The 12 children we registered on 09 January 2014 to Saint George school all got accepted and are now attending classes. The sister at the Gandhi Center is helping them with school uniforms. Stephanie, one of the many volunteers in Kolkata and a wonderful and kind person, has donated 10000 Rupees to help pay for their uniforms and books.

It is with grace that all 12 children got accepted. We were expecting a few, but not all. Why all 12 children got accepted we do not know. Nor do we know why we registered 12 children, instead of 3 like we originally planned. However, what we do know is that whenever there seems to be an obstacle, a new path appears and our work continues.

Don Bosco is a great place to send the children for the chances/odds of success, but there is limited space and emotionally difficult at times for the children being in boarding school. Many of the private boarding schools we looked at as an alternative to Don Bosco were expensive, costing more than Don Bosco and some were not very nice. Saint George (the day school) is a wonderful school and is very affordable. However, it is also limited in the number of available spaces for new students and we have so many children we hope to provide with education.

When I left Kolkata in middle of January, I felt a bit lost at what to do since I have no idea where more funding will come from next. Then when I visited Cassie, who I met briefly in Kolkata eight months ago, in Bangkok since my flight layover there, she began asking all kinds of questions about the foundation and work and before I knew it, she had generously and kindly gave her time and energy and got a website up and running. Since then, three new sponsors contacted and so now there is funding to help three more children.

Tomorrow I leave for Kolkata and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who have helped in one form or another. I was able to pack all the donated clothes and school supplies so that will be a great gift for those we are trying to help. To date, we were able to raise $3646.28 thanks to all those who helped with their generosity. We will be able to sponsor at least two children with that amount for the next five years so that is wonderful. I am hoping to perhaps sponsor up to seven or eight children on this trip with God’s blessing and help. And, of course, I will keep everyone updated as to how life is for these children and families living in Kolkata.

Again, thank you with all my heart felt gratitude.

I am planning my second trip to Kolkata, India in March and this time I am seeking anyone’s help. I made my first trip to Kolkata from August to December of last year, 2012 and I was quite taken by the place. During my visit there, I saw the conditions of how people on the streets live and how difficult life can be for them at times, especially for the children. While I was there, I learned how hopeless it is for street children to receive an education and almost zero chance of making a life other than the life of sorting trash and begging and prostitution.

My hope is somehow, I can provide education for these children. I have started a campaign to sponsor these children through the Ghandi Center in Kolkata. So far we have helped five children to attend boarding school in Don Bosco Ashalayam so that means they are no longer living on the streets. I am going back in March to continue my work and provide some kind of academic to the children still at the Ghandi Center. Hopefully, I can take a few more children and place them into boarding school.

I don’t how I will be able to help all these children except trying to help one child at a time. And if I can only help one more child, it will be at least one less child living in the slum. I don’t know how to raise money or ask for help and for some of you who know me, you know how stubborn and quiet I can be when it comes to asking for help. But this time it is much more than I can handle on my own and it is something I can’t walk away.

When I go back in March, I am hoping to bring with me as many supplies as I can bring to help these children and also their families. What I am looking to bring are school supplies and used clothes for the children and of course any money I can raise to enroll them into boarding school. Since they are living on the streets, new clothes make no sense to give them.

If you would like to help me in this endeavor, there are many ways you can help and all you have to do is contact me. If grass-root is a term used to describe projects starting from the ground up, well this project is one single seed. I don’t have a website, business cards or any of the things I would need to even call this a foundation; except for a name, Faith-Hope-Love, and a desire. You can help me by doing any of the things I don’t know how to do well from web designing to fundraising. All I know is that for me to help these kids, it costs me 1500 rupees (~$28) a month per kid and that is something I can afford to give…one child. I would love to be able to do more, but for now I do what I can (I have five and counting) and pray for providence.

I thank you for whatever help and support you can provide.