When I arrived in Muttom, I was met by Sister Selvi and her brother Nazarene. On reaching her small rented house, I was humbled by the fact that she had given up her bedroom for me and was sleeping on a camp bed in the main room used for eating, with Shanti, the servant.
Sister Selvi had left the convent she was in and her post as headmistress in the school nearby after the Tsunami, as she was inspired to help her people in Muttom, and has opened the St Adrian’s Reachout Centre in a small house. Everyday, straight after school, 25 badly affected children from a local camp go to the house, first to have a snack and chat, tben receive help with their studies, pray and have a nutritious supper that their parents cannot provide. Sister Selvi provides solace for them, somebody to talk to who can understand their personal problems. Each and everyone of them has different circumstances. Over the past month, Sister Selvi has instilled a sense a morality, manners and honesty in them that their parents do not. Their schoolwork has improved and they leave very reluctantly at 8pm, in high spirits. The children range from 6 to 16 years and the local girl that is paid to help supervise is 18 and also from a local camp. Saturday is enjoyed the most, as they get to spend all day at the house and tire out Sister until Monday when the week starts all over again.
About S.A.R.C.
- The St. Adrian's Reachout Centre provides children and widows from the tsunami-stricken coastal town of Muttom, India with a safe environment to learn new skills and build new lives.
