17.03.2012

The distance between Poland and India (around 6,5 thousands km) may be covered in different ways. There is a spiritual contact established through prayers between children in Jeevodaya and their Polish benefactors. This contact does not fear any distance. Sometimes this distance is covered by a letter sent by the Benefactors through the agency of the Secretariat or the answer of a child translated and transmitted via the same way. The workers of the Secretariat remain in constant touch with those responsible for the Centre. Despite difficulties with the Internet and seasonal breaks in its operation, digital communication has changed the quality of this contact. However, nothing will substitute a meeting and a personal contact.
One such opportunity was the visit of father Rahul in Poland, the director of Jeevodaya and Joseph, a person brought up in the Center, presently our school worker. Father Rahul took part in the deliberations of the representatives of Pallotine communities as the representative from Indian provinces. The priests were debating in Gdańsk. Adam and Manoj accompanied the guests into the region where they could see the cold Polish sea. The visit in the house of our friends in Koszalin was linked with the participation in the Sunday Mass in the local parish. We spent the next days in Jasna Góra, at the Queen of Poland; from there we went to the concentration camp Auschwitz and to Wieliczka, the famous salt mine. In Warsaw, we visited the museum of Kopernik and several sites related to the projects prepared by the newly created foundation of Helena Pyz (a public library, urban playgrounds). The days were passing quickly; a meeting with former and future volunteers, talks about future plans and what we can still do for Jeevodaya were intertwined with other events.
I have been in Jeevodaya for 4 days now. I am using my valid visa in order to establish many businesses, but first of all for the unique experience of personal meetings and the community. Today, after the evening rosary, the children had beautifully recited the Litany of Loreto. As usual, one of the girls brought me the book with the text. Keeping trace of the separate verses thanks to the acquaintance with the Polish text, I could understand how Mary is called, by what names. The last calls were added. Dr Helena discreetly reminded me: the Queen of families. She did not have to translate for me the next two calls: Polen ki Maharani and Jeevodaya ki Maharani (Queen of Poland and Queen of Jeevodaya). Once again, I could feel that the distance and all barriers separating us are of no importance. (AS)

15.02.2012

First we had to move the water mains and the electric wires that were going through the middle of the Centre. Then we had to cut off many trees (there will be a considerable reserve for the kitchen range), dig off the roots and pit for the pillars. It is only now that I start to believe that the construction has begun. Yesterday, father Rahul blessed the ground under construction and announced that the blessing of the ready shed would take place on April, 10 – a small gift for me. The really needed investment will fulfill the role of a dining room for all children: the shelter will protect against the rain, scorching sun of all those consuming meals. The concrete surface is good for clearing food remains. There will also be access to water for washing hands and dishes, light for evening time and fans for greater heat. The proximity of the kitchen is also of great importance – at present the heavy pots are carried and driven for quite a distance. Additionally, it may
serve as a place for audience, where there will be performances organized on the beautiful verandah in the girls’ dormitory, opposite the shed. Obviously, coordinating all activities is an important issue, but not an easy one; today I still haven’t seen no-one on the building site. I assume that the contractor did not expect that we would clean the site so quickly and that the excavator would make proper pits. (HP)

16.01.2012

On January 29, 2012, on the last Sunday of the month, we will be celebrating the 59 World Leprosy Day. On that occasion, the Mission Secretariat of Jeevodaya invites you to the Warsaw-Prague cathedral of Saint Florian, where at 12.30 bishop Marek Solarczyk will celebrate the Holy Mass for people affected with leprosy and those who help them. The Holy Mass will be transmitted by Radio Warsaw FM106,2; you can also connect on-line.
After the Holy Mass, we kindly invite you to the first-night screening of the "Jeevodaya – searching of hope" movie made by Elżbieta Dziuk, Krzysztof Renik and Michał Zielony. After the screening, there will be a possibility to talk with the authors and people working for Jeevodaya, where the film was shot, as well as to drink Indian tea (masala tchai) together with the Helpers and Friends of Jeevodaya. The day before, on January 28, we invite all volunteers and people interested in cooperating with us for a working meeting. (AS)

10.01.2012

Dear Helpers and Friends of Jeevodaya!
We are happy to inform you that on December 14, 2011 the Helena Pyz Foundation – Dawn of Life was registered in the National Court Register. The Founders and the first Board of the Foundation are: Helena Pyz, Anna Rastawicka and Anna Sułkowska. The Board had designated as its first Board of Management the following people: Agata Napiórkowska, Krystyna Chorąży, Magdalena Stawarska, Agnieszka Krześniak and Manoj Bastia.

In conformity with the Statute, the aims of the Foundations are:
- protection and promotion of health;
- medical, financial and material help to people affected with leprosy;
- popularization of the idea of work for people affected with leprosy all over the world;
- propagation of information on social and medical aspects of leprosy;
- actions for disabled people;
- supporting medical development in disseminating knowledge on tropical diseases and bringing
edical help;
- charity work;
- promotion and organization of volunteer work;
- propagation of knowledge on the culture of India;
- propagation of knowledge on missionary work;
- education and upbringing;
- actions supporting the development of democracy;
- action for equal rights of women and men;
- promoting physical culture and sport;
- short-term support of humanitarian institutions and projects, especially in the eyes of disasters, cataclysms, armed conflicts and natural disasters.

So far we have awarded Doctor Wanda Błeńska with the newly established award Ray – for the long-standing and dedicated service to the lepers in Uganda and other countries, being a ray of good and hope for the poorest of the poor. For supporting Polish missionaries and sharing one’s own experience. For radiating with delight and kindliness to each person. We have also organized cooking workshops of Indian cuisine “Not only curry” and a charity collection of packages for children of the
Jeevodaya Centre and the Lvov Family of Families.
You may found some basic information about the Foundation in the database of the webportal of non-governmental organizations: www.bazy.ngo.pl. At the turn of March and April 2012, we foresee to start up the website www.switzycia.pl, where we will put announcements of our actions in Poland and projects in India. The solemn inauguration of the Foundation actions is planned for May 2012.
If you want to share some new ideas with us, we kindly invite you to do so. Please, write to the address: switzycia@gmail.com. You can find us also on Facebook.
The team of the Missionary Secretariat of Jeevodaya and the Helena Pyz Foundation

8.01.2012

In November and December 2011 the Helena Pyz Foundation – Dawn of Life, in cooperation with the Mission Secretariat of Jeevodaya organised a collection of Christmas packages in Warsaw. Thanks to the kindliness of the workers of the media house Media Direction and teachers and pupils of the Complex of Art Schools, we succeeded to collect several hundreds of presents.
Small things, like: stickers, key rings, leaf springs, small stuffed toys, elastic bands for hair were transported to the Jeevodaya Centre before Christmas. “We added them to the Santa Claus packages for children, they constitutes a wonderful variety. I thank you on behalf of all the children” – says dr Helena Pyz.
Bigger toys we send to the children of the Lvov’s Family of Families. They will be given on Saturday, January 28 during the social gathering around Christmas in Lvov. (AS)

5.01.2012

On January 6, on the Epiphany Day, in many Polish towns a street parade is organized. In relation to the preparations to the Epiphany Procession, in December, the Mission Secretariat of Jeevodaya was invited to the Warsaw Male Primary School Żagle (Eng. The Sails). The meetings with the missionary world constituted an element of preparation for the procession, to which the boys were involved.
My visit in the school constituted of two parts. The boys watched the multimedia presentation about Jeevodaya, during which photos showing Hindu feasts attracted more interest, especially the Holi feast. The class where children were learning to count from 1 to 5 in Hindi was also very popular. The children listened to the song sang by their friends from Jeevodaya and the prayer Hail Mary in Hindi, watched a short film and learnt what leprosy is.
I was very happy to see a great number of small hands up above the heads of their owners. This was a signal that the children had many questions. The children were listening carefully, this was proved by their matter-of-fact questions, e.g.: Is there in Jeevodaya a child who had lost all is fingers because of leprosy? Will the suitcase that the child is carrying on his head not fall while it is being carried? Can the colorful powders used during the Holi feast be easily removed from the
skin? What is cricket?
The meeting was a success, children learnt something about the life of their peers in India and the problems the missionaries face there.
Małgorzata Wojewoda

3.01.2012

The first visit at such high-ranking level will be noted down in Jeevodaya history and memory of its inhabitants in golden letters. His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, prof. Piotr Kłodkowski with his spouse Jolanta and the Embassy counselor, Mr Artur Lompart, came to Jeevodaya on December 28, 2011 about 11 am. They were welcome before the gate of the Centre with a traditional flowers’ garland, a sign of joy on the foreheads. Covered with flowers, they seated themselves on a prepared platform in front of the school.
The welcoming ceremony on the part of the children, youth and adults was not only solemn but very warm. Both priests of the Centre delivered a welcoming speech. The Ambassador delivered a thankful speech in Hindi. There was time for a welcoming song and two wonderfully performed dances, ritual flowers and shawls. The guests had the possibility to observe how the clinic works. Children had holidays at school. After lunch, they also had the possibility to see the new school building in construction and our gardens. I had another possibility to meet my compatriots after theirs official visits to the Prime Minister of the state government dr Raman Singh, archbishop of Raipur Joseph Augustine and the Province Superior of the newly established Pallotine Province, in which our Centre is situated, father Shanti Panna SAC. On Friday December, 30 we had the afternoon tea with some kind dishes on my verandah, we exchanged remarks and opinions after this visits, and then the Honorable Guests went to the Airport on their way back to Delhi.
It was not a typical end of the year 2011. Before we gathered on a thanksgiving prayer in the church, it started very heavy rain. This was the echo of a typhoon from the coast and it lasted the whole night. Less people attended the prayer, but it was very fervent. After the Mass, we went to our respective homes and rooms. In the morning, it turned out that our boys were cautious and they hid the “old year” under a shelter. So with a few hours delay, the big effigy representing – by the first time – a woman was burnt after the Morning Eucharist. Then, followed greetings and wishes and cheers. As it was the first Sunday of the month, the usual day of family visits, many parents arrived to see their children. Although soaked and frozen, they were very happy. They sat wherever they could find a dry place and were celebrating with their kids. Until today, some children still suffer slightly from having eaten so many goodies on that day! (HP)