Going home finally, though in stretchers!

DEVAN SENAN can finally go home, though in stretchers. His body paralyzed, following a tragic accident more than a year and a half ago and was stranded here helplessly with his wife and 7 year old Adithyan struggling to survive, but for a handful of friends who continued to support them.Help has finally arrived, they are going home and we are glad to be part of it.

We came to know about this just yesterday, thanks to the representative of Jeevan TV who contacted us. One of the humanitarian organizations has been raising funds to provide air tickets for the family and we are glad to be able to contribute partly towards this. I thank all my friends who supported us. Finally Devan and his family are flying home on Thursday night.

Today I was really bowled over by the humility of the Ambassador of India, H.E. Anil Wadhwa, who consented to attend this very low key event in a small hotel attended by a handful of commoners. As he said, this was a small event, but meant a lot to him. Not only to him, the event meant a lot to all those who were present there. I have been among those who raised eye brows at his omnipresence-at events small or big. But today he was simply great and everyone could see that he felt for the family and meant what he said.

Devan may never be able to walk again or recover from his paralysis...but atleast he is going to be home!

Some things are beyond our control..such accidents can occur anytime to anyone...I hope his family gets the strength to carry on the struggle to survive!

If we STARVE

“IF WE STARVE it’s no problem because nobody would know then..just us..but if we have to sleep on pavements for many nights, then people look at us (as if we are beggars). And that was something which I couldn't stand” .Mohamed

I could see my wife’s eyes filling with tears as we listened to Mohamed (while Jith who was lucky to leave soon remained silent) on our drive to the travel agency.

Thursday we met with Mohamed and Jith (not real names) as we were informed by some volunteers that Jith (who recently met with an accident and had 10 stitches on his hand) wanted financial assistance with air ticket. And that’s when we came to know about their touching story.

From a coastal town hundreds of miles away from Muscat, both men came to Muscat many weeks ago, to avail the amnesty scheme. But it was tough days for them ahead. Having no luck with their "Outpass," they have been sleeping on the floor just outside the mosque in Ruwi..All they had was the dress that they were wearing on and a plastic carry bag which contained whatever documents were left with them.

They chose to suffer the hard life in Muscat, without a place to sleep, without much to eat, as they did not want to go back to the fishing town for fear that they might unavailable if they were out in the sea with no mobile signals when the embassy called again....and they didn’t want to lose their chance (amnesty) to fly home!

While we paid for jith’s ticket (Well, Jith called me this morning from India, as a happy man, and thanked a thousand times and I could feel the joy in his words – he was so different..2 days ago, he didn’t utter a word all during our meeting..nor was he excited ..there was no emotions on his face, but numbness), Mohamed said, as if consoling himself, that he had bought his ticket as soon as he arrived in Muscat, so he does not have to worry about that..all he was disturbed was that he did not have a place to sleep..and he is still waiting endlessly for his “Outpass”.

Wasn’t there a better way for these two brothers? Is this how the sons of cash-rich India should live in a foreign country dominated by their own countrymen? Is this what we, as the largest community here, should stand witness to?

Mohamed is still here, like many others, in the premises of the mosque, sleeping on the floor, in the open, like a beggar…

is someone listening?