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.

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

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