she has left to do.
12:30pm -mother goes to retrieve lunch from the hostel kitchen
while the rice is cooking in the cottage
1:00pm -mother sets up for lunch
1:30pm -children return from school, wash, and dress in play
clothes and eat their lunch.
2:15pm -both mothers and children clean up their dishes and
wash their faces.
2:30pm -children’s study time, mother sits and helps them
with their studies
5:00pm -tea and snack
5:30pm -free time (play time)
6:30pm -bath for all the children and mother if time permits
her.
8:00pm -rosary
8:30pm
-dinner is collected and served
9:00pm -finish any uncompleted homework or watch TV
9:30-10pm -blessing and bed for the children
10:00pm -mother tidies up the cottage
10:30pm -mothers free time for reading or bath or bed.
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