From Saskia Raevouri: In the most remote part of India, in the town of Sugauli, Bihar, there is a convent that concerns itself only with disabled children. It is run by Sr. Ambrose Kadavelil, who I first met in 2006 during my initial visit to see the work of the FreeSchools conducted by Sr. Crescence. On the way to visit the Sugauli free school, Sr. Crescence and I stopped at the convent for tea and were introduced to several disabled children boarding there at the time. They suffered from polio and other physical deformities, conditions that are considered a curse in Indian families. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart always take these unfortunate children under their wing, house them, get medical help, educate them, and lovingly provide for them in any way they can.

On that day I lost my heart to these boys and girls. Together with many of you in 2007 we raised money for 15 tricycle wheelchairs (read the PDF report here) and in 2011 we sponsored six severely handicapped girls to live full-time at the convent, to be treated and educated (read the PDF report here). Today the convent also operates a day care center for severely disabled children from the surrounding villages. Daily 24 children, aged 4-18—affected with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, below-waist paralysis, muscular dystrophy, autism, blindness and deafness—take public transport from their homes to receive treatment. In July 2016 Sr. Ambrose asked me to raise money for a small van to transport these children to the convent and back for their therapy and for parent-child counseling.

Sr. Ambrose, the Project Director of Sacred Heart Sisters Training School, says, "These children live in the radius of 33 kilometers from the day care center. Parents consider them as the curse and do not take care of them while community does not have any concern for them. Due to various structural barriers, social barriers, attitudinal barriers, etc., they could not attend the school and healthcare services for a better life. Parents do not help us to get the children to the day care centre for various services because they go for earning their livelihood. Every day we take these children from their homes to the center by public transport. Children with a disability do not find themselves comfortable as the drivers in public buses do not drive safely or keep in mind that the children are disabled. Secondly, sometimes the children need to wait for a long time when it is not possible for them to stay still even five minutes."

The price of the van (818,000 rupees, see invoice) plus fuel, maintenance and driver's salary for one year (144,000 rupees) rounded off to US$14,500 at the 2016 exchange rate. With the help of many reading this, we raised the amount and I transferred the funds to Sr. Ambrose's account. She received the funds on January 4, 2017.

On February 25 she wrote: "It is just to inform you that your generosity has brought a ray of hope, joy and life to these severely disabled children who remain in the dark corners of their home huts. 24-32 receive day care service. As a whole other non-day care disables too are occasionally transported for medical service etc. Now Saskia, after purchasing the Wingar van, the balance money is used for drivers salary, fuel & vehicle maintenance. After March 2018, I will send to you its audited report. This service to continue further please help us for driver's salary, fuel and maintenance expense."

As I did not have a chance to raise the money for 2018 driver salary, fuel and maintenance, I advanced 1,800 euros from my personal account. If anyone would like to pitch in for the future, please donate using the Paypal button or mail a check via Mind, Body and Spirit to: