April 2 - Tsunami Affected Areas

Pujya Swamiji traveled back down to the tsunami affected areas where Project Hope is -- with the generosity of donors -- rebuilding the villages of Pannithittu and Pattincheri in Pondicherry and constructing a home for orphans and widowed/abandoned ladies.

As the orphaned children have been living in temporary government facilities for over a year, everyone was eager to move them into the new facility. The dormitory rooms were still being constructed but the huge, beautiful dining room had been completed. Therefore, we had the official "opening" of the dining hall and moved all the orphans there on the temporary basis until the dormitory facilities are completed. The full project, including school rooms, computer center, medical clinic, vocational training center, etc. is being generously sponsored by Smt. Bellaben and Shri Yogeshbhai Patel of Tampa, Florida, USA and Drs. Kiranbhai and Pallaviben Patel (through the Patel Foundation) of Tampa, Florida, USA.

Pujya Swamiji and Shri Gagandeep Singh Bediji, the District Collector of Cuddalore open the new dining hall

Children in the beautiful hall; Pujya Swamiji lights the lamp with the young orphan girls
Orphan children praying; The District Collector gives Pujya Swamiji a shawl

Pujya Swamiji and Shri Gagandeep Singh Bediji, the District Collector of Cuddalore pose with some of the orphan children.

February 15-16 - Tsunami Affected Areas

On February 14, Pujya Swamiji flew down to the tsunami affected areas where Project Hope is in the midst of extensive tsunami relief work. On December 13 we had the official inauguration of the 100 reconstructed houses of Pannithittu village of Pondicherry, by the hands of the Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu, the Honorable Governor of Uttranchal and the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry. See www.parmarth.com/updates/decjan06 for details.

However, Project Hope pledged to do more for the villagers than just rebuild the 100 houses which were destroyed in the tsunami. We also pledged to build an extension to their school, a community center, a vocational training center, a computer center and a medical clinic.

	Bhoomi puja was performed by the Honorable Lt. Governor, Pujya Swamiji, Smt. Bellaben Patel & Yogeshbhai Patel, Drs. Naval and Nila Kant, and Sarojben & Maheshbhai Patel

The bhoomi puja for these amenities took place on the 16 February by the hands of the Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry with Pujya Swamiji. The bhoomi puja was also performed by Smt. Bellaben and Shri Yogeshbhai Patel of Tampa, Florida, USA who have been great, generous supporters of Project Hope's work including sponsoring the construction of an orphanage and home for widowed/abandoned ladies with Dr. Kiranbhai Patel's Patel Foundation of Tampa, Florida, USA.

Further, the divine event was attended by Drs. Naval and Nila Kant of Lewisburgh, Pennsylvania, USA who are one of the longest and staunchest supporters of Pujya Swamiji and IHRF in USA. Dr. Navalji is also vice-president of IHRF. Also in attendance were Shri Maheshbhai and Smt. Sarojben Patel of Kitchener, Canada. Smt. Sarojben Patel is the treasurer and secretary for IHRF-Canada.

After the bhoomi puja, we had a huge free lunch where hot lunch was served to all the villagers, and we also had a widescale distribution of living necessities for all villagers.

At the time that we were in Pannithittu for the bhoomi puja, we also traveled to cuddalore to see the site of the orphanage we are constructing, along with renovating the home for widows/abandoned children. There, with the great dedication of the Patel Foundation and Bellaben and Yogeshbhai Patel, we are building not only living facilities for the orphans, but also a school, computer center, vocational training center and a beautiful kitchen/dining facilities to be used both by the hundreds of orphans and also the 200 widows/abandoned ladies.

Back side view of the new dining hall
	(clockwise from top): dining hall from front; distribution of oranges to the ladies; construction of school rooms and dormitory facilities underway
Construction work is going on very well. The overly heavy monsoon season had impeded the work for awhile during the winter months but now it is in full swing. We also distributed necessary provisions to the ladies as well as fruit and sweets to the children. Then, Bellaben was so touched and filled with love for the ladies that she decided to sponsor new sarees for all of them. Thus, the following day we returned to distribute brand new sarees to all the ladies. Bellaben spoke to all the ladies about how fortunate they are that this project has been undertaken by Pujya Swamiji and how they, in their own lives, can achieve so much, accomplish so much and reach any height. She filled them with great hope and enthusiasm. Distribution of sarees