No More Prisons

News from India


This was sent to us by Makani Themba-Nixon. i don't usually think about what's going on in Asia, but some friends of mine have families over there who they haven't heard from. So it seems more real to me. Let us pray for our friends in Gujarat...



Dear Makani,

Martin is directly involved in the relief work through Janvikas. I am sending their address and also sending information regarding what kind of relief is required.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND THE FOLLOWING:

1.      NO MORE VOLUNTEERS

2.      NO COOKED FOOD

3.      NO OLD AND USED CLOTHES


 
 
PLEASE SEND ONLY THE FOLLOWING:

1.      BLANKETS    [Preferably Light]

2.      RATION: GRAIN, PULSES ETC. –[ Preferably Send Wheatflour And Not Wheat]

3.      CASH OR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION

All major NGOs of Gujarat have formed a Citizens

Initiative. The main Control room is at the
following address:

JANVIKAS

105-106 C, ROYAL CHINMAY,

BESIDES SIMANDHAR TOWERS,

OFF JUDGES BUNGALOWS ROAD,

BODAKDEV, VASTRAPUR,

AHMEDABAD – 380015

CONTACT NO.: [079] 6854248, 6856685, 6857745

FAX: [079] 6857443

EMAIL: socjust@icenet.net

Note: Cheques and drafts could be drawn either in the name of JANVIKAS or JANPATH In case of cheques drawn in the name of

JANVIKAS:- 80G registration is available and copies of the certificate can be provided. 80G registration no. is HQIII/33(151)/98-99

valid from 1.4.98 to 31.3.2001

      In case of foreign donations make contribution to : JANVIKAS- A/c No: 9687

      Bank: Bank of India, Panchwati Branch, Ahmedabad

      SWIFT CODE NO.: BKIDINBBAAMB

Please feel free if you want to know anything more.

Sincerely,

Gauri

For NCAS



And a more personal letterpassed along by my friend Manju in Durham, NC



Dear friends, I'm passing on some words from a dear sister in Gujarat.
Stay strong.

Love, Mangala Manju



dearest friends, family, and loved ones,


as most of you know on january 26th, mother earth
rocked the world with a massive earthquake. The
earthquake hit all of gujarat but mostly Bhuj and
Khutch, my native place of origin and home to ALL of
my family. I was in gujarat but far enough away that i
only felt a small ripple of effect, yet bhuj and all
of khutch is another story........

I just returned from spending 4 days in khutch. i left
along with my parents and family friends the day of
the 27th. The situation is really really bad. In the
city of bhuj, population 125,000, conservative
estimates show death toll of 25,000 (1 out of every 6
person dead).

By some strange combination of karma and good luck and
protection my entire family on both my mother and
fathers' sides survived without a scratch.

But the situation is very dismal. My entire family
along with the majority of people in towns of bhuj,
rappur, bacchau, and anjar are homeless and without a
source of livelihood. Certain small villlages near the
epicenter point have been completely sucked into the
ground: dissappeared from the map... khutchi culture
becoming extinct.

The city of Bhuj lings with the smell of dead bodies.
everywhere people feel the presence of lingering
restless spirits and ghosts. there is so much to
say...

right now things are in a state of chaos..there are
still aftershocks coming everyday. people trying to
get what they can out of their house before more
buildings fall. other people stealing and robbing
stores and houses like madmen.

and to think i was just starting to realize how
special of an area my native ancestral land of khutch
really is. i was even planning to spend an extended
amount of time traveling the region with my father
this upcoming month.. now many of the villages and areas i was going to visit no longer exist.
so in this time of adversity, i ask two things from
all of you.

(1) Cherish your days on earth and truly live in the
present. As we see, it can end at any time. Nature
sees no difference between the rich and poor, between
black, indian, or white....

(2) Consciously try to be a supportive and grounding
force for your family and community. One thing I have
learned while in India but especially over the last
week is the way people in this country take care of
each other. Even in Khutch, the government was so late
to arrive, instead it was people helping each other
that saved so many lives. Sometimes I feel in america
that we all get so wrapped up in our own lives & goals
that we aren't there for our families and friends. So
I ask all of you to make the extra effort even if it
means being a little less successful or less
ambitious; investing in people and community is an
investment worth making. For that is truly India's
strength, her wealth of community and people resources..

and lastly please never forget the force of nature and remember to honour her daily and humble yourself...ironically, everything manmade crumbled but the trees remain standing and unharmed i appreciate all of your support and condolescences.
until we all meet again face to face,


your sister ami