Paradigm shifts take place and our ministries take a turn to be the signs of the times. We ought to adapt ourselves to answer to emerging issues or situations. We as a community of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary have involved ourselves to catering to the needs of the HIV infected and affected children and people since 2005, as Namakkal District of Tamil Nadu showed a high rate of HIV/AIDS. As the number of child marriages and the victim girls of sexual abuse increased due to COVID 19 curfews, our Home became a Reception Home. Here is how our community became a Fresh Wine Skin.
Rationale of Our Ministry
COVID 19 curfews gave rise to issues that made girl children vulnerable. The children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking, orphaned, abandoned and destitute, child labourers, abused and differently-abled, victims of child marriage and teenage pregnancies do need our care and protection. If they are not protected in the Homes, they would be vulnerable before the sexual offenders and perpetrators of this abuse, because, the offenders attempt to erase evidence of crime against girl children and at times attempt to murder the victims. We, as the conscience of the society felt the need to give them care, protection, formal education, training in soft skills, in children entrepreneurship and higher education.
Sr Antony Mary FMM
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