By: Agnello A.S. Fernandes (Navelim/Kuwait)
Sharp increase in the number of Old Age Homes throws the cue that, now-a-days, aged parents are not taken care of but are neglected by their children in several of the low and middle-class families. For survival, they throng the Old Age Homes to spend the remaining laborious part of their lives. So pathetically placed are these aged people that, in some cases, their children admit them into such Old Age Homes and even pay money for their cremation after their demise – not willing to have even a final glimpse of their parents after their death!
Yes this is strange but true!
Tucked away exactly behind the cemetery of Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Navelim, hidden within its boundary walls is a little known institution called “Nazareth Home for the Aged” that renders yeoman services to aged and elderly people assisting them in leading a decent and comfortable living in their remaining years of life. My association with this institution in fact began out of coincidence. Although I grew up in the vicinity of this home, it never really dawned on me in my younger days to step in and visit the inhabitants.. It was only after my frequent visits to my mother’s grave some 6 years ago that I began to notice this building housed within 4 boundary walls, and thought of paying a visit there.
Some of the Old Age Home people during the prayer session
The circumstances that brought these inhabitants to this place are many and reasons too personal and shocking to discuss here. The realization is immediate, that within our lives of luxurious domain, there exists another world where people are struggling to breathe, reaching out for help although there is abundance of hope outside the walls. Some are spinsters with no immediate relatives; others are paid inmates, while few surprisingly have sons, affluently doing well but have pushed their parents here in their last dismaying days. I have sat and spent few minutes with some of them, and the experience has been so rewarding and fulfilling that a good bye smile on their face at the end of the visit says it all. The greatest irony is that they are bitter yet hold no grudge against those who led them there...
Invitees being served refreshments after the Feast Mass
Each one perhaps has a reason and circumstances of their own that led them to this destination and personal issues should be left at that. From my own personal assessment the nuns working for this Aged Home are doing a great service to humanity in providing these senior citizens a life of comfort and peace.
Navelim Youth Centre (NYC – Kuwait), time and again has been of assistance to this institution whenever possible. Not that we have presented substantial amounts but we believe that a drop is equally important in creating an ocean. That is why NYC decided to donate part of the profits gained from our dance ‘Nite O’Roses’ to this institution and I was privileged to present the cheque coincidentally on the day which happened to be the feast of the patron saint of the institution.
I was an invitee for the event, and I could notice that there indeed was a festive ambience all around as the elderly seemed a bit amused and joyful in seeing the attending invitees. The lunch after the feast mass was most touching as all the aged inhabitants cherished our company which demonstrated once again that ‘a loving touch goes a long way to heal a broken heart’.
Agnello Fernandes (NYC President) handing over the cheque to Mother Superior
“Encouraging you to love unconditionally” was the theme of Nite O’Roses and as I walked away from the Old Age Home to the main gate heading home, I thought there could not be another befitting ending to this event than sharing a part of our success with people whom time had almost forgotten...
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