Saturday 18 August 2007

The family have moved

Sunama with Fareeda and baby Zeenath at their front door. Jagan is to the left.
With the assistance of family and friends we have been able to move Sunama, Babu and their five children out of the slum area they lived in and into a village near Chennai. They have settled in to this little house, which we are renting for the family. Although it only has one bedroom, it does have running water and is a vast improvement over their previous accommodation. The children have a large safe play area as well.

On Monday 20th August Fareeda, Anwar and Zarina are due to start attending the village school. Vidya's employee Jagan has been given the job of looking after the family. He has arranged for the children to receive extra tuition, to make up for their lost years of education.

Babu is now able to pull himself up into a standing position. He is determined not to be an invalid, and has requested a walking frame so he can try to move. Vidya also tells me his speech is becoming more coherent, so he can now often make himself understood.

Vidya passed on the message that Babu and Sunama are happy with the move, and are very grateful for all the support they have received.

4 comments:

Kerri Rioux said...

What a bitter sweet story. I am so pleased that you could, firstly, find out the truth for your children and secondly to help your now extended family.
BTW - My stepdaughters name is Zarina and this is the first time she has known of another.
Best wishes to all your family
Kerri

Linda said...

I have just finished reading your book, Love Our Way, and am so pleased to have found your blog, particularly as it has an update on your Indian family. So sad to read that Babu died, but lovely to see him in the video clip.
You and Barry are an inspirational couple and your family is lucky to have such incredibly understanding parents.
Linda (NZ)

Anonymous said...

i am still crying after reading your book and seeing the blog news.
what a wonderful family you all make -Indian and Australian.
So very sad to hear of Babu death. He sounded like such a compassionate man who deserved a much longer life to spend with his family.
Thank you for giving us your very personal life to read about. Like you wish lets hope to the end in the trading of childrens lives all over the world. How people can treat the most vunerable people in the world in such a way is something that can never make sense.
My heart goes out to Sunama and her family. I wish you all the best.
sincerly Lisa

Anonymous said...

hi Julia i read your book Love our way. thank you for your lovely way in which you described your children and the way you were able to embrace them with love and acceptance from the start . You and your husband Barry showed such a compassionate and wonderful heart to the people in need.You showed Jesus heart. in your book you wrote that you had no particular religious convictions but you were beginning to question the concept of divine intervention. i think indeed that God went before you and paved the way for you all to meet Akil and SAbi's family. thank you again about the provoking thoughts and the actions you showed regarding the adoption of your children.

greetings Beatrix
12 June 2016