December 2, 2014

Renee Koener gives the thumbs up for giving to Operation Warm. As its program development manager, Koener explained that Operation Warm provides “more than a coat.” Koener told of the joy in children who receive what might be their first piece of new clothing ever. Her story was well-received by another local organization, Neighbors In Business.

Neighbors began a collection that resulted in the presentation of a check for $500 today, also known as Giving Tuesday. Following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, charities ask folks to consider making donations to nonprofits in lieu of purchasing commercial items for the holidays.

Neighbors In Business is a group of representatives of 35 local businesses – from painters to travel agents – who meet weekly to network. For more information, visit http://www.neighborsinbusiness.org/

Operation Warm was recently featured in a Chadds Ford Live article, which can be viewed at https://chaddsfordlive.com/2014/11/24/nonprofit-warms-small-bodies-big-hearts/.

This Thanksgiving weekend, I had the opportunity to reflect on the past 4 years, and how 1300 of the world’s poorest children have changed my life in ways that I could never imagine. In 2010 and 2012, we spent Thanksgiving, away from family and friends, and all that is familiar and comfortable in our country, where we can count our endless blessings every day. Living a life in gratitude changes us, allowing us to reflect on what we do have, rather than on what we don’t have, or wish to be different in our lives. I am so thankful for experiences that have allowed me to understand what being grateful means, as the result of living amongst the some of the world’s poorest children.

As we lived and immersed ourselves in rural India, I will always remember being grateful for the simplest things….. my two beautiful, healthy children, food, medical care, good health, a safe place to live, shoes, the gift of education, financial security and the countless blessings that God has bestowed upon our lives here.

This year I had the opportunity to travel to Pardada Pardadi twice. I know from the bottom of my heart that I have made, and will continue to make, a difference in the lives of 1300 beautiful “daughters” in India, who are always in my heart and on my mind.

If you were to ask the girls what they have to be thankful for, they might say something like this…..”That Mary M’am loves and cares about us and comes back to work at our school. She wants us to stay in school so we can receive an education(85% of the village girls don’t’ have this simple gift), and so we can see her when she comes back to India. She wants us to be safe, to stay healthy, to never be mistreated, to receive respect, to be loved and to live out our dreams. Our dreams are only possible because we go to school at Pardada Pardadi.”

For these girls, before they began attending school at PPES, they had no dreams. They have learned that, as girls, they deserve to receive the same food, vaccinations, education and medical care as their brothers do. They deserve to be treated as equal to boys- a brand new concept in the village.   They know they should be able to have fun, as well as work, when they are at school.

Students receive 3 meals a day at school; fluoride for all of the girls

They would go on to tell you that, “Mary M’am taught us to brush our teeth, so now we do that every day at school. She showed us how to wash our hands with soap, so we get to do that too. Thanks Soap Box Soaps for donating soap to our school! We are healthier because we do those two simple things.”

“We know that Mary cares about us having good health, because she raises money for our Health Center and hired our school nurse, Elsa, who takes care of us when we are sick or injured. We have lots of medical supplies, bandaids and medicines that we didn’t used to know about.  We are so lucky, because we are the only school in the village where children can be taken care of when we are sick! We even have 2 doctors, including a lady doctor, who come every Saturday, thanks to donors in the US! We are getting vaccinations. We now get vitamins through Vitamin Angels. 65% of us are still malnourished, but Mary is working hard to improve our nutrition, so we can all be healthy.”

Physical with Dr. Sharma, vaccinations

“Mary and Mike found out about International Medical Relief, an organization in the US that has been sending medical volunteers to our village since 2013. In March, IMR will come back to our village for the third time and provide medical care and vaccinations to our families and friends, as well as teach us about Health and Hygiene, so we can teach our families what we learn. Doctors from the US are now coming to Pardada Pardadi, thanks to Dr. Charlie! This year, we had a dermatologist, an opthamologist and nurses come from the US.

“We are so grateful for the donations that are being sent from the US. Mary brought us 1000 bras and 3000 pair of panties this year. Many of us don’t have underwear, because our families don’t even have enough money for food. We love the pretty, brightly colored panties, and need more, because the ones we can get here are as pretty and don’t fit as well. We have received warm socks and hats, which we love, because it is now winter and it is very cold. US donors also send combs, brushes, medical supplies and other things so we can stay healthy and have better hygiene.”

New socks, sunglasses to protect our eyes, and our own brushes! Thanks America!

Visits to rural India present unimaginable experiences.  Village visits are among my favorite things to do, as I have gotten to know families and see the conditions in which our girls live. In October, I visited one of my favorite families, whose father had recently been shot while in a field. When he showed us his wounds, he had ropes tied around his neck as slings for his arms. We were able to replace the ropes with slings from the US donations. 11 year old Manisha, who has no parents, lives and cares for her very old, blind and deaf grandmother, in a room infested with rats at night. Manisha now has a sponsor in the US, and a donor who is allowing a toilet to be built at her house, which is just a room, with no door for protection. Manisha now has a bright, beautiful smile, and hope because of Pardada Pardadi. Making a difference in the lives of these girls makes it all worthwhile!

Aarti, with slings for her uncle; Manisha, happy to be receiving a toilet

What we do is so simple. The things we bring are all plentiful here in the US. Imagine your children not being able to brush their teeth, use soap to wash their hands, to not have access to medical care, and to not have the clothing they need to stay warm in the winter. Imagine having no heat to keep warm when the temperatures dip to 40 to 50 degrees. Imagine if your children suffering from malnutrition, because mom was malnourished during pregnancy. Imagine not having enough food for your children. Imagine if your girls couldn’t go to school.   These are just a few simple, basic things I am so grateful for never having had to experience in my own life. Things I took for granted prior to that first trip to India in 2010.

If you would like to support the endless needs for the school, visit education4change.org or send a check to my address. Thanks for your time, interest and support. All donations go directly to benefit the girls.

Your Gift Matters

You can learn more about Pardada Pardadi at www.education4change.org.

Regular donations can be made through the Website, or by check mailed the US office at 321 Hillside Lane  Kennett Square, PA 19348. 

PPES is an IRS registered 501(c)3 Nonprofit Educational Foundation.

Thank you from the girls of PPES.

Mary Cairns

 

It was a warm homecoming for Ray Coe — 43 years after the fact.

As a young man, Coe served in the U.S. military, spending 13 months in Vietnam. When he returned to the states, he was told not to wear his uniform because returning soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen were often taunted and ridiculed for serving in that unpopular war. It was far from a warm welcome home.

This week, Coe finally received that warm welcome, courtesy of a group he’s been serving for the past 25 years, members of Boy Scout Troop 31. The auditorium at Hillendale Elementary School was packed with supporters, scouts and others, who have been touched and inspired by Coe over the years.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Coe said. “As you know, the reaction when we came home wasn’t very good. This really makes up for it because when you have this kind of reaction from people who are most dear to you, like all these scouts are and the rest of the community, it doesn’t get any better. It really doesn’t. I’m overwhelmed; so happy…It was quite an honor to have this done.”

In addition to cheers and signs welcoming him home, there was an honor guard from Ft. Dix, N.J., and a medal ceremony. Coe earned several medals during his tour of duty in Vietnam. Some — such as a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal with a V for Valor — he had never officially received.

It’s the Commendation Medal for Valor that means the most to Coe.

“In a year that was supposed to be about killing the enemy, it was a small bright spot when I was able to save my sergeant,” he said. “I was part of a small cog in the wheel of the military, but I was more than happy to serve my part in protecting my comrades in arms.”

He earned the medal several months into his tour when a personnel carrier in which he was riding blew up. Coe came to under a pile of bodies that he thought were all dead.

“It freaked me out totally,” he said.

Coe was able to wriggle himself out of the tangled mass and returned to his machine gun, which he found in pieces.

“I had to put it back together. All my training kicked in and, while we were under fire, I got the machine gun going. It finally all stopped. I went over to see some of the other guys, and we realized the sergeant was missing,” Coe said.

The vehicle was on fire and there was fuel leaking. He said everyone was afraid it would explode, and nobody would go back and get their non-commissioned officer.

“I was hurt, but said somebody has to go [find the sergeant]. Like him or not, I went to get him,” Coe said.

Also during his tour, Coe said, there were several times when he could feel a bullet whizz by his head. He was eventually wounded when he took some fragments from an enemy grenade. For that, he was awarded the Purple Heart.

Coe came home to the Brandywine Valley, eventually marrying and raising a family. For the past 25 years he’s devoted his spare time to Boy Scout Troop 31, spending nine years as an assistant scoutmaster and 16 years as full scoutmaster.

He’s proud of his accomplishments with the troop.

“Under my watch [as scoutmaster] I’ve had 76 Eagle Scouts. I’m really proud about that. What I’m most proud about is that when the kids come here, they learn and they have a good time. They have a good enough time that so many want to succeed and earn the eagle because we develop a sense of pride in them. It’s made for a wonderful troop. I couldn’t ask for a better group of families and a better group of kids,” he said.

During the Dec. 1 event at Hillendale, many scouts spoke to say how much Coe has inspired them to succeed as scouts, and as people.

Also on hand was state Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-160, who was instrumental in getting the medals for Coe’s ceremony. He also presented the scoutmaster with a state flag that had flown over the capital in Harrisburg and read a proclamation from the House of Representatives, praising Coe for his service.