The sight of the flowers in our garden is not impressive now as they bear a battered look at the end of a week long intermittent heavy rains. The flowers appear diminished of their colour, fragrance and aesthetic look.
I avoided looking at those flowers, who had a battered look. But it was some movement around the flowers, which took me back to them, during my walk in the garden.
I noticed an ant crawling over a rose flower. It stayed receiving the nectar. A butterfly was around the butter cups, which had a bleached look following the rain. I noticed the butterfly receiving the nectar and sucking the water drops from the petal.
These are sights which actually challenge one's beliefs and notions. The flowers get damaged in the rain, and even in that state, they become providers for ants, bees and butterflies!
Does one have to be well to give!
I remember a moving instance that Anna and I often recall to relive our history in the early years of ASHIRVAD, a Child Development Initiative started in 1983 to support developmentally challenged children. Rev Eva Marie Koch, Ms Christiane Osburg, and Giesela Jahner, a presbyter and two school teachers happened to hear about the initiative and became ardent supporters.
I happened to visit them on one occasion, when Ms Christiane Osburg was unwell. There was suspicion of cancer and she was waiting for further tests. Christiane and Giesela invited me for a cruise during which travel, Christiane shared her life experiences of pleasures and pain. I recall that as a sacred experience of someone trusting me with the journey truths of her life through confession and celebration. That cruise became an encounter experience in God's presence.
A few months later she deteriorated and moved on. She had bequeathed part of her assets to ASHIRVAD, which we used to convert the terrace of the Hall of Residence for a play area for children, attached to the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. This facility of Child development Centre was an activity started on the invitation of CMC Vellore through a partnership MOU with ASHIRVAD. Ms Gisela Jahner was present on the dedication of that terrace in 2021.
Christiane and Giesela became friends from whom, we received immensely in those early years of ASHIRVAD, when the development of a Child Development Centre was a difficult concept for many to comprehend. What amazes us, is that, that association with them which started in 1984, continues even today with Gisela with her friends, who make hand crafted decorations for sale during Christmas and Eater week ends, the proceeds of which comes as gift, from which ASHIRVAD supports children hailing from disadvantaged background. Anna and I had opportunities
Anna and I recall this, because both Christiane and Giesela were giving people, even though they endured difficult times in their voyage in life. Their gift of love nourished us. They cared and inspired us. When ASHIRVAD completed its 40th year of service in 2023, we brought out three books, Bird Movements-our inner responses, Buds to Blossom, and Accompany Your child. The latter two were handbooks for developmental monitoring of children from birth to pre-school years, which parents can use.
Two dear friends gave freely and graciously. ASHIRVAD was enabled to express its philosophy of caring and sharing in a small way. Their gifts of love multiplied to develop services for developmentally challenged children at Chennai, Nagpur, Vellore, Pondicherry and Kolenchery.
To give is to live fully and meaningfully !
M.C.Mathew( text and photo)
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