"Sunrise" was solemnly opened
On 12 March, our Childrens' Village, "Sunrise", was solemnly opened at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. In the meantime the first part of the building project has been completed. The keys to eight family homes for the children can be handed over. The administration building, which is three storeys high, is complete although there is not furniture in it yet. The wall around the property has also been built. The photographer has unfortunately forgotten to take a photo of the beautifully lit up administration building where everything took place. It would only be possible to photograph all the houses in the Children's Village from the air, because they are in between the trees. From the roof of the administration building you can get an idea from some of the roofs sticking out between the trees.
The entrance hall to the administration building makes it clear who is behind the Village and the character it will have.
This time the celebration began at 9.30 a.m. The bishop was not only solemnly wlecomed and garlanded, but also greeted by the four delegates from the American firm KCI and the donor organization that has made the greatest contribution towards the building of the Village until now. Here, too, the celebration began with the celebration of the Eucharist, although it did not take place in the house, but under a "Pandal", the typical awning for such celebrations. This time is was particularly necessary, because it began to rain during Holy Mass. Here in Tamil Nadu this is a special sign of blessing, even if we had to move out of the way of parts of the awning that let in the rain and had to protect the Blessed Sacrament from the downpour.
After Holy Mass the representative of KCI cut the ribbon at the entrance to the administration building and the bishop blessed the house. The memorial plaque at the main entrance had also to be solemnly unveiled.
A cultural programme followed, which opened with a sung prayer by the mothers. A number of speeches followed: Representatives of the President of the government, the local community, our new delegate, Fr Roy Venookaran, Dennis Noll of KCI, myself and Fr Benjamin, the Director of the Children's Village. Greeting shawls - which were hung around our shoulders by the children with great effort to everyone's amusement - and memorial plaques were distributed. Among them also one from the new Delegate to his predecessor, Fr Prabhuprasad, who made a tremendous contribution to the building of the Village. The most attractive items was the dances presented by the children of the Children's Village, the smaller the better, who were not always able to keep to the rhythm, but who danced with spontaneity and enthusiasm.
All were invited to lunch. Pater Peter Locher
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