Carlo Torriani

SWARGA DWAR

The conversion of a catholic missionary

presented by

Card. Simon Pimenta

PIME Publications, PIME Regional House, Eluru - 534 0-07, A.P., India

A NEW PROJECT

Letter 17, Bombay, December 1981

Dear Friends,

    Here we are, once again, at Christmas. Already too late to reach you with my greetings. Many of you will receive this letter after the feast, sorry! To wish you with me are the staff, the volunteers, the children and the patients.

    Our work of survey, education and treatment in the areas of Bombay entrusted to us by the Municipality is well established and is known to you. But we are thinking to do something more. What we feel are the needs but the solution is not yet clear. We would like to have a place, may be out of Bombay, were to collect those patients already cured, but without a place where to stay or a bed in which to die. Leprosy is curable, but deformities remain and segregation is not so easy to win.

    We have, for example, the case of Manikiam, the protagonist of the documentary film “Do not call me leper”. If you see him now, in what condition is he reduced, you will understand what I mean. As far as we know him, we have always seen him begging. His favourite place is platform No.9,Kurla railway station. He was coming to take treatment to our dispensary in Chunabhatti. He was having with him a daughter, Laxmi. We placed her in a boarding school. He went on begging. What will him do when he will not be able to beg? The hospitals are overcrowded and give place to those who need treatment. Will he die on platform No.9? How many like Manikiam there are in Bombay? I feel we should do something for them. Once again I appeal to you. This new place or project will be complementary to Lok Seva Sangam. It is not enough to cure, we should take care of all the needs of a person. We will keep you informed.

    We thank all of you: those who came to visit us, those who send parcels with medicines or cloths, those who send donations. It is only through your help that we are able to serve our brothers in need. On 19^th of December we will collect all the children of our balwadis in Everard, where we have the office, and we will have a Christmas Three celebration. The smile of these children will be our best gift for Christmas.