| A Visit with Rekha Abel Catholic Relief Services in India Monday June 14th, 2004 |
| A Visit with Rekha Abel Catholic Relief Services in India Monday June 14th, 2004 |
Monday evening we were privileged to gather around Rekha Abel to hear more facts about India's needs. We asked questions and enjoyed conversation with her over snacks. As the chief representative of Catholic Relief Services, CRS, she shared the volume of work her agency covers.
Passionate about her job, Mrs. Abel emphasized that the poor and devastated of the diverse communities and religions are served with compassion. Though 60% of India’s CRS staff are not Catholic, they work fervently for the organization. It's all about saving lives, giving hope and helping make the world a better and more peaceful place.
We learned a bit of the history of the CRS, which began in 1943 as they worked to save lives in war-torn Europe. They helped by feeding refugees, rebuilding shattered lives and restoring hope. Today the mission continues with poor working families in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and India. Catholic Relief Services is there after earthquakes, floods, and man-made disasters. But, their work in helping people help themselves is just as appreciated, especially for women and children. A few of their innovative programs include Agriculture, Public Health, Education, Emergency Response, Peace Building, Advocacy, and Micro-Finance for small business enterprises.
One of their gravest jobs in India is being unable to serve many people with HIV. There are four and a half million HIV positive Indians between the ages of 15-40 years. For those that develop AIDS itself, there is medication and hospice-like help. Information is dispersed to HIV victims, but they don't always accept help because they feel shame for themselves and their families. According to information available, most of those who are infected are heterosexuals. Indian officials expect it may become worse before it gets better.
More commanding yet is the plight of abused children. They number in the millions. Some are homeless, but many poor families fall into the trap of sending their children to friends or relatives for a better life. Soon they discover that the children are used as sex objects or never seen again. Children are put on the streets by their parents to add to the wages of the family. CRS helps families plan their budgets so the children can go to school. This also keeps them off the streets where they could meet sexual predators. Food is also used to encourage school attendance.
Rekha, an attractive young woman, with a gentle, yet firm voice is helping women prostitutes, who number in the upper millions. She sees that they have the tools to cause change in their lives by starting with their own self-esteem. She has personally followed the lives of many. She told of a girl of 10 who was enslaved in a brothel. These children are easier to save than the adults. Many of these young women are captive, but willing to leave if there is safety and some kind of a job. Some have ended up working for CRS as counselors after some training and education. Rekha recently attended a double wedding of two women and their respective husbands. Both women had been rescued from a brothel and had been rehabilitated over a period of time. These are happy stories, but much must be changed yet. Rekha enjoyed being in Minneapolis and found St. Joan of Arc Church like nothing she ever saw before. She loved the celebration.
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