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| Amazing Grace Old Age Home, Guirim |
- Brian Mendonca
It was a beautiful Sunday today. A visit to the Amazing Grace Old Age Home in Guirim lifted up our spirits. To be in the company of seniors - some of them, with an irrepressible zest for life - reminded us how precious life is.
Ms. Josephine is the contact person for the home. As part of the Easter Outreach the SCC group of Devashri Gardens (Zone 1 G and 1 H) of Holy Family Church, Porvorim, Goa, took along provisions, snacks, and contributions in cash and cheques. The inmates were delighted to see us. It made me wonder why we have so little, or no, time for them in our busy lives.
Amazing Grace has two homes on each side of NH 66. Coming from Porvorim you need to stay under the flyover and take the turn to the right before Green Park hotel towards Bastora. The other home is on the left of the highway behind the massive St. Diogo's church, Guirim (built in 1604).
We took along a guitar and most of the ladies and gents sang to their hearts content. The helpful staff made sure everyone got their snacks. We began with a prayer at each place and sang the classic hymn 'Amazing Grace'. We served plum cake and the gent above tried to sing 'Silent Night' and we all joined in.
We sang the English medley starting with 'You are my sunshine,' and the Konkani dulpods starting with 'Undra Mhojea Mama.' A request was made for songs from the Konkani film Nirmon (1966). I was wishing I was confident enough to sing 'Claudia.' We also sang songs from yesteryear like the Konkani mando Tambde Roza, 'Beautiful Sunday' and 'Lucky Lips.' A lady asked for 'I Surrender All.'
Each person from our group pitched in with whatever they were gifted with - whether singing, distributing the snacks, making cool refreshing Kokum water, taking photos, sharing a kind word, or playing the guitar. It was a lesson on how a few people can make a difference.
To instil hope, to offer love - that is the message of the Gospel today on the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is beautifully rendered in Psalm 23, 'The Lord is My Shepherd'.
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(Pic above) From left to right Alva, Pravin, Joseph, Queenie, Ravi, Betty and Brian. Videos by Queenie. Video at the top is from the home at Bastora, the video below it is at the home in Guirim.
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