ART CONTEST AWARDS CEREMONY

WE HAD ORGANIZED A SIT-AND-DRAW CONTEST FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013 AS PART OF OUR 10TH FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS. MORE THAN 90 STUDENTS FROM 11 SCHOOLS IN THE CITY PARTICIPATED IN THIS CONTEST. THE AWARDS DISTRIBUTION CEREMONY WAS HELD LAST SATURDAY - AUGUST 24. WE PUT UP A SMALL PROGRAM FOR THIS OCCASION. 

Rumi Dutta and Maitri Dey (sisters) - both teachers in our School sang a special song of Thanksgiving

 

Ruth, along with Ranjit and Rohit performed on the violin and guitar

Parents and guardians who attended this event

Payel, performed a solo dance to the tune of a children's song

Mr. M. A. Vidyadharan, Advocate and our neighbour and friend was our Chief Guest and distributed the prizes. The first prizes for all three categories was a cash award to be used for the purchased of school text books for this present academic year. The second prizes were art materials and there were also three consolation prizes!

 THIS HUGE RESPONSE FROM STUDENTS HAS GREATLY ENCOURAGED US. WE PLAN TO CONDUCT  ELOCUTION, ESSAY WRITING AND OTHER CONTESTS INVOLVING STUDENTS FROM THE SOUTH CALCUTTA AREA IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.

WE ARE ALSO GREATLY ENCOURAGED THAT PEOPLE FROM AROUND 40 NATIONS ACROSS 5 CONTINENTS HAVE VISITED OUR BLOGS- THE LATEST BEING FROM MONTENEGRO! MANY HAVE GIVEN THEIR VIEWS VIA E-MAIL TO ME AND ALL OF THIS HAS GREATLY ENCOURAGED US.

THANK YOU ALL FOR STANDING WITH US AND THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA!!

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS 2013 AT HOPE HOME CALCUTTA

WE CELEBRATED INDIA'S 67TH INDEPENDENCE DAY AT THE HOPE HOME TODAY. DEV UNFURLED THE INDIAN NATIONAL FLAG AT 8:30 A.M. THIS MORNING IN OUR SCHOOL GROUNDS. IT WAS BRIGHT, SUNNY AND  HOT :-) 

ALL THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AND HOPE HOME CALCUTTA CHILDREN WERE PRESENT FOR THIS IMPORTANT NATIONAL EVENT!

 OUR PRIDE-OUR NATIONAL FLAG

 

 THE STAFF AND TEACHERS SANG A PATRIOTIC SONG IN BENGALI FOR THE STUDENTS

 THE STUDENTS QUEUED UP AFTER THE BRIEF PROGRAM TO RECEIVE A FOOD PACKET WHICH WE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL THE STUDENTS AND STAFF

ARUN AND PAYEL HELP IN DISTRIBUTING THE FOOD PACKETS TO THE STUDENTS AND STAFF

 AFTER THE CELEBRATIONS AT THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA, WE WENT OVER TO ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL FOR AN INTER-CHURCH FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT! IN THE FOREGROUND IN JOHN (SARKAR)!

 THE INDIAN NATIONAL FLAG FLUTTERING IN THE GENTLE AFTERNOON BREEZE

JUST AFTER 5 P.M., WE RECEIVED ONE OF THE HEAVIEST 90 MINUTE RAINS FOR THIS MONSOON...IT WAS DARK, WINDY AND TONS OF GALLONS OF WATER POURING DOWN FROM THE SKY!

 TO ALL OUR BELOVED FRIENDS VISITING OUR BLOGS (NOW FROM OVER 35 COUNTRIES), A HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR STANDING WITH US IN PRAYERS, ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT IN THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL MOVEMENT! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

10TH FOUNDATION DAY! A DREAM COME TRUE AND AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE!

OUR 10TH FOUNDATION DAY (AUGUST 1) CELEBRATIONS WERE HELD ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 WITH A CULTURAL PROGRAM AND SCHOOL FETE, AND ON AUGUST 4 WITH A VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION CAMP AND A SIT-AND-DRAW CONTEST FOR STUDENTS OF SCHOOLS IN THE VICINITY. ALL THE STAFF AND STUDENTS-BOTH OF THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA AND HOPE EDUCATION CENTRE-WORKED OVERTIME TO MAKE THE EVENTS A SUCCESS

NEPALI CHILDREN OF OUR SCHOOL PERFORMING TWO SELF-CHOREOGRAPHED NEPALI CHRISTIAN SONGS...THEY ALL COME FROM VERY DIFFICULT FAMILY BACKGROUND ASSOCIATED WITH THE RED-LIGHT DISTRICT AND THANKS TO THE PASTOR OF THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH (NEPALI CONGREGATION), MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN REHABILITATED

A PLAY ON 'SAVING TREES' WITH THE MAIN CHARACTERS PLEDGING TO NOT ONLY SAVE TREES BUT ALSO A CALL FOR "EACH ONE PLANT ONE"

STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT GRADES RENDERING A RABINDRA SANGEET COMPOSITION WITH RUTH AND JONAH ON THE VIOLIN, NOAH ON THE GUITAR AND LYDIA ON THE DRUMS

REBECCA AND PAYEL ENTHRALLED THE AUDIENCE WITH A COUPLE OF DANCE PERFORMANCES...THEY ARE CHOREOGRAPHING THE SEQUENCES THEMSELVES

SONG-AND-DANCE SEQUENCE BY A GROUP OF GIRLS FROM DIFFERENT GRADES

RUTH, LEADING THE VIOLIN ENSEMBLE - SHE NOW HEADS OUR MUSIC SCHOOL OFFERING ABRSM GRADE EXAMINATIONS IN VIOLIN

THE VIOLIN TEAM PERFORMING - THERE ARE 12 STUDENTS IN OUR MUSIC SCHOOL

A SKIT ON UNITY-IN-DIVERSITY WITH THE MESSAGE THAT THOUGH INDIA IS A GREAT AND DIVERSE NATION WITH THOUSANDS OF LANGUAGES AND MULTIPLE RELIGIONS (LIKE PARTS OF A BODY), WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS NATION

KHUSBOO - A YEAR BACK IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE THAT SHE WOULD EVEN BE ALLOWED TO COME OUT OF HER HOUSE. SHE BORE A YEAR OF TORTURE FOR JUST WANTING TO CONTINUE HER EDUCATION. BUT THEN, PERSEVERANCE AND FAITH IN GOD TRIUMPHED...SHE HAS NOT ONLY RENEWED HER EDUCATION AFTER A YEAR OF FORCED BREAK, SHE WAS BACK ON THE STAGE DANCING WITH REBECCA AND PAYEL! A ROLE MODEL FOR MANY MUSLIM YOUNG GIRLS IN OUR STATE

THIS WAS AN AWESOME PRESENTATION ENTITLED 'BHARAT' (INDIA). THE TITLE TRACK WAS SUNG BY INDIA'S BEST KNOWN CHRISTIAN ROCK BAND. OUR STAFF CHOREOGRAPHED THE WHOLE PRESENTATION IN HOUSE AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THIS UP ON YOU TUBE SOON!

DEV OFFERING THE VOTE OF THANKS...

PROF. MARIA FERNANDEZ,VICE CHAIRPERSON, STATE MINORITIES COMMISSION WAS OUR CHIEF GUEST. SHE IN TURNED KHUSBOO (RACHEL) FOR BEING A ROLE MODEL FOR MUSLIM YOUNG GIRLS WHO ARE DETERMINED TO STUDY BY PLACING ON HER THE GARLAND THAT WE PRESENTED HER WITH AS OUR CHIEF GUEST!

THREE OF OUR SPECIAL GUEST - PASTOR PHILIP LEPCHA (ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH), DR. JAYKUMAR ALFRED, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA, AND MRS. K. PRABAL, VICE PRINCIPAL OF ST. THOMAS' GIRLS' SCHOOL (THERE WERE OTHERS TOO!) WHO WERE CALLED UPON TO HELP DISTRIBUTE SAREES TO POOR WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY

MRS. K. PRABAL, VICE-PRINCIPAL OF ST. THOMAS'GIRLS' SCHOOL, CALCUTTA

TO COMMEMORATE OUR 10TH FOUNDATION DAY, WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE 30 SAREES TO POOR AND NEEDY WOMEN FROM THE COMMUNITY. THEY WERE SO HAPPY AND BLESSED. MRS. PRABAL PRESENTING THE FIRST SAREE TO A WOMAN

DR. JAYKUMAR ALFRED PRESENTING A SAREE TO ANOTHER WOMAN

(PROF) MARIA FERNANDEZ, OUR CHIEF GUEST FOR THE OCCASION, PRESENTING A SHORT SPEECH, HIGHLIGHTING THE EFFORT OF THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT TO HELP THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES

PASTOR PHILIP LEPCHA FROM THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH GIVING AWAY A SAREE TO A POOR NEPALI SPEAKING WOMAN

(PROF) MARIA FERNANDEZ CUTTING THE RIBBONS TO FORMALLY OPEN OUR SCHOOL FETE

JEWELRY AND HANDICRAFTS PREPARED BY RUTH, PAYEL AND A COUPLE OF OUR TEACHERS FOR SALE DURING THE FETE...EARRINGS ON TOP, EMBROIDERED HANDKERCHIEFS BELOW...

TABLE CLOTHS (TOP) AND PAINTED EARTHERN-WARE (BELOW)

SILK FLOWERS AND HAND-CRAFTED LADIES HAND-BAGS...

THE FOOD STALL WERE A COMPLETE SELL-OUT WITH FOOD PREPARED BY OUR STAFF AND TEACHERS...WE HAD OVER 12 DISHES ON THE MENU AND RAN OUT ON MOST OF THE EATABLES...

NEPALI CHILDREN ENJOYING THEIR SNACKS...

WE HAD A TREASURE-ISLAND STALL TOO WHERE ONE COULD PICK ANY GIFT (MOST OF THEM OVER THE COUPON COST)...WE EVEN HAD A LIVE HEN AS A GIFT...IT WAS GONE WITHIN 10 MINUTES - ONE OF OUR STUDENTS' WON THIS GRAND PRIZE (COUPON COST - RUPEES 30, HEN COST RUPEES 450!!)

SOMEONE EVEN BROUGHT HIS 4-MONTH OLD GRANDSON AND WANTED A PHOTO NEAR THE PICTURE OF THE LAST SUPPER WHICH IS HUNG AT THE ENTRANCE OF OUR HALL!

PART OF THE CROWD IN THE HALL-WAY ...

PART OF THE CROWD THAT ATTENDED THE OPENING CULTURAL EVENT

THIS SONG AND DANCE SEQUENCE DECLARES GOD'S UNENDING LOVE FOR OUR GREAT NATION INDIA AND THE NEED TO LIVE IN PEACE, LOVE AND HARMONY

 

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, WE ORGANIZED THE VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION CAMP IN THE MORNING

DEV WAS THE FIRST DONOR...BEING CHECKED FOR HIS BLOOD PRESSURE...

ENJOYING THE 'REST' WHILE THE LAB TECHNICIAN IS WAITING ON...THIS GUY DOESN'T REALLY 'BLOOD-THIRSTY' DOES HE???

LEAH CAME IN TO CHECK IF EVERYTHING IS OK OR NOT...NOT AT ALL INTIMIDATED WITH THE BLOOD AND DONORS ALL AROUND!

THE TWO DAY CELEBRATION ENDED WITH A SIT-AND-DRAW CONTEST WHICH SAW OVER 90 STUDENTS FROM OVER 11 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE. THE RESULTS WOULD BE ANNOUNCED ON AUGUST 19. THE STUDENTS WERE DIVIDE INTO THREE GROUPS - GRADE WISE

THE COMPLETION OF 10 YEARS IS A TESTIMONY OF GOD'S NEVER ENDING GRACE, MERCY, COMPASSION, FAITHFULNESS AND PROVISION FOR THIS MOVEMENT. THAT WHICH BEGAN AS A SMALL DREAM SHARED BY ME, AHIN, STEPHANIE AND NANCY 11 YEARS AGO HAS COME TO BEAR THIS RESULT! WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO SO MANY OF  YOU IN SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES FOR YEARS OF DEDICATED PARTICIPATION, SACRIFICE, GIVING, VISITS, ENCOURAGEMENTS, LETTERS, PRAYERS AND INTERCESSIONS...WE ARE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE

IT GIVES ME SOME SENSE OF SATISFACTION THAT WE NOW HAVE A FEW 'HOME-GROWN' INDIVIDUALS IN LEADERSHIP POSITION AT THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA AND THE SCHOOL PROJECT THAT WE MANAGE. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD! AND WE REJOICE IN HIS GRACE

WE SOLICIT YOUR CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA, THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME, MORE LIVES WOULD BE TOUCHED AND TRANSFORMED WITH THE POWER, GRACE AND LOVE OF GOD AND OUR LIVES WOULD BE A ROLE-MODEL FOR MANY!

SPECIAL BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU BELOVED FRIENDS,

Dev and the Hope Home Calcutta Family

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