Project Kyrie : Lenten Project 2019

Dear Friends of Project Kyrie,

Just as Lent 2019 started this year, our Lord led us to know of the poor at the Fatima Palliative Care Centre (FPCC) in Thumba, Kerala, run by our beloved Canossian Sisters.

As you know, we being very busy and distracted Singaporeans, not all of us can or will ever be able to work with the very poor at where they are. Some are at home, most are beyond the shores of Singapore and many live in slums and tents that we ourselves can never imagine living there, even for just one day.

As always I am so very thankful for the graces, mercies and blessings given to me by our Lord Jesus that I feel very compelled to reach out for the many who do not have a voice of their own.

We did a post on facebook for like minded friends of Project Kyrie to join us to supply a year or more of medicines for the destitute, helped and being cared for at the FPCC. Last year's medicine bills totalled about S$10,000 and we are happy to announce that the poor and sick at FPCC will be able to get a year's of medication free from us.

It is with my deepest thanks that I write this note to all who sponsored, prayed or shared this cause with their own network of friends.

Special thanks goes to Alice, Ai Ling, Suzanne and anonymous angels with hearts of gold, sharing generously with the poor and in this case the dying.

We pray that these medicine that is offered to the poor free, will give them some hope, love and comfort in their suffering.


With great anticipation we await the coming of Easter, as we the risen people will always stand in solidarity with Christ for the poor whom he loves so much.



As always all Glory belongs to Jesus! \0/\0/\0/



Yours in Christ,
Mill

X'mas Project 2017 Accomplished!

Dearest Frens,

Thank you for all your kind contributions and support for the very poor in India.

We managed to raise SGD$24,000 to fund the monthly food rations for the HIV/AIDs sick adults, children and the forgotten destitutes in Andra Pradesh. 

Praise God for everyone who helped get this project funded again for 2018/2019.


Special thanks to the invaluable support of friends & family of Han Ai Ling, Winifred Wee, Kristina Jee, Luana Wee, Ethan & Elijah See, Celeste & Chloe Chai, Timothy & Rebecca Goh, Amanda, Erica & Renae Lim, Hanna Tan, Jackie de Souza, Yap family, Wu family, Sean & Shannon Lim, Timothy Wong and our unnamed Angels!


We may never know what it is to live like the very poor but we are extremely privileged to be able to participate in the work that Jesus has left for us to complete.


It is without doubt that this X'mas will be brighter and more joyous for many. Thank you again everyone for the countless smiles that you have put on the faces of our brothers and sisters for 2018!

Stay Blessed Everyone,
Mill

Project Kyrie X'mas Project - Feeding the HIV/Aids poor and the Destitutes for the 2nd year in 2018

Dear frens,

Thank you for all who supported this project last year. We have made many who have little and sick, very happy by supplying & supporting them a whole year with monthly food rations.

We may not know these people nor will we likely meet them but together with Christ, we have managed to feed monthly in 2017:

80 HIV/Aids adults in Draksharam  with Rs306 food package
70 HIV/Aids children in Veeraghattam with Rs500 food package
10 HIV/Aids adults in Paikaraopeta with Rs300 food package
50 Destititues @ Rs 400 food package bimonthly

A total of 210 packets of food rations per month for sick and needy people in Andra Pradesh amounting to SGD$23,796. 

I am happy to update that the Canossian sisters have been diligently & lovingly been distributing these food rations for us and also taking photos and submitting the receipts every month. 

Those who have been following our Project Kyrie on Facebook can see the happy faces, proof of purchases and distribution on Project Kyrie India Facebook page.

The end of the year has come where we have to decide if we are able to recommit to buying these food items for the poor in 2018. 

Our brothers and sisters living in poverty, cannot do anything if we cannot provide the funds. They will be disappointed and be turned away.

Last sunday at mass, we sang the song 'Table of Plenty' and it goes like this...

'Come to the feast of heaven and earth!
Come to the table of plenty!
God will provide for all that we need,
here at the table of plenty.

O come and sit at my table
where saints and sinners are friends.
I wait to welcome the lost and lonely
to share the cup of my love.'

listen : https://youtu.be/_t8O_PwPlKA

Jesus says Come come ALL to HIS table of plenty and he will provide for all that we need... he will share the cup of HIS love...

This song has always spoken to me because of the overwhelming love and generosity Jesus has for us all and how wonderful it would be if we can all be a little like HIM, to share, love and be generous to the poor who need us like we need HIM.

Through blessings of God, our table has always been one that is plentiful, shall we together partake in God's table of plenty?

Shall we continue to say 'Come Come' to the poor, the hungry and the sick to come get their food for yet another year?

Shall we open up our hearts and share with others, the cup of God's love through us?


If you can, please do join us to share some of our blessings with the poor who need us. I can be contacted at 96956267. Receipts and acknowledgements can be provided by the Canossians if needed.

With God's help and yours, let's make this happen and stand in solidarity with Christ and take care of the hungry for 2018!


God Bless Everyone and May you all have a wonderful and blessed 2018,

Mill

Celebrating Christmas - Food Rations for HIV affected adults and children in India

Update 16 Nov 2016 :

We wish to thank all kind donors for making it possible for us to support an extra 80 poverty stricken people suffering from HIV/Aids in Draksharam, India for 15 months.

We have just arranged for $7,800 to be sent safely to Canossian Sisters in India to purchase and distribute the rations on our behalf.

As shared previously in the last post, we were able to add another 80 bags of precious food for the poor for Oct to Dec 2016.

Many people have come forward to share their blessings and now I am happy to update that we managed to continue the monthly food rations and provide the HIV poor in Draksharam with food for the whole of 2017.

For October 2016 , cost per bag of ration was Rs 170

From November 2016 onwards we have added protein powder as the HIV/AIDS patients have found strength in proteins to combat their illness. This food package has been amended and will cost RS 308.

Oil 1kg - Rs 68
Groundnut 1/2 kg - Rs 58
Green Gram 1/2 kg - Rs 34
Ragi powder 1/2 kg - Rs 18
Jaggery 1/2 kg - Rs 30
Protein powder - Rs 100
Total Rs308


Frens, who would still like to contribute food rations for our sick and suffering brothers and sisters, we are still looking to provide another 80 bags of food rations to the HIV/Aids centre in Veeraghattam run by the Canossians.


Per Bag of rations for Veeraghattam is Rs 400. They are given a little more because they come from further away.


Rs 400 is approx $8.30
80 bags x $8.30 =$664 a month
1 year support of food rations we will need $7,964



God Bless,

Mill

Dear Frens,

I sit here just barely 2 hours after lunch, taking out a cheese bun costing $1.20 and filling it up with 2 extra slices of cheddar cheese and lathering it with extra marmalade to accompany it with a cuppa tea. What luxury and abundance!

I can't help but feel so blessed and at the same time my heart pains when I turn my thoughts to adults and kids in Draksharama, India, who are not only suffering from HIV//Aids but are also hungry without having enough nourishment to fight this illness.

The Canossian sisters, who are on the ground fighting the brave battle to feed and minister the poor with HIV/AIDS, consoling them. when distributing food rations, they see the joy in the eyes of the sufferers when they receive monthly food rations and the disappointment of those when there is not enough to distribute.

We just sent up SGD $2150  to buy 260 food packages for distribution at Jeevan Jyothi Canossa Health Centre. It is a message of hope and mercy of Jesus from us for the 3 months leading to Christmas 2016.

We have assisted to cover their shortfall of 80 food packages in October , 80 in November and provide extra 100 food packages for the sick and hungry in December 2016.


Food package provided to the HIV/AIDS patients consist of :

Dhall 1kg - Rs.120/-

Ground nut 1kg - Rs.100/-

Oil 1kg - Rs. 85/-

Jaggery 1kg - Rs. 60/-

Ragi powder - Rs. 35/-

Total cost = Rs.400/-


The HIV/AIDS Patients gather once a month at Draksharama and Veeraghattam.


At each of these centres there are about 250 and 150 HIV/AIDS sufferers that gather respectively for their medication, counseling and if there is support food rations.If anyone feels called to support this on-going project to cover this short fall for 2017 and support these Canossian centres with food packages of Rs400 for HIV/Aids sufferers, pls contact me.

Each package will go a long way to comfort and prolong the life of a HIV/AIDS sufferer. Many of which are innocent children who contracted this illness from their parents.


The HIV/Aids sufferers amongst the poor in India are the modern lepers in our world today. 

This is the jubilee year of mercy. We thank Jesus for giving us the opportunity to reach our brothers and sisters who have so little and we thank our donors for making this gesture of mercy in Jesus name possible!


God Bless,
Mill
'what you are doing I cannot do, what I am doing you cannot do, but together we can do something beautiful for God' - Mother Theresa

Thank You CHARIS

On behalf  Paul Raj, Juliana Foo, Fr Justin, Myself and the Leper Colony in Chennai, we wish to thank CHARIS for partnering us to build 5 bathrooms and 5 latrines in Arunachala Nagar, Sorancherry Post Chennai 600072, India.

Sanitation is so important to our Human Dignity and Spirit. We hope this little gift from Singapore will allow our Lord to do wonders in the lives of families living in the leper colony.

We wish give our deepest thanks also to ALL who have done the work to make this miracle happen for people with leropsy, who always feel they have been left behind and forgotten.


God Bless,
Mill

.

Chennai Floods - Cyclone hits , Will we help?

Today is the day we can make a difference!

 

Worst flood in 100 years - Chennai

Can we imagine living a day in the lives of those who need us?

Dear frens,

 How far do we have to be from the poor before we still feel comfortable to help?

 Isn't it easier for us to help the poor who live near us like in Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia and find it more difficult to help others who live further away like in Ukraine, Africa and India?

Is our discomfort in helping those further away because of the miles that separate us? Or is it that we are not familiar with their culture and hence do not feel a familial closeness with them?

The fact is regardless of race & culture , our human condition is the same. We feel pain the same way,  we feel the same hunger and we mourn our loses just as deeply.

The Chennai floods, worst they have had in 100 years. Apart from damaging homes of the poor . I can't even begin to say I can imagine what the suffering people in Chennai is going through there, especially when he/she is poor, cold, hungry,  bed-less, sick and dependent.

 Join us this Christmas and usher in the new year by helping the forgotten poor and hungry as we reach out to them and gift blankets and food items to the poor in flooded Chennai village of Muttukadu in Chennai.  If there is enough contributors we will put in thin mattresses and more food items.

If you are keen to join us and contribute, pls whatsapp me at 96956267. The deadline is tight so pls let me know within the next few days.

 God has blessed us through the year . Let's together be thankful for 2015 and help our poorer brothers and sisters to celebrate Christmas and usher in the New Year with our gift of love.


 All glory to God.

Yours In Christ,
Mill

Lifeline opportunity for 5 orphans and launching Project Kyrie AHW in India

Dear friends,

We are happy to update that we have finally found 5 very poor orphans to offer the opportunity to study and to live with full board at the Udhaya Vasal Boys Home.

After the 1st year of education, we are hopeful that the simple printing business funded by friends of Project Kyrie will be able to support the education costs and living expenses of these 5 children till they are ready and able to support themselves many years from now.

Poverty in India can be devastating. These children would like to give their deepest thanks to Declan, Juliana, Alice, Benel, Joseph, Albert, Chek Khiaw, Susanna, Mark, Francesca and Our Anonymous angels for making this project to change lives possible.

Many thanks also to many who have tirelessly worked through the difficulties to get this project off the ground.

Stay blessed everyone! All Glory to God!

Your In Christ,
Mill

"Compassion means that if I see my friend and my enemy in equal need, I shall help both equally. Justice demands that we seek and find the stranger, the broken, the prisoner and comfort them and offer them our help. Here lies the holy compassion of God."- Saint Mechtild of Magdeburg (1210-1297)

This Christmas 2014 - Helping children in poverty reach for the Stars!

Children from Udhaya Vasal Boys Home, a Catholic Boys Home

Dear Frens,

It has been my dream to help at least one child with no possibilities, no opportunities, no dreams, no hopes, no home, no food, no shelter, to fill him and fill his life with some of the opportunities I have had in my life, a warm home, a good education and love.

Often when I travel to poorer countries, I see children running around the streets, begging, selling things or just hanging and sleeping around street corners with nothing to do, neglected and unwanted.

I always feel a sense of pain at the bleak and daunting future faced by this child. His future is marked by minutes and days and not by years ahead as it is for us when we speak of our future.
The dangers they face on the streets at such a young age on his own is scary to think about especially if he has no adults to care for him and doesn't know when his next meal would be.

My thoughts are always if only I could help them...and now I can and I hope you too have the same sentiments and we can help these children together.

As you know, we have been exploring and feeding the poor in India. The poverty in India is immense.



We found a established Catholic Children's Home run by Somascan priests since 2004 -  they are taking care of 20 children who come from extreme poverty. 

The Children's Home provide a safe haven for the children as well as food, a roof over their heads and place them in schools.

We told the Priest that we wanted to rescue more poverty stricken children especially orphans from the streets in India and the priests have agreed :

1) to search and take in another 5 orphaned or homeless children aged about 8 -12 yrs old into their Children's Home on behalf of us.

2) to finance the upkeep of these 5 children till they are old enough to look after themselves,  the priests have agreed to manage and run a small print shop.


So for our Christmas project this year, we will help these 5 poverty stricken children reach for the Stars! To fill their lives with hope and possibilities!

We want to take the children off the streets and give them a normal life, they will be able to have shelter, to eat, to play, to study, to pray, to live the life of a normal child in safety of the Children's Home.

The total cost needed is $24,500

1) $8750 - The  maintenance of 5 orphaned / homeless boys for year 2015-2016.

• Expenses of each child is $1750  for full board and education for the year.
• 2016 onwards, we target for the earnings from the print shop to pay their yearly upkeep.
• We need sponsors for these 5 orphaned or homeless boys for at least the first year.

 2) $15,750 - Start up expenses for the print shop.

• Printing shop - we have plans to start immediately as soon as in Oct/Nov as location and all key personnel have been identified and are ready to go.
• Costing of 2nd hand equipment are detailed below.
• Printer personnel has 15 yrs experience and can repair and service printing equipment himself.
• Low salary as printer and family will live at the printing premises.
• The Somascan priest will be fully managing the operations.

Project Kyrie cannot make this project happen without you.
Every contribution will make a difference.

Let's all gather together to rescue these children from a life of extreme poverty on the streets with no education.

Christmas is a time of giving so let's give generously and share our blessings with these children who have nothing.

You can contact me through email or whatsapp me at 96956267 if you would like to join me and make your contributions.

As always donors and volunteers are free to visit the boys and also to visit the print shop as well.

May the Lord bless you and your families always!


God Bless,
Mill

'Charity may be a very short word, but with its tremendous meaning of pure love, it sums up man's entire relation to God and to his neighbor'.- Saint Aelred of Rievaulx (1109-1166)


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Apendix


YEARLY MAINTENANCE 2015-16 FOR 5 ORPHAN BOYS IN CHENNAI, INDIA

          CATEGORY                                                 PER BOY INR            SGD        

School Fee for English medium school                          30, 000                     $625         

Uniform clothes & stitching                                    6, 000                       $125             

School shoes (white & black)                                   3, 000                      $62.50           

School accessories (bag, lunch box and bag,                   5, 000                      $104.20       

water bottle, pen, pencil, note books, etc.)

Stationery & toilet items per year                           10, 000                     $208.30        

Sports items per year                                                        5, 000                      $104.10            

Colour dresses includes inner wear,                                 15, 000                    $312.50        

banyans per year

 

Food expense, electricity & other miscellaneous       50, 000                  $1041.65

per month

                                                                                    --------------------

TOTAL                                               420, 000 INR           $1750 per child

                                                                                    ----------------------                                                                                                                                           

Set up of small print shop

                        CATEGORY                                                COST: INR              Cost SGD

1.     Second hand off-set printing machine                           250, 000                  $5208

2.     Paper cutting machine: 32 inches                                 100, 000                   $2083

3.     Heater                                                                               5, 000                   $104.20

4.     Machine Tables, steel racks, etc                                     50, 000                  $1041.65

5.     Perforation Machine                                                         5, 000                  $104.20

6.     Paper stocks                                                                    15, 000                  $312.50

7.     Spiral Binding Machine                                                    8, 000                  $166.65

8.     Shop & house advance (refundable)                    100, 000                  $2083.30

9.     Rent for shop and house for 3 months (per month)    16, 000 X 3              $1000

     10.  Salary for Joseph for 3 months (per month)              15, 000 X 3                 $937.50

11.  Salary for DTP: Desk top publisher/designer (per month)  5, 000               $104.20

12.  Electricity Bill approximate per month                              5,000                 $104.20

 

13 Office for client consultation                                               120,000             $2500

                                                          --------------------

                                                                                                         756, 000 INR = SGD$15,750

                                                          ---------------------

Sharing with you the faces of the poverty

The Aged

The Men

The women and children

 Dear Frens,

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a person living in poverty?

A man, a woman or a child who is more often than not hungry, using clothes that have hardly been washed and perhaps living in a makeshift tent if the person is fortunate.

When money is zero, hygiene is zero, the necessities we buy for ourselves and take for granted whenever we go to Guardian or Watsons is also zero.

I believe it is most humbling when you look into the eyes of a person in extreme poverty. How can a brother or a sister who live amongst us survive such odds?

I would be humbled  knowing how blessed I am. I feel certain, in that moment many of us will realize how insignificant our daily pains and sufferings are when we compare with the person standing in front us who have so little.

Project Kyrie have been so privileged to be able to reach out to some of our fellow brothers and sisters living in such conditions before the close of 2014.

With the support of friends from Project Kyrie , we managed to distribute 250 food packs and blankets to the poor in Gujarat India. Friends who have supported our feed the poor and homeless in India project know who you all are. A very big thank you for your support and making this food and blanket distribution possible :)

The poor we have helped are very thankful and their blessings reach out to you where ever you are as you celebrate the start of 2014.

I would here like to add a word of special thanks to our friend and partner, Mr Paul Raj for at the age of 72 is living everyday, a life of compassion and mercy as Christ would want.

All food and blankets have been personally administered and distribution supervised by him when he visited Gujarat in December 2013.

Anyone who would like to be part of this project , pls do contact me and we will let you know when the next distribution is. If you would like to personally go to India and distribute the food. You are also welcome!

As always All Glory to God \o/\o/\o/

God Bless,
Mill

Bring Christmas 2012 to People Suffering from Ultimate Poverty!

Dear frens,
Thank you for helping us feed the poor in Gujarat India last Christmas 2012. 

Because many of you were there for them , many were fed. When I see the photos, I thank everyone who stepped forward from the bottom of my heart to make this food distribution possible. 

Special thanks to Alina Sim, Heng Noi, Iris & Martinus, Susan Lee, Lena Tan,Mark Foo,Andrew, Debbie, Benel, Annie Tan.



God Bless,
Mill

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                                                                                                Photo illustration only 

Dear Frens,

As Christmas and New Year approach, I start reflecting on blessings given to me by God for the year of 2012. It's a long list! I have enjoyed a year of good food and wine, health for my love ones and a year of peace amongst friends and family.

I am overflowing with blessings and I am sure it's the same with many of you, who have also experienced many great blessings worth rejoicing in 2012.

As we enjoy our Christmas celebrations this year, let's also give a feast to the poor who may not have had a good meal for the whole year. Let us reach out to the homeless and hungry that line the streets and live in shacks along the roads of Gujurat, India. 

To be a homeless and hungry adult or child in India, is a suffering that you and I cannot imagine. I am sure it's even beyond our imagination. 

This year, Project Kyrie shares with you this wonderful opportunity to reach out to these very poor people that we always hear about, watch on TV but usually impossible to reach. 

We have a trusted Singaporean friend, whom we have worked with serving the poor for many years and he is heading to Gujarat to visit his family for several weeks. I  have organised with him to buy packs of food costing $2.00 to $2.50 and to organize some volunteers to distribute this food to the homeless adults and children along the streets. 

Receipts and photos will be provided to all who requires it. Photos will be uploaded on facebook as usual.

Those who would like to join me and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and literally feed the poor , do let me know asap. We will order your food packs of blessings and distribute it for you. 

We will be consolidating everybody's contribution up to the 18th of December 2012. Pls note if there are any left over funds we will use to buy necessities for the poor in India eg blankets and groundsheets etc.

Merry Christmas Everyone! 
May God bless you all abundantly for your year of generosity to the poor!


God Bless,
Mill


"Give thanks to God, not to me. I am only a vessel of clay."

- Saint Nicholas of Tolentino (1245-1305), Feast Day September 10