Daya Vihar - Latest News

May 2006

John and Asha have now moved from their apartment to the orphanage. Some non-Christian gang has tried to attack John and threaten him and his family - so they decided to stay at the orphanage and to take good security precautions. Please pray for them and that the people of violence will cease to act in this way.

Please also pray for other needs which they now have:

For funds which will enable them to buy extra furniture and bedding
For the municipal authority to lay in fresh water very quickly
For the local authorities to give permission to expand the building so that more children can be accommodated
For a solution to their transport problems

April 2006

Gareth and Malou visited the orphanage with a number of people from USA. They write:

"Daya Vihar Orphanage is beautiful. It has an office and 2 bedrooms plus a kitchen and a big lounge where the kids meet. The bathroom and toilet forms a separate building outside. The surroundings are a good place for the kids to play. They also planted fruit trees around it. They tried to dig for water but discovered that the water was salty and not suitable for drinking so they had to get water from another place. The government told John that they would connect pipes from the main road towards the orphanage but that would take time. John, who has previously worked in the construction industry, monitored the workers carefully and made the doors and windows himself, saving a lot of money. There are 2 young men plus Bastine's mum taking care of the children's needs. John and Asha plan to move on site as soon as possible."

November 2005

We are currently caring for 21 children with the addition of Pooja (aged 5 years) who joined us after the flood. She originally lived in Andhra Pradesh but her father died a few years ago and her mother moved to live in a small hut in one of the slums in Borivli (West) and work in some houses as a domestic servant. When the flood washed away their home she had no where to go. Wandering here and there, finally she was accommodated by somebody - but they would not take her child. So she brought her child to us , and after seeing their helpless and pitiable state we took this child. So now we have 21 children in the home.

The children are doing very well at school. During the last academic year 14 children from our orphanage went to school, they studied very well, and all of them passed and were promoted to the next class.

Ravi has gone to VII,

Bastine & Rachan gone to VI,

Ajay Bhagavan, Shrikanth & Meena is gone to V,

Antony & Roshan gone to IV,

Ramakanth & Radha & Kiran went to II

Some more children started school this year:

Ajay Rehman in III,

Samson Rehman , Sahil Rehman and Priya in I

All these children came from the railway line and would have had no future if we had not been able to care for them. Now only Priti & Susan will be at home they are small to be admitted in the school for this year.

John and Asha

Mumbai, India