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International Outreach - Karachi, Pakistan

Check out updates from Jerome Andrades below 

Jerome Andrades with his family including his son, Fr. Daniel Andrades

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Educational Needs for Christian Orphans and Poor Christian Children, 2024 to date

With the number of projects on hand, I had not managed to update you on the Educational Activities of the Karachi Outreach Program. I have therefore compiled a selected photo-summary below, covering some of the Educational related activities, which took place under the Karachi Outreach Program, funded through the generous donation received from St. Joseph's Parish Fullerton in 2024.    
 
Educational Needs for Christian Orphans and Poor Christian Children, during the year 2024 to date.
 
-Payment of School Fees / Admissions fees and purchase of School books etc. for Orphan Children and Children from Broken Homes 
Around 100 Christian orphans and poor children have so far benefitted from the Outreach Program 2024, while additional schools and deserving poor students have been identified for inclusion in the Outreach Program.   
-Good Shepherd's Home, Orphan girls and girls from broken homes whose admission and school fees have been paid 
Photo taken with Sr. Salma Rehmat, Sister Incharge of Good Shepherd's Home. 
Jerome Andrades
-Providence Home Orphanage:  School Books (text books and copies) were purchased and provided to the girls at Providence Home. 
-Poor Christian Students from Marriam High School whose admission fees and school fees have been paid 
-St. Ritas Village School Sanghar - Purchase of New School Furniture
-New Furniture being purchased at the furniture market in Sanghar City 
-Furniture being transported to Sanghar Village using a Motor-bike-attached-to-a-cart  (The locally designed cheap mode of transportation)
Coordinated with the assistance of Fr. Nazir John, Parish Priest, St. Paul's Parish, Sanghar and School Administrator of St. Rita's School 
-Visit to St. Bernadette's School, Bhance (Buffalo) Colony Basti, for assessment and inclusion in the Karachi Outreach Program.
Accompanied by Fr. Anthony Abraz, Parish Priest of St. Thomas' Parish, Malir and School Administrator of St. Bernadette's School, a poor school with limited resources. Most of the families in this Basti cannot afford the cost of education. Many Christian children here do not go to school and can be seen playing in the lanes of the Basti, instead of being in school. The School Administrator, Fr. Anthony Abraz (seen in his black cassock in the background) going from house to house trying to convince the parents to send their children to school.  In spite of the large population of Christians in this Basti only a small number of children are seen in the classrooms. 
 

    Update: St. Andrew’s Church – Meer Khan Ghot Village - 2/11/2025

    Dear Rev. Fr. Jesse and Parishioners of St. Joseph’s Parish, Fullerton

    Greetings from Karachi

    In continuation of my email of 17th Jan. 2025.

    Project: Construction work has re-started on St. Andrew’s Church - Meer Khan Ghot Village 

    I visited St. Andrew’s Church again, on 9th Feb 2025, attended mass and evaluated the work in progress and also assessed upcoming requirements. This is yet another wonderful experience; witnessing our Lord’s hand in the re-initiation of construction work on St. Andrew's Church, for the poor Catholic Community in Meer Khan Ghot. Those attending mass were overjoyed and full of appreciation and gratitude for your generosity and for our Lord’s unfailing providence. Many had lost hope of seeing the Church-construction through to completion. 

    The Window-frames for the Church have been purchased and installed and the frame for church-roof put in place. Completion work of the roof, plastering of the walls, installation of windows / doors, electrical work etc. is now in progress, under the Karachi Outreach Program.

    Photo-update of St. Andrew’s Church as on 9th Feb 2025, is provided below, along-with the letter received from the Parish priest, Fr. Barnabas, based on which the Karachi Outreach Program has decided to manage the remaining construction expenses, up to the completion of the new Church. Further updates will be shared as the work continues.

    With immense gratitude and thanks,

    Humbly in Christ

    Jerome Andrades

      READ MESSAGE - 1/17/2025

      There are around 155 poor Catholic families living in Meer Khan Ghot (a one-and-half-hour drive from my home). There was no Catholic Church or proper premises in the village, where the Catholic community could celebrate mass. Mass was being celebrated in an open muddy plot belonging to the Archdiocese, near the roadside.

      Fr. Barnabas, the parish priest, together with the local community, took on the challenge to construct a simple church structure ‘St. Andrew’s Church’. Together they managed to raise Rs.1,017,000/- (equivalent to US$ 3,660/-) which has been completely utilized towards the construction of the Church foundation, walls and bell-tower. Some of the poor families have donated their life's savings. 

      Work on the Church was put on hold, due to a shortfall in funds (required for the roof, windows, doors, electrical system, painting, fans, lights etc.) The shortfall required to complete the Church structure is estimated at Rs.1,694,300/- (i.e approximately an additional US$ 6,100/- required to complete the construction work.). Fr. Barnabas requested help from the Karachi Outreach Program.

      I visited the construction site on Sunday 12th Jan. 2025 (the Baptism of our Lord) and attended Sunday mass with the local Catholic community in their in-complete Church structure. The mass was celebrated by Fr. Barnabas. Tent sheets were used to cover the roof. Those who attended mass, sat on carpets on the floor. The tents and carpets are hired before the mass and taken down and returned after the mass by the parish youth, as they cannot afford to purchase the same.

      After mass I met with Fr. Barnabas and the contractor. Under the Karachi Outreach Program, available funds from the most generous donation received from St. Joseph's Parish Fullerton, will be utilized to complete the Church construction work. I hope to have St. Andrew's Church completed and ready for Easter 2025 celebrations. It would be wonderful to see the completed Church full on Easter Sunday. I will be sharing further updates as the construction work progresses. Photos of the current status of St.Andrew's Church are attached below.

      Other On-going Activities under the Karachi Outreach Program: From the donation received from St. Joseph's Parish, Fullerton a recreation-area is being set-up at St. Vincent Home for the Elderly (to include Smart TVs, sofas, coffee-tables and carpets). Available funds are also being utilized to initiate work on the much needed renovation of their kitchen, along-with the construction of a driveway, so that an ambulance can reach the building entrance. I will provide details on St. Vincent Home Projects in my next update.


        Update: Solar Power Project, St. Rita's Village School, Sanghar - 1/4/2025

        READ MESSAGE - 1/4/2025

        Dear Rev. Fr. Jesse and Parishioners of St. Joseph's Parish, Fullerton

        Wishing you a Very Happy New Year, filled with God's grace, mercy and choicest blessings.

        The initial survey of St. Rita’s school and surrounding village was conducted in Sep.’24. One has to travel by jeep, through difficult dirt roads to get to the village school. There is no electricity or running water, and without lights or fans, there was no activity after sun-set. In summer the classrooms were too hot to use. All the children (from grade 1 to grade 5) sat together in an open corridor, which also needed fans during summer. As a result, only 50 village children are currently studying in the school. Many remain at home. The limited school furniture is old, worn-out and broken. They have no cupboards and no proper tables for the teachers.  The school hall is used for Sunday Mass with limited Church activities in the daytime.

        The villagers live in mud and straw houses which they build with their bare hands; left wide open with no doors or windows; just open holes for ventilation. Their houses often collapse during the heavy monsoon rains, and are rebuilt with much hard labor, but no financial cost. I was invited to have lunch in the home of one of the villagers. I experienced immense peace and calm when I entered their humble home. One can sense God’s soothing and comforting presence among these people. Fr. Nazir John, the parish priest of St. Paul’s Parish, Sanghar, accompanied me on the visit and has been very supportive.

        Utilizing funds from your most generous donation, a solar power system with batteries, fans, lights etc. was successfully installed in early Dec.’24. and new chairs purchased for the teachers. The class-rooms now having fans and lights were cleared and set up to accommodate the children indoors, giving the premises some appearance of what one may call a school. No fees are charged from the students. The school has only two dedicated teachers, from the local village who receive a measly stipend of appreciation from the local Archdiocese. (Sadly Rs.7000/-, equivalent to US$ 25 only per month.). In addition, three selfless volunteers from the local village work free of cost.

        I visited again on 17th Dec.’24 and took gifts for the children, and Christmas cash-bonuses for the teachers. We had a small delightful Christmas party, with the children singing Christmas carols and dancing. Now, with solar power, the village school and local Church has come alive with evening activities, social events and adult catechesis etc.

        I close with immense gratitude and thanks to Rev. Fr. Jesse, the Parishioners of St. Joseph’s Parish Fullerton and the International Outreach Committee for your continued generosity, concern and love for the less fortunate.

        Humbly in Christ

        Jerome Andrades,

        Coordinator, Karachi Outreach program


          Update : Christmas Food Relief Program - Poor Christian Villages & Mirpurkhas Orphanage

          READ MESSAGE - 12/18/24

          Dear Rev. Fr. Jesse,

          Greetings from Karachi

          Once again, through the most generous funding, prayers and support received from St. Joseph’s Parish, Fullerton and the International Outreach Committee, we were able to reach out to 100 poor Christian families as well as 70 orphan girls at St. Michael’s Hostel, Mirpurkhas. The average family-size in these villages is 7-8 family-members.

          I am sharing a heartwarming update on the recent ‘Christmas Food Relief Program’ managed under the Karachi Outreach program; successfully concluded at Bethlehem and Prem Nagar Christian Villages, where there is a scarcity of every basic necessity; no infrastructure and no electricity. The villagers live in extreme poverty and rarely get to eat a decent meal. 

          During my first visit to these two Christian villages; a list of Christian families was compiled, including the National I.D. number and Name of the head-of-each-household. Ration bags were distributed against this list, to ensure that every family in the village received a ration bag. Each bag weighed over 30 Kilos, (containing three-months supply of flour, rice, misc. lentils, beans, sugar, oil, lard, tea, noodles, misc. spices, juice-bottle and toiletries: shampoo, bathing soap, detergent and dish-washing soap etc.)

          During my next visit to these villages on 7th to 9th December 2024; the food items and toiletries were purchased and packed in large-sacks at a wholesale market in Mirpurkhas. The rector of St. Bonaventure’s Minor Seminary, Fr. William Emmanuel and all eight Seminarians, willingly volunteered to accompany and assist me with the loading / unloading and distribution of the heavy ration bags.

          It was a wonderful, heartwarming experience. The villagers were overjoyed and filled with hope and gratitude for God’s unfailing providence. They wore their best outfits for the occasion. It was also a spiritually enriching experience for the young Seminarians and for me; bringing our Lord Jesus to these poor, needy and desperate families; while beginning the Christmas season with joy, hope, genuine love and concern for our fellow Christians in dire need of assistance. We distributed 100 bags to poor Christian villagers and poor families in Mirpurkhas, and 10 ration bags to St. Michael’s Girls Orphanage, Mirpurkhas.

          The overall distance covered by road, during each visit was approximately 750 kilometers, spread over a three-day journey, travelling through farms, villages, deserted fields and barren waste-lands on the outskirts of the city. Yet another moving experience for me, learning to place my trust in our Lord’s protecting and care, while driving alone and realizing how weak and vulnerable we are.

          I have just returned home from another three-day road trip from 15th to 17th December 2024, visiting St. Rita's Village School in Sanghar (to close the Solar Power Project). I also visited Sinjhoro, Drug Rehabilitation Centre and Mirpurkhas Minor Seminary. I will share an update on the Solar Power Project in my next update.

          I wish you and the parishioners and families of St. Joseph’s Parish, Fullerton a very happy and joyous Christmas Season and a New Year filled with God’s choicest blessings.

          Humbly in Christ

          Jerome Andrades

            Karachi Outreach

            The Plight of Christians in Pakistan 

            Pakistan’s Christian community constitutes a small minority of 1.6% of Pakistan’s total population, concentrated mainly in Karachi. (Pakistan total current population stands at 243M, being the 5th most populace country in the world). The majority of Pakistani Christians live in slum areas, in poor and miserable conditions.

            The Christian Slums of Karachi

            Christians from the slums are uneducated and illiterate. Many are jobless, others work as laborers and cleaners on daily-wages, and earn as little as $3 to $4 for a full day’s work, living in small rented houses, without basic utilities or amenities. Each family has around 4 to 5 children. Majority of these children do not go to school, due to poverty. Most children from the slums are forced into child-labor, and some into child-beggary, risking abuse to become a source of income for their families. They are lucky if they get to eat one decent meal a day.

            Poor Christians in Pakistan are looked down upon and face discrimination. Many work as sewage cleaners, using their bare hands, with no equipment or protection. Some have died from poisonous gas inhalation and disease. Drug addiction is rampant among jobless Christian men and youth. The women and children are frequently mistreated and abused. Christian women in the slums usually carry the burden of earning for their families, working multiple jobs, cleaning and cooking for the wealthy. Elderly are considered a burden and are poorly treated. Some are abandoned on the streets to fend for themselves. Kidnapping, forced marriages and forced conversion to Islam, especially of young teenage Christian girls, frequently underage, to wealthy Muslim men, is usually supported by the local authorities and courts, under one pretext or another. Cases of Christians being accused of blasphemy (a crime which carries a death-sentence in Pakistan) is becoming more common day by day. 

            Cases of suicide in the slums is on the increase, while the children growing up in this environment are the most vulnerable and neglected.  There is much need for support and efforts to rescue these children and admit them into boarding homes, hostels, orphanages and schools where they can receive proper care, affection, counselling and schooling. 

            Catholic schools charge low subsidized monthly fees of around US$ 11 per student while Catholic orphanages charge a nominal monthly fee of US$ 7 per child. These institutions, therefore find it difficult to make ends meet or to manage routine upkeep and maintenance. New-student subsidized school-admission fee is around US$ 70.  School books and stationary approximately $ 16 per child, and two uniforms and a pair of shoes around US$ 25. With unprecedented inflation at 38% and the on-going devaluation of the local Rupee (1$ = Rs.278), the cost of basic necessities and food items is now beyond the reach of the poor man. 

            Thanks to the most generous donations received from the parishioners of St. Joseph’s Parish Fullerton, around 300 poor and orphan children have benefitted, either in the form of uniforms, school books, shoes or school fees / admissions fees on a prioritized need basis. A number of children have been rescued and admitted into orphanages and schools. The Karachi Outreach Program has also assisted abandoned elderly, rehabilitation of Christian drug addicts as well as with basic maintenance requirements of Orphanages, Homes for the elderly and Christian Schools. 

            May God bless you abundantly for your generosity, love and concern for the less fortunate. Your contributions have changed lives and provided hope, relief and comfort to many poor deserving Christians in Karachi. 

            Humbly in Christ,

            Jerome Andrades

            Message from Jerome Andrades 12/8/24

            Dear Rev. Fr. Jesse

            Greetings from Karachi.

            Sorry for the delay in keeping in touch. The Karachi Outreach Projects 2024-25 are progressing at a good pace, and have kept me completely occupied for the past few months. Yesterday 7th Dec. I drove to Mirpurkhas. I left my home in Karachi at 6.00 am. and arrived in Mirpurkhas at 11:00 am. This is my second visit to the two Christian Villages, Bethleham village and Prem Nagar village, where I am coordinating and managing Christmas Hampers / Ration distribution on behalf of the Karachi Outreach Program. These villagers barely have any food to eat.

            Under the Karachi Outreach Program 110 poor Christian families will now receive dry rations and toiletries for Christmas. Each hamper weighing a little over 30 Kilos. I am also distributing Christmas Hapmers to St. Michael's Girl's Orphanage in Mirpurkhas.

            I will later drive to Sanghar village, where I am installing solar panels, lights and fans and have also provided chairs for St. Rita's village school and Church in Sanghar. They had no electricity.. and therefore no parish activities in the villages after sun set. Now, with solar panels, batteries, lights and fans they are starting adult Catechesis classes and sewing classes in the evenings for the Villagers and Christian women in the villages. Other Parish activities have also started in the evenings as a result.

            I also plan to stop over at Sinjhoro, drug rehabilitation centre, before returning to Karachi on
            Wed, 11th evening.This journey will cover a total of 5 days travelling by road and it's the first time I am driving alone by road. Well... not entirely true. I have full confidence that my Lord Jesus, will accompany me throughout this journey, as always.. I am staying at the Minor Seminary in Mirpurkhas which is located at a distance of approximately 2 hours drive from each village. So once again, I get to spend some quality time with the young Seminarians.The educational projects n Karachi covering admissions and school fees for Christian orphans and poor Christian children is also moving along well.

            I will be sharing a photo update on the related activities shortly. Please keep me in your prayers.

            Humbly in Christ
            Jerome Andrades

            Project Estimate Plans & Cost 2024

            US$ 17,020/- Estimated Budget (1 US$ = Rs.278) 
            1. Christian Orphanages: Educational Requirements of 200 Christian Orphans / Poor Children  (US$ 6500) 

            2. Christian Orphanages: Dry Rations and Toiletries 
            (US$ 1900 Estimated Rs.525,000) 

            3. Assessment of Christian Orphanages in Other Cities. 
            (US$ 360) 

            4. St. Vincent Home for the Elderly, Karachi 
            (US$ 1260 Setup a basic recreation area) 

            5. Easter Hampers for 70 Widows & Single Mothers 
            (US$ 2500 for 70 Hampers: Dry rations, juices and toiletries) 

            6. Basic Renovation of Christian Orphanages / Homes for the Elderly, Poor Christian Schools 
            (US$ 2500 set aside for basic renovation and upkeep) 

            7. House of Hope, Drug Rehabilitation Center 
            (US$ 2000 approximately for the Rehabilitation and Treatment of 10 deserving Christian Drug Addicts) 

            Karachi Outreach 2022

            Karachi Outreach 2022

            This Lent our parish and school community will be helping through our outreach program the catholic community in Karachi Pakistan. Sem. Daniel Andrades hails from Pakistan and his father currently is volunteering to work with the needy to evangelize and help with essential needs for their livelihood. This outreach opportunity will help us to foster the faith and wellbeing of the minority catholic population in the predominantly Moslem country.

            Pakistan is the world’s 5th most populace country with a population of 223 Million.  Christians constitute around 1.6% of Pakistan’s total population. Pakistan is very densely populated with approximately 742 people per Sq. Mile (in comparison to China which has 397 people per Sq. Mile.) Karachi is the most populace city in Pakistan with around 20 Million people, followed by Lahore with around 13 Million. Pakistan’s Christian community is concentrated mainly in Karachi and a few other major cities. Karachi Christians constitute 6% of Karachi’s population.

            Condition of Poor Christian Families & their Children

            A large majority of the Christian community (Urdu speaking community) are uneducated and illiterate, working on daily wages as laborers and cleaners (earning as little as $3.50 to $5.50 for a full day’s work. i.e. Pak. Rs. 600 to Rs. 800 per day). Many are now unable to find work due to the pandemic situation and barely able to eat one meal a day. Children from these families are mostly uneducated (child labor is also common in Pakistan) and end up like their parent, working as cleaners and laborers on daily wages. Christian couples in the slum areas have as many as 4 to 5 children. Although some Catholic schools charge a nominal fee of around $10 to $12 monthly-fee per child (i.e. Rs.1500 to Rs.2000 per child per month), poor families are unable to pay for the education of their children, resulting in a significant number of Christian-children drop-outs from schools. The Vincent De Paul Society - St. Anthony’s Conference Karachi is currently paying for the fees of 50 children from poor families, amounting to an Annual amount of Rs. 981,000 (approx. US$ 6150 Annually) and would like to include more children in this program.

            The Urdu speaking Christian community are looked down upon, also having to face job discrimination. The government recently put out an advertisement for Sewage Cleaners - quote ‘Only Christians need apply’. They are required to clean the sewage with their bare hands often submerged up to their shoulders in the drains, with no protection. Many have died from gas inhalation and disease in a desperate attempt to earn money for their families.

            Condition of Elderly Christian in Pakistan.

            Many elderly Christians have been deserted and abandoned by their children and families and left to fend for themselves. Those in the poorer communities are often treated badly as they are looked upon as an added burden. With no unemployment benefits from the government. Very few (only government employees) are entitled to menial old-age benefits (approx. $30 a month.) The govt. has implemented a COVID one-time emergency-relief of $75 per family (many poor Christian families inform that they have not received this one-time-funding). There is a serious dearth of hospices in Pakistan, with no government funding or support from the Parishes in Pakistan, the condition of the elderly is dismal. A handful of homes for the elderly in Pakistan (for the Christian community) are run by the religious orders with no financial support from the Diocese / Churches of Pakistan. These homes are expected to be self-sufficient and hence charge a nominal fee ranging from $10 to $60 per month to make ends meet, as a result these homes are unable to manage maintenance and upkeep.

            Home for Christian Orphans / Children from broken homes. (In Karachi)

            These homes are also run by the religious orders with no financial support from the Diocese / Churches of Pakistan or the Government. A couple of these Homes include, The Good Shepherd Sisters Home and Providence Home. Funding is received mainly through donations. The children come from broken families, some have parents in prison, others have been abandoned by step parents or where the family is unable to support or feed their children.