Bump in the Road

What follows is a letter I received via email today from Timothy Jalam in Miraj, with whom I am working to start a hospice building and program there. My goodness! What a different world.

Respected Cynthia,

I am sorry for delay in responding the progress of the Hospice center.

The construction of New Hospice Center was started on 09/03/2009. But group of women and men from higher cast community of Bamnoli village shouting slogans saying stop this work if the Hospice Center is constructed in this village then whole village will be infected with HIV/AIDS. The situation was out of control we had to stop this work. I took the help of Police in this matter but the response was not very favorable.

Dated 12/03/2009 I had been to Mumbai and explained the situation to the Government authorities our intention of constructing Hospice center and provide care and support to the people who are sick and dying.

I was able to convince Government Authorities and got the special permission from the Health Ministries.

At the same time at village level organized four meetings with the village leaders and community people pleading them for their cooperation and explaining them that the HIV/AIDS will not be spread in the village if we have Hospice center in Bamnoli village, this will be privilege and honor for our village if we have this project in this village. We will be able to provide good service to the sick and dying.

I am happy to inform you that the construction work has now stated again. Please continue to pray for this work.

Can I get email address of Janet Hignett, 3 Loast lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15271, USA who came with the Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pittsburg USA. Who was residing with you at the Fletcher Hall in Miraj

With regards,

Rev. Timothy Jalam

Teaching the Hospice Philosophy

Each time I teach a class about Hospice, there is an "arati" ceremony to apply the god's eye to my head and to thank me for coming and to basically treat me like a goddess. Pictured above is a girl of 15 with her daughter who turns 4 this week. They are both suffering with HIV infection.

Prabhat Tara Sanstha

Just received word from Timothy that he received the donations I sent him as "seed money" to purchase some beginning materials for the hospice building. He also sent some beautiful photographs of some of the women and children in his community.

This initial donation came from my friend, Rebecca Dalton in Silver Spring, Maryland, thank you, Rebecca. A second portion was given by me in honor of my family at Christmas, my mother, Freda, my father, Don, and my brother, Thomas.