Trip to India renews support for children’s needs

For one Weymouth businessman and his son, a long-awaited trip abroad has led them to renew their support for children’s needs.

Stewart Lewis, president of Lewis Moulding, and his son Jamie left in mid-February on a two-week fact-finding trip to India.

For the senior Lewis, the visit fulfilled a longtime desire to see first-hand the progress of the mission work he supports in southern Indian states of Tamilnadu and Kerala.

“I wanted to see with my own eyes the work of Mr. Sam, a native pastor and his family, before I became a spokesperson back in the Maritimes for the mission work and children’s home,” Lewis said.

A home for poor children was established nearly 18 months ago by one of the churches Lewis supports in the southern Indian city of Tirunelveli in the state of Tamilnadu.

“Pastor Sam’s church in Tirunelveli opened a children’s home a year and a half ago that was borne out of a need to give six children a place to live and a future hope.”

Lewis says he was struck hardest by the state of many children he saw. In some cases it was the result of the devastating tsunami of December 2004 that left many children orphans. In others cases, it was the inability to provide for a child’s basic needs.

“Besides the culture shock, we found the poverty and pollution of every kind the most difficult part of our trip,” Lewis said.

“We couldn’t help feeling sorry for the children because they had no control over their circumstances and were in desperate need of hope. The options for these children were bleak if they could not be placed in a home.”

The church in Tirunelveli supports three of the children at the poor children’s home, while people from the Maritimes sponsor the rest.

“The church supports the home through their offerings. Given the economic circumstances of many of its members more assistance from Maritimers would enable a larger number of children to benefit from living at the home.”

The home is currently being rented and the owners have given the church notice that its lease will be up in two years.

Land has already been purchased and plans are in the works for the construction of a new home to accommodate 24 children with an extension in the future to house another 24 children.

Lewis says he was left with a lasting impression of the youngsters. “The children at the home were amazing,” said Lewis. “We were taken by their gratitude over the smallest things.”

The two were on hand when the children opened gifts from Samaritan’s Purse, a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to people around the world.

The gifts consisted of a toy, school supplies, hygiene items, hard candy or gum and a note and picture from the sender.

“Even the youngster who was reluctant to smile or interact with us lit up and became responsive when he received some candy,” said Jamie Lewis.

Upon their return to Nova Scotia, the father and son pair set about to present the results of their mission to various churches in the Maritimes.

Recently, a large audience in Weymouth was challenged by the Lewises to assist them in providing support for the children as well as the children’s home project.

“I firmly believe that the Maritime churches can partner with the team in India and accomplish unbelievable things. The work carried on by Mr. Sam and his family is worthy of all the support we can send them.”

“Over a three year period the cost of completing the building and its extensions will be around $30 000. Supporting a child is a long-term commitment.”

The point is not to interfere with plans to provide a home for children in need, but to help give these kids a chance by financially supporting the children and the home, concluded Lewis.



SIDEBAR



According to the U.S. Department of State’s report on Human Rights Practices, thousands of children are sent from their homes to work in conditions that amount to bonded labor because their parents cannot afford to feed them, or in order to pay off a debt incurred by a parent or relative, and have no choice in the matter.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has expressed concern over the trafficking of children for the purpose of forced prostitution.

India is the world’s second most populous country with over 1.1 billion people. The World Fact Book states that 25 per cent of the country’s population is below the poverty line and suffer from high levels of poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition. Child welfare organizations estimate that there are 500,000 street children nationwide living in abject poverty.