PROJECT 2008

The motto for Project 2008 was the exhortation of Mother Teresa to her workers

'Do not tire of giving; do not give just of you leftovers'

and these 10 Abbey workers operated before , during and after their time in Providence according to its spirit.

After almost a year of preparation, the Abbey group set out for India on Thursday Oct 23 … not a tour, trip or a mere adventure but a project of work. As well as fundraising, there had been many meetings dealing with India, Edmund Rice, Mother Teresa and the proposed work in Providence.

The 10 students were Niall Donovan, Paddy Davern, Matthew Hinwood, Michael McGrath, Damien Ryan, Cathal Martin, Matthew O Donoghue, John Condon, Paul Lawton and Tommy O Mahony. They were accompanied by teachers Michael Leahy, Michael Ryan and Richard Walsh.

‘On the taxi journey from the airport to Dum Dum I was shocked at the chaos on the roads that is part of life in Calcutta. Our taxi driver was weaving in and out between trucks. A crash seemed imminent and inevitable but we got safely through.

When we left the airport we were feeling insecure. People were staring at us and everyplace looked rough’.

‘First thing that hit me was the amount of people and the state of the houses. They were totally run-down and very poor looking…. hundreds of people selling stuff on the footpaths outside them’.

‘I found it hard to accept that people actually lived their lives in these miserable conditions’.

‘It was so different from at home. It was mayhem. The traffic was all over the place. Everyone was staring at us in an intimidating way. Walking around was frightening at first but after a while I settled and just got used to it’.

‘I believe that the first taxi ride from the airport was the greatest culture shock to me and I don’t think I will ever witness anything as shocking ever again’.

‘On the taxi ride it was difficult to get my head around everything I saw….people lying on the streets, little huts in shanty towns, the taxi weaving in and out between busses, people, cars, rickshaws and seeing children playing in piles of waste and garbage’.

'When you walked the streets of Calcutta to fetch water or to use the public phone you got a sense of just how impoverished the area was’.

‘The sight that greeted us when we started moving was horrific…the living conditions and the houses’.

‘I thought I had an idea of Calcutta but nothing could have prepared me for the way I now feel about what I have seen and heard’

'It was a captivating experience to learn about Mother Teresa and to pray at her tomb’.

‘In Motherhouse some of us were shown Mother Teresa’s own room … a very plain basic room’.

‘I was surprised when I saw how basic Mother Teresa’s room actually was. It was hard to believe that such a major religious icon lived such a simple life’.

‘It was very interesting to see Mother’s belongings and made the whole experience more real’.

ORPHANAGE

Near to Motherhouse is Shishu Bavan an orphanage of the Missionaries of Charity. In one section were severely physically handicapped and young orphan children in the other young children who had been orphaned or abandoned. While we visited, most of the physically handicapped children were receiving physical treatment from volunteers and the Sisters.

‘I was very unsettled about going to the orphanage. I had never felt and seen poverty before at first hand’.

‘It was awkward in there and words will not come to my mouth to explain it’.

‘They (the children) wanted to play with us. We did for a while and got great enjoyment out of it. It was great to feel that we put a smile on their faces for a few minutes at least’.

‘The men were lying on beds and some looked in great pain. Others, despite their situation, seemed happy. This surprised and puzzled me’.

‘We were shown about by Jim, a devoted man who has spent the last 14 years of his life helping people in Khalighat and teaching at the school in St Mary’s Dum Dum’.

‘I admired how Jim Maginnis gave his time and energy to these people. He seemed to love working with them and seemed so proud of them. He’s an extraordinary man’.

‘When we got inside Jim took us around and told us the different stories of the people there. They were so courageous and happy; they felt good about themselves, but I felt very uncomfortable’.

‘I was shocked to see that some patients were not much older than myself. I felt great sympathy for these people and felt very thankful for the healthy lifestyle that I enjoyed’.

‘They were so nice and friendly that it surprised me. I thought it would be a depressing place. They were chatty and lively’.

‘After a while we went upstairs; there we had nice small prayer service up in the Sisters’ chapel.’

GAUHATTI AIRPORT

A one hour flight over Bangladesh brought us to Gauhatti in Assam. After collecting our luggage we were surprised by the teachers and children of Providence who had made the 4 hour journey down to meet us. It was a great surprise welcome; they looked after the luggage and were most sociable and talkative on the journey up.

‘I was surprised when I saw all the kids lined up at arrivals to greet us. I was very grateful for their journey down. They took all our luggage to the bus and refused to listen as we protested’.

‘It was a warm welcome like a family member coming home after being away for a long time. A 4 hour drive to Shillong but it flew by with talking to the children and singing to the music on the radio’.

‘When we arrived at Gauhatti we met the teachers and the all of a sudden the children appeared out of nowhere. On the bus they were very keen to talk and to learn all about us and our lives. I was surprised how good their English was’.

‘The kids and two teachers had travelled four hours just to say hello and a cead mile failte for us. It was brilliant. I really talked to Sibron and when we stopped at Nongpoh for food I got talking to James. They were two top boys that will do so well in the future. Really enjoyable’.

‘Each ‘Sir’ was sitting beside one of the kids. We got to know them on that journey and it really helped for the duration of the project. They were so jolly and cheerful, clapping and singing along to the songs’.

‘We stopped at a shop to get something to eat and one girl pulled out a chair for me. She wouldn’t start eating till I got my food. But we weren’t getting anything so her teacher had to tell her to eat’.

‘We made loads of friends on the journey. It was one of our happiest times on the project. It marked the transition from the insecurity and sadness of Calcutta to the warmth and happiness and the at-home feeling of Shillong’.

FIRST MORNING IN PROVIDENCE After arrival late on Sunday night, Monday morning came along rapidly. The heavy rains were still falling but the children arrived with a smile. They also were looking forward to a special two-week period. After assembly it was straight into the work at 8.30 … to the trades (vocational work) at first and then the first taste of teaching at 10.30. Every morning the children would instruct us in the various trades that they learn. Third World work is a mixture of giving and receiving.
‘When I woke up on that Monday morning I felt nervous but excited. I was nervous about how I would do at the teaching but then I was excited on seeing the children and getting to know them’. ‘We were greeted by smiling faces who may have been walking an hour in the rain. The harsh rain did absolutely nothing to dampen their spirits and they were still able to be the friendliest children I could have imagined’. ‘On the first morning I was very nervous but also anxious to get started, as I didn’t know what to expect’. ‘I was still fairly nervous about it all but as soon as I heard the ‘ Good Morning Sir’ (which I’ve heard hundreds of times since then) and saw those friendly smiles all nervousness disappeared’. ‘We headed off in groups to the trades feeling a bit apprehensive, but we were willing to give it a go’.

TEACHING Each of the Abbey students had 6 consecutive sessions of 40 minutes each with a group of 3 or 4 children from KG right up to Class 5. English conversation, vocabulary, reading and writing were taught. Teaching continued from 10.30 till 3.40 each day and made its demands. Indeed, there was a novelty factor for the first few days; during the second week all their commitment and energy was called on.

‘Having the children meet us at the airport helped us all feel that little bit less nervous about the teaching’. ‘I felt that they were genuinely great kids. The teaching was made easier by the fact that no pupil misbehaved and all were eager to learn’. ‘I was tired at the end of the day but I felt that I had given them all my energy and that I had helped them to learn more’. ‘From the word go I enjoyed every second of the teaching. From KG to Class 5 each student was unique…the shy one, the loud one, the messer, the joker, the bright one and the not-so-bright one. In a way the teaching was just a medium to get to know the children. It was brilliant each morning seeing what the kids remembered from the day before and the majority of them remembered a lot’. ‘I was shocked one day when one class asked me for more homework. I found it hard to credit their eagerness to learn more and more. It was hard to believe that some of these kids were up from as early as 4.30 that morning but were still buzzing with joy and energy’. ‘I felt the teaching part went well. It got easier as the days went by…I did find the lower classes a wee bit more difficult at times’. ‘All the kids were keen to learn. They all brought great energy to the class and so that made it easier’..

‘I gave it absolutely every bit of energy and felt the energy of the kids. A great sense of achievement. The teaching was very tiring but very rewarding. I eally enjoyed it and so did the kids. Their eagerness and willingness to learn is incredible’.

‘Looking back now, teaching was one of the best parts. I’ll take some memories that I’ll never forget. I think it was the children’s happiness that drove us on’.

‘The last day teaching the kids was an emotional one for all of us. I could sense the end of something wonderful closing in’.

‘It was great fun learning about them and in some of the kids cases about their religion. They would ask me about mine and they would start talking and sometimes I wondered would I get any teaching done at all’.

‘The kids really enjoyed teaching us. They excelled in their trades. I found my teacher very helpful'. ‘Straight away I was given a crash course by the children in my trade. It’s amazing how helpful they are and how they aren’t a bit shy about letting me know where I went wrong…and I went wrong a lot’. ‘I have been working with the teacher correcting me every two seconds. She seemed to understand my inability to do it right. Instead of doing it for me she showed me how to correct problems and avoid mistakes. Eventually I got the hang of my trade and I was able to end the time with a finished product’. ‘The trades gave them the chance to teach us of their culture which they took very seriously. I was amazed at the skill required to carry out those skills’. ‘Doing the trades was hard work especially on the first Monday. I was working out in the pouring rain but it was definitely worth it. It was brilliant to see the kids putting all their focus and concentration into something’. ‘When I started my trade on the first morning I was hopeless. I couldn’t get anything right. I had the proper teacher who was very nice and very patient….Going in the second morning I wasn’t looking forward to it one bit. But I got it that day and since then I have got better and faster and more confident’. ‘The children take a lot of pride in their trades and it shows how unskilled we are. You don’t need technology all the time’.

HOMES Starting in the middle of the first week we walked home with the kids after school to visit their homes. The children come from many different directions and it took the two weeks to cover all the houses. None of the children wanted to be left out. Some of the houses were so far away that it was dark by the time we were finished and taxis had to taken to return to St Edmunds.
‘Each evening we walked the kids home from school to visit their homes. We were all divided up into groups and we walked to a different district each evening’. ‘Before we reached the homes, I noticed that the kids had a very difficult walk to school every morning. I wondered how they still had the energy for school and also to walk home in the evening’. ‘When we got to the kids houses, in most cases over an hour away, they welcomed us in with happiness and pride that you would not see at home in a million years’. ‘The kids were enthusiastic and pulled us along by the hand. They spoke a lot to us and it helped ease our nerves’. ‘It was only when we went to the childrens’ houses that we got a real appreciation of how motivated the kids are to go to school’. ‘Even though the houses were small, they were so neat and tidy. You could see that they were extremely proud of their homes’. ‘I couldn’t understand how these kids could be happy all of the time after seeing their homes. Most of them consisted of one room (maybe two) with paper or wood to keep out the rain’. ‘These are their homes not just houses. They were so proud to invite us in and to show us around. One kid that I knew doesn’t even have parents and she was always happy’. ‘There could be as many as 6 or 7 living in one of these houses. The kids were very proud of their homes. I don’t know where the family found room to do everything. I admired the children for how they happily lived their lives with so little’. ‘They had 1 or 2 beds to sleep 7 or 8. It’s amazing to think how they cope. Many of the homes were far away up and down hill s on busy dangerous streets’.

‘I found the Brothers very interesting to talk to. I admire Br Steve greatly for all he has done for Providence’. ‘It was fascinating talking to Br Peter about the stars. He also talked about his life before he became a Brother’. ‘Br Peter ….. One clear night we went to the roof of the Scholasticate and he was able to point out all the constellations’. ‘I admire the Brothers for teaching and adopting the Edmund Rice values’. ‘Br Steve is …... he was so welcoming; he never stopped having the craic. During the two weeks I got to know him and enjoyed talking to him’. ‘Br Peter …. I loved talking to him about the stars and space. He was really interesting and I enjoyed listening to him’. ‘Br Steve is such a kind and caring person and charismatic. He always has the nice encouraging word to say. And Br Peter is so interesting to talk to. He knows almost everything about astronomy and on a few occasions he took us out to look at different constellations’. ‘By appearances, Br Steve looks just normal. He’s really funny and just an overall lovely man. He loves those kids as if they were his own and I can see how they all love him. In the morning he cracks jokes at assembly with the younger kids and they love it. He’s a real special person and I feel honoured to have met him and spent time with him’. ‘I really enjoyed staying with the Brothers. They made us feel really welcome and at home. We were very sad to leave the place. At dinner there was a really big family feeling around’.

FAREWELL CELEBRATION On the final Friday we had all the 6 classes as usual but finished a little early as the children had some concert items. We knew it was going a special day, but what happened surpassed our expectations.
‘The last day was the hardest of the two weeks. It started with teaching; we had no vocational work. I was disappointed with that but it wouldn’t have been fair if some of the kids had classes that day and some didn’t’. ‘I got the childrens’ autographs and I’ll cherish these even more than I would that of Ronan O Gara or Ronaldo. That’s how special I think these kids are’. ‘Then the kids came up and gave us all gifts and cards. For a while we were all struggling with our emotions. It built up to a point where we just had to let it ou’t. ‘I felt great pride in myself when I was presented with a certificate and gift from the school. This was personally a very emotional moment for me’. ‘We didn’t expect much – just a few songs and then a long goodbye. But it was so different to what I expected. We walked in as a team and all the kids clapped and cheered as if we had done something amazing. I felt that they really looked up to us and that we had done something special’. ‘Each child presented us with presents and cards that they had made themselves. It was really a very emotional few minutes. Most of the children were crying. At first I held back the tears but then I just let it all flow out and exposed myself to the moment’. ‘It had just hit me at that moment what we were doing and what Providence was all about - giving these kids a chance. Seeing their faces showed that behind every smile was a hard and tough life’. ‘They all gave us cards and notes and other beautiful presents. Some of them I will treasure for the rest of my life. During the party we went around to all the classrooms to give our students photos that had been taken during the week. I went into one classroom and every child was crying. No one was talking. I couldn’t but feel for those children’. ‘Seeing the kids at that moment made me cry with happiness. I was overjoyed that I had got this chance to be able to help and look after and make friend with these kids’. ‘Seeing them crying made me realise how big an impact I had made on them. It was hard not to be emotional’.

IMPACT All the various aspects of the project had a deep impact… an impact that went deep beneath the surface. It opens up the reality of the Third World and the possibility of being involved. The group had immersed themselves into the situation, into the vocational, the teaching, the preparation and the reflecting in accordance with the Motto of 2008 “ Don’t tire of giving; don’t give just of your leftovers”
‘I thought that the project was a great experience. I opened my eyes to the hardship people of my own age and younger have to face every day. I learned a lot about myself during my time teaching the kids. My experience on the trip has made me look at things differently now. It was an eye-opening experience and one I will never forget’. ‘The joy we brought to those kids for those two weeks I will never forget…every one of them special in their own way’. ‘This experience was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am supremely happy that I went and I would not trade it for anything’. ‘Overall my journey was some experience. I will never forget it; it was unreal. Every emotion I could have felt, I felt. I have seen a new world and it was absolutely amazing’. ‘During my journey I have met a new person – that person was me. I have learned so much about myself…and mostly good. Every minute spent working and every inch travelled was worth it. This project has changed me in so many ways and I am just so grateful. I am just so lucky to have had this chance. When I got home from the project, I stepped back and had a look at what I had just done and achieved. I didn’t do much but I am so proud of everything I did in Providence and in Shillong. So if I am able to take one thing from my journey and the project it would be that I realised that giving money and possessions isn’t that much, but the best and most valuable thing you can give is time, love and your heart’. ‘I would recommend this project to anyone. I believe it can change a person’s outlook on the world completely. I was delighted that I was given the opportunity to travel to India. I also hope to return to Providence in the not too distant future’. ‘I am certain I will never do anything like this again. But I hope I will do things that will come close to it’. ‘One can prepare for the physical part of going to India. But there is no way to prepare for the emotions you will feel when you see and experience India and the people’. ‘I feel I am a different person now…. more at one with myself, more loving and kind. Those children have had such a huge impact on me. It’s been the best experience of my life, one I will never forget. I’m still emotional after 2 weeks but Providence will always and forever have a special place in my heart. I have made some unbelievable friends, ones I will never forget. Some of the best days of my life have been in the last few weeks. I am really thankful for the opportunity. All the lads in school (back in the Abbey) don’t see the big deal. They don’t know even half of it. I feel honoured to have had the chance to met some of the greatest people I’ll ever meet…. ‘God’s Favourite Children’ as Br Steve calls them’. ‘This trip has affected me more than I ever thought it could have. I had no idea what to expect going out. Every moment was amazing. I made so many friends all of whom I will keep in contact with. I am going to send out so many letters. I would love to go back there again. I feel privileged that I was given the chance to go because it is the experience of a lifetime.’

Did the Abbey students have an impact on the children in Providence?

Br Steve addressed a letter to the students before they left in which he noted the strong bonds that were established over the period.

“ And so are you special

I can say so; I saw the dormant goodness being awoken during the past two weeks like a blinding flash – beautiful, brilliant and powerful and now burning in so many kids hearts forever.

I do not know if you will ever return – it doesn’t matter, though.

Because for one brief moment in time you gave what we all need most – your hearts. That was enough.

In the years that span your lifetimes much will happen. But you and the kids will meet again – in Heaven. You have earned the right.”

MOTHERHOUSE

ORPHANAGE

KHALIGHAT

GAUHATTI AIRPORT

FIRST MORNING IN PROVIDENCE

TEACHING

HOMES

THE BROTHERS

FAREWELL CELEBRATION

REFLECTION

LEAVING

IMPACT