Thame Team Inspired By Calcutta

A TEAM from St Mary?s and Barley Hill Churches, Thame, who went to Calcutta at the end of January, have returned excited, enthused and encouraged by what they experienced.
Patsy Baker, Diane Eyre, Cynthia Jackson and Owen Davies spent time dressing ulcers in the Leprosy Hospital and washing and feeding the dying at Mother Theresa?s Home for the Destitute and Dying.
Owen Davies, who is a Thame Town Councillor, said: ?The highlights of our trip, in many ways, turned out to be during our time with Emmanuel Ministries, an organisation that works with drug addicts, alcoholics, street children, prostitutes and rickshaw pullers amongst other marginalized folk. In some ways, it was a glimpse of Heaven to spend time at the homes run for those who had been addicts for many years and who had been through the detox and rehabilitation programmes, and for those young folk between eight and 20 years-old, who had been beggars or addicts , now living in communities bursting with love and joy for each other. Many had become Christians and just wanted to live useful lives in serving others.

?Much of the money entrusted to us by Thame friends who had given so generously was given to be used as seed money for projects that will bring self-sufficiency and empowerment to our Calcutta friends.?
Owen summed up: ?Calcutta is known as the City of Joy but we also found it a City of Love where not only was love in all its fullness and richness witnessed but also received.?