Local Mission Group to Present on March 12
The generosity of a community can impact a nation that is a world apart. India Mission Joy is a faith based nonprofit that hopes to unite local communities with the poverty ridden areas of India. On Sunday, March 12th at 12:30, the group will share stories of their recent visit to India at St. John the Baptist School in the Columbia Room.
Along with the history of the mission, an Indian meal will be provided. Cost is $12 per plate for adults and $6 for children. Kids under the age of 4 can eat for free. Following the meal, a presentation will be made which includes the groups visit to Mother Theresa’s tomb and the orphanages of Calcutta.
Dennis Boucher made his first trip to India to 2011. After seeing what little they have, he became an advocate for them here in Marshfield.
“After my first trip to India in 2011, I helped start India Mission Joy along with Fr Peter Manickam (from Colby now, but he grew up in Kokkudy) because of the need that we saw when we were on that trip,” said Boucher.
India Mission Joy believes that education is the building block that India needs to thrive. By providing key tools to the people of India, it is their hope to inspire local individuals to fulfill their own goals and dreams and help their people move forward.
Recent fundraisers have raised enough money for bathrooms in a school that holds 950 students. Bathrooms were also added to an orphanage that currently houses 85 children. The ribbon cutting for this event was this past January. Additional monies were donated to provide a generator to use during frequent electrical outages and well as computers in which to study on.
With the next $3,000 raised, plans are to drill a well that will supply the entire village of Kokkudy. In a city that holds 5,000 people, there is an insufficient water system currently in place. Future plans also include building a bridge to the cities cemetery as it currently cannot be accessed during winter months.
The mission statement for India Mission Joy is: The India Mission Joy is a U.S. tax-exempt
public charitable foundation dedicated to developing human potential and expanding educational opportunity for the underprivileged. We are committed to facilitating access to education that transforms lives and communities and that which produces the homegrown expertise needed to provide services and lift communities out of poverty.
Boucher had dedicated years to this mission and knows it is not something that can be solved overnight.
“This is a long term project for the country of India. There is great need,” he said.
For more information, please visit www.indiamissionjoy.org
