Dear Friends

One thing that always intrigues me is how apparently our now 1015 children left wholly into our care, settle down and accept the total change in their lives. I sometimes look at them - individually - and know that they are content, secure, happy. And yet I cannot help but wonder. What is going on in their psyche, in their child's deepest minds? Recently we admitted in one morning three little ones, two girls, one boy, from distant towns. All were HIV positive, one was quite ill, one also had TB - a four year old who looked two years old. All had lost both parents; and their grandparents were extremely poor and could not cope with HIV+ children. Off these relatives went ort a six hour bus journey back home. What was going round in the minds of these little ones, all younger than six? And yet within 24 hours all were seemingly settled and content. This no doubt due to the admirable caring of their new "mothers", and their acceptance, welcome, by the other children in their new families. But just how do small children so rapidly adjust to drastically new circumstances which are going to be permanent? With us, of course, they are always loved as individuals. They are never lost in the crowd whether in the Children's Villages or in our schools. But even so, there is such a great need for caring, for constant attention to their needs, physical or psychological, for smiles and warmth and genuine affection. This is their greatest hunger.

Almost at the same time we took responsibility for a baby girl, six days old, unwanted and rejected because she was a girl. We have called her Surya, which means "Sun", because she was born on Sunday. I looked at this beautiful baby in the arms of one of our "mothers", bemused at its tinyness, vulnerability, rejection so early in life, and its future.

About the same time one of our little boys, 3, was given for fostering to a fine couple, upper middle class, unable to have children of their own. They had visited several times, so anxious to have a child in their lives to care for. This little boy has no history except that after birth he was abandoned in the huge Government hospital in Madurai. We only know the date of his birth. So,

Rajan now has his own new mother and father. For us this is the best solution for orphaned and abandoned children younger than five.

Despite the fact that our four Children's Villages are, according to our standards of seven children in a family, practically full up we have to admit such children. And this is a constant phenomenon. Where else would such children go? Who else will welcome HIV+ children and new-born babies? With us each new arrival is considered to be yet another Jesus coming to us asking us to take care of Him.

Cordially yours, Brother James - President, RTU

In December, we introduced Mr Gomathymurugan, who is Director of RTU. Here he gives some news of very recent developments:

The children in our Children's Villages graduate to our Hostels once they are capable of caring for themselves (around 13+). This gives a better atmosphere for them to live with their peer groups and it is convenient for us to focus on their age-related needs. Above 15 years they currently go away to study at different residential schools. We plan to upgrade our High School this year from 1O~" to it standard (for our girls) where they will gain 2 more years' maturity.

We plan to accommodate all fifty 11th standard girls in a new girls' hostel: our existing 2 girls' hostels are overcrowded. After detailed deliberation we did 'Boomi Pooja' (blessing of the land) in January at our Sirumalar Children's Village campus for a new 'Josephine Girls Hostel'. This includes two living rooms and a separate dining room, quarters for a warden, toilets and bathrooms. This hostel will bear the name of our long time well-wisher Josephine Cassidy. She loves to spend time with these girls. The construction is going on quickly. By June this hostel will be occupied by our girls, and they will continue their education in our St. Peter's Higher Secondary School.

With warm regards, Gomathymurugan - Director, RTU

Many of you will remember that two trustees of RTU-UK, David and Jo Cassidy, are long-time friends of Brother James, & have told us before of their experiences & impressions of RTU in India. In January they made a personal visit, and have provided some reflections for the Newsletter.

We came out of the airport at Chennai, having spent what seemed like ages getting through immigration, to be greeted by a milling crowd of people, all waving placards with various names on, and a cacophony of noise from car horns, motor cycle hooters, and people shouting, and all this at 2 in the morning! We were back in India! Later that same day we flew down to Madurai to be met by Brother James with the jeep and from there we were transported to RTU, to be greeted by an excited crowd of mothers and children who escorted us to our accommodation in Anbu Illam (the first of the children's villages) which would be our home for the next 2 weeks.

This was our first visit to the new Children's Village of Sirumalar, which is specifically for those children who have been affected by AIDS - either they are orphans because both parents have died or they are HIV+ themselves. There are now 67 HIV+ children and 340 AIDS orphans. In the two weeks after our return home another 3 HIV+ children have been admitted, and so it goes on - a terrible legacy for these little ones. On a brighter note, we were privileged to be able to hear mass there on Saturday night, said by Father Antony Paulsamy, a Franciscan priest, and an old boy of Brother James from his days at Boys' Town. In fact as Father Antony is resident at Anbu Illam for the time being, he says mass every morning at 6am in the beautiful new chapel in Sirumalar, and during the day helps out by teaching English in one of the RTU schools.

On the first Tuesday of our visit we were privileged to be invited to a reception at St Joseph's Boys' Village for the De La Salle Superiors from South East Asia, who were in India to discuss the future of the Brothers in those countries. We were able to renew our acquaintance with Brother Mark Murphy and also met other Brothers who we knew by name but had not previously met.

We visited Jeevan Jyothi Hospice, not far from RTU's home base, which is run by the Presentation Sisters, for HIV+ adults and children, and where 7 of the most poorly of the HIV+ children from Sirumalar are being looked after at the moment. The sisters' devotion and care for these most desperately ill people shines through all they do, and it was a privilege to be able to visit them again.

On 26th January we were guests at the Republic Day celebration where, together with Brother James and his Director, Mr Gomathymurugan (who introduced himself to you in the December Newsletter) we took the salute from the children as they marched past, and after that the children from all the RTU schools put on a scintillating display of cultural dances and exercises. That weekend we went to the furthest Children's Village at Bodi (some 30km from the RTU base), and then on to the nearby Nirmala Primary School where, after being noisily greeted by a team of drummers from Michael's Boys' Hostel we were invited to view all the classrooms and be entertained by the children.

The following week we were able to see the newly extended St Peter's High School. Our visit coincided with examination time so we couldn't talk to the pupils. Some were in the classrooms - one to every other desk - while others were spaced out and overseen in the corridors. The light and airy two storey building has 10 classrooms and shares a meeting hall and playground with the Middle School area. 10 paces from the school two brand new laboratories have been built and very well equipped so that the High School is recognised by the education authority. The plan is to cater for girls over 16 beginning in June 2007. The school is well staffed by professional teachers of a high standard. It was a joy to visit.

One of the highlights of our stay was a visit to a Dalit village about 10 miles from RTU, where they are replacing poor village houses. We thought we were just going to see the new houses but on our arrival we were greeted by all the village people including the children, who had been given a day off school especially for the occasion. Dalits used to be called 'Untouchables' or 'outcastes', are at the lowest level in Indian society, and are always to be found pushed outside to the outskirts of a village or totally separated. In spite of their poverty they gave us a wonderful welcome and put on a cultural show of song and dance for us, which lasted all of an hour.

Wherever we were during our visit, witnessing the work in the villages, and the outreach, and throughout the whole of RTU, we were very conscious that so much of this would never have happened without the caring, the love and generosity of all you who will read this. The work would be unable to flourish as it does today without your continued support. You are truly a living part of RTU in India, for which our profound thanks.

ln spite of this being our seventh visit to RTU and staying at Anbu Illam - 'Place of peace and love' - we are still always conscious of how Brother hates to say goodbye. As we drove away, I looked through the rear window knowing that I would see the departing figure of Brother who immediately turns away to renew himself in the job which lies ahead. Our thanks, thoughts and prayers are with him and all those who work for the poor at RTU.

David and Jo Cassidy - Trustees, RTU (UK).

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