Last week (July 2010) our niece Bee, her husband David Paul and children visited the El-Shadai Children’s Home in Chennai, India. They shared their experiences with us. Needless to say we are impressed with the love and compassion showed by Joseph and Lydia Paul towards these parentless, destitute children.

In the past, CA Care had supported two orphanages but we ended up being misled or conned. These bad experiences, however, did not deter us to try again. So when Bee wrote us that they were staying at the El-Shadai Children’s Home, we requested that they take some photos of the Home and at the same time to ask Joseph, the Home’s founder, what the present, urgent needs of the Home are. Bee came up with a list of three items:  ten bunk beds, eight fans and a mixi-grinder for the kitchen.

It is easy to express pity and to symthaphise. But these are not enough. We have to do something on our part to help. So CA Care has decided to be a partner in this effort to help these children.

We understand that we need to provide a long-term commitment and support and not just a one-off donation. We would like to see these children grow up to be useful citizens.

If you share the same desire to do something for these children, please feel free to write me atchriskhteo@gmail.com or emailing the Home directly. For more details about the Home, go to its website: http://www.elshadaichennai.org/

Together we can do something!

Here are some of the photos that Bee took.

The Home and the Children

Study and Play Time

Meal Time

Keeping Clean

Let us put smiles on their faces!

Let her eyes sparkle with hope!

Some Details That You May Wish To Know

The Home was started in May 1997 by E. Joseph Paul and his wife. The El-Shadai Charitable Trust is a public charitable trust formed with seven trustees and registered under Indian Trust Act – registration Number is 55/99/Bk.4 dated 10.02.1999. Its mission is to provide parental love and motherly care with hygienic food and accommodation to abused, abandoned, parentless children.

Background of Some of the Children

Praveen Kumar, 13 years old. 7th standard. Father hung to death when he was 2 years old. Praveen was thrown out from the family and he had to beg in the street and searched for food in the garbage bins. Has left the Home for higher study.

Bharani, 4 years old.  She was in the street along with her brother Jabez, starving.  Her father and mother were affected by HIV.  Later, she too died of HIV.

Nithin, 7 years old.  He had never seen his father. His mother was infected by HIV and was unable to take care of him.  She died while Nithin was in El-shadai.

Emmanuel, 7 years old.  He lost his mother when he was 6 months old.  He had never seen his father. He grew up with his grand mother but she was not able to feed him even a meal a day.

Jennifer, 13 years old.   She lost her father when she was 2 years old.  Her mother is said to be a house maid, but nothing else is known about her.

Aasha, 12 years old, 7th standard.  She lost her mother when she was 2 years old.  Her stepmother never take any care. Aasha was always beaten and kept in a GUNNY BAG in the corner of the house without being given any food. She was also tortured with red hot burning coal. She left the Home for higher study. 

Beulah, 16 years old, 7th standard. She was thrown out of the family when she was 5 years old.  All her relatives never provide her any love.

Nehemiah, 10 years old.  His mother was burnt in a fire. His father was dead.  He grew up with his grand mother,  who could not provide him at all.  He is good in gardening and at caring for dogs!