Lending a helping hand

Seeking to help people to improve the quality of their life and also enable them to have a more fruitful spiritual experience, the Pedro Arrupe Institute was founded in 2001 in Raia. With an ideal calm and peaceful setting, over the years, the institute has been offering a number of retreats, seminars, spiritual weekends, courses in spirituality, counselling and several other pastoral services. Numerous groups along with various other religious congregations have also visited the institute to help them in introspection .
Among it's many programmes is ‘Deepen your Faith' which caters to the youth, young professionals and ordinary people. These groups are guided and animated by the Jesuit Fathers. Every first weekend of the month is reserved for young professionals, who are either working or are on the way to search for a right job/profession. Moreover, every second weekend of the month is reserved for the youth, widely known as ‘Magis Youth'.
Both these groups who are from different parishes in Goa, organize a one day Christmas program every year through El Shaddai, an NGO for 125 underprivileged children from the vicinity of Margao. The basic idea of the programme is to feel one with the children as they approach Christmas, to brighten their day with some value based programmes like developing skills, health care, actions songs, light games etc.
Last year, the group came together to celebrate this event on December 11 and features a host of fun activities for children like a free medical check up, a magic show by Clifford and stall games while also giving kids a chance to display their skills through flower making, clay and wealth out of waste. A photo booth by Vernon Fernandes which included macots of Mickey Mouse Mascot and Santa Claus added more fun for the children.
Dr. Vania Ferreira from Margao, Dr. Sylvia Colaco, Public Health Dentist from Primary Health Centre, Loutotlim and Dr. Adline D'Silva e Melo of ConfiDental Care Clinic, Margao added more smiles as they took the time to be with and provide dental care treatment to over 125 children as well as some elders. The children were also given instructions on teeth brushing techniques and provided free toothbrushes and toothpastes. "Being with the children was an eye opening experience. Watching them that day, brings about a realization that many children in richer homes take for granted the daily privileges that they enjoy as being part of their lifestyles," says Dr. Adline D'Silva e Melo.
A cube productions in association with Dr. Sneha Bhagwat of Oorja Wellness Center, Margao also conducted a free Ayurvedic check up and provided free medicines to the children requiring it. The PAI young professionals home team of homeopath doctors also joined hands in providing the children free checkups.
"I have witnessed as well as conducted many medical camps for different group of people but this was a special one as it was focused on the healthcare need and lifestyle awareness for the street children. This definitely promises the health of the future generation. Children most of the times are healthy but due to improper diet and lifestyle they acquire some imbalances in the body which leads to diseases. Also conducting such camps for street children help to minimize the load on the Government medical care system thus helping India to progres," says Dr Sneha.
Towards the end of the programme, the children were given gifts which comprised of various useful and beneficial things for them in their mundane life.
This year too, this Christmas programme for the street children is scheduled on December 10 (9am to 5pm) at Pedro Arrupe Institute, Raia headed by Fr. Joseph Cardozo S.J and Fr. Solon Fernandes S.J.
"We would be happy to guide, animate and give a spiritual experience, to all those who would like to come to Pedro Arrupe Institute," says Fr. Joseph Cardozo SJ, Director.