| Sabu Jose and Elsie, ‘Love and Care’, Chakkunkal Road, Palarivattam, Ernakulam |
Instead of celebrating the 8th birthday of their son Amal in their house on September 2, 2003, his parents Sabu Jose and Elsie decided to share the day with destitutes and the shelterless of Kochi. They prepared 25 packets of Idly, and together with their children, went searching for the needy in the street.
Many doubts which assailed Elsie were proved wrong as the entire offering was gratefully accepted by emaciated hands in no time. When still further hands stretched before them, they brought a second consignment.
That was the beginning of their daily routine of providing food packets to such needy. The first to join them in the venture was family friend A.C.Joy and his wife Leena. They offered to provide 20 packets of food on Tuesdays and Fridays. Later engineer Frank and his wife Valsa started contributing 25 food packets per week.
Thus did the ‘Love and Care’ started by Sabu and Elsie grow. Perhaps word-of-mouth is the apt publicity for an organization engaged in feeding the poor. As many became aware of the activities, the contributions and its geographical reach too extended.
Now food packets are collected from different areas of Kochi on different days. One person from a neighbourhood collects the packets and hands them over to the visiting ‘Love and Care’ volunteers.
When a good deed is supplemented by God's Grace, resources must surely follow. After observing the working of the organization, a priest gifted them a Maruthi Omni for the collection and distribution of food packets. Many gift rice and grocery items for preparing food. Love and Care collects used cloths, old home appliances, utencils etc and hands them over to the deserving.
Once, while handing over a packet to a young man near the Railway Station, a policeman queried whether it concealed any narcotic substance. On opening the packet, he saw that it contained rice and 4 types of curries.
Today, food packet is received from that policeman’s home once a week.
Courtesy:
Jijo Cyriac (text), Mathrubhumi, August 6, 2006
Contributed by: Administrator
