Personal Story of the Sponsors
Meet Dave and Mary Gothi

​I had fallen in love with street kids, Ravina and Suriya.  I first saw them one January as I sat in my favorite café, mesmerized by how caring this young boy was with his little sister.  Leaving the café, I handed him my sandwich, which he tore in two, giving half to her.  Knowing that he was probably very hungry and would have preferred to eat it himself, I was moved to tears by his loving gesture.  For weeks,  as I walked the streets, I would look for these children, hoping to offer them some food and love.  One time, I found them in the middle of a busy street, playing in boxes, eager to taste what I had brought them. On the  night before we were to fly home, I went looking for them and upon finding Ravina, I bought some McDonalds veggie burgers for him to share with his siblings.  I handed him the bags and he ran off down the sidewalk, calling, “ Mummy, Mummy, Aunti, Aunti!”  We followed him, amazed  to find that he had a loving family and he excitedly introduced me to his parents. With tears in her eyes, his mother thanked me for feeding her children.  We quickly went to buy them new clothes, which they proudly put on.  I returned to Mumbai in June and miraculously found Ravina again so we had more  simple, but loving encounters of food and smiles.  The next time I returned to Mumbai, I searched for two weeks, but couldn’t find them.  Since Ravina’s mother was a ditch digger, she probably moved on to a new place to find work.  It breaks my heart to know that I will never see them again and that they will probably spend their lives on the street.

It is because of children like Ravina and his siblings that we support St. Catherine’s School and Home for Destitute Children.  In a society where children like Ravina are believed to deserve little more than food and clothing, St. Catherine’s is a bright light, providing not only physical care and education, but also spiritual renewal and healing of their emotional brokenness.  Trained counselors use the arts of dance, music and fine art to heal the wounds of these children, most of whom have been physically, sexually and emotional abused.  St. Catherine’s was created in the late 1950’s by Brother Anthony, a young priest who was mentored by Mahatma Ghandi.   One day, after campaigning for months, Gandhi asked Brother Anthony to return home to Mumbai to follow God’s true calling upon his life, that of loving and educating children.   He went home immediately to begin teaching neighborhood children under a tree where St. Catherine’s exists today. It is a place of unconditional love where children are given a future. Being a part of this amazing school has changed the lives of everyone involved.  We would be so grateful if you become part of this change!

​- Mary