Anbaalayam

        The word ANBAALAYAM means “THE TEMPLE OF LOVE,” [Anbu (love) + Aalayam (temple), in Tamil].

        OK. So what is so special about ANBAALAYAM?

        We say it once again. The Building and the Accommodations are very Ordinary.

        It is very airy, pleasant for Summer, but other levels of Creature Comfort are Non-existent.

        The House measures 30 feet by 16 feet inside. It has Corrugated-Sheet-Iron Roofing.

        The poor Dears who have come to stay sleep not on Beds, as they are not available yet, but on the ground (albeit on mattresses, and even with Mosquito nets).

        What does make ANBAALAYAM special and Different is that we treat those who come to stay with us as Members of Family.

        It works out this way because we have the desire and Mind-set of  “LOKA SAMASTHA SUKHINO BHAVANTU” (May the whole world be filled with Well-Being), for which Thanks be to God.

        In practice, it translates into Cleaning the House for them, which includes pouring water into the WC and cleaning the toilet after a sick man has gone in.

        And washing their clothes (including bed sheets) when necessary. No washing machines for us; we do not even have Electricity. And we would hate to give the clothes to the “Dhobis” (the washer men), as clothes tend to tear very soon in their hands.

        It means cooking meals on a wood burning stove, (which is all our current facilities allow), which in turn means a lot of scrubbing!

        (It embarrasses us to speak about these things, folks, lest we give the impression of boasting; yet it needs be told.)

           In Reality, more than all this, It means sitting with them and talking to them and eating the same food, with them. 

       This last item counts for a lot.

       The Difference between a member of the family and a person receiving help is that one eats inside, with the family, whereas the other eats outside, possibly  on the verandah, either by himself or with his own kind!

        Yet, if we take special care, dear Folks, it is no credit to me. It is all Guru Kripa. I am very well aware of my weaknesses. It is the grace of God, for which let us say “AL-HUM’-DULILLAH,”  words which mean something much richer than Thanks-be-to-God.

HELP US TO CONTINUE. COME JOIN HANDS WITH US!     

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 Designed for Fr. Yesudas by Agnelo Fonseca email: [agnelo12@rediffmail.com]