Practical Projects

We want to extend our work to individuals, families and communities who would benefit from some willing hands to help with practical projects.

We have our ears and eyes open in India as to where needs are so as to guide our visiting volunteers as to the best way they can help others in practical ways, appropriate to the culture.

Painting Mercy Homes in Kerala

December 2008 saw our first practical project carried out with a very willing visiting UK team. A Mercy Home was in desperate need of painting so our first project got underway! The initial idea was to paint the childrens’ bedroom, but we quickly saw the need for the whole house to be painted inside. Whilst most of the team got straight down to painting the walls, some of the team took the time to have a crafts workshop with the boys in the Mercy Home. Later there was time for the all important England vs India cricket match, football and a dip in the lake for those who were brave! A great time was had by all, and the family were delighted to have a newly painted home to live in together.

In January 2009 it was the turn for the first girls’ Mercy Home to be painted. Makaela and Charlotte, 2 girls on their gap year, volunteered to come and transform the home from dirty plain concrete to a bright and sunny yellow throughout! On the first day some of the Mercy Home girls joined in, having as much fun painting each other as painting the walls! The second day heralded a great surprise… Makaela and Charlotte secretly decorated the girls’ bedroom with an array of brightly coloured painted flowers across the walls and shelves, transforming it into a bedroom any girl would be proud to sleep in. Gasps and smiles all round made the hard work so worth it!