Planting the seeds of hope

 

After Ajai’s father passed away in a tragic accident 13 years ago, his mother Sudha struggled to make ends meet. “I was helpless at that time, and did not have the helping hands of relatives,” says Sudha.

In 2015, Ajai was accepted in to the Chalice sponsorship program through our STAR site in India. Thanks to God’s grace, he was chosen by a sponsor shortly after. “Sponsorship eased my burden and allowed my children to be educated to a greater extent,” Sudha explains. Ajai’s now a thriving grade 11 student, and his brother has continued his education in college.

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The Epiphany: the Greatness of Jesus Revealed in his Smallness

“We travel all the way from the East, are you sure this is the place where the King of the Jews is born?”

“I am not 100% sure. We were told to follow the star. And the star stops here.”

“A messy manger? To pay homage to a child born in a messy manger?”

“Well, since we are here, might as well go in to have a look.”

“What Child is this who laid to rest on Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping? So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, come peasant, King to own Him. The King of Kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him. This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and Angels sing. Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.” (What Child is This lyrics)

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Kutia – God’s Dish

Ukrainian Christmas Kutia

Kutia is the main dish on Ukrainians’ Christmas table. It has a special significance and Holy Dinner begins with it. Kutia is also called God’s dish. It is cooked of decorticated wheat grains, poppy seeds, honey, walnuts and raisins. This dish is a symbol of unity of generations: past ones and coming ones. Also, it is a symbol of life victory over death. Wheat grains are life which comes to the end and revives.

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Hilda at Amanacer Site Tells Her Own Story

Hilda lives at the Mother of God girls’ home and attends the St Vincent de Paul School, part of Chalice’s Amanacer Site in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Hilda is not sponsored by Chalice, but the school and home receive support from our programs. She wrote her story, in Spanish, and wanted to give it to me when I visited her school. She gave me permission to share it with Canadians at home. A little punctuation has been added to the translation for clarity, but otherwise remains intact.

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“Give A Man a Fish…”

Power for a sewing machine: 220 volts. Power for a chainsaw: 58 volts. Power for an oven: 240 volts. Power for a man or woman to earn a consistent, competitive daily wage: stronger than the sun!

Unemployment among parents is a consistent issue across all of Chalice’s sites. Finding daily wage work (such as agricultural labour) is challenging and often seasonal, and permanent positions a pipe dream to many. Naturally, many people become entrepreneurs, making use of their skills and available resources to start a small business – be it a handicraft, or a service, or an agricultural endeavour.

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Talk About Street Art!

On my first day in Kumbakonam, the town where Chalice’s Tamil Site is based, my colleagues and I took an evening stroll through a residential neighborhood. I kept seeing chalk designs on the ground in front of the house’s doorway. Some simple, some more elaborate.

 

My colleague explained to me that this practice is called rangoli, or sometimes kolam. Residents, often women and girls, will draw fresh ones in the mornings and evenings in front of their homes. At times, such as on special occasions or during festivals, the designs will have specific means or honour specific deities. Sometimes they are just decorative and an opportunity to get creative.

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