Welcoming Brothers and Sisters in Need

Fr. Tim Greenway’s Mission

50 years in India

Welcome,

I believe in Jesus as the Light of the world, as the Way, the truth and the life.

Jesus told us to be compassionate as our heavenly Father is compassionate and he gave us the new commandment to love one another as he has loved us.

Furthermore, he said, whatever you do even to the least of men and women you do to me.

In a small way, I try to bring love into the lives of those unloved, abandoned, old and destitute. I try to reach out to everyone who is looking for the peace, that only the Lord Jesus gives.

In this blog, I share my mission. Whoever you are, you can share in it too.

The mission of Jesus :I have come that men and women may have life and live it to the full. 
Let it be our mission too.

Fr. Tim.

Jeeva Jala Nilayam              Springs of Living Water 

I live in a simple ashram in Vikarabad in Telengana State, South India.

One of the goals of my life is to reach out to underprivileged youths and help them grow, to help them get a good and useful education and to instil in them the values of justice, love and peace. More about this later.

Here I am with a group of youngsters outside the gate of our ashram home

We call it Jeeva Jala Nilayam, which in English means: Springs of Living Water.

Once inside it looks like this.            

I built this many years ago as a hostel for poor village children. They received free board and lodging and went out to school. However, times have changed: People need an English education in the modern world. I moved the hostel to Pargi, 20 km away, to our English medium school.

And  inside  Springs of Living Water also  looks like this .

In Springs of Living Water (Jeeva Jala Nilayam) we welcome everyone who needs us. 

We have with us : the old, the crippled, the abandoned, women and children, people with HIV, and sick people.

They belong to all religions and castes. 

 Emmanuel is old and crippled. He comes from Mahaharasta. 

we are now his family.

Sister is here seen treating him

Old people from villages who have no one and like to stay with us. 

Ananthamma lost her husband many years ago and has no children. 

She came and stayed with us.

Saidamma has been with us from the beginning.

she is well into her eighties.

Narasimha is a frequent guest in Springs of Living Water.

 He has weakness in his legs which cannot be cured. 

However, he faces the challenge. 

We are here for him.

Here, we can see some of our residents.

 At Christmas time local people like to come and give presents to our residents. Here, we  can see a couple giving a blanket to Buchamma. It is cold here at night in December  and they gave new blankets to everyone here.

This is Narsimlu. Brought to us in a very anaemic state, he managed to recover and at Christmas with the crib in the background this lady gave him too a blanket. He is no longer with us and has gone back home.   

At other times too, others give presents. Here, we see Sireesha. She used to be with us but now has a job with a reasonably good salary. As a sign of her gratitude and joy she came and gave presents and a good meal to everyone in Springs of Living Water (Jeeva Jala Nilayam)

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This little girl was born in Springs of Living Water – not exactly, but in the local hospital. Her mother is a single parent and unmarried. The people of the village sent her away. She went away, with nowhere to go.

Fortunately, that evening our team visited the village and heard what had happened. They went in search of the young woman. At about ten thirty at night they found her in an ally way. They brought her to Springs of Living Water (JJN) and she stayed with us for about a year.

Meanwhile she had her child and in the course of time she was taken back home and is now living there peacefully.

The child is four years old and due to go to school next year.

We will try and give her the best education she can get here.

Anji was born with HIV and his parents died when he was very small. He has been with us since he was a very small boy.

He has a sister who is married with two children. He goes to see her and she comes here on occasion. She too grew up with us.

Our latest guest is Pandu. Someone who came to church one Sunday told us about him. He had lost the use of his arms and legs, he said. One of the ladies who came to church and heard this volunteered to go and find him. We then brought him here. We showed him to our doctor and had the CT scan done. It seems he can recover with medicines. We pray over him and  are doing our best to get him walking again.

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These are some of the ways we try to be at the loving service of our brothers and sisters, whoever they are and whatever their condition We will never say "no" to any genuine person who knocks at our door.

Jesus, our inspiration and guide. 

JEEVA JALA NILAYAM, (SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER), IS A PLACE OF PRAYER AND PEACE. HERE WE TRY TO LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS.

IT IS OUR WITNESS TO THE GOD WHO LOVES AND CARES, through us.

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This blog post is for March 2017. "Welcoming brothers and sisters in need",

The blog post for next month, April 2017, "Reaching out to young children in need".

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If you would like to know more or would like to share in our work, please contact me at  ftgreenway@gmail.com  

Our work is only through the support of our well-wishers. We have no other income.

YOUR DONATION IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

DONATIONS:
INDIA: M/S Jeeva Jala Nilayam of The St. Joseph's Society, 
A/c number 173511100002449, IFSC CODE ANDB0001735

OTHER COUNTRIES: FT GREENWAY, BARCLAYS U.K. 
SORT CODE 20-82-14,
a/c 80431761,

Look out for next month's post,

Yours in the God who loves each of us,

Fr. Tim Greenway.