What do we usually do when we want to celebrate a special day----be it a birthday, anniversary, a promotion, any occasion……have a grand meal at a favorite restaurant, buy expensive gifts, present big bouquets? Make offerings to a temple/religious place on certain occasions like festivals, or to commemorate/celebrate events in the family?
All this is routine!!!
What about a different kind of celebration……by giving to the needy, rather than just to ourselves? What about actually helping someone, instead of feeling that it is enough to make these offerings? Why not celebrate in a way that is a thanksgiving for all the blessings in our lives, and at the same time, makes a difference to the less fortunate?
It is a common fact that some people are wary of making any donations, afraid of the money being misused, and “wasted.” Maybe, if one could actually see and even take part in the giving process, there would be more givers! However, it might be difficult to locate a genuine cause or avenue to help. I discovered one such place in Bangalore, thanks to a person who makes a huge difference in the lives of many: a priest called Father Trevor D’Souza.
To those of you who are familiar with Koramangla/Madiwala, it is easy to spot St. Anthony’s Church (opposite the petrol pump, near the Madiwala check post). The Friary is in the same compound, and in one corner, the Saint Anthony’s Seva Nilaya. (You might be horrified to see a mutilated statute of St. Anthony and others, under a tree, but that is another story: a story of mindless violence and ignorance). Seva Nilaya is the name of the “soup kitchen” established and run by the Franciscan Friars, (a religious order), along the lines of “St. Anthony’s bread.” For the uninitiated, St. Anthony is one of the saints of the Catholic Church, and a powerful miracle worker. Tradition says that those who pray to him and promise “bread for the poor” as thanksgiving for favors granted, normally experience the power of his blessings. (Many, like me, can vouch for that! And no, I’m not a Catholic!) In the Indian context, Seva Nilaya, or a place where service is rendered, translates this concept into a hot and nutritious lunch (also delicious, and unlimited quantity!) for any poor person who walks in between 12.30 and 2.00 pm on weekdays (Mondays to Fridays). Almost eighteen kilograms of vegetable “pulao” is cooked every day, for the 150+ hungry people. The food is served with care by a few friars, and volunteers, and no one goes away hungry. After the rice is finished, people are given slices of bread. A bakery donates ten loaves of bread every week.
To go back to what I said earlier, this is where you and I can contribute to make a difference---to the needy, and consequently, to our own lives. For the project runs entirely on donations: a day’s meal for 150 people costs Rs 1,000/- only, (US$20 approx) (less than what many of us would spend on a celebratory meal!). One can offer a meal for a birthday/wedding anniversary/any special occasion, in remembrance of someone/some event, as thanksgiving for blessings, or simply to share and brighten up a day for others - (add another Rs 500/- for a special lunch, complete with cake or “payasam”, if it’s for a birthday!) If the meal is offered for a particular individual, the name of the person is put up on a board (along with the name of the person sponsoring the meal). Before lunch is served, prayers are offered up by the whole group, on behalf of the donor, and for the person it’s being sponsored for, before a statue of St. Anthony (standing on the kitchen ledge!)
If one has contributed for the day, it’s an enriching experience to also help to serve the meal to the poor. Moreover, volunteers are welcome to help out whenever, and in whatever way they like. I could tell you more about it, but I hope you will see for yourself— be different, and make a difference!
(If anyone is interested, please contact Fr. Trevor D’Souza at: wecare@rediffmail.com or on his cell <9844030002>)
