Grace Home IV developed as a project initiated by P.D. and Ruth Mary to care for four children from a family at Versova where both parents died with aids. At first these children were cared for by the grandparents, but when the grandfather died, the widow was not able to care for them. Brethren at Malwani decided to do what they could to care for the children, and the result is Grace Home IV.
Children from two other families where both parents died with aids were added to the group. There are now ten children under the care of P.D and Ruth Mary, sponsored by the church of Christ at Gonce, AL.
P.D. and Ruth Mary are both instructors in IBS.
If you would like to help support one of these orphans, contact
Rgonce@aol.com or RWIEMERS@TNSTATE.EDU for information about how to send funds.
Dear Brethren,
Greetings to you in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I pleasure in sharing few words with you about the Mumbai Grace Home and what God is doing for his glory in this greater Mumbai. I believe it was God’s plan to gather these poor children (HIV Victims) under our cover. I consider myself fortunate for being chosen by God for this service to these innocent children. The foundation for the Mumbai grace home lies on the hard work and our good feelings and love for these Orphans. With the kind support you forwarded for the cause I somehow adjusted to bear the initial expenses for setting up the Mumbai Grace Home.
During this small period of service among children I had some very good experiences which I never had through out my service to Christ in Mumbai. The sense of satisfaction and content that I nurture in myself today due to this grace home makes me glad every now and then and I believe this is what is charging me up to work day and night for the betterment of the Mumbai grace home. The children do come from a slum area and it is true that it is difficult for them to adjust into the new surroundings so easily. It is actually their mentality that they bear since their birth in that environment and I believe it’s just in course of time that they will adjust and understand that all this is for their good.
One of the most remarkable things that happened these days that I want to share with you is that these children are calling me and my wife their Mummy and Daddy. The very moment they started addressing me in this way made me feel on the seventh sky. The children are slowly developing an emotional bond with me and my wife. I realized that the children are slowly forgetting their parents’ death and trying to mix themselves up with us.
Medical Checkup
All the seven children were tested for HIV and by the grace of God all of them were found to be negative for the test. Though some of them are suffering from usual cough and cold and some with Dengue no serious ill health or disease was reported in their health reports. We have purchase some First Aid kits for the home. All the children are healthy.
Diet Details
All the children are being fed on time with good, nutritious food. The children are waking up at 07.00 am, after completing the chores they are having milk and breakfast. From 8.00 am to 9.00 am they are having a small Bible class session. At 10.00 am they are having some light snacks, from 10.00 am to 11.30 they are studying. They are being provided a good lunch at 12 noon and then they are being sent to school from 1.00pm onwards. They return back at 6.00 pm and have some tea and snacks. They are having a study class from 6.30pm to 7.30 pm. They are being given a good dinner at 8.00pm after which we are conducting a 30mins prayer session and by 9.00 pm the children are reclining to their beds. We have chalked out this plan for the grace home and hope that this would work out well.
School Admissions
All the 7 children have been admitted Fr. Abraham English High School (6–primary section + 1 secondary section). The school is located very close to grace home and conducts classes upto 10th grade.
The school charges a monthly fees of Rs. 250 /- but on requesting the principal of the school he agreed to charge only Rs. 150/month. For the initial admission fee, uniform fee, books etc the school charged Rs. 1,500 per child which made up a total of Rs. 10,500. I paid only Rs. 3,000 today and got the children admitted, Rs. 7,500 are still pending to be paid. I have promised the principal to do the payment in the coming week. The children also need school bags etc. which are still to be purchased. I have purchased and given not books and text books for all children.
Boarding arrangements
I constructed an entrance for the toilet and bathroom from the hall. I also had the tube lights, electric fans and bulbs etc. fixed. Since the flooring was not good I purchased a carpet to be laid in the hall. I also purchased some big iron boxes for the children to keep their belongings. Plates glasses and other utensils, blankets, bed sheets, towels, toiletries have been purchased. Food grains and other food provisions for the current month have been purchased. We need Fridge for storing vegetables.
Water connection required
We used to have a water connection at this place when we resided here but as we moved to Charkop, the connection was terminated. Now as the requirement came up I tried to get that old connection back but this was not possible. For the time being we are borrowing water from neighbors by paying them Rs. 500/month. We strongly require a dedicated water connection here and this would cost around Rs. 45,000 ($1000). The connection is a compulsion because it is too cumbersome to carry the water from the neighbor’s house. The connection should be installed as soon as possible.
Kitchen and staff
Bro. P. Nageshwar Rao, an elder of the Malwani Church of Christ and his wife are providing the food for the children systematically. They are facing some problems as such bulk of food cooking needs big gas stoves, extra gas cylinders, utensils etc and they also need to be purchased soon.
A year back, I brought a Hindu Orphan boy from Andhra. This boy is with me since then and assisted me in small chores in the office. He was baptized in Christ after obeying the Gospel. Now he is working as attendee for these children. He is working extremely hard and taking good care of the children.
Prayer Request
- Titus suffered from a dog bite yesterday while he was playing outside; he was taken to the hospital. He was given the first injection of the three for Rabies. Please pray for him. Please pray for him.
- Praveen is suffering from Dengue fever since two weeks. He is being given regular treatment and today he has shown some signs of recovery. Please pray for him.
- Chinni is suffering from infections on his body and is up with fever due to this. He is being attended by the Doctor regularly. Please remember him too in your prayers.
- Vijay Kumari is suffering from severe stomach ache. She is also being attended by Doctor regularly. Please pray for her.
- Please pray for the new water connection and for all the necessary requirements of the Mumbai grace home.
It is with tender care and hard toil that we have started this good work and I believe our efforts would not go in vain but would be like good seeds for these children which grow up some day to bear fruits in God’s kingdom. Please pray for the Mumbai grace home.
Thanking You
Yours in Christ,
P.D.Prasada Rao & Mrs.P.Ruth Mary
Mumbai - India.
