Over a decade ago, Pastor K.M. Philip came to Mumbai from Kerala with the intention of staying for a few months. While doing the rounds of railway stations and the streets of the city, he was deeply pained to see maggots crawling out of people with skeleton-thin bodies and deep wounds. Everywhere, there were diseased bodies, hungry stomachs, empty eyes and neglected souls. Most of them were TB and AIDS patients and it was agonising to see them salvage food from bins.
Around that time, a commercial sex worker approached Pastor Philip and handed over her nine-month-old son Reuben to him. The mother was HIV positive and refused to take care of her son. During a check-up, Reuben was also found to be HIV positive. Pastor Philip then decided to set out on a mission to look after Reuben and the destitute in the city. He set up the Social and Evangelical Association for Love (SEAL) in Mumbra and was soon joined by his wife Shibi and Pastor Biju Samuel.
Shibi says, “We were newly married and had a three-month-old daughter. I came to Mumbai after my husband decided to stay here. I was shocked to see his mission and with great reluctance I joined in.” Shibi cooks meals for the inmates, who lovingly call her Maa .
Hope in hard times
Pastor Samuel says, “Within two years, the number of inmates grew to 20. Our hardships and expenses also increased. The inmates required constant medical and personal care, and we were driven away from housing societies where we rented flats. Yet, we had faith in our mission and knew such trials would only make us stronger.” Despite hard times, the pastors shared a jovial relationship with the inmates, who called them the ‘Palak brothers’ as they made spinach a regular item in every meal. To accommodate the rising number of inmates, SEAL changed its premises four times, before setting base at Nere in New Panvel. The current location is ideal for the organisation as it is far from the city and surrounded by a forest.
Now, SEAL caters to 230 inmates — mostly HIV and TB patients, the mentally and physically challenged and orphans — and has become a point of reference for about 20 NGOs, the Mumbai police and Navi Mumbai police, hospitals and well-wishers. Pastor Philip says, “Ruben is now 16 and in Class X. He is an integral part of SEAL and helps in the administration. He also plays the drums well.”
Pastor Samuel says they are now assisted by about 20 volunteers who joined them after being inspired by their work. SEAL has expanded its mission to reunite people, especially children who have run away from homes, with their families. So far, 290 people have been reunited with their families. The first such case was that of Ramachandra Sarvate, 72, whom the inmates fondly called chacha ’. He was separated from his family during a journey and was living on the streets for nearly 40 days. The volunteers reunited him with his family in 12 days with the help of the police and social media. Forty two children have also been rescued from the streets and enrolled in the local Zilla Parishad school.
What money can’t buy
SEAL also looks out for those who are seriously ill. Pastor Samuel says, “In most cases, what they immediately need is not money, but a wash, a change of dress, water, food and hospitalisation. On receiving a call about someone lying on the road, volunteers go to the site and bring them here. SEAL is ready to take them into their fold and extend all possible assistance.” The volunteers also make arrangements for the funeral of terminally ill inmates. Pastor Philip says, “When death is near, all they need is someone to attend to their needs. They long for the care and compassion of loved ones, and at SEAL we try to give them that.”
Dreaming big
SEAL receives no aid from the government and local or global organisations. As it runs solely on individual donations, shortage of funds stands in the way of expansion. Nevertheless, it goes ahead with new projects. Pastor Philip says, “Mercy Mines is a new five-storey shelter that is being built as the present building cannot accommodate more inmates.” The ground floor will house Snehadhoot, a hospital with 200 beds that will cater to the needs of AIDS patients.
SEAL also plans to provide nutritious meals, tuition classes and stationery to tribal children under its Sagar Vidyapeeth scheme. As part of Goshen, its agro farming project, SEAL grows passion fruit and has set apart 13 acres for fish farming. Pastor Philip says, “Our efforts to serve and subsist on compassion might be imperceptible, yet we offer ourselves untiringly.”
