Bleak future stares at their face: Can we do something......?

Report and Pictures by Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 20 June 2010: Losing one’s father at an impressionable age is quite tragic for young children. It is more of a disaster if their livelihood has been entirely dependent on the meagre earnings of the father. This exactly what happened in the case of two young children, Asha (15) and Avinash(13) of St. John Baptist II Ward, Arbi-Moodubelle, when their father, Augustine Monthu Lobo (56) accidentally drowned in Perupade pond near Alevoor where he had gone to catch fish along with few others on 14th May 2010. With the unexpected tragic death of Augustine Monthu Lobo, his wife Shanti and two children have lost forever the caring husband, loving father and the provider of the family.

Late Augustine Monthu Lobo

Augustine Monthu Lobo, son of late Greogory and Carmine Lobo had studied up to PUC. As a young man he tried his luck working at different places in Mumbai and even in Surat. But due to ill-health he was forced to make a living in his share of ancestral land in Arbi where he used to cultivate around 60 cents of paddy field growing two crops. In order to have additional income, Augustine would cultivate vegetables which he would sell and maintan cows and sell milk to needy neighbours and even supply to the dairy. Moreover, he would earn some amount by working for daily wages.

According to the neighbours, Augustine Monthu had been a hardworking person. He took good care of his wife and children. He had been always helpful to the neighbours and came to their rescue whenever they were in trouble. He was an expert snake catcher and never hesitated to pull out even poisonous snakes from their hiding places in the vicinity of the residential places. The neighbours are of high opinion about his selfless service and love animals. He was very fond of dogs, cats and cattle who would reciprocate his affection in one way or the other.

The financial condition of the family is so bad that when Augustine Monthu died due to drowning, his widowed wife and children were practically orphaned. It was the Ward members under the leadership of Gurkarn, Mrs. Gladys Rebello made arrangements for his funeral and the expenses were borne by Robert Mendonca from Canada. Since, Augustine Monthu’s death the neighbours have been concerned with the welfare of his widow and children. They collectively made arrangement for an enclosed toilet and bath for the family. As Shanti undergoes bouts of depression every now and then, on the recommendation of Fr. Joswey Fernandes some of the neighbours had taken her for treatment to Fr. Muller’s Hospital at Mangalore. Presently, she is under medication and there is slight improvement in her condition. The ward members have also chipped in some amount for their day to day expenses.

With the passing away of Augustine Monthu, the children, Asha who studies presently in the 10th standard and Avinash in 8th standard are left at the mercy of the neighbours and ward members. Though Augustine had paid the school fees of Avinash before his death, the fees of Asha are still to be paid. The Vincent de Paul Society has taken care of the uniform and books of the children for this year. Similarly, some kind hearted persons are helping the family in one way or the other.

Realising the need to make some long term financial arrangement for the education of the children, on the initiative of the Gurkarn of St. John the Baptist II Ward, Mrs. Gladys Rebello and John D’Almeida and some other ward members, under the guidance of Fr. Joswey Fernandes an account has been opened in the Karnataka Bank, Moodubelle branch with an initial deposite of Rs.8,000/-. This account is operated exclusively by the Parish Priest in the name of the children.

As a bleak future stares on the face of these two children, Asha and Avinash and their mother Shanti, the parish community can wipe the tears from their eyes and give them a hope for the future by rendering some kind of financial assistance so that they can continue their education and have a reasonably decent livelihood.

Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the Parish Priest of Moodubelle has made an appeal to the generous people of the parish to donate whatever they could to meet the expenses of education of these two young children, Asha and Avinash. Willing donors can hand over the amount in the parish office or directly credit to KBL  A/C NO. 4212500100514401 (Parish Priest, St. Lawrence Church, Belle). The donors will be acknowledged in Parish Journal-Suvadh.